Cusco to Puno Scenic Bus Tour with Lunch
About this activity
Highlights
- Scenic drive through the Peruvian Andes
- Visit to the archaeological site of Raqchi
- Lunch at a traditional Peruvian restaurant
- Guided tour of the Pucara Museum
- Arrival in Puno with views of Lake Titicaca
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Comfortable bus transportation from Cusco to Puno
- Delicious lunch at a local restaurant
- Guided visits to key attractions along the route
- Personal expenses and gratuities
Itinerary
After boarding the tourist bus located at the bus station in the city of Cusco, we will begin a 1-hour journey towards the beautiful south valley in order to make the first stop in Andahuaylillas situated at 3,093 meters above sea level. This lovely Andean town has an incredible jewel of the architecture dating back to the seventeenth century known as the Sistine Chapel, with an impressive work covered in gold leaf and paintings of the art school of Cusco. There is a fascinating artwork inside the Church of San Pedro de Andahuaylillas, ceilings and walls decorated in a Baroque style, many of them belong to the Peruvian painter Luis de Reaño. Definitely, it should be a must in your travel bucket list.
The bus ride continues, for one hour and a half, until reach the archaeological site of Raqchi, our second stop located at 3,450 meters above sea level. The temple of Wiracocha was built next to the Vilcanota River during the fifteenth century and, currently, it has huge walls that belonged to temples, as well as aqueducts and tombs. In this place, there are circular storehouses known as Colcas. Them were used to hold different kind of grains such as quinoa, potato, corn, among others. Another interesting fact is that Raqchi is part of the incredible Inca Trail.
The tour to Puno by bus continues until we reach the city of Sicuani to enjoy a buffet lunch in a local restaurant, that offers local and regional dishes, vegetables, desserts and hot drinks like mate de coca.
After lunch and a travel of 40 minutes by bus, we are going to reach the highest point of the tour called La Raya Pass, situated at 4,335 meters above sea level. This is the border of the cities of Cusco and Puno, and here, we are going to make a short stop to admire the snow-capped Chimboya and take pictures of beautiful landscapes.
The next and the last visit will be at Museum of Pucara, after a trip of more than an hour from La Raya pass. This museum has an excellent collection of monoliths, stone sculptures and ceramics belonging to the culture of Pucara, a civilization developed in the highlands of Peru and Bolivia. At the end, we will take the tourist bus to travel for two more hours towards the city of Puno. Along the way you will be able to admire landscapes of the heart of the Andes, passing through the city of Juliaca, until we arrive at the bus station of Puno at 05:00 p.m.
Meeting point
Start Location
Unknown location
Important information
Know before you book
- This tour operates on specific dates; check availability before booking.
- Children under 6 years old require a booster seat; please inform the operator in advance.
- The tour is not wheelchair accessible; consider alternative arrangements if needed.
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable clothing and footwear suitable for a full-day excursion.
- Bring a camera to capture the stunning landscapes and historical sites.
- Carry a bottle of water to stay hydrated throughout the journey.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Accessibility
- Stroller Accessible
- Easy Public Transport
- Infants Required On Laps
Good to know
- You should bring hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, money for personal expenses and camera
- If you select the option without ticket entrances, you can get them directly in each stop
- It is not allowed to take photos and videos inside the Chapel of Andahuaylillas and Museum of Pucara
- Take note that the route from Puno to Cusco is the same, the order of the tour is the opposite.
- Boarding time 06:30 AM
Traveler reviews
Absolutely recommend, we loved this tour!
We thought this was a wonderful unique way to see the smaller towns and learn more about the indigenous Incan culture, support local people's in rural areas, and see some urban areas uncommon for visiting. We were lucky enough to get the front seats on the top deck, which was amazing views of the Andes. Our guide was great at keeping such a large group on time while answering all of our questions about the sites. We didn't feel rushed but having quick stops along the way really made the day fly by! They serve c*ca and Muna tea while approaching higher altitudes and then cool beverages later in the day, we loved the guide and the attendant serving on the bus. The buffet lunch was incredible. Seats were amazing on the bus and good air flow from the vents. It took a bit to connect to wifi but eventually it did connect and the USB chargers were very handy to keep electronics charged up for our arrival to Puno
Best way to go from Cusco to Puno
Getting from Cusco to Puno was just so easy on this one way day tour. Pick-up from the hotel and the staff at Puno helped organise transport to your hotel. All the stops were worthwhile, the pick of them was the Church of Saint Peter the Apostle in Andahuaylillas. An excellent buffet lunch was provided in a nice location. As usual beautiful scenery was everywhere. Marita was terrific as a guide and allowed us plenty of time at the different places. The coach was large and comfortable. This tour provides good value all things considered compared to a normal bus, especially an overnight one.
An Adventure
The trip from Cusco to Cusco was worthwhile. The guides were knowledgeable about the places we visited and managed the schedule so everyone had time to see what they wanted. The food at the midway point was excellent. My only complaints is that the air conditioning was intermittent.
Long ride to Puno with a lot of stops
The stops were so-so and overall it is a very long journey to Puno. They stopped multiple times and sometimes for an unnecessary amount of time for what it was. We were sitting at the back of the bus and it got very hot at some point (the AC was not working properly). However the guide was really nice and tried his best to please us.
Very good way to travel from Cusco to Puno
Our guide was informative and we enjoyd the trip.Unfortunatelly there was a strike,and we couldn’t visit archeological site in Racchi.