We are an official Inca Trail tour operator based in the lovely city of Cusco, Peru. We are completely dedicated to the satisfaction of our clients. We offer tours and treks to Machu Picchu, Inca Trail, Salkantay, Lares Valley and more!
When you think of Peru, there are probably only two things that come to mind, Cusco and Machu Picchu. In reality, Peru is shelter to so many different magnificent sights that can easily go unrecognized. From the jungle to the Andes mountains, Peru is one of the most diverse countries in the world with a rich culture and even richer history. Here are 8 must-see destinations that’ll take you on an unforgettable adventure through this unique country.
Lima, Peru#1 Lima, by far the busiest city in Peru hosting over 7 million people, is the melting pot of Peru. Lima is special for its mixture of cultures as each part of this beautiful city delivers different influences from around the world. And it's amazing food, hosting two of the TOP 10 RESTAURANTS IN THE WORLD.
Miraflores is by far the most visited hosted cliff side above the ocean waters. There won't be a more beautiful ocean view than this. With beautiful places such as the Plaza de Armas and the bohemian neighborhood of Barranco to visit, Lima has a lot to offer.
Huacachina, Peru#2 HuacachinaThis desert refuge is just a quick ride from Ica. It’s surrounded by rolling hills of sand with this tiny body of water center in the Peruvian desert. This unique desert oasis can host a lot of fun to explore the sand dunes on ATVs; you can even surf them. If you are feeling romantic, this is a perfect place to host a dinner date in the sand.
Mancora, Peru#3 Mancora The beach capital of Peru, Mancora has everything you want in a beach town: nightlife, surf, sunny skies, and warm weather. With some of the most delicious and fresh food in all of Peru, this town is perfect after spending time in the busy cities of Peru.
Nazca, Peru#4 Nazca The history of the Nazca Lines are reasons enough to journey to the small city of Nazca. You can take a short plane ride above the lines so you can make out the shapes and come up with your own theory as to how they were created. It's very interesting and worthwhile sight to see.
Chachapoyas, Peru#5 Chachapoyas:This small peaceful town is known for one thing and one thing only and that's hiking. Just two hours outside this mountain town are two of the most spectacular sites in Peru: Gocta Waterfall, hidden in the mountains; and Kuélap, a walled city high in the mountains that was built by the Chachapoyas culture. This is the perfect journey for any adventurer
Arequipa, Peru#6 Arequipa The heart of Peru is home to one of Peru’s most beautiful Plaza de Armas and some of the country’s best food, which is saying a lot. Colca Canyon, which makes the Grand Canyon look small, is only a short ride away. This amazing city is by far my favorite because of it's great food, great drinks, amazing sights and cheap price. After visiting you will understand why we call it the heart of Peru. Iquitos, Peru#7 Iquitos The city of Iquitos, located smack dab in the Peruvian jungle, is one of the more unique cities in Peru. Unreached by any roads, this town has an Amazon vibe that is not found anywhere else in the country, and it makes the perfect launching-off point for exploring the Amazon and for the ayahuasca retreats that take place close by. #8 Ollantaytambo The small town of Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley is a perfect example of Inca street planning and design. With narrow cobblestone streets and ruins that cling to the cliffside above, Ollantaytambo will make you feel that you are stepping back in time. Most visit this amazing small town when traveling through Cusco.
These unique cities are absolutely amazing options when traveling to Peru. Visiting them will give you a different perception of the Peruvian culture and it's history.
If you have been on one of our amazing tours through Cusco, you have gotten the chance to taste some of Peru's award winning recipes that our Chef prepares as you hike through Cusco.
But After winning it's 7th straight “Best Culinary Destination In The World” at the World Travel Awards gala held in Portugal. We wanted to celebrate with our favorites and the best dishes in Peru.
Ceviche
This amazing dish is by far my favorite in Peru. The richness of flavors, the mixture of the different ingredients and the unbelievable taste of leche de tigre, tiger's milk makes this dish incredible.
Quinoa Soup
Cusco's pivotal Quinoa Soup, is a rich herbal breakfast like soup that is very smooth and can be added with fruit to deliver an unusual quick and relaxing warm meal on the go. It is a very light and delicious soup, recommended for cold seasons.
Aji de Gallina (Creamy Chicken)
My go to Peruvian dish is Aji de Gallina. This shredded chicken bathes in a thick sauce made with cream, ground walnuts, cheese, and aji amarillo is unremarkable. While you are eating you will taste Peru's love of sauces mixed with chilies, cheese, cream, or bread. There's nothing like it.
Rocoto Relleno (Stuffed Spicy Peppers)
Seeing the stuffed pepper you would assume this meal would be very hot. But surprisingly the Peruvians mix so many amazing sweet, creamy flavors hiding inside it perfectly compliments the kick from the spicy pepper. This dish is for sure a must try when visiting.
Arroz con Pato (Rice With Duck)
One of the most known and popular dishes in Peru behind Ceviche, Arroz con Pato will be a common favorite among travelers. From the rice, seared duck and mixture of flavors, this meal will not disappoint your taste buds one bit.
To finish off the list of amazing food these next two are the most important in Cusco. Famous Corn and Cheese
To say two of the most plentiful things in Peru is Corn and Cheese wouldn't be far from the truth. This starter is the easiest, most sought out and cheapest snack in Peru. In the Sacred Valley (Valle Sagrado) located in Urubamba, has the sweetest corn mixed with the savory of Peruvian cheese is a must try. It'll be disrespectful if you didn't.
The famous meal of Cusco
Cuy (Guinea Pig)
Yes, I know. Your daughter probably loves Guinea Pigs but so does Peru. This is a is one of the most emblematic dishes of Peruvians, especially in Cusco. After thoroughly cleaned it is boiled and seasoned with all spices before cooked. This typical meal can be served with rice, potatoes, salad and fried cassava. Do not come to Cusco without sampling a taste of their favorite meal.
Out of all the meals we have listed above what was your favorite? Which would you like to try?
What better way to experience Peru than with our 15 Day Tour in Peru. This journey that will take to explore Lima colonial, the fantastic and superb Sacred Valley, the amazing Machu Picchu.
Lima Costa Verde
Our 15 days in Peru tour will begin in Lima centre and cover the most representative districts for your enjoyment. We will pass in a private transport and collect you from your hotel after breakfast time. The city tour where you will show you key sites of Lima, including:
Lima Cathedral
Huaca Pucllana (magnificent ceremonial and archaeological centre)
The historic centre of Lima
Colonial buildings (Plaza Mayor, the Government Palace, the Archbishop's Palace, the Cathedral, the City Hall)
Ruins of Ollantaytambo
On beautiful Day 5 and 6 we will head to Agua Calientes to the great Machu Picchu. This day is absolutely amazing as you get to embark your eyes on the beautiful history of the Inca culture.
Huayna Picchu
After visiting the amazing Machu Picchu, we will spend the next couple days in Puno, Peru. This amazing lakefront city delivers a different atmosphere from Cusco.
On this day will be touring all the route to Puno and having stops at four interesting sites where you will be guided on site.
Andahuaylillas: Sistine chapel of South America: this church is one of the most beautiful examples of Andean popular religious art. (It leaves at 7.30am and arrives at about 5pm.)
Raqchi (Wiracocha God Temple): This was an Inca church of monumental dimensions; 100 meters long, 26 meters wide and 14 meters high. The temple is divided in two naves and each nave shows 11 giant columns - huge!.
La Raya: This is the halfway point between Cusco and Puno and also the highest point (4335 meters above sea level). The landscapes here are stunning and typical Andean animals like the llama, alpaca and vicuña are common. It is also the geographic border between the two cultures - Quechua and Aymara.
Pukara: This is the most important and oldest ceremonial center of the altiplano. There are interesting lite-sculptures and tombs.
The people from Karina community are very friendly and welcoming, for them showing their living style to you is a compliment on your visit. We will have our food in this Karina community and to spend another night in their unique traditional homes.
Luquina Island
After spending our amazing time on these great islands getting to know the wonderful people of Karina, we will head back to Puno and spend our last day before flying to the amazing Peru Amazon.
Puerto Maldonado and Tambopata River
This part of the trip we will spend it in the amazing Posada Amazonas onlooking the peace of this beautiful reserve.
Posada Amazonas
After relaxing in the amazing forest, we will head out Oxbow Lake. We will paddle around the lake in a catamaran, searching for giant river otters and other lakeside wildlife such as caiman, hoatzin and horned screamers.
Oxbow Lake
We will also offer a tour an Ethnobotanical tour, of the Centro Ñape. We will learn about some medicinal plants such as: Ajo-Sacha, Yuca de Venado, Uña de Gato, Charcot-Sacha, Para-Para, among several others.
Ethnobotanical tour
After spending a night at the best resorts in the Amazon we will begin our last day adventuring through Mammal Clay Lick.
Parrot Clay Lick
Here we will get a chance to view all the amazing colorful birds, frogs, deer, guan and parakeets with option to hike at night. At this time you may see more animals appear from their habitat and hear unusual callings.
Lima, Peru
After all the adventures seeing more in two weeks than what most see in a lifetime, we will fly back to Lima and you will finish your journey in the city where it all begin.
Don't miss a chance to experience all of Peru with us. Ask us for our low rates now here.
Life today can become very stressful as we have more priorities, more things we are involved in and more aware of all the information out in the world that it´s sometimes hard to get away for a while. Whether we are too busy or believe traveling somewhere it´s worth the hassle.
It´s actually been scientific proven that traveling is healthy for us.
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Traveling can really make a difference in your life not just physically but mentally as well. To take a step towards bettering your mental and physical health plan your next vacation with us here.
I have traveled to Machu Picchu not using a travel agency thinking I could save money but I never counted the cost of what I would be spending. Realizing all the prices are already highly inflated for tourists, I found myself jumping from place to place looking for the best deal as many tours try to get you to spend top dollar for basic services. I spent more time hassling about price than touring Cusco.
Valencia Travel Cusco not only offers you amazing deals but their service is ONE OF A KIND. From their amazing Chefs to amazing tour guides and you save hours of hassling for the best service and food while touring the amazing country of Peru.
Reason #2 The Unexpected
Traveling to a different country, you become shocked to see the processes and customs. I didn´t expect it to be like America or other countries but I was shocked to see the complications and problems they have because of their processes. Without a travel agency, you are left to deal with all these problems and complications alone with no help or no information on how to bypass them.
Valencia Travel Cusco is unbelievable locals and experienced tour company that 2,190 travelers rave about their process and step by step help on Tripadvisor. To have a company like this help you through your travels the entire time you are in their country is a blessing and you won´t regret it.
Reason #3 Their plans vs Yours won´t compare
When traveling to a different country, we all sort of build a Bucket-list of things we want to do and accomplish while we are there. Most of the times we do not get to accomplish everything because we find other things while visiting that we want to do as well. It sometimes becomes difficult to see everything.
With Valencia Travel Cusco, they not only learn about all of the things you want to see but they add the local honey holes and gems that only the people from Peru know to exist. So you not only get to see everything you want to see but the things you are forever thankful you got a chance to witness.
Traveling to a different country can be time-consuming, complicating and a big hassle planning step by step plans and avoiding all the complications but choosing Valencia Travel Cusco will be the smartest decision by far. They will amaze you not only with their professionalism but their service, amazing individuals and unbelievable attention.
If you spend any amount of
time in Cusco, you will notice the significant amount of parades and fireworks.
Peruvians are a festive and lively people, taking any opportunity to celebrate.
No matter what month you choose to travel to Peru, you will be able to
experience a holiday of some kind. Cusco especially is a great place to be to
witness these traditional festivals. For your reading pleasure I have compiled
a list of common celebrations in Cusco and around Peru. Enjoy!
January
New Years January
1st
Peruvians love fireworks. This is
especially evident on New Years. For many days leading up to New Years, there
will be stalls and shops where you can buy fireworks to use in the streets. OnNew Years in Cusco, many gather in the Plaza de Armas to watch the fireworks
show that goes off at exactly Midnight. This is an amazing experience, but be
careful! With fireworks going off all around you might sustain a couple burn
holes in your clothes.
Brasil isn’t the only country with a
Carnival! This is especially big in Cusco where the locals will dance around
Yunsa tree, and the city will be full of water related pranks! You may get a
bit wet, but don’t worry! Its rainy season in February, so that would probably
happen anyway.
March
Semana Santa
This is a holy week in Peru. It takes
place the last week of lent, and includes many parades and processions,
especially here in Cusco.
Senor de los Temblores
This event takes place on Easter Monday
and includes a parade with the mounted images of The Lord of the Earthquakes.
May
Cruz Velaccly
This is a Traditional Andean holiday
which celebrates the image of the Holy Cross.
Another traditional holiday, a
procession with the images of many holy Christian saints makes its way through
the city to the main Cathedral located in the Plaza de Armas.
Festival de la Cerveza Cusqueña
In case you didn’t know, people from
Cusco call themselves Cusqueñans. Cusqueña is also the name of a locally made
beer, and in May there is usually a festival to celebrate this local treasure. The dates of this festival can vary.
This traditional holiday entails a
traditional ceremony at the ruins of Sacsayhuaman near Cusco. You can but
tickets in advance if you wish to attend this cultural event.
July
Fiestas de Quillabamba 25th-29th
This festival takes place in Quillabamba
and celebrates the anniversary of La Convencion. It usually included music,
beauty pageants, and motocross competitions.
Independence Day28th-29th
This is a great day to be in Peru!
National pride and Peruvian flags are everywhere. If you are in Lima, you can
experience the 21 cannon salute. The actual Independence Day is the 28th,
but festivities go for 2 days.
August
Nuestrsa Senora de las Nieves 5th
This celebration of “Our Lady of the
Snows” includes food fairs, traditional dance, parades, and in some places they
even have bull fights.
September
Senor de Huanca 14th
This day is all about a pilgrimage from
Cusco to the stone sanctuary of Huanca to receive blessings from the shrine. It
takes about 4-6 hours of walking to arrive.
October
In October the people of Cusco celebrate their
truism and all that it does for the local economy with a week-long festival.
Dates on this vary.
December
Dia Imnmaculada Conception 8th
This is an important religious holiday
for Peruvians celebrating the Virgin Mary and her immaculate conception. Like
many other holidays, not many business are open, and there are processionals
through the city of Cusco. This might be a good day to check out
one of the beautiful cathedrals the city has to offer.
Christmas
24th-25th
If you have to be away from home for
Christmas, then Cusco isn’t a bad place to spend the holidays. At exactly
midnight on Christmas, there are beautiful fireworks in the sky to celebrate
the arrival of this special day. This is called Noche Buena, and in PeruChristmas Eve is actually more important than Christmas day. There are also
beautiful markets that pop up around Christmas Eve where you can buy your loved ones a present. The
entire city is filled with an almost electric excitement, and everyone is in a
celebrating mood.
Peru is a beautiful place with a unique
culture. On any normal day you can experience something different from back
home. However I would strongly encourage you to make an effort to experience some
form of festival or celebration, especially in Cusco. There’s a strong
possibility that afterwards, you might not look at parties the same way again!
So you have a little time in Cusco before your big trek to Machu Picchu. You don’t have a lot of time,
but you want to make sure you get in some of the little cultural experiences
before you’re off on your next adventure. How to you prioritize all the
different options?
In this blog post, I have complied some simple cultural food and beverage options to try in Peru.
CUY
The first on I have listed may make our
vegetarian friends cringe a bit, but I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t tell
you about Cuy. Cuy is guinea pig. Yes, the same kind of guinea pig you had when
you were a kid, and probably named fluffy or whiskers. Far from a pet, cuy is a
local delicacy in Peru, served crispy and whole with all body parts still
attached. So if crispy rat sounds appealing to you, check it out and make sure
to get a picture to freak out your friends back home. You can find cuy being sold
ready to eat in and around the local markets, and in many different restaurants
that serve local Peruvian food.
After your traditional meal you may be
thirsty and want to wash your meal down with a refreshing local beverage.
Number two on our list, Pisco Sour, is the perfect choice. The origins of the
Pisco Sour are not completely known, but most believe that it originated in
Lima Peru in the early 1900's. The common story is that the recipe we now know was created in a bar in lima by English Expat Victor Morris in the 1920's,
but some believe it was around even earlier than that. What we do know for sure is
that the Pisco Sour has been around for more than 100 years, and usually
contains Pisco, lime juice, sugar, and egg whites. If you like other kinds of
sour drinks like whisky sour, odds are that you will enjoy this beverage!
COCA TEA AND CANDIES Coca leaves, not to
be confused with its white powdery by product, are a traditional medicinal
regularly consumed in Peru. When you first travel to Peru, you may notice that
it’s a bit harder to breath, you may be a bit lightheaded when you walk up
hills the first few days. Peru is at quite a high altitude, (about 11,000 feet.)
Before there was modern medicine, there was coca leaves. So if you want to prepare
to trek the Andes, make sure you start and end your day with a steaming mug of
coca tea, and to have some coca candies in your purse. CHICHA Chica is a drink almost as old as Peru. Created by the ancient Inca, chica is a fermented corn drink that tastes a bit like sour beer. You can get a towering mug of this alcoholic beverage in traditional chicherias around the city, sometimes with some traditional food, and many people sell it in large buckets outside the plazas and markets. You can also buy other kinds of chicha like quinoa, beat and strawberry in juice form. Tred carefully! A couple soles worth of the original yellow liquid might be enough for even the most seasoned drinker.
Looking up from almost anywhere in and
around the city of Cusco, it is possible to see Christo Blanco and nearby, the
sprawling ruins of Sacsayhuaman.
Historians can’t agree on the meaning of
the name, some believe that it means satiated falcon, while other assert
speckled head or city of stone. What we do know for sure is that it was Emperor
Pachacuti who commissioned work on Sacsayhuaman in the 1440’s and that it took
nearly 100 years to complete. Many diverse types of rocks were utilized in the
construction, like diorite blocks in the outer walls, limestone in the
foundations and andesite at rumicola for the towers and buildings within the
walls.
Now a days, one can find the ruins of
Sacsayhuaman filled with tourists ready to explore some history. For about 70 soles,
one can explore the ruins the rest of the day, and perhaps get some pictures
overlooking Cusco. Not far off in the distance is the grand Christo Blanco,
quite a site around dawn when the sun begins to shine behind him, waking up the
sleeping old city of Cusco with its light. One can find tourists, joggers, and
the occasional mystic preforming a sun ceremony in and around the ruins. It’s
even possible to explore some of the ruins around Cusco on horseback! But back
to the history.
Sacsayhuaman was a highly protected
area, one side had a great wall of enormous stone blocks like many other of the
Incan sites, and the other side was a steep slope facing the city of Cusco. The
construction of this fortress was an amazing task of architecture and will,
being that the blocks could weigh much more than the men themselves. Even more
impressive, the Incas made use of only the most basic of tools such as natural
fiber ropes, stone hammers and bronze chisels. But upon completion of an Incan
wall, a coin wouldn’t have fit between the stone blocks, that is how perfectly
the blocks fit together. However, all of this carefully crafted stone couldn’t
protect the Incan from the relentless assaults of the Spanish.
During the battle of 1536, Juan Pizzaro
(Son of Fransisco Pizzaro, one of the first Spanish conquistadors to come to
South America) was killed leading the charge during a surprise assault on the
gates of Sacsayhuaman. The Incas fought valiantly, repelling many of the
invaders. An unnamed Incan Nobleman particularly held the defense together,
killing many of the Spanish with one of their own swords. However as the
conquistadors continued to try and scale Muyu Marca the last of the towers left
in Incan control, the advantage shifted to the Spanish and their sheer numbers
and bloodthirsty will to conquer what was not yet theirs. The Incan Noblemen,
sensing the inevitability of defeat, leapt down from the tower into the
oncoming Spanish rather than surrender in defeat. There would be no dishonor on
his conscious at the end.
Today all that’s left of Sacsayhuaman
are of course, the ruins. However, even
what is left behind by the Spanish is more than impressive, a testament to the architecture
skills of the Inca. A dichotomy of emotions can emerge in the visitors of
Sacsayhuaman. Standing in the ruins, it’s easy for the traveler to feel shame
at something so beautiful and formally mighty, knocked down and reduced nearly
to rubble but alternatively, feel awe that what was left behind remained for
thousands of years. Even as a ghost of what once, the ruins are an impressive
monument to the crafty Inca. On you trip to Peru, I highly recommend a trip up
to Sacsayhuaman around dawn. If you stand quietly in the weak light, and look
hard enough, you can perhaps picture the walls restored as they were in their
glory days.
Resting in the highlands and fed by two rivers,
Cusco Peru is known as the ancient capital of the Incas. Walking through the
city streets, it's as if you've traveled back through time to a place much different than anything you can remember. But there isn’t a place in
the city quite so historical and mesmerizing as the main square. Known as the
heart of Cusco, the bustling Plaza de Armas is the epicenter that we will be
examining in more detail.
The location of Plaza de Armas correlates roughly to the ceremonial
Huacapata, or the Incas central plaza. It is an ideal location to go to get
your bearings in Cusco. A highlight in every city tour, any local will be able to point you in the right
direction. If you opt out of a tour, it's also easy to find on any tourist map. Furthermore, even if it
wasn’t the easiest place to find in town, this historic spot would be worth
quite a long journey to see.
When you arrive you can take a walk under the Portal de Panes, the
covered brick pavement that goes all the way around the square. It is a
beautiful spot, many of the restaurants having a second story all supported by
pillars. You can take you time, walking around the plaza under the safety of
the old columned roofs, and peruse the menus for dining options. It is an ideal
place to go if you are hungry. In fact, there are many bars and restaurant to
choose from, so many that it could at first be overwhelming. However, there are
always servers standing outside with a smile, eager to tell you all about their
options. In fact, if they could drag you into their respective restaurants, they probably
would. While Plaza de Armas isn’t the cheapest place to eat in the
city, you will definitely have your pick of exquisite meals and decadent local
cocktails.
Aside from the modern amenities you can
enjoy, there are of course the historic draws of the Plaza. A main attraction for tourists is the old Cathedral, located in the Plaza on the foundations of
the Inca Viracocha Palace. The cathedral is massive, but beautiful rather than intimidating. Anywhere you sit in the Plaza, you can see this grand old
building towering over you like a monument from the past. Built in the shape of a Latin cross back in
1560, the Spanish and Peruvian influence is striking. There are two entrances
to the Church, the grand main doors on the front. The second and more commonly
used is through the Triunfo Chapel, the very first church to be built by the
Spanish in Cusco.
Another similar draw of the Plaza is the
Temple de la Compania de Jesus. If you are standing in the center of the Plaza
and looking downwards, it takes up much of the skyline. The building was first
constructed over the foundations of Huayna Capac’s Palace of the serpents, in
the late 1570’s. However, it was mostly destroyed by an Earthquake in 1650 and
was rebuilt about 15 years later. When you enter, you can see the gold leaf
altar, and as you further explore you will see wonderful oil paintings, guilded
altarpieces, and majestic towers. The cool dim interior of the church is definitely worth
a visit.
Aside from the attractions in the main square
itself, there are many things to see and do just outside of the Plaza. If you
look up, you will see the ruins of Sacsayhuaman, and the commanding Christo
Blanco. An amazing sight from the plaza, it’s even more magnificent close up.
Any traveler will surely want to get pictures of it from far off, as well
as from within.
The outskirts and side-streets
surrounding the Plaza are also full of shops, locals peddling their wares, restaurants, and museums. For
example, the Museo Inka North of the cathedral, located just a bit uphill. Or
the Museo de Historia natural, next to La compania. These are ideal locations
to stop and learn some more in depth history after you have visited Plaza de
Armas, and a great place to pick up some souvenirs.
The main square really is the historical
lifeblood of the city, a beautiful fusion of past and present. At the
moment dressed up in glowing blue lights for Christmas, Plaza de Armas is a
must see for every traveler visiting Cusco.
