What Cusco tours could look like in 2025

What Cusco tours could look like in 2025

[Originally published October 14, 2016] Sightseeing around Cusco could be a vehicle-free experience by 2025, according to a proposed plan unveiled yesterday by city officials.

Conceived with UNESCO and funded by the World Bank to the tune of $800 million, the Qhapaq Ñan 2 plan would convert Cusco’s center into a pedestrian-only zone to enhance and conserve the World Heritage site.

That means no cars whatsoever when you tour the Main Plaza, the Plaza de San Blas, Plaza San, Avenida El Sol to the Coricancha-Santo Domingo temple, Calle Plateros and other important sites in the Imperial City.

City planners and are also looking at a comprehensive  makeover of Cusco’s public transportation system, promising to be able to deliver commuters from any outer neighborhood to the historic center in no more than 15 to 20 minutes.

But there is more. The plan calls for transforming the 5-hectare Wanchaq train yard at the end of Avenida del Sol into a giant pedestrian “City Center” park.

Finally, the plan calls for investing $520 million to convert Velasco Astete Airport into a municipal park once the new international airport in Chincheros is completed.

Walking tour of Cusco's Main Plaza
A Cusco City Tour would be free of cars by 2025 under this plan
Touring Cusco's San Blas district
Avenida Sol, passing the Inca Temple of Qoricancha with no cars whizzing by
Converting the Wanchaq train yards into a vast tree-lined Municipal Center

The following video describes the proposed Cusco 2025 Plan:

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Authored by: Rick Vecchio

Rick Vecchio, Fertur’s director of development and marketing, was educated at the New School for Social Research and Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. He worked for Pacifica Radio WBAI and as a daily reporter for newspapers in New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts. Then in 1996, he decided it was time to realize a life-long dream of traveling to Peru. He never went back. While serving as Peru country manager for the South American Explorers from 1997-1999, he fell in love with Fertur's founder, Siduith Ferrer, and they married. Over the next six years, he worked as a correspondent for The Associated Press. Meanwhile, Siduith built the business, which he joined in January 2007. Now he designs custom educational and adventure tour packages for corporate and institutional clients, oversees Fertur’s Internet platform and occasionally leads special trips, always with an eye open for a good story to write about.

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