Your epic trip to the Sacred Valley of the Incas would start with a 0700 AM transfer from your hotel in Cusco. In our private transport, we will be driving you for 45 minutes to Chinchero, the rainbow village of the Incas.
Chinchero:
Chinchero is home to renowned Andean textile weavers. On your short visit here, you will witness how skillfully they knit different things using Alpaca and Llama wools. Our local expert will be introducing you to the traditions of locals which are well preserved.
This beautiful village is also home to an Inca site. The renowned Inca ruler, Pachacutec built his summer palace here overlooking the valley. When the Spanish conquered Chinchero, they demolished the palace here and built a church on its remains.
Once you have had your fill of your history here we will be driving you off the road to Maras and Moray.
Moray:
Our first stop here will be in Moray. Home to renowned farming terraces, Moray was once an agricultural laboratory to the Incas.
Here you will witness the advancement of Incas farming techniques as our guide will walk you through different parts of the site.
Maras:
We will then drive you to the most photographed site of the valley, Maras. The Pre Incan, geometric shaped salt pools here produce some of the finest salt in the region. The pinkish colored salt is believed to be extremely nutritious and has a distinct taste.
Salt farming is the prime occupation of locals here. The profession is passed down generation to generation. Locals still practice the traditional Solar evaporation method where they let in natural spring water into the pool and wait for it to evaporate. When it does, they manually scrape out the salt crystals.
Urubamba:
After a detailed introduction to these sites, we will be driving you to Urubamba to savor a delicious meal here. We will be stopping for about an hour in Urubamba.
Ollantaytambo:
Our next stop will be in Ollantaytambo. Popularly known as “Living city of the Incas”, Ollantaytambo has been continuously inhabitated since the Inca civilization. This beautiful town is snuggled amidst two massive hills, each home to an Inca ruin.
It is worth noticing how skillfully the Incas have built the town. We will be visiting the prime Inca temple here. The temple comprises a ceremonial site, main plaza and more. The infamous battle of Ollantaytambo was fought here in 1531 between Pizzaro and Manco Inca.
Although the Incas won the battle, fearing a much stronger attack they relinquished their stronghold here and seeked refuge in the jungle which marked the beginning of the Spanish era.
Today, Ollantaytambo is popular because this is where you will be boarding the train to Aguas Calientes to visit Machu Picchu.
Pisac:
After soaking in the history and breathtaking views, we will be driving you for another 45 minutes to Pisac.
Home to Inca ruins perched on a hilltop, Pisac ruins are just second to Machu Picchu in size. We will be giving you a guided tour of this immense complex where we will be visiting the water temple, ceremonial sites, remains of Inca temples and more.
After witnessing the sunset, we will be driving you down the hill to the market here. Pisac market is the best place to buy souvenirs. Local craftsmen from neighboring villages set their shops in the market area to sell their products at a much reasonable price.
After this immersive full day tour of the Sacred Valley , we will be driving you back to Cusco city. We will be reaching by 0700 PM.
Journey’s End
Upon reaching our unloading point in the city, our services will come to an end, however, if you wish we can arrange a package for your following days in Cusco.
