From the arid scorching desert of Nasca, we journeyed 14 hours through the Andes mountain range to reach the Valley of the Urubamba River where Cusco is located. Nothing could be more different to Nasca than Cusco a hilly city of 700,000 people in the middle of the mountains surrounded by green mounds full of farms and some trees.
From the hot summer days at 30º C in Nasca, we came to rainy 18º C days in Cusco. And, on top of that, we had to acclimatize to Cusco’s high altitude of 3400 meters above sea level (almost 3000 meters higher than Nasca).
Despite the fact that Cusco was the heart of the Inca Empire before the conquest; literally the belly button of the world; there are very few remains of the Inca period in the city itself. The foundations and walls of the city center date from the Inca Empire, so do the remains of the ancient Qorikancha temple (dedicated to the sun) found inside the Santo Domingo convent and church. The Spanish conquistadors used the stones from the older Inca buildings to create their colonial city: houses, churches and administrative centers.
For many, Cusco is the gateway to the renowned Inca ruins of Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley of the Incas or a number of hiking experiences such as the Inca Trail or Vinicunca (also known as the Rainbow Mountain). But Cusco itself is worth visiting as it has amazing churches where indigenous and European traditions meet and mix to create an artistic style that is unique to this region. Strolling around its narrow streets is a must experience no-one should miss.
Being such a large city, it is really easy to find almost everything in Cusco: crafts from the Andes and other souvenirs, trekking gear for sale or rental, food, drugstores, etc. Visitors to the city can find cheap restaurants with a set menu for about 12 soles or expensive luxury dinning experiences with incredible views of the city.
Cusco will be our longest stay as it will be our gateway to the Inca Trail Tour and the Manu Reserve Tour (in the Amazon Basin).
