Cusco Information

Summary

Cusco is Peru's main tourist destination and one of the most important destinations in the Americas. Known by the Incas as the "Home of the Gods", Cusco became the capital of one of the largest pre-Columbian empires: the Tawantinsuyo. Its name in Quechua means "Navel of the World".

 

LOCATION:

Cusco is located in Huatanay River Valley, in the southeasts Andes of Peru, in the jurisdiction of province and region Cusco, its high is 3,399 m.s.n.m. (11151,44 feet above the level sea), it's located at 13°30'45'' south latitude and at 71°58'33'' west longitude from Greenwich Meridian. At north it borders on the jungle of Junin and Ucayali departments; at south, in the southwest area, it borders on Arequipa and Puno; at east, it borders on a huge part of the Amazonie and the jungle flats of Madre de Dios; and at west, it is united to Apurimac Mountains and Ayacucho Jungle.

REFERENCE TIME:

When in Peru it's 12:00, in Santiago and Caracas it's 13:00; in Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires it's 14:00, at New York it's 12:00 and in Tokyo it's 02:00 of the following day. The Peruvian hour is similar to the EST hour (Eastern Standard Time) in the United States and it's located at 5 hours from GMT (Greenwich Meridian Time).

ALTITUDE:

Cusco is approximately over 3,399 m.s.n.m. (11151,44 feet above the level sea) high, is for this reason that Cusco is considered one of the highest cities in all the world.

CLIMATE:

The climate on April to October is very comfortable, warm and dry. The temperature in this season goes from 5.0° to 20° Celsius. This rainy season starts on November and it lasts until May; at the beginnings of this season, the rain is light and as the season continues the rain becomes more intense during the months of January through March.