Where is the Mirador de Chonta?
The Mirador de Chonta is located 98 km northeast of Cusco, a journey that you can cover in 3 and a half hours. When you arrive at the community of Chonta, where you will find the ticket office for access to the viewpoint, you will have to hike a medium-difficulty hike. In the 3.2 km of this trekking you will find incredible landscapes, have your camera ready!
Once here, you just have to wait: the condors sometimes seem shy, but as soon as they dare to fly, they do not stop! The magic of the place plus the flight of this bird make Chonta the perfect destination for nature lovers.
What other tourist attractions will you find near the Mirador de Chonta?
If you are planning a trip to the Chonta Viewpoint, you can also take the opportunity to visit other interesting places, here are some ideas!
Limatambo’s fruitful foundations
During Inca times, Limatambo was an important agricultural area. Sugar cane and its derivatives were cultivated here, as well as a great quantity of vegetables. Nowadays, Limatambo stands out for its fruit farms, where you can take tours and taste exotic fruits typical of Peru such as lucuma, custard apple or avocado.
Tarawasi Archaeological Complex
In Limatambo, you can also visit Tarawasi, an archaeological complex that was used as a ceremonial center and rest area during the Inca period. Here you will find huge stone buildings and the typical agricultural terraces with their fountains and irrigation canals, a great place to admire the quality of Inca architecture and hydraulic engineering!
Temple of Killarumiyoc
The Incas not only had a great devotion to Inti (sun god), but they also had a very special cult of Mama Killa (the moon), whom they considered Inti’s wife and the representation of the feminine side of the firmament. Thus, this civilization built several places in honor of the moon, among which is the Temple of Killrumiyoc, in the district of Ancahuasi. Since the moon is considered responsible for crops and everything that comes out of the earth, Killarumiyoc was also a great Inca agricultural complex.
Here you will find terraces, water channels, terraces, cultivation areas, an ushnu or pyramid and even a cave with petroglyphs. But the most striking element of Killarumilloc is a large rock located in the center in which the Incas carved a crescent moon that served as a throne for the Inca. This archaeological complex is simply exciting!
Recommendations for visiting the Mirador de Chonta and its surroundings
Have you already decided to visit another of the incredible places hidden in the mountains of Cusco? Don’t miss these tips!
Wear dark-colored clothing so as not to attract the attention of the condors.
Visit the site between 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. and you will have a better chance of spotting condors.
In the rainy season (December to April) it is more difficult to find condors in flight.
If you want to visit both the Mirador de Chonta and the surrounding tourist attractions, hire a tour with an agency. You will save time and learn more about the history of this place!
