Cusco Puno Bus Tour With Lunch

This charming Andean village is home to a remarkable architectural treasure from the seventeenth century, known as the Sistine Chapel. The chapel features exquisite decorations in gold leaf and masterpieces from the Cusco art school.

Inside the Church of San Pedro de Andahuaylillas, you’ll find striking Baroque-style ceilings and walls, many adorned with works by the renowned Peruvian painter Luis de Reaño. This destination is truly a must-see for any traveler.

The bus ride then continues for another hour and a half until we arrive at the archaeological site of Raqchi, our second stop, situated at 3,450 meters above sea level. The Temple of Wiracocha, built alongside the Vilcanota River in the fifteenth century, stands out with its massive temple walls, ancient aqueducts, and pre-Columbian tombs.

At this site, you’ll see the circular storehouses called Colcas, which were used to store grains such as quinoa, potatoes, and corn. It’s also interesting to note that Raqchi forms part of the iconic Inca Trail.

The bus tour towards Puno continues as we travel to the city of Sicuani for a delicious buffet lunch at a local restaurant, offering regional specialties, vegetables, desserts, and hot drinks like coca tea.

After lunch, a 40-minute bus ride takes us to the highest point on the route, the La Raya Pass, at 4,335 meters above sea level. This pass marks the border between the Cusco and Puno regions, where we’ll stop briefly to admire the snow-capped Chimboya Mountain and capture breathtaking photos of the Andean landscapes.

The next and final stop is the Museum of Pucara, reached after a journey of just over an hour from La Raya Pass. This museum showcases an outstanding collection of monoliths, stone sculptures, and ceramics from the ancient Pucara culture, which flourished in the highlands of Peru and Bolivia.

Finally, we will board the tourist bus for the last two-hour stretch towards the city of Puno. Along the way, you’ll witness the breathtaking scenery of the Andean heartland, passing through the city of Juliaca, until we arrive at the Puno bus station at 5:00 p.m.

Please note that the route from Puno to Cusco follows the same path, but the order of the tour is reversed.