Which one to choose in Cusco
Two ancient sites in Cusco. Tipón has 28 tickets and tours to book; Waqrapukara has 39 tickets and tours to book. The table and the two notes below put them side by side; the full pages have what to see, the ticket and the timing for each.
Cusco, Peru
Tipón is an Inca royal estate 22 km south-east of Cusco, laid out in the 15th century on a hillside between about 3,250 and 3,960 metres. Its thirteen monumental terraces are still watered by the original spring-fed canals and fountains, which makes it the clearest place around Cusco to see Inca hydraulic engineering at work.
Cusco, Peru
Waqrapukara is a remote fortress-sanctuary in Acomayo Province, south of Cusco, built around a rock outcrop with two horn-shaped peaks above the Apurimac canyon. Its name means horn fortress in Quechua, and it stands at roughly 4,100 to 4,300 metres. Few visitors make the long drive and hike, so it is still quiet compared with the sites of the Sacred Valley.
| Tipón | Waqrapukara | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Ancient City | Fortress & Citadel |
| Civilisation | Andean | Andean |
| Founded | 1450 | — |
| Area | 2.4 km² | — |
| Entry | Cusco tourist ticket: PEN 130 full or PEN 70 partial | Small fee to the local community; often in tour prices |
| Hours | About 7 am to 5.30 pm all year | Daylight hours; most visitors arrive between 9 am and 1 pm |
| Time needed | 2 to 3 hours | A full day from Cusco |
| Booking | No booking; buy the tourist ticket at the gate or in Cusco | Book a tour or driver a day ahead; no ticket booking needed |
| Tickets and tours on GetYourGuide | 28 | 39 |