CUSCO INFORMATION
"The Archaeological Capital of America", Cusco constitutes the most visited tourist center in Peru. Cusco, was the biggest city and capital of the Inca Empire “Tahuantisuyo”. The Inca Empire, which extended through a great part of Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Chile, was taken by the Spanish conquerors. Today, Cusco exhibits a fusion of Incan and Spanish style architecture, history and culture, as the people conserve its customs and traditions. The mystical and enigmatic sacred citadel of the Incas, Machu Picchu, is also a highlight of Cusco´s cultural experience, as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Cusco, as well as Machu Picchu, for its beauty and historical value, are considered Cultural World Heritage Sites. Cusco, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Machu Picchu and their beauty await you.
Take some days to see Cusco
Cusco has a diversity of tourist services, a multitude of hotels, restaurants, bars and travel agencies, as well as museums, handmade shopping centers, and many opportunities for adventure sports and outdoor activities. Below you will useful information related to Cusco.
Location:
Cusco is located in Huatanay River Valley, in the southeast Andean Mountains of Peru. Cusco pertains to the province and region of Cusco. It is located at an altitude of 3,399 m.s.n.m. (11151,44 feet above the level sea), and coordinates of 13º30’45’’ south latitude and at 71º58’33’’ west longitude from Greenwich Meridian.
To the north, it borders the jungle of Junín and Ucayali departments; to the south, in the southwest area, it borders Arequipa and Puno; to the east, it borders are large section of the Amazon and the jungle flats of Madre de Dios; and to the west, it is united to the Apurimac Mountains and the Ayacucho Jungle.
Reference time:
When its 12:00 in Peru, in Santiago and Caracas it’s 13:00; in Río de Janeiro and Buenos Aires it’s 14:00;in New York it’s 12:00; and in Tokyo it’s 02:00 of the following day.
The Peruvian hour is similar to the EST hour (Eastern Standard Time) in the United States and it’s located at 5 hours from GMT (Greenwich Meridian Time).
Altitude:
Cusco is approximately over 3,399 m.s.n.m. (11151,44 feet above the level sea) high, and for this reason, Cusco is considered one of the highest cities in all the world.
Climate:
The climate from April to October is very comfortable, warm and dry. The temperature in this season ranges from 5.0º to 20º Celsius.
The rainy season starts in November and lasts until May. At the beginning of this season, the rain is light and as the season continues the rain becomes more intense during the months of January through March.
There isn´t too much difference between summer and winter. Normally in the winter, it is cold at night and during the first hours in the morning. The temperature rises until noon. During sunny days, the temperature reaches 20ºC.
We recommend that our clients bring warm clothing and, in the rainy season, rain gear.
Cusco, under the influence of the macro-climate of huge air masses that come from the southeast jungle, as well as the Peruvian-Bolivian table, winds are colder and drier, just like the winds that come from Patagonia, going into the southeast area. In general, this makes climate events huge in scale. On the other hand, the local winds produced in Cusco´s valleys and plains, distribute heat and humidity all day long.
The average temperature ranges between 10.3ºC and 13ºC (between 50.54º and 52.34º Fahrenheit); but these temperatures fluctuate according the zone.