Cusco is a beautiful and famous city for many reasons food,culture, atractions like Sacsayhuaman, Ollantaytambo , koricancaha and Machu Picchu. Of course, there are so many other tourist attractions. For example Pisac, Chinchero, Choquequirao, Moray, Maras and the Mountain of the 7 Colors. But had you heard or know about Piquillacta, Tres Cruces de Oro In Paucartambo or Putucusi Mountain?
The Red Valley in Pitumarca
In The Vilcanota mountain , south part of Cusco, is the place of this magnific natural attraction. All the people know about the Mountain of 7 Colors (5,200 about the sea level.). but just few visitors know the ‘Red Valley of Pitumarca’, a natural landscape located behind of the rainbow mountain.
The hills and summits of this place are cover of red color due to a mineralization process millions of years ago. Although the ‘Red Valley’ is a new attraction and not traditional, we stimated this plece already receives 600 visitors per day.
How to get there? – From the Cusco city , you arrive there in 3-hour trip to the town of Pitumarca. From that town a you have to walk for 2 or 3 hours to the Red Valley.
The alternative Mountain of the 7 Colors called Palcoyo
The alternative Mountain of the 7 Colors of Palccoyo (4,900 about the sea level is a dyed summit of several colors like Vinicunca mountain. It is located a short distance walking from the snowcapped mountain of Ausangate. Actually It is one of the new attractions.
Also in Palcoyo you can see a forest of stones formed naturally. This place full of llamas, alpacas, vizcachas, condors and other animals. This place is not visitid for many tourist.
How to get there? – From Cusco, by bus you will arrive in 3-hour to the town of Checacupe. From there begins a walking only 1 hour.
Tres Cruces de Oro in Paucartambo: the most beautiful sunrise in the world
You can see The most beautiful sunrise in the world from the Tres Cruces de Oro viewpoint, in Paucartambo (Cusco). The exactly place is called ‘Akhanacu’, also is know as the ‘Balcony of the East’ because from that place you can see the Manu jungle part.
This natural event happens every morning, starting at 4.30 a.m. The sky turns red and orange. All the winter solstices (during end of June), in Tres Cruces de Oro happens the show called ‘White Lightning’, is a optical illusion that simulates there are three suns in the distance.
How to get there? – From Cusco you travel south part by bus for 4 hours to the small town of Paucartambo. From there you take a private car to the viewpoint.
Putucusi Mountain: see Machu Picchu without payment is possible
Putucusi Mountain (2,560 about the sea level) means in Quechua ‘Happy Mountain’. Putucusi, belongs to the surrounds in Machu Picchu. From the top of this mountain you can appreciate the Wonder of the World from a distance.
Climbing it is an extreme adventure due to the difficult access of the way. The most difficult section is climbing up a wooden staircase of several meters high. Recently it was destroyed, so actually is not possible go up.
How to get there? – Access is walking from Aguas Calientes town. Following the train track until you reach the way which take you to Putucusi.
Huasao : Groot and the Lord of the Rings in Cusco
Near to Cusco few kilometers from Cusco there is a themathic park where the characters of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings’ were designed in wood. Huasao wetlands is a natural environment where one can be away from the city and enjoy the nature.
This attraction is located in the district of Oropesa . A short distance from Cusco in the way to the south part, there is also a Jurassic park to visit with the child. You can also enjoy the famous ‘Pan chuta’ and the guineapig’.
How to get there? – From the city of Cusco, you can take the buses which go in the direction of Oropesa there is a bus stop in the Avenida de la Cultura. The trip takes approximately 40 minutes.
Lares hot springs
Lares town (3,150 about the sea level.) is famous for being part of the of the ‘Lares Trek’, which take you to Machu Picchu in 4 days of walking. However, this district is also popular for the Lares thermo-medicinal baths, a beautiful relaxation space in the mountains.
Lares thermo-medicinal baths have up to 5 swimming pools with natural hot waters that vary of temperture from 36ºC. up to 44 ° C. It’s waters have healing properties in diseases such as osteoporosis, arthritis and muscle problems.
How to get there? – Lares is located 149 kilometers by road from the city of Cusco. You hace to go to the town of Calca 1 hour from Cusco and from there take local cars to Lares.
Humantay Lagoon
The Humantay lagoon (4,473 about the sea level) is at the moment one of the most incredible and beautiful landscapes in Cusco. This natural tourist attraction is located at the foot of the mountain which have the same name and is part of the snowy Salkantay Upon there is a really nice adventure. You will walk through high Andean landscapes where llamas, alpacas, vizcachas are appreciated along the way and some other animals. The lagoon is surrounded by snowy peaks which make a beutiful and special color. Visitors who arrive there leave ‘apachetas’ which are made of stones is an offerings to Pachamama (Mother Earth).
How to get there? – From the Cusco city, you reach Humantay lagoon with a bus trip to the town of Soraypampa. There begins a short trip after that you will walk like 3-hour in total.
Cocalmayo hot springs
Some travelers arrive to Machu Picchu through the alternative route from Cusco to Hydroelectric, they have the option of relaxing in the hot springs of Cocalmayo. This natural attraction is located in the town of Santa Teresa, approximately 20 kilometers from Machu Picchu.
The thermal waters of Cocalmayo have 3 swimming pools with temperaturas vary from 38ºC. up to 44 ° C. Its waters are clear, have healing and relaxing properties. Many tourists arrive there on their way to Machu Picchu in order to relax and enjoy the surounding.
How to get there? – There are 2 ways to reach the hot springs of Cocalmayo. You can go from Machupicchu but The most usual is with a bus trip from Cusco to Santa Teresa (5 hours).
Piquillacta: the pre-Inca city in the old Cusco
Piquillacta (3,250 about the sea level) is an archaeological complex built by the Wari culture, this culture come from other city of Peru from Ayacucho,that was approximately in the year 500 of our era. The 50 hectare site contains up to 600 buildings like streets, houses and others.
It is estimated that there lived 10 thousand people (in Machu Picchu inhabited a maximum of one thousand). Despite its majesty and historical importance, it is not yet very popular with tourists. Piquillacta is the most important pre-Inca discovery in Cusco.
How to get there? – by your own, you can take a bus that runs south from Cusco to Urcos and you can get down in Pikillaqta. organize Tours include round trip transportation.
The last Inca Bridge of Q’eswachaka
Is located Three hours by car from Cusco city, exactly in the town of Qhehue, the last Inca bridge called Q’eswachaka survives and declared Intangible Cultural Heritage by Unesco. This bridge made full of ichu (grass of the andes) is approximately 500 years old.
Every second week of June, the local people of the communities rebuild the bridge using the same methods that their Inca ancestors did hundreds of years ago. This is traditional ceremony, it takes like 4 days of ceremony, then the old bridge is replaced by a new one.
How to get there? – From the city of Cusco you have to take a bus to the town of Combapata. Then other trips to the towns of Yanaoca and Quehue over there you will discover this wonderful place.
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