Tourist Class Bus

Service Cusco to Puno or Puno to Cusco

The bus makes several stops to visit sites such as Andahuaylillas, referred to as the Andean Sistine Chapel because of its magnificent frescoes. The church is but one example of the mestizo baroque architecture typical of the Cusco School of Art, which was prominent in the 17th century. You will marvel at the ceiling of carved panels covered with gold leaf. 

Next visit Raqchi (temple of the God Wiracocha) 75 miles from Cusco. This Inca temple is monumental (100 meters in lengh, 85 feet wide and 46 feet high). Divided in two naves, each of these still retains the base of eleven giant columns. The base of the walls consists of Imperial Inca stonework with a top section of adobe. Adjacent to the temple, we can see many storehouses, used for various purposes including military and religious. 

Stop for a delicious buffet lunch in Sicuani Village. Continue south to La Raya, the highest pass on the route between Cusco and Puno perched at a breathtaking at 14,222 feet above sea level. Beautiful landscapes await you, as well as the animals that are symbolic of the Andes like llamas, alpacas and vicunas. This unique region is situated between two cultures, Quechua and Aymara, as well as a composite of two terrains: the more verdant Quechua valleys and rivers and the dry and arid altiplano. 

The last stop before Puno is Pukara, the most important and oldest ceremonial site this side of Tiahuanaco. Characterized by a series of stair-like platforms, the ruins also reveal some litosculptures and tombstones, all testaments of a pre-Inca civilization. Early evening arrival in Puno (12,400 ft.).