Tipón

Tickets and tours: all the options

Entry to Tipón is not sold as a single ticket. The site is covered by the Cusco tourist ticket, the boleto turistico, either in the partial circuit that also includes Pikillacta and several museums in Cusco and is valid for two days, or in the full version that adds Saqsaywaman and the Sacred Valley sites. The partial ticket can be bought at the gate, so independent visitors need nothing booked in advance.

Almost every tour on GetYourGuide is a south valley excursion from Cusco that combines Tipón with the Wari ruins of Pikillacta and the church of Andahuaylillas, known for its painted interior. Shared tours take about half a day by minibus with a local guide; the tourist ticket and the church entry are usually extra, so check before paying. Private versions with a driver and guide cost more but allow a longer stay at the terraces. Some itineraries add a bakery stop in Oropesa, a lunch of roast guinea pig in Tipón village, a farm visit or a quad-bike ride in the hills above Huasao. There are also plain transfers that drive you up and wait.

For most people the shared half-day tour is the sensible choice: Tipón is awkward to reach by public transport, and a guide explains the water system, which is the reason to come.

A short history

The hillside was occupied long before the Incas, from around 1000 BC through the Wari and Killke periods. The local Pinagua people, who called the place Muyna, were finally subdued by Pachacuti in the middle of the 15th century, and Tipón became an Inca estate for the ruling elite, built under Pachacuti or his son Topa Inca Yupanqui. Its springs, fertile soil and several microclimates may also have made it a place for testing crops. Excavation and restoration began in the 1970s and continue today. The 239-hectare park was declared a national archaeological park in 1984, and in 2006 American civil engineers listed it as a historic engineering landmark.

Getting there

Tipón lies just off the main road from Cusco to Puno, near Oropesa, about 22 km south-east of the city. Local buses and shared minibuses towards Urcos leave from Avenida de la Cultura in Cusco and can drop you at the Tipón turn-off in around 40 minutes. From there a paved road climbs about 4 km to the gate; walking takes well over an hour at this altitude, so most people take one of the taxis waiting in the village. A taxi from central Cusco for the return trip, with waiting time, is the simplest independent option. Cusco airport is on the same side of the city, so the drive from there takes about 40 minutes. There is free parking at the entrance.

Rules and what to bring

Stay on the marked paths and do not walk along the canal edges or climb the terrace walls, which are fragile in places. Drones need a permit from the Ministry of Culture. The site lies above 3,300 metres, so walk slowly, drink water and bring a hat, sunscreen and a warm layer, as the weather changes fast. There are toilets near the entrance but no café inside; food is sold in Tipón village below.

When to go

Mornings are the best time. The light on the terraces is soft before 11 am, the air is clear and the site is often almost empty, because south valley tours from Cusco usually arrive in the late morning and leave after an hour. In the afternoon cloud and wind tend to build, and in the wet season showers are frequent.

The dry season from May to September brings sunny days and cold nights, and it is also the busiest period around Cusco, though Tipón itself rarely feels crowded. June is lively because of the Inti Raymi festival in Cusco. From December to March rain makes the paths muddy and slippery, but the terraces are greener and the canals run fuller. Allow two hours for the terraces and fountains, and three or more if you want to climb to Cruzmoqo and the petroglyphs.