Program for our day:
Hike at 2 m to the ruins of Pisac - Pisac market - Cuzco visit to the center
La sacred valley located at the foot of the foothills of the Andes is filled with equally superb Inca sites (Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero, Maras, Moray…).
Know that in Cuzco, you will have no trouble finding a taxi that will offer you for 200 soles to do the entire circuit in one day. We decide to visit THE WRITER to start by going on our own.
Why organize your visit to Pisac yourself?
- for the price ;
- for the freedom to do as you want when you want;
- because the site is very close to Cuzco (33 km);
- but above all because it was easy to get there by bus.
How to visit Pisac?
From Cuzco, we take a bus leaving at 7am (3 soles) for an hour of journey to Pisac. You have to ask for a stop at the red bridge. From there, take a path that climbs for 8 km to the ruins of Pisac.
Hike to the ruins of Pisac
From the “parte alta” car park, take the path above the terraces. The Incas who cultivated on the terrace left behind a landscape of great harmonious curves.
Take direction Inti Watana and pass along the cliff. The gorges are steep and impressive.
The hike of about 1h30 is simply MAGNIFICENT !!! The ruins are there overlooking and dominating a wild and grandiose landscape.
Nice surprise in the ruins of Pisac
As we walked quietly, we heard a sweet melody with Peruvian tunes which gave our hike an air of enchantment not only visual but also auditory, an impression that everything was there: the sun, the Inca site, Peruvian music ... it was an exceptional, indescribable emotion.
And at the bend of a path, we finally meet this young peacock flute player. He told us his story and his main activity: he makes flutes and walks 12 km every day to get to the Ruins of THE WRITER.
And there he plays it for fun but also to sell it to tourists. And it works ! We will take two from him even if we know that they will remain silent, tidy in the back of a cupboard ...
We spot the white arrow and take a hairpin path then a small path that descends towards Pisac. Here we are, we arrive on the heights of the village of Pisac.
The colonial village is charming and we can not resist the urge to get lost there a little ... but the stomach also imposes its desires, so let's go to the restaurant.
Visit Pisac - Good restaurant
We had been recommended the small restaurant SAMANA WASI. Nice surprise because we had lunch in a nice flowered patio and enjoyed a simple but quality meal. Address: Plaza Constitucion N ° 509.
Visit Pisac - Its market
It is the largest craft market in the region. It is located in Plaza de Armas and is open every day all day. There are mainly fabrics, hats, sweaters, hats, scarves, silver jewelry and souvenirs. The prices are lower than those practiced in Cuzco, of which do not hesitate…
We return in the middle of the afternoon to visit the center of Cuzco.
What did I like about Pisac?
Absolutely everything !
Second part of the day in Cusco
Note that there is a Panoramic Cuzco City Tour which is taken in front of the Cathedral in the Plaza de Armas. You will have to pay 12 dollars for a 1h30 tour. There is a departure every hour.
But nothing beats going on foot to soak up the atmosphere of the place and discover other aspects or curiosities of the city, right?
The Plaza des Armas and its Cathedral
It is the heart of the city. It is a very beautiful place surrounded by colonial arcades. We can leave from this place to make a small discovery tour of Cuzco.
I simply followed the one listed on Lonely Planet.
It allows you to go through the Museo historico regional, the Hotel Los Marqueses, the Plaza San Francisco and its church and its museum, the church and the convent of Santa Clara, the market of San Pedro, the Loreto site, the convent of Santa Catalina and the famous 12-sided stone. The circuit continued but we will stop there because a little exhausted ...
We will spend the night with Arnaud.
The Sacred Valley ? Find out quickly on my following article:
DAY 12 Sacred Valley and train to Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes