Hike to the Devil's Balcony

Of all the hikes within the proximity of the city of Cusco, this one is the coolest. Not only that, but no one knows about it. It is a local's only secret. The only reason I know about it was because I lived there for years.

There are two approaches to the hike. One that is for beginners, and is a 30 minute walk up a dirt road behind Sacsayhuaman. The other, has no real starting point but follows the river up to the devil's balcony and takes about 3 hours each way.

Dirt Road way (30 min)Starting coordinates (-13.502848, -71.981088)Follow the dirt road. You will pass a pond and many houses. When the road splits take the left-hand road, which is closer to the river. You will come out on top of the cave.

River way (3 hours)Starting coordinates (-13.502137, -71.992338)Getting to this point is a freestyle. To get to the general area, take the bus to the "arco tica tica", then when you get there walk down the hill towards the river. Where to two rivers meet is where the trail starts. There is also a rock with the word Sacsayhuaman painted on it in white. This trail features incan ruins, various waterfalls, and beautiful forests. Follow the river up until you get to the cave entrance. You must go through the cave to get out. You can either go back the way you came to go back or take the dirt road trail back. The dirt road starts on top of the cave and heads directly back to the city. See Dirt Road way for more information.