Packing for Adventure

Spelling in Peru is tricky, and mostly because it seems like the spelling keeps changing!

When I made my photo album after our trip to Peru, the Sun Temple in Cusco was spelled Qorikancha in Google Maps, and now it’s Qurikancha. But Wikipedia says Corikancha?

As for Cusco itself, is it spelled with an s or a z? And man, there sure are a lot of q’s in the Peruvian culture!

Cusco vs Cuzco

Curiosity got the best of me, so I looked it up. Turns out both Cusco and Cuzco are technically correct, but Cusco is the preferred spelling in Peru today. The “z” version Cuzco was the one adopted by Spanish colonizers. Over time the spelling was changed back to better reflect the native Quechua language, which doesn’t have a “z” sound at all.

Even more fascinating, the official Quechua name for the city is Qosqo. So really, both Cusco and Cuzco are adapted versions of the original name. That explains why you’ll see so many different spellings depending on whether you’re looking at a Peruvian source, an older map, or an English-language travel site.

And What About Qurikancha?

My guess is that the same logic applies to the temple’s spelling variations. The Incas had their own words, the Spanish tried to adapt them, and modern spellings are attempts to bridge the two. Whether you write it Qurikancha, Qorikancha, or Corikancha, it’s still the amazing Sun Temple we visited in Cusco.

Next Time in Cusco

As I mentioned before, one day in Cusco was nowhere near enough. Next time we return, we’d love to spend more time soaking in the city and its surroundings. On our must-visit list:

• Sacsayhuamán – the massive Incan complex overlooking Cusco, full of intrigue and history!
• Qeswachaka Rope Bridge – an ancient Incan bridge made of woven grass, still rebuilt by hand every year.
• Ollantaytambo – a town we passed through but didn’t linger in, with its own ruins and incredible charm.

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