Information of Cusco

Location:

Cusco (also spelled as Cuzco, less frequently Qosqo) is to the south of Peru. It is the capital of the

department and province of Cusco. It has a population of around 3,320 inhabitants. The altitude of the city is approximately 3,500 ms (11,500 feet) above sea level.
The official spelling is Cusco but you will see it referred to as Cuzco as it was known in the past, however from 1976 we reverted to the original name of Cusco.

The original Incan city was founded in the 11th century, in 1535 the city was sacked by Pizarro. There are still vestiges left of the palaces of the Incas like: The Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Virgins of the Sun. The most prestigious buildings to mention in the city is the Church of Santo Domingo.
The closest and most important ruins, presumably the summer houses of the Inca Pachacutec, is "Machupicchu", at which it is possible to arrive by train or by hiking the Inca Trail, and the Incan strongholds of Ollantaytambo and Sacsayhuaman.
Other ruins around Cusco are: Inca Wasi, the highest Incan ruins at 3,980 ms (13,134 feet), Vilcabamba old, the capital of the Incas after the capture of Cusco, jadín escultural of Chuquipalta, Ñusta Spain, the Yurak Rumi (White Rock). Huillca Raccay, Patallacta, Choquequirao, Moray and others in the Huatanay valley.
The city of Cusco was chosen as the "Cultural Capital of the Americas 2007" and in addition Machupicchu was named one of the Seven Wonders of the World in 2007.

Airport:

Cusco has one airport called "Alexander Velasco Astete" for commercial flights.

Climate:

The climate is relatively fresh, the average of is of 10.3° Celsius (50.54° Fahrenheit). The weather is relatively stable during the summer and winter seasons. Nights are generally cold, in June the temperature is frequently minus zero but it oscillates between 5° and 7° C (23° and 19.4° F).

Cusco is influenced by macro climates; from the Southeastern forest come great air masses carrying rain and from the altiplano or high plateaus of Bolivia and Peru come the cold and dry winds that originate in Patagonia.The change of seasons in the course of the year is not very evident, but it is possible to distinguish two defined stations; the wet: the rainy season that goes from November to March, and the dry season that goes from April to October. Cusco has an annual average temperature between 11 ° and 13 ° C. During sunny days the temperature can climb to the mid twenties.
It is recommended to bring warm clothes because the temperature is always low at nights and in the dawn. In the rainy season it is important to bring suitable clothing for rain, boots and impermeable clothes. However during the day it is almost always sunny so it is necessary to have light clothes also. (It is necessary to be prepared to have all the seasons in one day.)

Latitude:

Latitude is 13° 30 ' 45 ". Our latitude indicates that we must have a tropical or equatorial climate, but this is not true. Cusco is a cold place because of it's high altitude. We are 5 hours behind Greenwich mean time.

Money:

Tourist services are generally paid in US dollars, but Nuevo Sol is the currency of the country that is accepted in all businesses and markets.
Credit cards are generally used in larger or more luxurious establishments, most banks and casas de cambio, or exchanges houses are opened from Mon- Fri 9:00 am – 1:00 pm and 3pm – 7pm, and Sat from 9 am -1pm. Most of them are located on Av. Sol, and at various other locations throughout town.
The money as well can be sent via Western Union, calle Maruri 310

Phones.

Cusco's area code is 84, to call Cusco telephone number inside Peru, dial 84 and the number.

Post.

Mail service in Peru is generally reliable though expensive specially if you want to send package. The cost depends to where you'll send to Canada, USA, Europe, Australia, etc.
Serpost, the Central Post office, is on the corner of Avenida del Sol and Avenida Garcilaso.

Cusco Tourist Ticket

IS sold at the sites themselves and can be bought on the day of tour if you like. As well you can buy it in Galerias Turísticas Av. Sol.
Note this ticket does not include: Entrance to Koricancha (or Qorikancha) 10 soles Entrance to Cathedral 25 soles also it includes the admission to the Cusco folk dances and music at Cusco Art Center in the 3rd block of Sol Avenue, presentation every night from 7:00 pm
Partial ticket (Alternatively) for 70 soles which allows a one day only visit of just the 4 Archeological sites around Cusco: Saqsayhuaman /Qenqo /Pucapucara /Tambomachay. If you are not planning to visit any of the Sacred Valley sites or a one day only partial ticket to visit the Sacred Valley sites such as Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chincheros ( Moray ). The partial ticket for 70 soles does not allow for any further discount for ISIC card holders. Student partial ticket cost is also 70 soles

Taxis:

In the city the cost is two Nuevo Soles S/2.50 (US$ 0.90), and at night from 10pm it is S/3.50 This can vary depending on the distance, for example transfers to the airport or distant zones.

Minibus:

There are public minibuses costing approximately S/ 0.60 céntimos (US $0.20).
Buses to places close to the city are taken from specific terminals depending on the route. The prices vary between 2 to 5 soles.

Security:

Don't carry large amounts of cash.
Don't walk alone at night outside the city centre.
Take care of personal objects like cameras, cellular telephones, or things of value.
Carry daypacks on your chest not your back.
It is recommended to leave your passport, credit cards, airline tickets or documents of value in the hotel safe or locked in your luggage.

Reservations:

Some excursions such as the Inca Trail must be reserved at least a month in advance in high season.
If it is not high season (May to October) it can organized when you arrive in Cusco.

Arrivals at Cusco:

Air:

There are flights every day from Lima to Cusco. Each airline company has there own schedule.
From Arequipa there are flights on some days of the week only.
Airport Departure Tax
International US$30.25 from Lima's airport. Payment must be paid in cash prior to boarding.
Domestic: between $4 and $6 depending on which domestic airport.

Flights to cusco:

These are the 4 airlines that operate flights between Lima and Cusco.
LAN (www.lan.com) handle the majority of flights between Lima and Cusco as they have many more flights per day and have a good reputation but are a bit more costly.
Taca (www.taca.com) also have a good reputation but I think you will find you can get good deals on line.
Star Peru (www.starperu.com) and Peruvian airlines (www.peruvianairlines.pe) tend to have offers on about 3-4 seats in each flight that are cheaper so you could book online with them as well if you got a good deal but they tend to have delays at times and not many flights to backup any cancellations!

Road:

Buses from Lima to Cusco there are a multitude of companies that operate daily services leaving throughout the day. We recommend Cruz del Sur, Ormeño, Cial and Flores.
The same services operate from Puno, Arequipa and La Paz.
It is important to note that in each city (except Lima) there is a bus terminal where all the companies are represented and the traveler can go to any destination of the country.

Rail:

Visitors can also arrive in Cusco by train from Arequipa and Puno, however this is not a daily service.

• Departures from the city of Cusco:
• To Places Within Cusco Region:
• Machupicchu by train or hiking trails.
• Valle Sagrado by bus, taxi or hiking.
• Choquequirao by bus or hiking.
• Quillabamba by bus.
• Tipón, Pikillacta, Andahuaylillas (South Valley) by bus.
• To Places Outside Cusco Region:
• Manu by air, bus and boat.
• Puerto Maldonado by air.Puno and Arequipa by bus, airplane and train.
• La Paz by air and bus.
• To Chile via Tacna by air and bus.
• To Brazil by bus.