Pikillaqta, Tipon & Andahuaylillas Small-Group Tour from Cusco

4.0 (19)

from

EUR 13.00

5 hours

E-voucher

Multiple

Overview

Stray from the beaten path and see a side of Peru that most visitors miss on a tour of the Southern Valley from Cusco. Marvel at Andahuaylillas, hailed as South America’s answer to the Sistine Chapel, and visit crowd-free Inca archeological sites alongside your guide. Plus, a small group limited to 15 ensures personalized attention.

Operated by

Machu Picchu Peru Cusco

Ratings & Reviews

Average Rating

4 / 5

19 traveller ratings

Realization of a dream

cristina s, Sept 2025

Just wonderful. Perfect. Exceptional guide. Super indico. Lugares lindíssimos. Lindas histórias. Super quiet walk.

Buen tour.

Alejandro Y, Jun 2025

It is a very good tour, before we started we stopped in a community where we had an explanatory talk about the discovery of Machu Picchu quite interesting. Several places are visited, so sometimes it gets a little short time, especially in Pikillaqta, since it is very large. It is advisable to wear suns, since the entrance to the church is only with cash. Lunch is also cash only, it is optional to have lunch at the place where the guide leaves you, it was a normal lunch, nothing special.

What's up with the raving reviews?

Pierre-Luc B, Dec 2024

I'm not sure about the raving reviews of this tour but first of all, don't do this tour if you don't understand Spanish. 80% of the tour is in Spanish despite saying bilingual. Our guide had limited English which made asking questions difficult. There is some interesting info but nothing worth spending a day doing this tour especially if you have done the other more popular tours in Cusco. I felt like I paid for a driving service rather than guided tour. Even cheap it is not worth the detour. Do something else.

Excellent tour to the archaeological sites of Tipón and Pikillaqta

LineaFaria, Sept 2024

The experience was good, but at the end of the day was exhausted. It takes good physical preparation to climb and descend the various stairs of the archaeological sites. Other than that, I took wonderful pictures. In Tipón I was enchanted with the history of the place and impressed with the hydraulic engineering and architecture of a time when there was no technology.

Itinerary

Tipon

The tour would start at the Incan archaeological complex of Tipon a site known for water channels and agricultural terraces. The water channels of Tipon are believed to be used as a ceremonial centre by Incas to worship water. The street below the site is popular among Cusqueñans. During weekends, locals often gather to savour the local delicacy guinea pig which is a popular tradition here.

1 hour

Pikillaqta

The next stop on the trip will be in Pikillaqta. On the way to Pikillaqta, we will be passing through a dusky town known as Oropesa. Oropesa is referred to as the “bread capital of Peru”. It houses over a fifty different bakeries in a small town.

Pikillaqta is the only site that exists from Pre Inka time. Pikillaqta is a complex entirely built in adobe during the Wari regime. Waris once dominated the coastal and central parts of Peru.

Pikillaqta is a hilly region with small lakes in the vicinity. During the Wari rule and even during the Incas, maize was majorly produced in Pikillaqta. Maize was so important for the Waris that they painted it in their potteries along with supernaturals and deities. Back then, Pikillacta was believed to have controlled the whole region through agriculture.

1 hour

Andahuaylillas

Our next stop will be in Andahuaylillas. Andahuaylillas is home to The Sistine Chapel of the Americas. Although from outside it may not seem so eye catching to most, the interiors of this chapel is an eye popping kaleidoscope. It has a dazzling display of colourful murals, an ornate gold leaf altar and ceilings painted in coffered.

The “San Pedro de Andahuaylillas” as known by the locals, was built at the end of the 16th century given the fact that one of its murals, signed by Luis de Riaño, has a date written in it that states it is from the year 1626.

We will then return to Cusco.

1 hour