Located about 50 meters from the Cuzco – Puno modern road, lies the entrance to the adobe wall ruins of Piquillacta (“City of the fleas”). It was an administrative center at the southern end of the Huari empire. This empire did greatly influence what we now know as Peru, from Cajamarca (northern Peru) to Tiahuanaco (Bolivia). The archaeological evidence from Piquillacta is confusing, but mostly suggests that this was not a place for permanent residents, more for storing supplies, for housing itinerant groups of workers, for tribute gathering and distributions and for ceremonies.

Located a few kilometers before Oropesa, 4 km from the road, lies this extensive beautiful Inca site with excellent terracing at the head of a small valley with an ingenious irrigation system.

Located 40 km South East of Cuzco, this is a fascinating 17th century Jesuit church, also known as the Andean Sistine Chapel, because of its beautiful frescoes, and internal architecture

About 120 km from Cuzco, a few kilometers before Sicuani is the little village of San Pedro de Cacha and the ruins of Raqchi, which look like a huge aqueduct from the road. These are the remains of the Viracocha Temple, built in the late 14th century by the Inca Viracocha. This is one of the only remaining examples of a two-storey building of Inca architecture. 90 meters long and 15 meters high, it was probably the largest roofed building ever build by the Incas. Its stonework is equal to Cusco or Machu Picchu. The village hosts in early June a very colorful event, including traditional dancing.

This is the site of the traditional festival of Q’oyoriti, an ancient ritual held in early June. There is an exhausting two hours walk up the mountain from the nearest road at Mawayani, beyond Ocongate. It is a complex and chaotic spectacle, attended by hundreds of dance groups, and dominated by the character of the Ukuku, the bear dancer, whose night vigil on the surrounding glaciers is the festival’s best-known feature

The construction on its structure began during the 15th century by order of Inca Pachacutek but had not yet been completed upon the arrival of the Spaniards. A magnificent sample of Inca architecture, it has enormous walls of granite block forming three immense superimposed terraces in a zigzag pattern. It served religious, administrative and possibly military purposes. Its proximity to Cusco and the size of its stones (some five meters tall and weighing more than 300 tons) led to its use as a quarry for the construction of colonial Cusco. The annual Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun) takes place here on June 24th.

Qenqo is about 4 km from Cuzco, on the Tambo Machay and Pisac road. It consists of a large limestone rock riddled with niches, steps, tunnels, altars and channels. These are not exactly ruins, but rather one of the finest examples of Inca stone carving in situ, especially inside the large hollowed-out stone that houses an altar.

This is an Inca fortress (Red fort) or surveillance point of the incoming visitors to Cuzco. It is worth visiting for the views alone

Still in excellent conditions, it is not sure what it was used for. For some a resting place, for others a Temple to the Water, due to the three ceremonial water fountains that still flows up to now.

Only 30 kilometers north of Cuzco lies the village of Pisac, with its superb Inca ruins, perched precariously on the mountain side, high above the town and considered to be amongst the very finest Inca Ruins in the Sacred Valley of the incas. Pisac is home of a nice indian market on Sundays, as well an important ceremony in which the Varayocs (village Majors) from the rounding and highland villages participate in a Quechua Catholic mass in the Pisac Church

Thousand of salt pans that have been used since the Inca times give you spectacular views to the Sacred Valley.

Located 9 km from Maras, this site is worth a visit. The deep amphitheater like terracing is both fascinating and impressive spectacle. Each level has apparently a different micro climate. This is why it has been used as a crop laboratory to determine the optimal conditions of each species.

The only and unique remaining true Inca town you can find, and also can’t miss. Streets, water channels, houses, everything is breathtaking, like a journey into the past.

The little village stands in front of the spectacular Inca ruins and its sixteen great terraces. Here you will find the finest carved stones of all Peru for a temple that was never finished, as the Incas had to abandon it as the Spaniards were approaching.

This is the only true way to Machu Picchu, slinging your back pack and following the steps of the true Inca way from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu. The four days three nights option is the more complete and fascinating one. The others are shorter and still interesting. This way you are making a true pilgrimage and the sweat and struggle is all worth it when you set your eyes on this mystical site at sunrise from the Inca sun gate above the citadel. You will walk pass numerous Inca ruins along the trip, Llactapapa – Runcuracay – Sayacmarca – Inca tunnel – Phuyupatamarca – Wiñay Wayna – Inti Punku - as you experience the changes of the vegetation, micro climates and altitudes. From Ollantaytambo you will climb to the Warmiwañusta pass, 4200 mt above the sea level, then enter the border of the jungle, before arriving at Wiñay Wayna, the last stop before the entrance to the citadel of Machu Picchu, at the Sun Gate, around 6 a.m.

For many of you, the visit to the Lost City of the Incas is the whole purpose of your trip. With its spectacular and awe-inspiring location, it is the best-known and most spectacular archaeological site on the continent.

If you have extra time and energy, visit the Temple of the Moon (allow three hours, hard walk but magnificent small site), the Inca Bridge, the Inti Punku and the Huayna Picchu (this is the most spectacular view of Machu Picchu for me).

This recently discovered Inca site is becoming a very nice alternative to the crowded Machu Picchu. Still only accessible by foot, this site has an incredible location, at the junction of three valleys.

To me, along with the Inca Trail, the best of Cuzco. The Manu National Park is 20.000 sq. km wide, as big as Wales. It is the best place in South America for wild life-watching and birding opportunities.

The list of flora and fauna includes 1,000 species of birds, significantly more than the whole Costa Rica and over one tenth of all the birds on earth; more than 200 species of mammals, 13 species of monkey, a great variety of butterflies and 15,000 species of flowering plants.