Piquillacta
Piquillacta
4.5
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
308 reviews
Excellent
170
Very good
106
Average
29
Poor
3
Terrible
0
Melissa Q
Sorocaba, SP58 contributions
Nov 2013 • Couples
If i told you you wouldn't believe, but this city had roofs above the streets! It was such an advanced city, well organized, clean and very developed. You walk a lot there but at the entrance there is a house where you csn go to the bathroom. There is also a small museum there with a dinosaur skeleton! Worth a visit!!!!
Written May 28, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
B988
Chicago, IL59 contributions
Mar 2013 • Friends
The site is thought to have been a Wari palace, possibly surrounded by living quarters for the palace’s employment or for the performance of religious rituals. The site is incredible in that it was built on a rolling highland landscape yet from an aerial view it appears to be perfectly grid-like and geometric.
Pikillacta is also special in that the buildings had multiple floors as gathered by excavators from the fallen second floors and rock protrusions on the walls that would have been used to hold up said floor. The walls and floors were originally cloaked in gypsum, some of which can still be viewed today.
We took a bus from Cusco to just outside of the site (one must pay attention because the site is remarkably unmarked). We walked up over a hill and to the site's entrance building which houses some interesting panels on pre-Incan excavations as well as a fabulous fossil. These were some of my favorite ruins in all of Peru!!!
Pikillacta is also special in that the buildings had multiple floors as gathered by excavators from the fallen second floors and rock protrusions on the walls that would have been used to hold up said floor. The walls and floors were originally cloaked in gypsum, some of which can still be viewed today.
We took a bus from Cusco to just outside of the site (one must pay attention because the site is remarkably unmarked). We walked up over a hill and to the site's entrance building which houses some interesting panels on pre-Incan excavations as well as a fabulous fossil. These were some of my favorite ruins in all of Peru!!!
Written June 10, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cracovian
Madrid, Spain94 contributions
Nov 2017 • Solo
This is quite different to the rest of the places on the tourist ticket and therefore a must-see. It’s really large but I enjoyed walking every part of it. Despite what someone says below, I found it fine without a guide — there are a few information signs and I didn’t feel that I was missing key details as not so very much is known about that civilization. One disappointment is that I wanted to look at the unearthed ceramics in the little museum but the person on duty at the entrance to the site and museum had wandered off when I arrived and it was then closed when I left. One or two tourist groups arrived later but I think I had the entire enormous place to myself when I got there.
Written October 31, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rooindie
Sioux Falls, SD910 contributions
Oct 2012 • Couples
This site is quite large; we were the only ones there, and there were no guides and no information, so really not much idea of what you're looking at and what it was for. This site, being pre-Incan, was quite different from any of the other sites we'd seen in the Sacred Valley; the walls were massive and fascinating to look at, but the novelty wears off quick.
We hired a taxi for the day and had him drive us around the Sacred Valley; as the buses all follow the same schedule, this meant we were able to go to sites when the buses weren't there. It was awesome to be able to do this (we had many sites practically to ourselves), we spent as much or as little time as we wanted at each place, and had no "forced" shopping experiences that others told us about. Highly recommend this approach (it cost more than bus tickets, but I'm sure we saved money in the markets!!!). The taxi was also able to drop us off at one end of a site and pick us up at another spot, so we didn't have to backtrack.
We hired a taxi for the day and had him drive us around the Sacred Valley; as the buses all follow the same schedule, this meant we were able to go to sites when the buses weren't there. It was awesome to be able to do this (we had many sites practically to ourselves), we spent as much or as little time as we wanted at each place, and had no "forced" shopping experiences that others told us about. Highly recommend this approach (it cost more than bus tickets, but I'm sure we saved money in the markets!!!). The taxi was also able to drop us off at one end of a site and pick us up at another spot, so we didn't have to backtrack.
Written October 28, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maria H
Cali, Colombia46 contributions
Dec 2015
I don´t know why these ruins are not in the top of Cusco things to do. They are amazing!!! Lots of history since they are pre-inca, the aqueduct story and construction is truly wonderful. Don`t miss it!
Written January 5, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Adri S
Lima, Peru29 contributions
Nov 2015 • Couples
I bought the ticket for visiting different ruins and museums in Cusco, and one of the places to visit was "Piquillacta". It was amazing, just as amazing as Machu Picchu, but not as big.
You can see all the buildings (before the Inca time) and it feels great.
I didn't need a guide because the taxi driver explained it to us, there's not a lot to explain, anyway. You just have to see it.
It was sad that we were the only ones there, not many people go there because it's a little bit far from the city. You'll need to hire a taxi cab, unless your hotel is near.
You can see all the buildings (before the Inca time) and it feels great.
I didn't need a guide because the taxi driver explained it to us, there's not a lot to explain, anyway. You just have to see it.
It was sad that we were the only ones there, not many people go there because it's a little bit far from the city. You'll need to hire a taxi cab, unless your hotel is near.
Written December 1, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Luvs2TravelAnywhere
New York City, NY7,191 contributions
Nov 2015
Our tour guide took us to Piquillacta, and it was worth it. It is less crowded here and I would recommend you go with a guide as there are no audio or tour guides.
Written November 23, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MelOshawa
Oshawa, Ontario493 contributions
Jul 2015 • Friends
With all of the focus on Machu Picchu and other archeological sites west of Cusco this impressive site to the east is often overlooked. This is my fifth trip to the area and we just discovered this interesting site. When you arrive it is very understated and looks like there is not much to it as the entrance is a simple rough road. Even from the parking lot it looks like a pile of rubble. It is not until you go over a small hill that you see the extent of the site.
My first impression of the long moat-like channel that is framed by two outer walls was how similar it was to my visit to the Great Wall of China. It had that same timeless feel of ancient purpose and form that has survived for many centuries. While the site is mainly the remains of dwellings from the pre-Columbian period, some of the areas are being rebuilt and have been covered to conserve them and to provide glimpses into their prior grander.
Thought to be an administrative site and temporary dwellings for itinerant workers it is quite a large site but easily covered in an hour to and hour and a half. Following the area within the outer walls in a clock-wise direction will provide wonderful views of the site and the surrounding area.
There are no washrooms or places to eat on the site but there may be washrooms at the gatehouse. Combine this site with a visit to Tipon and other small sites in the area and then head to Andahuaylillas to see the wonderful colonial church there before returning to Cusco.
My first impression of the long moat-like channel that is framed by two outer walls was how similar it was to my visit to the Great Wall of China. It had that same timeless feel of ancient purpose and form that has survived for many centuries. While the site is mainly the remains of dwellings from the pre-Columbian period, some of the areas are being rebuilt and have been covered to conserve them and to provide glimpses into their prior grander.
Thought to be an administrative site and temporary dwellings for itinerant workers it is quite a large site but easily covered in an hour to and hour and a half. Following the area within the outer walls in a clock-wise direction will provide wonderful views of the site and the surrounding area.
There are no washrooms or places to eat on the site but there may be washrooms at the gatehouse. Combine this site with a visit to Tipon and other small sites in the area and then head to Andahuaylillas to see the wonderful colonial church there before returning to Cusco.
Written July 20, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
doc_rck
New York City, NY138 contributions
May 2014 • Couples
Among the best preserved pre-inka sites and included on the tourist ticket. Easily covered in about an hour and well worth stopping at to get a sense of wall construction with stones prior to the Inkas. The site is impressively situated with a view of the valley and surrounding towns. We visited this site on the same day we visited Tipon, the ruins at Pisac and Andahuayllias.
Written June 11, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Richard E
14 contributions
Sep 2013 • Couples
Piquillacta is an unfinished walled ceremonial complex built by the Wari people (Pre-Inca) from approx. the year 550 to 1100.
You'll typically be alone, or nearly alone here -- it is a tad "off the beaten path", but it is a great stopping point if you're travelling south to the Titicaca region. Nice views of the nearby lake. Good spot for a picnic, too. Usually a few trinket vendors in the parking lot, who are easy to bargain with.
Recommended for virtually everybody.
Your multi-visit Cusco card gets you in.
Rick and Linda.
You'll typically be alone, or nearly alone here -- it is a tad "off the beaten path", but it is a great stopping point if you're travelling south to the Titicaca region. Nice views of the nearby lake. Good spot for a picnic, too. Usually a few trinket vendors in the parking lot, who are easy to bargain with.
Recommended for virtually everybody.
Your multi-visit Cusco card gets you in.
Rick and Linda.
Written April 19, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hola, saben si hay guÃas disponibles en la entrada? O hay que ir ya con un guÃa a Piquillacta?
Written June 6, 2017
Eduardo R
Lima, Peru
15 contributions
Piquillacta no está tan ocupado como los otros sitios, asà que no creo que hay guÃas en la entrada como hay en Sacsayhuaman, etc. No vi ninguna de todos modos. Usted debe reservar su viaje como una excursión al sur del valle y ver Tipon también. Reservé la mÃa a través de Haku viajes y fueron geniales!
Written June 28, 2017
Hola viajo en Julio a Cusco ,querÃa saber si hay que pagar entradas para Pikillacta y Tipon y en caso de ser que si donde comprarlas.
Gracias
Ana
Written May 17, 2015
no podria agregar nada mas, pero hay lugares que te venden varios tour que se encuentran en el boleto general que incluyen muchos puntos turisticos pero cuando los recorres te fijas que te faltan un monton, asi que fijate que no todos las agencias te venden los tour para completar los que incluyen en el boleto general
Written May 20, 2015
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