Cusco was the capital for the Inca Empire in the 1500s.  Today it carries on by being the empire of tourism in Peru.  The world is well educated about its most popular attraction:  Machu Picchu.  Not many visitors leave Cusco without seeing it.  But, there is much more to this city than most have discovered.  Sitting in a small valley at 10,500 feet, Cusco is surrounded by hills and provides ample opportunity for outdoor activities and adventure.  Mountains to the north and to the south of Cusco, are some of the biggest in Peru.  They compete with others of the Andes.   Nevado de Sacantay and Nevado de Ausangante are both respectively well above 19,000 feet and offer the experienced climber a great test of skill.  To the south of Cusco, three rivers rage and entice the daring into the white water.  The Apurimac River warns some by already clamming lives, and the other two also hold similar reputations.  To the north of Cusco screams to bikers with its excellent terrain while Aguas Caliente is a place to recover after a long day.  Even deeper, in the surrounding area, an incredibly beautiful jungle remains which is a national park full of first generation vegetation and a main feeding river into the Amazon.  

This picture focuses in on a Secondary School that overlooks the city of Cusco.  Most of the schools require uniforms, and the kids really love going to school.

If seeking adventure, Cusco is a great hub to test your skills and make the blood tingle.  Get there first and make your plans as you go.  With this in mind you just might stumble into something outstanding as we have.

Sagsayhuaman sits proudly over the city (Above) (Below).  These are the most outstanding ruins close to Cusco, displaying architecture that is huge and required much to build.  

 
Puzzle making with giant boulders is from visionary builders.

Cusco on a windy Sunday morning.  The Peruvian Flag and The Cusco Province Flag.

Cusco provides a plethora of cultural and architectural feats that the tourist will always remember, and often compare to other great cities.  The Incan Empire is often compared to the Roman Empire, especially where architecture is concerned.  Some describe the entire Cusco experience as too much to see with too little of time to do it.   Our jaw drops to the serenity of the geography, the maturity of the Epic Andes mountains and aggressive approach of little children selling candy on the streets.  What you do with Cusco is up to you, but trust us, their still are places left to be discovered, places that are left unwritten, (we chose not to write about a few) ruins that are still undiscovered and travelers that are polite, kind and love to have a good time. 

Deep Hesitation.  

Picture taken in a small village outside of Cusco.  The expression is common among the natives and displays a typical day, full of struggles, but still the ever present positive attitude.

*Feature written by Phillips, June 2001.

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