Review: Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Pukapukara & Tambomachay by Van

Planning a trip to Cusco? So, you almost certainly have the marvelous Inca sites on your mind, right? And, in that case, Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Pukapukara, and Tambomachay are really must-sees. That’s very true! It’s just that deciding how to visit them can be a tricky thing. We, like your fellow travelers, had questions: Is it better to book a van tour or grab a taxi? What will each place really offer, anyway? What’s a realistic amount of time to spend at each location? Well, this review is basically all about sharing what we learned when visiting these spots by van, including what made it worth it, and maybe a few things you’ll definitely want to think over before booking your own adventure.

Why Choose a Van Tour?

So, alright, you might be considering the bus or perhaps even hiking from Cusco. That may be a great option! Yet, the van tour really became the sweet spot between budget and ease of access. The vans generally provide transport between sites, is that helpful or what?, so too it’s shielding you from Cusco’s somewhat intense sun and unpredictable weather. Also, you get to skip negotiating with individual taxi drivers at each location, really giving you more time to see those actual ruins, which, let’s be honest, is mainly why you’re there. The vans tend to be the comfortable option too, and are usually a fairly inexpensive and very convenient way of fitting several major sites right into a single day.

Sacsayhuaman: The Majestic Fortress

First up, Sacsayhuaman! Can you pronounce that?! That’s certainly the incredible Inca fortress sitting pretty on a hill overlooking Cusco. Seeing it really is believing. Those stones. Huge stones! Incredibly Huge Stones!! That may really be the first thought that’ll pop into your mind when you see it. It’s pretty interesting to learn that some of those stones weigh literally hundreds of tons, yet were put together with crazy precision. Apparently, tours commonly give you right around an hour or so here, which gives you an adequate amount of time to snap lots of images and meander all over the site. That can allow you time to imagine what life looked like back when it served mainly as a ceremonial place, perhaps even a fortress. I’ll admit, with a really big group it got somewhat crowded in a couple of the areas, but that’s simply travel for ya, am I right?

Qenqo: The Mystical Sanctuary

Next on the itinerary, it is usually Qenqo. So, get prepared for something seriously different! This site basically shows off intricate carvings, which happen to be inside giant rock formations, and very likely a stone altar that was almost certainly used for rituals. You hear some pretty interesting stories about Qenqo, like very old ones, which really add a unique sense of intrigue to the location. The really big highlights are those cave areas. Some of the tour guides really like showing folks this spot in which the Incas seemingly communicated to other levels of existence! We also spent maybe an hour at Qenqo. I’d recommend that you bring a flashlight for the caves!

Pukapukara: The Red Fortress

Okay, so Pukapukara… it is known to some as the “Red Fortress”, apparently after the color of the stones. Very fitting, if you see it during the magic hour before sunset when the sunlight really makes the red pop! Truthfully, Pukapukara feels a bit smaller as compared to the previous two places, Sacsayhuaman and Qenqo, yet offers very amazing views on a clear day. Some suggest it functioned primarily as a military site, or perhaps that it was even just a sort of stopover for royalty. This visit is pretty short. I think about forty five minutes, as I was saying, it’s generally enough to walk around and simply soak it all in. It’s almost as if there’s an observation deck, that gives excellent panorama photographs.

Tambomachay: The Water Temple

Finally, very last but not very least: Tambomachay. Also called the “Baths of the Inca”, or “Water Temple,” because of the set of aqueducts, channels, and also fountains there. What makes this area so special? Tambomachay is a testament to the Incas’ ingenious usage and their engineering. So, to me it demonstrates how much they really cherished water. The water still flows through those old channels after all this time! You could walk above and around and it’s just amazing and is very soothing to listen to it. It is normally another shorter visit, almost an hour, maybe?, but you have time to appreciate the engineering, is that nice or what? And take a seat and ponder over the significance that the source held.

Choosing Your Van Tour: Things to Keep in Mind

When you happen to be booking that tour, alright, bear some considerations in mind. What will really be included? That is transport and maybe the guide. Entrance fees for the sites aren’t commonly included. A “boleto turistico,” may be required and should actually be bought beforehand. It’s also smart to really confirm the tour size and type of vehicle. Mini-buses may very well be alright, yet a more comfortable van is the better option, that’s obviously more so on long days. Take time to carefully read online reviews! Get others’ impressions of different tours. And you can, I guess, consider if you like one of the morning ones, or that later afternoon variation? The earlier, the less crowded. That might be right for you! While later may perhaps have superior lighting, that is what some travelers say about this area.