Tour from Cusco
South Valley
Half a day visiting Tipón, Pikillacta and the Sistine Chapel of the Americas in Andahuaylillas. Departure at 9 a.m. and return around 2:30 p.m., with a guide specialized in Inca history and colonial art and a stop in Saylla.
- We assist you in English on WhatsApp
- English-speaking guides
- Local agency in Cusco since 2003, registered with MINCETUR
Pickup at your lodging in central Cusco from 8:30 a.m. (between 8:40 and 9 a.m.)
Explanations in English or Spanish throughout the tour
Tipón, Pikillacta and Rumicolca, Andahuaylillas and Saylla
We confirm your booking in under 2 hours
Tipón, Pikillacta and the Sistine Chapel of the Americas in half a day from Cusco
The Cusco South Valley tour covers the area southeast of the city and brings together three cultures in one morning. It starts at the Tipón Archaeological Park, 24 km from Cusco, one of the most refined examples of Inca hydraulic engineering: farming terraces, ceremonial baths, channels and aqueducts that still work, fed by water flowing down from Pachatusan mountain.
Next comes Pikillacta, the only pre-Inca site in the region (an adobe city of the Wari culture), next to the Inca checkpoint of Rumicolca. The tour ends in Andahuaylillas, whose church of San Pedro Apóstol, known as the Sistine Chapel of the Americas, hides gilded altars, canvases and painted ceilings behind a very plain facade.
It costs US$ 32 per person, it is the most affordable tour in our catalog and it ends around 2:30 p.m., with a stop in Saylla on the way back (home of chicharrón, the fried pork typical of the region). Because it is short and easy, it is a good fit for your first days while you acclimatize, before the Sacred Valley. Entry is with the Cusco Tourist Ticket (Boleto Turístico, the combined pass to Cusco’s tourist sites), whose prices are published by COSITUC. In the same direction, south of Cusco, we also run the Q’eswachaka Bridge tour, the last Inca suspension bridge.
Tipón, Inca water engineering
Stepped farming terraces, ceremonial baths, channels and aqueducts that still work, fed by Pachatusan mountain.
Pikillacta and Rumicolca
The only pre-Inca complex in the Cusco region, an adobe city of the Wari culture, next to the old Inca checkpoint of Rumicolca.
The Sistine Chapel of the Americas
The church of San Pedro Apóstol in Andahuaylillas: a plain exterior and an interior covered in gilded altars, canvases and painted ceilings.
Half a day at an easy pace
A cultural tour with a guide specialized in Inca history and colonial art, back in Cusco around 2:30 p.m., with a stop in Saylla, home of chicharrón.
Itinerary
Your half day, step by step: from Cusco to Tipón, Pikillacta and Andahuaylillas
- 8:40 – 9 a.m. · Pickup at your lodging in CuscoWe leave in tourist transportation toward the southeast of the city to start the South Valley tour.
- Tipón · Archaeological parkGuided visit to the farming terraces, Inca baths, temples, channels and aqueducts, 24 km from Cusco.
- Pikillacta and RumicolcaTour of the Wari adobe complex and the old Inca checkpoint of Rumicolca.
- Andahuaylillas · Sistine Chapel of the AmericasVisit to the church of San Pedro Apóstol, with its gilded altars, canvases and painted ceilings.
- Saylla · Stop on the way backOn the way back, we stop in Saylla, famous for its chicharrones.
- ≈2:30 p.m. · Return to CuscoArrival in the city and end of the tour.
What's included in your South Valley tour?
No surprises and no fine print: here is exactly what the service covers and what you will pay separately on the day of the tour.
Half day, approx. 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Up to 5,000 m (16,410 ft) above sea level
Daily morning departure, pickup from 8:30 a.m.
English or Spanish
Included
- Guided visit to Tipón (Inca culture), Pikillacta (Wari culture) and the Sistine Chapel of the Americas in Andahuaylillas
- Round-trip tourist transportation from your lodging
- Professional guide specialized in Inca history and colonial art (English-speaking guides)
- First-aid kit available to travelers
- Tari Tours assistance and coordination before and during the tour
Not included
- General Tourist Ticket (Boleto Turístico General, BTG: S/ 130 foreign visitors, S/ 70 Peruvians) or Partial Tourist Ticket (Boleto Turístico Parcial, BTP: S/ 70 foreign visitors, S/ 40 Peruvians)
- Entrance to the church of San Pedro Apóstol in Andahuaylillas (S/ 20 per person)
- Lunch and meals
- Personal expenses and tips
Note: the tour does not include lunch; we recommend bringing snacks or trying the Oropesa bread and the Saylla chicharrones along the way. Entrance fees are paid separately: the Cusco Tourist Ticket (BTG or BTP) for the archaeological sites and S/ 20 per person for the Andahuaylillas church.
Frequently asked questions
Here we answer the most common questions so you can book with peace of mind.
Do I need to acclimatize before the South Valley tour?
It is one of the easiest tours in Cusco, so it works well for your first days. Even so, it is best to have spent at least one day in the city, because the tour is at altitude and there are short walks within the archaeological sites.
How difficult is the tour?
Easy. You walk through the terraces of Tipón and the Pikillacta complex, with a few short ups and downs on stony ground. There is no trekking and the tour is suitable for families.
Which tickets do I need to buy separately?
The General Tourist Ticket (BTG: S/ 130 foreign visitors, S/ 70 Peruvians) or the Partial one (BTP: S/ 70 and S/ 40) and the entrance to the church of San Pedro Apóstol in Andahuaylillas, which costs S/ 20 per person. None of them are included in the price.
What time does it start and how long does it take?
We pick you up at your hotel in central Cusco from 8:30 a.m., roughly between 8:40 and 9 a.m. The tour starts at 9 a.m. and you are back in Cusco around 2:30 p.m.
What should I bring?
Comfortable shoes, layered clothing, a rain poncho, a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, water and snacks (the tour does not include lunch), cash for the Cusco Tourist Ticket and the Andahuaylillas entrance, and your passport.
How do booking and payment work?
You can book right on this page by choosing the date and the number of travelers. We confirm your booking in under 2 hours and agree on the exact pickup time with you. If you prefer, message us on WhatsApp before booking.
What happens if the weather affects the departure?
The tour runs year-round, and much of the Andahuaylillas visit is indoors. In the rainy season, bring a rain jacket for the outdoor sections. If exceptional conditions make the tour impossible, we agree with you on a date change or a suitable alternative.
How much does the Cusco South Valley tour cost?
The price is US$ 32 per person. It includes the guided visit to Tipón, Pikillacta and the Andahuaylillas church, round-trip tourist transportation from your lodging, the guide specialized in Inca history and colonial art and the first-aid kit. The Cusco Tourist Ticket and the entrance to the Andahuaylillas church (S/ 20 per person) are paid separately.
Which places do you visit in the South Valley?
Four stops: the Tipón archaeological park (Inca culture), the Pikillacta adobe complex with the Rumicolca checkpoint (Wari culture), the church of San Pedro Apóstol in Andahuaylillas (colonial art) and a stop in Saylla on the way back, famous for its chicharrones.
Why is Andahuaylillas called the Sistine Chapel of the Americas?
Because the interior contrasts sharply with the exterior. The 17th-century church of San Pedro Apóstol has a plain facade, but inside it holds gilded altars, Cusco School paintings and fully painted ceilings, with a decorative richness rare in the region. It is the stop that surprises most travelers on this circuit.
Ready to book or have a question?
Talk to one of our travel advisors in English. We reply Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Peru time, GMT-5).