About the City of Cusco, Perú

The Imperial Capital of the Incas

The Archaeological Capital of America"; it constitutes the biggest tourist attractiveness in Peru, and the most visited one.

Cusco, was the biggest city and capital of the Inca Empire “Tahuantisuyo” (that reach great part of Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Chile) and then taken by the Spanish conquerors; today it has an architecture that fuses the Inca with the Spanish style. Their town conserves with pride its customs and traditions.

It is also the forced step to know the mystic and enigmatic sacred citadel of the Inca Machupicchu that the Spaniards never knew and was discovered by the occidental culture in 1911. Cusco, as well as Machupicchu, for its historical value, and for its beauty is considered Cultural World Heritage Sites. The Sacred Valley of the Incas and beautiful places are waiting for you!

General Information about Cusco

Landscape: mountainous regions and jungle.
Population: 350.000 approx.
Climate: Varied and dry with two main seasons.

The wet season is from November to March and the dry season from April to October. However during September and October until the beginning of November it is possible for the temperature to rise to as much as 20 degrees.

Due Cusco's position in the mountains the weather and temperature are prone to dramatic changes. At night the temperature can fall as low as 0 degrees while rising to 20 degrees or more during day time. Hence it is recommended that students bring both winter and summer clothes.

Due to the altitude of Cusco students may suffer from mild 'soroche' (altitude sickness). For the first day much rest is recommended but the effect should disappear soon after.

Due to its central location, Cusco is ideal for a travel base as Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and Brazil all border Peru.

Language:

The official languages in Peru are: Spanish and Quechua or Runasimi with a participation in the entire country of the 73% and 24% respectively. In the rural zones of Cusco, the Quechua is the predominant language.

Part of the Cusco’s population is bilingual and it has the Quechua as its mother dialect and the Spanish as learned. A small percentage of the population speaks Aymara and there are also other Amazonic languages (such as Machiguenga) talked in the jungle region of the department (Low Urubamba).

Excursions from Cusco:

In Cusco:

1 .- To Machu Picchu via train or various walks.
2 .- To Sacred Valley, by bus, taxi or walking
3 .- To Choquequirao .- By bus and on foot
4 .- To Quillabamba. By bus
5 .- To Tipon, Pikillacta, Andahuaylillas (South Valley) by bus.

Outside Cusco:

1 .- To Manu .- Air Bus and boats.
2 .- To Puerto Maldonado, by plane.
3 .- To Puno and Arequipa, by bus, plane and train.
4 .- To La Paz, by plane and bus.
5 .- To Chile, via Tacna by plane and bus.
6 .- To Brazil by bus.