{"id":3618,"date":"2026-01-20T04:24:06","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T04:24:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/freewalkingtourcusco.org\/?p=3618"},"modified":"2026-02-17T17:11:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T17:11:00","slug":"cusco-the-hidden-attractions-of-calca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/freewalkingtourcusco.org\/en\/cusco-the-hidden-attractions-of-calca\/","title":{"rendered":"Cusco: The hidden attractions of Calca"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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I\u2019m going to state something obvious that, despite being so, is often forgotten: tourist Cusco neither begins nor ends with Machu Picchu<\/strong>. It would be foolish to deny the importance of this world-famous icon, just as it would be a mistake to believe that in the \u201cHistorical Capital of Peru\u201d<\/strong>, and in the cities, towns, and communities of the region, there are no other places of great archaeological, cultural, and natural interest<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m not referring only to the routes that usually complement a visit to one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World<\/strong>, such as Pisac, Ollantaytambo, and Chinchero in the Sacred Valley of the Incas<\/a>; the hikes to Vinicunca Mountain<\/a> or to the apus of Ausangate and Salkantay; or the lively free walking tour through Cusco\u2019s Historic Centre<\/a>, known as the \u201cnavel of the world\u201d in Inca times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is also well known that travellers enrich their journeys with trips to the jungle, with Tambopata National Reserve<\/a> (in the Madre de Dios region) and Manu National Park<\/a> (in the Cusco and Madre de Dios regions) being the most popular choices due to their proximity. Excursions from the Andes to the Amazon are truly fascinating, as they allow you to witness how the mountain range gradually transforms into lush rainforest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Another great option is to include nearby destinations such as Arequipa, the \u201cWhite City<\/a>\u201d, and its region, home to the impressive Colca and Cotahuasi Canyons<\/strong>; and Puno<\/a>, with its legendary Lake Titicaca \u2014 said to be the place from whose waters the founders of the Inca Empire emerged \u2014 and its festival in honour of the Virgin of Candelaria<\/strong>, an explosion of faith, music, dance, and colour at 3,827 metres above sea level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What I\u2019ve described so far is more or less the classic and conventional route<\/strong>. I\u2019m not saying that following these paths is wrong, nor that you shouldn\u2019t visit any of the places mentioned above. The aim of this text is to show you other points of interest<\/strong>, so you can broaden your range of options. The more choices you have, the greater the chances that the itinerary you design will be absolutely perfect for you<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A saint from Lima in Cusco<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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For many people, the province of Calca is the very heart of the Sacred Valley<\/strong>. Its archaeological \u201cheartbeat\u201d is felt most strongly in Pisac (2,972 metres above sea level), the Inca monumental site famous for its impressive agricultural terraces<\/strong>. In the town of the same name, bartering is still practised in the handicraft market<\/strong>. If you\u2019d like to know more, I invite you to read this post<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What I can\u2019t quite remember is whether I\u2019ve already written about the feast of Saint Rose of Lima in Lama<\/strong>y, one of Calca\u2019s districts (52 km from Cusco). At the end of August, out of faith and tradition, a series of folk dances<\/strong> take place featuring mischievous characters known as saqras<\/a>. They try to lead the first saint of the Americas down the wrong path<\/strong>, doing so from balconies and rooftops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They never succeed, but every year they try<\/strong>. Because of its unique features, this religious celebration shares several similarities with the festival of the \u201cMamacha\u201d Carmen of Paucartambo<\/a> \u2014 one of the most popular and lively festivities in Cusco \u2014 making it a wonderful alternative for travellers who, for different reasons, cannot be in the \u201cnavel of the world<\/strong>\u201d between 15 and 18 July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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While you\u2019re in Lamay, take advantage of the festive breaks to slip away to an archaeological site which, according to this blog about Calca<\/a>, \u201cis considered the Ancient Inca City and the Capital of the Sacred Valley of the Incas\u201d<\/strong>. Little visited and wonderfully quiet, \u201cUrko, or Urcos as the chroniclers called it, was built on a truncated pyramid<\/strong> leaning against the eastern side of the hill of the same name, during the time of Inka Lloque Yupanqui\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Terraced stairways and a circular tower<\/strong> with clay mortar stand out in this complex<\/a>, which is believed to have belonged to Killeskachi Orqo Waranqa, son of Wiracocha Inka. The same blog mentions that the most important area of the site is the sanctuary of Wiracocha \u201cthe Elder<\/strong>\u201d, which \u201cis enclosed within a stone courtyard and has the head of an otorongo (jaguar), the body of a spondylus<\/em> shell, the tail of a snake, and the shape of a toad\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A getaway to Yucay<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Visiting Urqo wasn\u2019t part of my plans<\/strong>. I first heard about it in Lamay, and then it was confirmed again in Calca, the welcoming provincial capital (2,926 m above sea level). And since curiosity doesn\u2019t kill the traveller<\/strong> \u2014 according to the popular saying, that only happens to cats \u2014 I set off towards this hidden destination waiting to be discovered. The drive was short (2 km, about 5 minutes), and the journey was more than pleasant. So much so that I felt as if the huaca was there just for me.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the getaway didn\u2019t end there. From Urco, or Urqo, I continued along the road (14 km, approximately 30 minutes) to the village of Yucay (2,857 m above sea level)<\/strong>, in the neighbouring province of Urubamba, where I visited a museum. What I would see in its different spaces would bring me even closer to the roots, traditions, and customs<\/strong> of the people of the Sacred Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exploring and learning about the heritage and legacy of the ancient ones \u2014 that is the essence and spirit of Yucay Living Culture Museum<\/strong>. As its Facebook<\/a> page proudly announces, \u201cyou\u2019ll be able to discover workshops, art, gastronomy, and customs that remain alive<\/strong> thanks to the work of our communities\u201d, celebrating and preserving Andean wisdom<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Coca leaf readings<\/strong> and the reasons behind the offerings paid to Mother Earth. The preparation of chicha and traditional Cusco<\/strong> breads in handmade clay ovens. Demonstrations of weaving and dyeing alpaca and sheep wool<\/a>, among many other activities, take place every day in open-air areas or in indoor spaces inspired by Andean architectural lines<\/strong>, giving the museum a truly special atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make the most of your visit by purchasing handicrafts made by local community members<\/strong>, or by trying one (or several!) flavours of fresh fruit ice cream. This is a museum where you don\u2019t only learn \u2014 you also get to taste local ingredients in its restaurant<\/strong> and raise a toast with a Cusco beer at the themed bar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thermal Relaxation in Lares<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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I\u2019m truly sorry. The original idea behind this story was to describe alternative places<\/strong> in different provinces of Cusco, but, as you can see, for some strange and inexplicable reason \u2014 perhaps due to the divine intervention of Saint Rosita of Lamay<\/strong> \u2014 I ended up staying in Calca. That wasn\u2019t the plan, although, as often happens on the road, the best plan is the one you make as you go<\/strong>. So I won\u2019t be changing course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, I do promise to explore the places of interest that were left pending today in future posts. Patience. I\u2019ll be sure to share tips about the Mandor waterfall<\/strong> in Machu Picchu Pueblo; the terraces of Zurite<\/a>, in the province of Anta; and Santo Tom\u00e1s, the fearless capital of Chumbivilcas<\/strong>, where the legendary qorilazos<\/a> stand out as magnificent horsemen of the highlands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those very highlands were what I had to climb to enjoy the thermal baths in the district of Lares<\/a> (at 3,250 m above sea level and 60 km from Calca). Rest, relaxation, and pure enjoyment<\/strong> await in its six pools, fed by a volcanic hydrothermal stream that rises through cracks in the earth. Thanks to their high mineral content<\/strong>, these waters \u2014 ranging from 35\u00b0C to 48\u00b0C \u2014 are considered beneficial for your health<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wellbeing and fun \u2014 two in one \u2014 at the thermal baths, which are not the district\u2019s only attraction. Here you\u2019ll also find nature, stunning landscapes, and living culture within the local communities<\/strong>. There are even pre-Hispanic trails waiting to be explored<\/strong>. The Lares Trek<\/a> is an alternative to the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu<\/strong>: a 3- or 4-day hike covering roughly 33 km.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, between prayers, dances, and processions, learning experiences and wanderings through lonely archaeological sites, and finally, refreshing dips in healing waters<\/strong>, we discovered together a little more of the Sacred Valley and the province of Calca. Before I finish, I want to share some good \u2014 or perhaps bad \u2014 news: I didn\u2019t tell you anything about Huchuy Qosqo, or Qaqyaqawana<\/a>, a little Inca gem<\/strong> that I explored many years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well then, I\u2019ll have to return to refresh my memories<\/strong> and write about it here. Hopefully, we\u2019ll meet somewhere along the way<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m going to state something obvious that, despite being so, is often forgotten: tourist Cusco neither begins nor ends with Machu Picchu. It would be foolish to deny the importance of this world-famous icon, just as it would be a mistake to believe that in the \u201cHistorical Capital of Peru\u201d, and in the cities, towns, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3594,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3618","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tourism"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nCusco: Hidden attractions of Calca - A jewel of the Sacred Valley<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Cusco; the hidden gems of Calca. The Sacred Valley of the Incas has many places to discover. 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