The Sacred Valley of the Incas:

Majestic landscapes and spectacular Inca cities

The Sacred Valley of the Incas is the part of Urubamba Valley (also called Vilcanota or Wilcamayo) which stretches between the villages of Pisac or Ollantaytambo.

It is a very fertile valley where the Incas would cultivate corn, and where some of the most beautiful Inca cities were built.

The Sacred Valley is several hundred meters deep, and offers some spectacular landscapes. It is also an obligatory step between Cusco and Machu Picchu and boasts a number of first-order Inca sites, which makes it an unmissable destination.

The Sacred Valley of the Incas is located at an altitude of 3000 meters in Pisac, and 2800 meters in Ollantaytambo. The climate there is more gentle than in Cusco, and it is very pleasant to spend a night in one of its many rustic hotels, which will also allow you to arrive earlier at Machu Picchu.

Possible activities/visits in the Sacred Valley

Pisac is considered one of the most important Inca cities, as well as being one of the most beautiful. You can spend approximately 2 hours there, before walking back down to the village through some rather steep stairs, but which offer magnificent views over the Sacred Valley. The Pisac village itself is pleasant and is home to a huge daily artisan market. Ollantaytambo, on the other hand, is a village boasting some winding Inca alleyways and is overlooked by a spectacular fortress, another major Inca site. It is also the departure point for many of the trains heading to Machu Picchu.

The Moray circuses are circular-shaped agricultural terraces located in natural hollows.

Not far from Moray, the Maras salt mines offer both beautiful views and some fascinating history about the Inca artisanal salt mining.

A little further along, the village of Chinchero boasts a beautiful Spanish church, which was built on an ancient Inca site.

These 5 main sites can be seen on one very busy day. However, it is certainly preferable to take two days to properly enjoy the Sacred Valley, for example Pisac and Ollantaytambo on one day, and Moray, Maras and Chinchero the next day. Or if you only have one day to visit the Sacred Valley, you could focus on only 3 or 4 of these sites, for example Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Chinchero, returning to Cusco at the end of the day, or Pisac, Moray, Maras, Ollantaytambo, spending the night in Ollantaytambo, and departing for Machu Picchu the next day.

The Sacred Valley of the Incas is also an excellent place to enjoy nature through some sporty activities. It is possible to take some mountain biking expeditions, rafting down River Urubamba or defying vertigo on the “via ferrata” and zip-lining down the cliffs of Ollantaytambo.