Sacred Valley

1 day

In recent years, the Sacred Valley has become one of the most important destinations in South America.
It is the valley of the Urubamba river and is known worldwide as el Val Sagrado de los incas.
In its route we find pretty traditional Andean villages of the colonial era, ancient Inca settlements distributed along the whole valley, surrounded by the majestic peaks of the Andes mountain range.

Sacred Valley

Pisac - Urubamba - Chinchero - Moray

A few kilometers from Cusco kissed by a splendid sun and crossed by the river Urubamba or Vilcanota is the "mythical Sacred Valley of the Incas", a place of beneficial climate and rare beauty, which since the time of the Incas was the favorite resort of the sovereigns and, still today, many "cusquenos" spend their weekends along the banks of the river or protected by the leafy pisonays that many rise on the squares of the many villages crossed by the road that connects Pisaq to Ollantaytambo.
Already important in the Inca age the Sacred Valley was the granary of Cusco, in fact from the vast Inca estates that dotted the valley and the slopes of the surrounding mountains came all the corn, potatoes, various tubers and also a lot of fruit that ended up directly in the deposits real of the city, even today the agricultural production of the valley is of first quality above all for what concerns the cultivation of the maize which here gives excellent results and indeed without any doubt the Urubamba corn is the best in the world.
The Sacred Valley in addition to having previously been a place of leisure was also a religious center of the first importance, the Incas even believed that the Urubamba river was the mirror of the Milky Way on earth.

The most practical and free way to visit the Sacred Valley is to hire a taxi directly to Cusco which takes you to every site waiting for you and takes you to the following site.
And so on until the end of the visit.

PISAC

Pisac - Sacred Valley Pisac 32 km from Cusco and 2.972 meters of altitude.
It is an attraction and a picturesque village that has a great reputation for its craft market which takes place on Tuesdays - Thursdays and Sundays.
Also famous for its irrigation system and inca astronomical observatory.
In the upper part there are the inca archaeological remains of Pisac with a large system of sidewalks and with a sundial in stone or "Intihuatana".
Leaving Pisac, at 18 Km we arrive at Calca, of great attraction for its beautiful landscapes surveyed for the snow-covered Pitusiray and Sahuasiray.
In this province there is the archaeological complex of Huchuy Cusco, the thermo-medicinal baths of Macha Cancha, sulphurous thermal waters, and Minasmoqo (cold gaseous waters).

URUBAMBA

Urubamba - Sacred Valley After 20 km we arrive at Urubamba located in the heart of the Sacred Valley was another pre-Columbian agricultural center.
From Urubamba it is possible to make excursions to the snowy Chichòn as to the Selva, it is also an appropriate place for the practice of adventure tourism.
We continue and arrive at Ollantaytambo about 25 km, it is called the Tambo valley and extends along the shores of the Vilcanota fimo to Machu Picchu, it is an archaeological complex formed by valleys and temples, terraces and buildings such as the Temple of the Sun, the Mañaracoy or royal hall, the Incahuatana and the Baths of the Princess.

CHINCHERO

Chincero - Sacred Valley Chinchero 28 km from Cusco, is a beautiful Andean landscape surrounded by the perpetual snow-capped Chichón, the Wequey Willca, commonly called (puma sillo or veronica).
However its most attractive is its Sunday market originally attached to the barter of products between the comuneros of the Valley and those of the upper parts.
In the streets of Chinchero you can breathe an atmosphere of other times.

MARAS

Maras - Sacred Valley We continue and arrive after 12 km in Maras, a small village that was very prosperous in the colonial era, for its arrival we deviate on the road that leads to Urubamba.
Its singular attraction, in addition to the colonial church, are the salt or saline mines located near the town that attract observers and especially visitors.
Used from pre-Columbian times, salt is extracted thanks to an ancient drying system, through which the salty water coming from an underground stream is exposed to the sun in hundreds of puddles until it evaporates, ready to be marketed.
The luminous show that the ponds offer during the summer months of the mountains, from April to October, is certainly incomparable.

MORAY

Moray - Sacred Valley At 7 km from Maras we find Moray, famous for the sunken amphitheater formed by four circular pavements that seem to disappear inside the puna a mò of an artificial crater.
The sidewalks built contain retaining walls and an admirable irrigation system that allowed more than 250 plant species to be cultivated.
Continue to Ollantaytambo or return to Cusco based on your travel plans.

  • RACCOMANDAZIONI
  • Using a local guide on the various sites is very useful
  • Always ask for permission to photograph children or people
  • Better not eat cooked food at market stalls
  • Respect the environment and nature
  • COSA PORTARE

  • Windproof and waterproof jacket in the rainy season
  • Sun glasses and cap
  • Sun cream for the face
  • Personal medicines
  • Local currency for small purchases in the markets
Sacred Valley Weather
Chinchero

Chinchero

Maras

Maras

Moray

Moray

Ollantaytambo

Ollantaytambo

Pisac

Pisac