Cusco Walking Tour – Tip-Based (Not Fixed Price) Walking Tour of City centre, Sun Temple & San Blas | Local Guide Since 2016

Discover Cusco on foot with Jose Martinez, a local guide and former licensed trekking guide to Machu Picchu who has completed over 300 journeys to the Inca citadel. This pay-what-you-want walking tour offers an authentic introduction to the former capital of the Inca Empire, blending Inca heritage, Spanish influence, and living Andean traditions.

The tour begins in the Plaza de Armas, once the ceremonial centre of Tawantinsuyo and the starting point of the four great Inca roads that connected the empire. Walk along Sun Street (Intikijllu), following original Inca stone walls that reveal the Incas’ advanced engineering, seismic resistance, and symbolic design.

Visit Qorikancha (Temple of the Sun) from the outside and learn how this sacred site combined astronomy, ritual, and imperial power before being transformed during the Spanish conquest. Continue through Cusicancha, an ancient Inca area and palace area, where massive stone blocks demonstrate sophisticated urban planning and elite Inca architecture.

Stop at the iconic Twelve-Angled Stone, one of Cusco’s most famous examples of Inca precision, before heading into San Blas, the city’s artistic quarter. Explore narrow cobblestone streets, artisan workshops, and colourful corners such as Seven Lambs Street, then finish near San Cristóbal, where panoramic views reveal Cusco’s unique geography, rooftops, and sacred landscape.

Throughout the walk, Jose shares insights drawn from decades of guiding, connecting history, daily life, and Andean culture into a clear, engaging, and easy-to-follow storey.

Duration: About 2 hours 15 minutes

Language: English and Spanish

Guide: Jose Martinez (local expert)

Meeting Point

In front of the Inca statue at Plaza de Armas, Cusco.
Look for the guide wearing a red T-shirt with the “Cusco Guide” logo.

Departure Times

8:00 AM – Early Bird Tour

10:00 AM – Morning Main Tour

12:30 PM – Midday Tour

3:00 PM – Afternoon Main Tour

6:00 PM – Cusco by Night Tour

Price

Pay what you feel.
No fixed price — you decide the value of the experience.

What to Bring

Comfortable shoes, water, sun cream, and a light jacket (weather can change quickly).