The South Valley of Cusco: Tipón, Pikillacta and Andahuaylillas
While crowds head north to the Sacred Valley, the valley south-east of Cusco stays quiet. Yet it holds some of the region’s finest sights: Inca canals that still carry water at Tipón, a walled city built by the Wari centuries before the Incas, and a village church so richly painted that it is called the Sistine Chapel of the Andes.
The half day at a glance
| Time | Stop | Altitude |
|---|---|---|
| 7:00 am | Pickup in Cusco | 3,400 m |
| 8:00 am | Tipón | 3,560 m |
| 10:00 am | Andahuaylillas | 3,400 m |
| 11:30 am | Pikillacta | 3,500 m |
| 12:30 pm | Saylla, for a local lunch at your own cost | 3,350 m |
| 2:00 pm | Back in Cusco | — |
Tipón: Inca water engineering
Tipón is a series of broad terraces in a side valley, crossed by stone canals and fountains fed by a natural spring. The water still flows exactly as the Inca engineers designed it, which makes Tipón one of the best places to understand how the Incas managed water.
Discover the South Valley
Tipón, Andahuaylillas and Pikillacta in half a day with a bilingual guide — from US $35 per person.
Andahuaylillas: the Sistine Chapel of the Andes
From the outside, the 17th-century church of San Pedro in Andahuaylillas looks simple. Inside, nearly every surface is covered with murals, gilded altars and painted ceilings, a showcase of the Cusco school of colonial art.
Pikillacta: a Wari city
Pikillacta was built by the Wari, an Andean empire that ruled much of Peru centuries before the Incas. Its grid of tall stone walls, narrow streets and enclosures covers a wide plateau, and walking through it gives a sense of how organised the Wari state was.
Saylla and its chicharrón
On the way back, the tour stops in Saylla, a town known across Cusco for its chicharrón, chunks of fried pork served with corn, potatoes and mint. Lunch is not included, so you can choose where and what to eat.
Price and tickets
The South Valley tour costs from US $35 per person in a shared group, or US $120 private, with transport, a certified bilingual guide, first aid and oxygen. Site entrances are not included: Tipón and Pikillacta are covered by the Cusco Tourist Ticket (BTC), explained in our BTC guide.
Why add the South Valley to your trip
- Fewer visitors than the Sacred Valley, so you often have the sites almost to yourself.
- A half day: you are back in Cusco by 2:00 pm, with the afternoon free.
- Gentle altitude (3,350–3,560 m), so it works early in your stay.
- Part of the 8-day package: the Cusco Complete includes a South Valley day.
Frequently asked questions
The valley south-east of Cusco, home to Tipón, Pikillacta and the church of Andahuaylillas, with far fewer visitors than the Sacred Valley.
Half a day, from 7:00 am to about 2:00 pm.
From US $35 per person in a shared group, or US $120 private. Entrances and lunch are not included.
Because the interior of its 17th-century church is covered in murals, gilded altars and painted ceilings.
The Wari, an Andean civilisation that flourished centuries before the Incas.
