Urubamba Sacred Valley Peru

The valley is characterized by having very special conditions, such as an excellent climate, very fertile lands and the waters of the sacred river of the Incas, the Vilcanota (Quechua voice, sacred or marvelous thing), which upstream, in the town of Urubamba, it changes its name and it is called the Urubamba River.

It is the area where you can appreciate and magnify the high technological development reached by the Incas in agriculture through andenerías systems (set of earthen terraces in a staggered way over the mountains to be used in the sowing) that are found today. in full production, accompanied by sophisticated designs and hydraulic engineering works that were used for irrigation.

The centers of adoration to the Pachamama (mother earth) also stand out. Today, each town in the Sacred Valley of the Incas has the fusion of Inca and Spanish architectural style. The richness of its people in its folklore and crafts, its way of life, its clothes, make it a place that will leave you unforgettable memories.

Structures such as those you can see in the towns of Pisac or Ollantaytambo, have made it one of the favorite places for travelers from all over the world, especially since it is the place where you will have to enter the Inca city of Machu Picchu. This Valley was the center of Tahuantinsuyo, the largest known empire of the Western Hemisphere, it ran from Colombia and Ecuador, through Peru and Bolivia, to the northern part of the nations of Argentina and Chile; and its capital is the city of Cusco, known as the "navel of the world".

Overview

Itinerary

Includes

Before you go

Quick Itinerary

07:20 We pick you up from your hotel

08:40 Arriving at Pisac and explore the market by yourself or in the group

09:10 Guided tour in Pisac Ruins

10:00 Driving to the Calca town

12:00 Buffet Lunch at the Tunupa Restaurant

13:40 Driving to the Ollantaytambo town

15:00 Guided tour of the Ollantaytambo archeological site

16:30 Driving to Chinchero

17:30 Guided tour of the Chinchero temple

18:00 Return to Cusco

19:00 Cusco

Highlights of the Sacred Valley Tour:

Visit the Pisac Market, Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Chinchero archeological site and the church.
See the best platform system of the Inca empire, located in Pisac
Let yourself be fascinated by six monoliths of enormous size and with mysterious figures of Inca innocography, located on the summit of Ollantaytambo.
Buffet lunch in a restaurant, offering typical dishes.
Appreciate the weaving houses in Chincheros.
Have the opportunity to taste the Chicha, corn drink of the Incas

Interesting Information

Sacred Valley Cusco Tour

We pick you up from your hotel at 7.00 am to start the Sacred Valley Tour. We go to the Sacred Valley by private bus for an hour and half, and start visiting the traditional market of Pisac, where you can buy some souvenier. After minutes exploring, we will go to a guided tour of the Pisac Archaeological center, from where you can appreciate the impressive platforms of the Inca period.

Continuing with the trip through the Sacred Valley of the Incas, we go to Calca town to enjoy the buffet lunch at the Tunupa Restaurant, that offers a wide variety of healthy, mouthwatering food and delicious dishes for vegetarians, low calorie diets and the best of Novo Andino Cuisine.

After lunch, we will visit the Ollantaytambo fortress and observe the agricultural areas; what stands out most is the cultivation of rainfed corn, without irrigation, also the cultivation of Andean tubers and cereals. After the visit to this archaeological center we went to the town of Chinchero on the way to Cusco, where we can visit the colonial temple with interesting frescoes in the portico built on the foundations of an Inca building.

Arriving in Cusco at around 7:00 p.m. We leave you at your hotel.

Included

Tourist private transportation
Professional bilingual Tour Guide
Buffet lunch in Urubamba Town
Tourist Ticket to the Sacred Valley

Not Included

Tips for local staff
Extras not mentioned

About the Tour

Packing List

Frequently Asked Questions

How far is Sacred Valley from Cusco?

The Sacred Valley of the Incas is quite extensive, covers more than 100 kilometers in length and goes from west to north in the territory of Cusco. There are two direct roads that connect Cusco with the Sacred Valley and connect the towns of Pisac, Urubamba and Ollantaytambo. To reach the Sacred Valley of the Incas, you must first reach Cusco; generally your visit will begin in the town of Pisac and continue through the city of Urubamba to then visit the beautiful town of Ollantaytambo; from here it is possible to take the train to Machu Picchu; but you can not enter the Inca city without booking the Machu Picchu tickets in advance. The Sacred Valley is located approximately 55.9 km from Cusco, and an hour and a half of travel.

Exploring the sacred valley on a private tour gives you more flexibility in the schedules and itinerary of your route. You can decide in which sites you want to spend more time, such as the Pisac market or somewhere that draws attention to others.

Sacred Valley Peru Elevation

The Sacred Valley of the Incas is located 35 kilometers from Cusco, and about 600 meters below the level of Cusco. It covers the part of the basin of the Vilcanota river between the towns of Pisac and Ollantaytambo.

Pisac at 2,980 masl
Calca at 2,929 masl
Urubamba at 2,870 masl
Ollantaytambo at 2,850 masl

Sacred Valley Cusco Weather

The Sacred Valley of the Incas is located at 2,800 masl, 600 meters below Cusco, and enjoys one of the best climates of this region, temperatures during the day vary between 19 ° and 24 ° C. This privileged climate made the Incas take it as their main center of production, experimentation and agricultural research. Nowadays, travelers use the valley to acclimatize, before starting their tours through Cusco and Machu Picchu, and without a doubt one of the best ways to avoid altitude sickness.

What to do in Sacred Valley Cusco?

Known by the Incas as Willcamayu, the beautiful valley extends from the town of Pisac to Ollantaytambo, along the Urubamba River. The ancient Inca settlements in these cities are presented as checkpoints, before entering the "Inca Trail" that leads to the sacred city of the Incas, Machu Picchu. They are simply amazing, and one of the best previews of what you will see in Wonder.

Pisac

The town of Pisac is located 33 kilometers from the city of Cusco and is presented as the door to the Sacred Valley. It is world famous for its artisan market and its impressive archaeological remains, located on a mountain above the town. This town was a kind of capital of the region in the time of the Incas, very important for its excellent location and fertile land. The Inca and colonial constructions that are exhibited in its territory, are admirable for their great invoice and for the platforms that surround the mountains and polished stone structures, assembled to perfection.

On the other hand, the town of Pisac has become the spiritual center of the Sacred Valley, it can have all kinds of experiences and spiritual retreats, as well as meet people from all over the world interested in this.

Urubamba

Urubamba is one of the most important cities of the valley at present, it is a city that was born during the colony and is considered the world capital of corn. This is possible because it is watered by numerous rivers that are born in the peaks of the glacier mountains; all this territory was very appreciated by the Incas due to the fertility of their lands and the great qualities for cultivation. It is one of the best places to relax in the valley, you will see many foreigners, but beware, they are not tourists, they are people who left their countries and decided to stay and live in this cozy town.

Ollantaytambo

Ollantaytambo, also known as Ollanta, is located 97 km northwest of the city of Cusco; approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes by car. It was during the time of the Incas a fortified city, with temples, urban, agricultural sectors and walls of defense. It is known that the Inca city of Ollantaytambo served as an administrative control post. After the Spanish invasion, it became one of the favorite places of the viceroys. It is considered one of the most important archaeological sites in Peru and South America; In addition, many people consider that after Machu Picchu, the town and the ruins of Ollantaytambo contain the most impressive Inca stone work in Peru; however, it is not the only amazing thing about this place.

Only a few years ago, global positioning systems allowed us to discover that Ollantaytambo is aligned with other ancient constructions throughout the world; the pyramids of Giza, the islands of Pascua, the Nazca lines, are just some of them; In addition, the most important archaeological remains from all over the world are aligned around this line. We recommend you visit the Inca city of Ollantaytambo, otherwise you will be missing something very big.

Chinchero

On a normal tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, the town of Chinchero will be the one you will visit after traveling through most of the valley, back to Cusco ; It is located 28 km from the city of Cusco at 3,772 m.s. and has important archaeological sites, a beautiful colonial church of the seventeenth century with canvases from the "Escuela Cuzqueña", and a typical market where you can still carry out bartering.

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Code	SACVL1
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The Responsible People foundation is registered under the Peruvian Non-Profit Organization Act. With an annual contribution from Inca Trail Machu, we support our operating costs as well as a significant portion of project development costs.