Cusco Puno Bus Tour With Lunch

This charming Andean village is home to a remarkable architectural gem from the seventeenth century, the Sistine Chapel, renowned for its stunning work adorned in gold leaf and paintings from the Cusco art school.

Inside the Church of San Pedro de Andahuaylillas, you'll find fascinating artwork, with ceilings and walls showcasing Baroque style, many of which are creations of the Peruvian painter Luis de Reaño. It's undoubtedly a must-see on your travel itinerary.

Our bus ride resumes 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, boasts massive walls that were once part of temples, along with aqueducts and tombs.

Here, you can discover circular storehouses known as Colcas, which were used to store various grains such as quinoa, potatoes, and corn. An interesting fact is that Raqchi is also a part of the renowned Inca Trail.

The journey to Puno by bus continues as we reach the city of Sicuani, where we'll enjoy a buffet lunch at a local restaurant, offering an array of local and regional dishes, vegetables, desserts, and hot beverages like mate de coca.

After lunch, a 40-minute bus ride will bring us to the highest point of the tour, La Raya Pass, located at 4,335 meters above sea level. This is the boundary between the cities of Cusco and Puno, where we'll pause briefly to admire the snow-capped Chimboya and capture breathtaking landscape photographs.

The final stop will be at the Museum of Pucara, following a journey of over an hour from La Raya Pass. This museum houses an outstanding collection of monoliths, stone sculptures, and ceramics from the culture of Pucara, a civilization that emerged in the highlands of Peru and Bolivia.

Finally, we'll board the tourist bus for a two-hour drive to the city of Puno. En route, you'll have the opportunity to admire the scenic Andean landscapes as we pass through Juliaca, arriving at the bus station of Puno by 5:00 p.m.

Please note that the route from Puno to Cusco is the same, albeit in reverse order.