Hostels Cusco Peru
If you’re spending New Year’s Eve in Cusco, then we hope you’ll spend it with us at our Golden New Year’s Eve party! It’s our largest annual event, with lots of music, drink, and dancing. Whether you’re a guest in any of our Cusco hostels, or just a traveler or friend looking for some fun, you’re invited to Pirwa Colonial Hostel on Thursday, December 31st to ring in the new year.
There’s less than half a week left until Christmas! At Pirwa Colonial Hostel in Cusco, we’re happily preparing for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner. The halls have been decked, and the menu has been set in partnership with a local restaurant. The good news is that no matter where you’re staying during your visit to the Imperial City of the Incas, you’re invited! Just stop by reception at any of our Pirwa hostels to sign up so that we’ll know to expect you.
Qorikancha was the most important temple in the Inca Empire. The name means golden enclosure in Quechua- an apt choice, as when the Spanish conquistadores arrived in Peru, Qorikancha’s exterior walls were covered with a band of gold. The temple was dedicated to the sun, Inti, the supreme deity. Originally, one could only enter the temple barefoot, carrying a load on their back to show humility, and after having fasted. Today, you only need to purchase your admission in order to explore it.
The majority of travelers reach the ruins of Machu Picchu Citadel not by the Inca Trail, nor by an alternative trek, but by taking one of the trains which run from Cusco and the Sacred Valley and the town of Aguas Calientes. The trains aren’t just a necessary part of most trips; they’re a delight in themselves. They descend into the Sacred Valley (where Ollantaytambo station is located) and the Andean foothills, following the Urubamba River for some time. You’ll see traditionally-dressed locals as they tend to their llama or sheep herds, and will pass colorful mudbrick villages. The scenery of the river gives way to the stunning greenery of the high-altitude jungle as you enter the protected zone known as Machu Picchu Sanctuary, in which the town of Aguas Calientes and the ruins of Machu Picchu are found. Occasionally, you’ll even see the odd Inca ruin or agricultural terraces.
If you sit on the left-hand side on the train going to Machu Picchu, or on the right-hand side on the train returning from Machu Picchu, you’ll get the best views! You can’t request a side, but you are permitted to change sides if there are empty seats…
According to guides in Cusco, the Lares Trek is the most picturesque hike that the region offers- more beautiful even than the famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, and more unspoiled. As it begins in the Lares Valley, you’ll pass tiny Andean towns where you’ll see local Quechua-speaking weavers and farmers going about their daily routine in traditional dress. As the trek continues, you’ll ascend to a high Andean pass from where you’ll enjoy expansive views of glacial peaks and fertile valleys, and the excursion ends with a visit to the legendary Inca ruins of Machu Picchu in the high-altitude jungle, so in four short days you’ll experience vastly different ecosystems.