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Cuzco & the Sacred Valley

Peru

South America Travel Guide

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Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, Inti Raymi, Festival of the Sun, an important Inca celebration that takes place every June 24 in the historic center and Saqsayhuaman, marking the winter solstice

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Overview

For Incas, Cuzco was the belly button of the world. A visit to this city and its nearby ruins tumbles you back into the cosmic realm of ancient Andean culture – knocked down and fused with the colonial imprint of Spanish conquest, only to be repackaged as a thriving tourist center. The capital of Cuzco is only the gateway. Beyond lies the Sacred Valley, Andean countryside dotted with villages, high-altitude hamlets and ruins linked by trail and railway tracks to the continent's biggest draw – Machu Picchu.

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