Cusco to Puno
The Incas & Conquistadors + Lake Titicaca holiday visits Puno
The trip from Cusco to Puno is a beautiful journey over the high sierra, and the views of the mountains rising over the altiplano are superb, especially approaching La Raya, the highest point of the journey. There are two ways of making this journey. The train is slow, but very comfortable, and the first class section of the train has a dining compartment, an elegant bar and a lovely glass-walled observation carriage, allowing you to enjoy the views in comfort, although you do not stop on the journey. Alternately, the road follows the same route as the railway line, and although going by coach is less comfortable, there are several places on interest you can visit.
Andahuaylillas, a traditional town 35km from Cusco, is home to one of the finest churches in the Cusco region, the Church of San Pedro, which contains many fine frescoes on the walls and a beautiful ceiling. The church dates from the early 17 th century, and most of the frescoes date from around the time of its construction.
Over 100km from Cusco is the site of Raqchi, where there are remains of an important Inca building, the Temple of Viracocha. This was an enormous structure, almost 100m long and 15m tall, although, apart from the bases of the columns, little remains. The site also contains many other constructions, including storehouses and ceremonial baths.
Sicuani is a relatively large highland town, about two hours from Cusco. The town is not unattractive, and is surrounded by some very pretty hills. The town is a major intersection, with the road to Arequipa passing through here.
The road from Sicuani to Juliaca initially climbs to the highest point on the journey, the Abra La Raya at 4,300m. Here there is a train station, and trains stop for the impressive views. Some buses also stop for a few minutes. The station features in the French film from the 1980s, The Big Blue. The road descends from La Raya arriving at Pucara, where there are some interesting ruins from the Pucara culture, dating from around 1500BC-1000BC. The town is also famous for making clay bulls, which can be seen adorning many of the roofs between Cusco and Puno.