Chinchero is a small Andean Indian village located high up on the windswept plains of Anta at 3762m about 30km from Cusco. There are beautiful views overlooking the Sacred Valley of the Incas, with the Cordillera Vilcabamba and the snow-capped peak of Salkantay dominating the western horizon. Chinchero is believed to be the mythical birthplace of the rainbow. Its major claim to tourism is its colourful Sunday market which is much less tourist-orientated than the market at Pisac.
The village mainly comprises mud brick (adobe) houses, and locals still go about their business in traditional dress.
The village may have been an important town in Inca times. The most striking remnant of this period is the massive stone wall in the main plaza which has ten trapezoidal niches. The construction of the wall and many other ruins and agricultural terraces (which are still in use) are attributed to Inca Tupac Yupanqui who possibly used Chinchero as a kind of country resort. Entrance to the main plaza and ruins requires a 'boleto turistico'.
In the main plaza an adobe colonial church, dating from the early seventeenth century, has been built upon the foundations of an Inca temple or palace. The ceiling and walls are covered in beautiful floral and religious designs. The church is open on Sundays for mass.
Half an hour's walk from the village brings you to Lake Piuri which once fed Cusco with water. It takes about 3 hours to walk around the lake passing through small picturesque villages.

andeantravelweb.com/peru/destinations/cusco/chinchero.html

Rolf G.

September 22, 2023

It's not just the village that's worth seeing; the Inca trail through the gorge begins here.

Translated by Google •

In the know? Log-in to add a tip for other adventurers!

Details

Informations

Distance 940 m

Uphill 30 m

Downhill 10 m

Weather

Today

Tuesday 23 December

22°C

6°C

91 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 5.0 km/h

Most visited during

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

See hikes here

Take Me There

Location: Chinchero, Urubamba, Cusco, Peru

Other Popular Places to Check Out

Plaza de Armas de Cusco

Museo de Sitio de Chinchero

Sacsayhuamán Archaeological Site

Chinkana Labyrinths

Inca Sacrificial Altar (Q'enqo)

Sacsayhuamán

Qorikancha (Temple of the Sun)

San Pedro Market

View of the Sacred Valley

View of Sacsayhuamán and Cusco

Zona Arqueológica Machucollpa

Q'enqo Chico Ruins and Rock Labyrinth

Chinchero Archaeological Site and Colonial Church

Other Popular Places to Check Out

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️