Several reasons compelled the Inca civilization to make sacrifices and offerings to their king, a personification of the Sun, to which they owed their existence! On the other hand, if corn harvest was good during the last agricultural year, it was necessary to be thankful, and if the harvest was poor, it was necessary to ask to be compensated better next year. The final reason was that the sun moved away in June (during the winter solstice) so the temperatures dropped and water was freezing at dawn. Therefore, it was necessary to ask the Sun for its return to stay close at dusk and not move away northward. Finally, it was necessary to prove the sun (the eternal and absolute gift of its children) their submission and respect.
When is Inti Raymi celebrated? Originally, it was celebrated exactly on the winter solstice, which is on the 21st of June. At present, the celebration has been moved on the 24th of June. Inti Raymi has been still celebrated on the authentic date by people living in remote places of the Andes.
Cusco festival of the Sun 2023 allows you to completely learn about the Inca´s culture and have a once in a life experience with the many colorful, festive and cultural events at this time.
Crew: TERRA QUECHUA Representatives in Cusco and a professional bilingual Tour Guide.
Accommodation: 3* hotels (4 nights).Meals: 6x breakfast, 1x Buffet lunch on the Sacred Valley and Box lunch in the Inti Raymi festival .
Transportation: Transportation by private van, a train round trip (Expedition Class).
Our Representative awaits you in front of the Cusco´s arrival airport hall holding a sheet with your name. After he/she welcomes you in Cusco, he/she takes you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax and explore around this fascinating city as well as to acclimatize to its high altitude.
The Cusco City is the oldest continuously inhabited city of this continent as well as a hub of the South American travel network! The city attracts people from all around the world, who arrive not only to visit a unique destination, but also to experience an antique culture that differs a lot from the occidental 21st century´s way of life. One could easily spend a week just in and around this site. Inca-built stone walls line most of the central streets and it is not necessary to go far to see other major Inca ruins! This is a city steeped in history, traditions and legends!
Every year, Cusco is visited by thousands of travelers, who come to delve into its noble, but tragic past. It is a perfect base for optional explorations around the city´s surroundings as well as for a range of outdoor activities.
Cusco also has got numerous colonial churches. The most important of them is the Cathedral on the main square. Its construction started in 1559 and it took 100 years to finish!! The Cathedral can pride on the biggest depository of Colonial art of the city! A vault containing remains of the famous Inca historian – Garcilaso de la Vega is just past the entrance. Other churches that are worth seeing are La Compañía, La Merced and San Francisco.
The city is also a perfect base for those more adventurous as it offers a range of optional outdoor activities such as white river rafting on Urubamba River, horseback riding around nearby archaeological sites (Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Tambomachay and Puca Pucara) or mountain biking down to Maras-Moray-Salineras and perhaps visiting some Incan sites on the way.
One of the most spectacular days of the tour takes us through the Sacred Valley of the Incas that was once an important source of food to Inca people. Sacred Valley is a lush agricultural region that keep supplying the city of Cusco with much of its production. As it lays 600 metres lower than Cusco, its average temperature is 5ºC higher so it has got a very pleasant climate.
The tour shows us around the major archaeological sites placed in Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Chinchero. At Pisac, an optional two hour (5 km) trek allows us to fully appreciate this huge antique Inca city nestled high in this Andean range. Later on, we can observe a colorful handicraft market at the modern Pisac Town that is without any doubt a unique place to find perfect souvenirs! Then, we stop in Urubamba, considered to be the capital of the valley, where we have a buffet lunch offering Andean cuisine. Afterwards, we continue to the picturesque town of Ollantaytambo, a place that can boast with another large Inca site. Its major ruin is known as the best surviving example of Incan urban planning and engineering! But Ollantaytambo is more than that, it is an alive and breathing Incan town!! Then we start returning to Cusco, but there is one more Inca site expecting us on the way! The site is Chinchero where we enjoy our last guided tour. Later on, we get to Cusco to overnight and get ready for Inti Raymi – the Cusco festival of the Sun 2023!
The festivity in honor of the Sun god is celebrated in 3 historical scenes.
Qorikancha (Golden Temple), it was the principal temple dedicated to the Sun in the Inca era.
Plaza de Armas (called by the Incas “Auqaypata”, the Warrior Square), which was a huge square during the Inca times where this ceremony was held on a ceremonial platform (“ushnu” in Quechua). From there, the Inca was carried on a golden throne leading a procession through the ancient city of Cusco up to Sacsaywaman in the hills above city.
Saqsaywaman (“saqsay” and “waman” in Quechua mean “satiate hawk”), which is an impressive archaeological centre situated at 3,555 m.a.s.l., just a kilometre far away from the Inca neighbourhood of Qolqampata.
Program of the Sacsaywaman´s scene:
Very early in the morning, we pick you up from your hotel and transfer you during a 1 hour and 40 minute ride to the railway station of Ollantaytambo in order to reach Machu Picchu by train. During this 1 hour and 45 minute ride, you experience spectacular changeable landscapes passing through lush fields and colourful villages placed on the foothill of the Andes. The highlight of the way are wonderful views of mountains and the marvellous Urubamba River that runs through the Sacred Valley of the Incas. In the end, you reach Aguas Calientes, a town just below Machu Picchu, where your Tour Guide welcomes you at the railway station to accompany you to a shuttle bus taking you up to the archaeological complex of Machu Picchu following a zigzag path for about 25 minutes. Once in Machu Pichu, your Guide introduces you to the most important attractions of this unique Inca site such as its main square, the Sun Temple, Intiwatana (Sun Clock), the Royal Rooms, the Temple of the Three Windows and the Royal Incas Cemetery. This guided tour takes about 2 and half an hour and then you are given time off to explore around the complex and to climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain to take some amazing panoramic photos of Machu Picchu. So please do not forget your camera and enjoy the visit of the “One of the New 7 Wonders of the World”!!
When you have enjoyed the site enough, you take a shuttle bus down to Aguas Calientes where you can have lunch (not included in the package) in one of many lovely restaurants offering traditional Andean as well as international cuisine. You can also visit local hot springs (entrance fee of 10 Soles is not included in the package). In the afternoon, we take a train back to Ollantaytambo where our driver expects us in front of the railway station to transfer us back to Cusco.
Transfer to the Cusco´s airport for your international flight.
End of service!
Meals budget: Please allow USD 50 – 100 for meals not included.
Single room: Please note that if you have booked the “Single Room” option for the Inti Raymi tour, you receive your own single room for all overnights.
Local flights: There are two local flights are not included in the cost of the tour.
All Terra Quechua adventurous group tours are accompanied by a Terra Quechua Tour Guide, a Representative or an expedition team. The aim of our Tour Guides is to take a hassle out of our customers’ trips and to help them to have the best trip possible. The Tour Guides provide information on places visited, offer suggestions of what to see and to do, recommend a good place to eat and introduce to his/her colleagues. The Guides have a broad general knowledge of each country visited during a tour, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local Tour Guides where we think that more specific knowledge could add more enjoyment to visited places.
In our packages you can customize your experience as you like it.
TERRA QUECHUA PERU. Is a full-service travel company. Our reputation for excellence is earned every day by providing the ultimate in value and personal attention. Since our founding in 2012, we have striven to make travel simple, worry-free, and fun for our corporate and leisure customers alike.
Terra Quechua Peru is dedicated to providing the ultimate in value and personal attention to its customers, striving to make travel simple, worry-free, and enjoyable for both corporate and leisure travelers.
Terra Quechua Peru, initially started by Raquel Sanchez and Edwin Medina, is a family-owned travel agency and direct local tour operator headquartered in Cusco. Their extensive personal experience in trekking, along with the fact that it's a 100% Cusquenian Company without any shareholders, sets it apart.
Terra Quechua Peru distinguishes itself by its dedication to providing exceptional value and personalized attention to its clients. Since its establishment in 2012, it has been committed to making travel straightforward, stress-free, and enjoyable for both corporate and leisure travelers. Additionally, being a family-owned business with a strong local presence and a wealth of experience in trekking further sets it apart.
Terra Quechua Peru's uniqueness lies in its origins as a family-owned travel agency and direct local tour operator. Its founders, Raquel Sanchez and Edwin Medina, have personal experience spanning many years in trekking, offering travelers an authentic and knowledgeable perspective of Peru.
Travelers with Terra Quechua Peru can anticipate a personalized and friendly experience during their trekking adventures. The guides are dedicated to making travelers feel like they are hiking with their own family or friends. Their in-depth knowledge of the region and culture adds an extra layer of authenticity to every journey.
Yes, Terra Quechua Peru specializes in fully customizable trips. They can work with travelers to create personalized itineraries that cater to their specific interests and preferences, ensuring a tailored and unforgettable experience in Peru.
TERRA QUECHUA PERU. Is a full-service travel company. Our reputation for excellence is earned every day by providing the ultimate in value and personal attention. Since our founding in 2012, we have striven to make travel simple, worry-free, and fun for our corporate and leisure customers alike.
