Cusco Tourist Ticket – Sacred Valley of the Incas or Third Circuit

The third circuit of the Cusco Tourist Ticket is strictly personal and can be used for two days. The destinations of this ticket include a tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. That is, we will have a long but charming trip through a warmer climate compared to Cusco. The furthest destination is almost five hours away, so it will be necessary to take these details into account to avoid inconveniences during the trip.

The partial BTC has a price of 70 soles for foreign tourists and 40 soles for Peruvian tourists. The circuits are sectioned by the proximity of the places that can be visited. The third circuit has 4 archaeological parks, spread throughout the Sacred Valley. It is best to divide two destinations per day. Chinchero and Ollaytambo can be the first option and on day two visit Moray and Pisaq. Of course, when you make these routes you can return to Cusco or stay in Urubamba, which has a fairly pleasant climate and a variety of hotels.

• The BTC Integral costs 130 soles for foreign tourists and 70 soles for Peruvian tourists.
• Tickets (Full and Partial) can be purchased in person at the Counter Central (Av, El Sol 103 Tourist Galleries). Monday to Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• It can also be purchased at the different destinations included in the Tourist Ticket except at the Museum of Contemporary Art and Pachacutec Monument.
• Tourist tickets are not sold online.

Ollantaytambo Archaeological Park

The Ollantaytambo Archaeological Park is a site with great historical value for Peruvian history and therefore turned out to be of vital importance for Tawantinsuyo. Currently, this site is still valuable because it is a mandatory step for those who want to go to Machu Picchu, since, in the district, the train station for the trip to the wonder of the world is located.

Ollantaytambo represented an important center due to the findings found, which suggest a large number of religious and agricultural centers. In addition, it is estimated that it had a military center. During the conquest process, this place served as a fort to prevent the advance of the colonizers. After his defeat, Manco Inca fled to Vilcabamba, leaving this place in the hands of the Spanish. It is recorded that the territory was under the command of Hernando Pizarro.

This archaeological park is located high in the mountains, from where you can see the entire Sacred Valley of the Incas. At the top there are still remains of temple construction. The most representative is the Temple of the Sun. Inside this temple, 6 large stones or monoliths are preserved that form a wall-like building. Many archaeologists still can’t believe how these large stones fit together perfectly.

The terraces that can be seen are also surprising to see, because the microclimates that each of these have are evident. On its sides there are steps that served as an access route. Other enclosures that can be found are the Real Casa del Sol, the Chocana Fort, the Baño de la Ñusta and other buildings. The opening hours of the Ollantaytambo Archaeological Park are from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., every day of the week.

Pisac Archaeological Park

The Pisac Archaeological Park was ordered to be built by the Inca Pachacutec in the 15th century, just when the Tawantisuyo was growing exponentially. During the Spanish campaign it was looted and largely destroyed. After the reforms of Viceroy Toledo, it was ordered that Pisac be a population center and completely dominated by the Spanish crown.

Perhaps the most characteristic thing about this archaeological park is that you can see the almost perfect technique for carving stone and turning it into building blocks. It is believed that the word Pisac comes from the word “Pisaca” which would mean partridge. A consistent and similar name, for example, is Saqsayhuaman, which has the falcon in its name as a reference.

Among the archaeological remains stand out the Andes of Acchapta, the towers and sections of neighborhoods such as that of Intiwatana which houses temples and palaces. The neighborhood of Tianayuc, is about a sculpture in the shape of an armchair for two people. The neighborhood of Pisaq’a, has a semicircular shape that harmonizes with the circumference of the mountain.

The Pisac Archaeological Park is open from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. every day of the week. It can be visited without any problem. There are two ways to get there, one by bus and the other by walking. The tour of the entire site can take 2 to 3 hours.

Chinchero Archaeological Park

Despite being a little-known destination, thanks to the Cusco Tourist Ticket the number of visitors increased. Which did not leave dissatisfied or disappointed after knowing both the archaeological park and the Chinchero district. This place houses a lot of history, something that draws a lot of attention about this place is that it not only has Inca constructions, but also buildings prior to Tawantinsuyo.

The bus trip lasts approximately one hour by bus or car. It is 31 kilometers from the historic center of Cusco, following the route to Anta, but with a prior detour to the Chinchero district. You can see a large number of platforms, Inca walls and the bases of a royal palace along with some niches.

It is said that it was the place chosen by the Inca Tupac Yupanqui to have an exclusive building with his family. This is mentioned by the remains of a royal palace that is located within the entire archaeological site of approximately 43 hectares.

During its splendor it provided the population with food, and also served as a religious sanctuary. This place has a museum where pieces found in excavations at the site are exhibited. Furthermore, if we walk through the town, we will find a colorful market with different souvenirs.

The Chinchero Archaeological Park’s opening hours are from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. seven days a week.

Moray Archaeological Park

This Inca construction is characterized by the terraces in the shape of circles. This causes it to be confused with an amphitheater. These constructions were made with the purpose of experimenting with the variety of crops that could grow without any problem at a given altitude. For this reason it is known as an agricultural laboratory.

Each of these platforms has its own microclimate. There are 3 complexes that attract many because of the very particular shape they have. These compounds are just seven kilometers from the Maras district. It has a distance from Cusco of 50 kilometers. Considerable distance if you only have a few days in Cusco.

According to some studies, Moray is considered an exclusive and privileged place to plant the Coca leaf. Plant that was considered sacred by the Incas for its different properties. It is a plant that many residents currently consume, and it is also effective when there are cases of altitude sickness or soroche.

During the 20th century, research began to learn more about Moray. Shirppe Johnson’s expedition saw this place from the air, which was covered by abundant vegetation. It was John Earis who spread the word that the Moray Archaeological Park served as an experimental agricultural center. Crops other than the coca leaf were also found, such as a wide variety of potatoes, oca, quinoa, kiwicha and some herbs for medicinal use.

Moray’s opening hours are from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. every day of the week. Here you will find more information, circuits and prices for the Cusco Tourist Ticket.