Cusco Open-Top Bus Tour with Andean Ceremony

Plaza de Armas and the climb above Cusco

The tour starts in the heart of Cusco at the Plaza de Armas, the great square that was the ceremonial centre of the Inca capital long before the Spanish built the cathedral and the Church of the Company of Jesus on its sides. Your guide gives a short introduction to the square, its arcades and its history, a perfect start for a first day in the city.

From there you walk two blocks to the bus and begin the climb above the old town. From the open top deck you see San Cristóbal Church, one of the first Catholic churches built in Cusco, and the remains of Qolqampata, a palace linked to the royal lineage of the legendary founder of the Inca Empire. A Cusco open-top bus tour is the easiest way to reach the hills without tiring walks at 3,400 metres.

Sacsayhuamán Archaeological Park

Sacsayhuamán is the most impressive Inca site in Cusco: a vast ceremonial complex above the city with three tiers of zigzag walls built from enormous limestone blocks, some weighing well over 100 tonnes, fitted so tightly that no blade can pass between them. Every June the Inti Raymi festival of the sun is staged on the wide esplanade in front of the walls.

On this tour the bus stops near the site so you can step off, take photos and listen to your guide explain how the stones were moved and shaped and what the site meant to the Incas. Entry inside the archaeological park is not part of this tour; if you want to walk among the walls, the Cusco tourist ticket covers Sacsayhuamán and the other sites nearby. Many visitors ask if Sacsayhuamán is worth visiting: even from outside, its scale is unforgettable.

Puka Pukara and the Pachamama ceremony

Higher up the road toward the Sacred Valley stands Puka Pukara, whose name means red fortress because of the colour its stones take at sunset. It was a tambo, a control post and resting place on the Inca road, with terraces, plazas and walls overlooking the valley. The bus stops nearby so you can take photos and hear its history.

Next, an Andean priest welcomes the group for a Pachamama ceremony, a ritual of gratitude to Mother Earth that is still part of daily life in the Andes. Offerings such as seeds, corn, leaves and flowers are arranged on a woven cloth while the priest explains reciprocity, the Andean idea of giving back to nature. This 30-minute stop also has time for a break and a look at local crafts. It is a respectful, meaningful moment rather than a show.

Cristo Blanco viewpoint and Qorikancha

The last stop is the hill of Cristo Blanco, the white statue of Christ with open arms that watches over Cusco. It was given to the city in 1945 by a community of immigrants who had settled there, as a sign of thanks. From this natural viewpoint you see the whole city: red tiled roofs, church towers, the Plaza de Armas and the mountains all around. It is one of the best places in Cusco for photos, especially in the afternoon light.

On the way back down, the bus passes many landmarks while the guide tells stories of the city. Among them is Qorikancha, the Inca Temple of the Sun, whose finest walls still stand beneath the Santo Domingo convent, a powerful image of the meeting of two worlds. The tour ends on Calle Saphy, a few minutes' walk from the Plaza de Armas.