PERU · HISTORICAL TOURS IN CUSCO
Good historical tours in Cusco fill weeks ahead and the best go first. Below: the 13 to book early, what each one includes, and how they differ once you look past the photos.
A 2 to 3 hour Cusco walking tour with a pro guide, Pisco sour tasting, and a luthier stop for local music, plus a keychain.
“Ernesto was really professional and informative. We could feel his passion for doing the tour and really helped us get acclimated to Cusco. Would definitely reccomend!”
Half-day Cusco guided tour to Koricancha and four Inca ruins, with bilingual expert guides, photo stops, and optional cathedral visit.
“Fantastic Tour . Alfredo was an amazing guide switching seamlessly between English and Spanish. Very informative.”
Enjoy a private Machu Picchu guided circuit in about 3-4 hours with hotel or Aguas Calientes pickup and photo help. Bus and entry cost extra.
“I booked this tour at practically the last possible minute (dinnertime before our sunrise Machu Picchu tickets) because the hotel I was staying at spooked me by telling me we needed a guide to get in. That's not true, but my decision was our gain: Noe was a tremendous guide who made an already unbelievable experience even better. His knowledge of the ruins and the Inca (he's been doing this for more than a decade), and his love for his country and people, really helped bring it to life. What's more, he was easygoing, down to earth, relatable, and a great companion. I can't emphasize enough that we were fortunate…”
Cusco Highlights walking tour: Coricancha, 12-Angle Stone, San Blas, llamas, and chocolate, with optional chicha, 2 hours for $15.
“Nilo was a great guide. Thank you for a great tour with lots of information on the city”
A 2-hour Cusco historic walk with a bilingual guide, San Blas sights, luthier workshop, and a pisco sour or chicha morada.
“Eric took us on an excellent tour around Cusco! Really interesting and enjoyable. Highly recommend”
Learn Pisco Sour at historic Casa Intrepid in Cusco. Small group, taste 3 piscos, shake with a pro, 4 pm start.
“Be prepared for a fun and informative experience with Richard - the Pisco Sour King. Hands on sampling, mixing, and the most important bit, shaking and then drinking the final product. So much fun.”
A 3-hour Cusco walking tour with Inca and colonial stops, top viewpoints, a local luthier visit, and an included Pisco Sour.
“Really interesting and detailed tour of Cusco with a great guide. He even managed to find us great shelter from a thunderstorm in a traditional music shop where we got to learn about and use some traditional music instruments!”
Private 3-hour Machu Picchu photo and archaeology tour with hotel or station transfer, sunrise viewpoints, and guided history (EN/PT).
“We had an amazing experience touring Machu Picchu with this provider. Emerson, our guide, was super knowledgeable on the history and construction of Machu Picchu. He kept us informed and entertained every step of the way and was super friendly! Not to mention he was also quite the photographer and took over a hundred gorgeous pictures of me and my partner. Highly recommend!”
Small-group Sacred Valley day trip from Cusco with Pisac market, Ollantaytambo ruins, Chinchero dye craft, and Urubamba lunch.
“A little confusion to start, told us pickup was between 0730-0800. Showed up at 0815. Than drove around in the van for 20 mins. We than went to their tourist transport area and sat there for 20 mins with no explanation. We wasted almost an hour time before we started the tour. Once we started the tour, realized my wife and I were the only English speakers, every one else in the van (12 total) were Spanish speakers. The tour guide was very good and bilingual, explaining everything in both English and Spanish. The tour itself was excellent and really enjoyed the places we visited and the time we spent…”
Cusco’s highlights in one guided 7-hour loop, from the Cathedral and Qoricancha to Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Tambomachay, plus a craft stop.
“Overall we enjoyed the tour but it did feel rushed at times. We met in the Plaza and first toured the Cathedral. Our guide did a good job of explaining the history of the area and describing the interesting details within the church. We then met with the rest of the group and traveled by small van to several ruins outside of the city. You will need to purchase a traveler's pass ($70 soles) in addition to the tour. We visited four locations and were given a brief overview of each spot before having some time to explore on our own. I wish we had a bit more time at…”
Historic Cusco free walking tour with Pisco Sour tasting, Qoricancha stories, San Blas music, and a guided end at Manco Capac.
“A great experience with an expert guide who shared cultural and historical insights. Recommended”
A 3-hour Cusco walk blending Plaza de Armas landmarks, San Pedro Market tastes, Qorikancha exteriors, and San Blas viewpoint with chocolate and pisco.
“Walter was exceptionally prepared for each aspect of this tour, very knowledgeable about Cusco and Incan history. We had a fantastic experience.”
Cusco legends at night with expert storytelling, viewpoint photo stops, a relaxed walk through historic streets, and a real pisco sour.
“Our tour guide was very fun and knowledgeable about the city of Cusco. Took us to an awesome restaurant for a 3 course meal and we saw a live band and dancers during dinner. We did some walking around Cusco but our tour guide went very slow so it could be relaxing. A lot of the tour guides in Cusco are very nice, funny and can speak really good English.”
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