Sacsayhuaman Hidden Sites Tour: Inkilltambo & Beyond
A deep dive into Sacsayhuaman and the hidden Inca sites most tours skip entirely.
Most Cusco ruins tours treat Sacsayhuaman as one stop among four, with 20-30 minutes at each site. This tour goes the other direction — a full day built around depth rather than breadth, starting at Inkilltambo (a site most standard circuits skip entirely) and working through Cusilluchayoc, Amaru Marca, and both sections of Q’enqo before an extended exploration of Sacsayhuaman’s megalithic walls themselves.
The altitude logic here builds slightly before it descends: Inkilltambo, the first stop, sits at 3,548 m, but Cusilluchayoc — reached second, while energy is still high — is actually the day’s true high point at 3,600 m. From there, the route eases downhill through Amaru Marca and Q’enqo, arriving at Sacsayhuaman itself, and finally Cusco’s Plaza de Armas, at progressively lower elevation, with the walking kept short (15-45 minutes) at each stop.
| 💰 From | $39 USD per person (group of 10) |
| ⏱️ Duration | Full day (~08:00 AM–afternoon) |
| ⛰️ Altitude range | Cusilluchayoc 3,600 m (highest) down to Sacsayhuaman 3,500 m |
| 🚶 Physical level | Moderate — short walks, 15-45 minutes each |
| 📅 Season | April–December |
| 👥 Group size | Private, 1-10 travelers (10+, contact us) |
| 🎂 Minimum age | 5+ with a guardian over 21 |
A full day built around depth, not breadth — the sites most Cusco tours skip entirely. – Start at Inkilltambo, a site most standard circuits never include. – Visit Cusilluchayoc and Amaru Marca, two lesser-known ceremonial and lunar sites. – Explore both Q’enqo Grande and Q’enqo Chico, not just the more famous of the two. – Spend real time at Sacsayhuaman’s megalithic walls — the Chinkanas, the Inca Lake, the zigzag terraces. This is the Sacsayhuaman Hidden Sites Tour, start to finish.
Sacsayhuaman gets visited by nearly every traveler to Cusco — but usually as one stop of four, allotted 20 to 30 minutes before the group moves on. This tour takes the opposite approach: an entire day built around Sacsayhuaman’s megalithic complex and the lesser-known sites that surround it, most of which standard city tours skip entirely.
The day opens at Inkilltambo, a sacred temple complex that rarely makes it onto conventional itineraries, before continuing through Cusilluchayoc and Amaru Marca — a ritual lunar site whose name still carries its ceremonial significance. From there, the route covers both sections of Q’enqo, the above-ground amphitheater and underground ceremonial cave, before arriving at Sacsayhuaman itself for an extended exploration: the small and large Chinkana passages, an artificial Inca lake, the polished stone slide known as the Rodadero, and the famous zigzagging terraces built from stones weighing up to 1,800 tons, fitted together without mortar. The day closes with a walk along the Inca trail connecting Sacsayhuaman to Cusco’s Plaza de Armas, passing the San Cristóbal viewpoint along the way.
Both visit Q’enqo and Sacsayhuaman, so it’s worth knowing the difference. The Cusco Full Day City Tour covers the classic four-ruins circuit — Tambomachay, Puca Pucara, Q’enqo, and Sacsayhuaman — plus Coricancha and the Cathedral in central Cusco, moving at a broader, faster pace. This tour goes deeper instead: it skips Tambomachay, Puca Pucara, and the colonial sites entirely, in favor of Inkilltambo, Cusilluchayoc, and Amaru Marca, plus a genuinely extended exploration of Sacsayhuaman’s megalithic details. If you want the classic overview, choose the Full Day City Tour. If you want depth and the hidden sites most visitors never see, this is it.
The Sacsayhuaman Hidden Sites Tour follows a gentle rise-then-descend altitude curve: Inkilltambo, the first stop, sits at 3,548 m, followed immediately by Cusilluchayoc at 3,600 m — the day’s actual high point, reached early while energy is at its peak. Every stop after that sits at a similar or slightly lower elevation.
Because every site on this route sits within a fairly narrow altitude band — all above 3,500 m — the day doesn’t involve dramatic elevation changes. The real factor is cumulative walking across several stops, each kept intentionally short (15 to 45 minutes), so the day builds gradually rather than demanding sustained effort at any single point.
8:00 AM — Departure from Cusco. Private pickup from your hotel, heading first to Inkilltambo.
Inkilltambo: Visit the Inkilltambo sacred temple complex, a site most conventional Cusco tours never include.
Cusilluchayoc: Continuing to Cusilluchayoc, a lesser-known sacred site along the route.
Amaru Marca: A stop at Amaru Marca, a ritual site associated with lunar ceremonies in Inca tradition.
Q’enqo Grande: Exploring Q’enqo Grande’s above-ground ceremonial amphitheater, carved directly into the bedrock.
Q’enqo Chico: Continuing to Q’enqo Chico, including its underground ceremonial passages.
Sacsayhuaman — Extended Exploration: An extended visit to Sacsayhuaman’s megalithic complex: the small and large Chinkana passages, an artificial Inca lake, the polished Rodadero stone slide, and the famous zigzagging terraces of the main esplanade.
Inca Trail to Cusco’s Plaza de Armas: A walk along the original Inca trail connecting Sacsayhuaman to central Cusco, passing the San Cristóbal viewpoint for panoramic views over the city.
Arrival in Cusco: The tour ends in Cusco’s historic center, with drop-off at your hotel.
None
Moderate
A light walks
15 to 45 minutes
Inkilltanbo: 3,765m (12,352 ft)
Sacsayhuaman: 3,500m (11,482 ft)
Cusilluchayoc: 3,550m (11,646 ft)
On entrance tickets: sites on this route require either the full Boleto Turístico General (130 soles, ~$45 USD, valid 10 days for the full Cusco/Sacred Valley/South Valley circuit) or a Partial Ticket (70 soles, ~$25 USD) covering fewer sites. Your guide can advise on the best option for your itinerary.
Sacsayhuaman remains a remarkable feat of engineering and a testament to the brilliance of the Inca civilization. Its mysteries and architectural wonders continue to captivate and intrigue, making it a must-visit destination for history enthusiasts and explorers alike.
Standard tours cover four sites at a fast pace. This one focuses on depth — starting with Inkilltambo, Cusilluchayoc, and Amaru Marca (sites most tours skip), then an extended exploration of Q’enqo and Sacsayhuaman.
That tour covers Tambomachay, Puca Pucara, Q’enqo, Sacsayhuaman, Coricancha, and the Cathedral at a broader pace. This tour skips the colonial sites and Tambomachay/Puca Pucara in favor of hidden sites and a deeper Sacsayhuaman visit.
A sacred Inca temple complex that most conventional Cusco tours don’t include, visited first on this route while energy is highest.
A ritual site associated with lunar ceremonies in Inca tradition — its name reflects that ceremonial meaning.
Most tours only stop briefly at one. This tour covers both Q’enqo Grande’s above-ground amphitheater and Q’enqo Chico’s underground ceremonial passages.
An extended visit covering the small and large Chinkana passages, an artificial Inca lake, the polished Rodadero stone slide, and the zigzagging megalithic terraces themselves.
No — sites require either the full Boleto Turístico General or a Partial Ticket, purchased separately. Your guide can advise on the best option.
Each stop involves a short walk, 15 to 45 minutes, with several stops across the day — moderate in total, but not physically demanding at any single point.
Yes, the recommended minimum age is 5, accompanied by a guardian over 21.
With a walk along the original Inca trail from Sacsayhuaman into Cusco’s Plaza de Armas, passing the San Cristóbal viewpoint.
| Persons | Price (p/p) | |
| 1 | $ 269.00 USD | |
| 2 | $ 149.00 USD | |
| 3 | $ 107.00 USD | |
| 4 | $ 83.00 USD | |
| 5 | $ 70.00 USD | |
| 6 | $ 60.00 USD | |
| 7 | $ 53.00 USD | |
| 8 | $ 48.00 USD | |
| 9 | $ 44.00 USD | |
| 10 | $ 39.00 USD |
