Full Day Tour to the Sacred Valley of the Incas
Duration
From
Overview
Discover the ancient wonders of the Sacred Valley of the Incas on a full-day tour, visiting Incan sites, picturesque towns, and stunning landscapes. The Sacred Valley of the Incas is named after the Vilcanota River (Sacred River), which has several sections. The Sacred Valley river section is also known as the Urubamba River. The ancient Incas believed that the Vilcanota River and its fertile lands had a connection to the Milky Way and the galaxy, and this strong belief made the valley one of the most important agricultural centres of the Inca empire! Therefore, in honour of their divinities, they constructed many terraces and pyramid figures. In our time, you can also find a few administrative centres, such as Pisaq, as well as many farmer settlements that present themselves as descendants of the ancient Incas. The Sacred Valley is home to the largest white corn in the world, thanks to local farmers’ continued use of the same cultivation techniques as the ancient Incas.
Full Itinerary
The Sacred Valley tour starts at 08:00 am from Cusco. We pick you up from your hotel and bring you to our tourist bus, where you will meet your tour guide and your travel mates (shared service).
We leave Cusco around 08:30 am, heading towards Pisaq, and then descend to the sacred river Urubamba. With a few stops at various lookout points along the way, we will arrive at Pisaq, where you can enjoy checking out the traditional handicraft market with plenty of time for local souvenir shopping. Afterwards, we drive up the mountain to find Pisaq's ruins. Our tour guide will take you around the temples, terraces, and tunnels of this complex, including the famous Intihuatana (sun clock), while constantly enjoying the majestic view of the sacred river. Then we drive along the Urubamba River, passing a colourful little town where you can see descendants of the Quechua people wearing colourful ponchos.
We stop in the town of Urubamba for lunch (we recommend a Peruvian buffet). After a short rest, we continue our journey to Ollantaytambo, one of the last living Inca towns. You will be amazed by the impressive Temple of the Sun, featuring intricate stone carvings, terraces built to support the mountain, and a temple shaped like a llama.
You will have a short time to explore this amazing complex and its beautiful water fountains on your own. After studying this magnificent complex, we head back to Urubamba and leave the river, climbing uphill to the beautiful fields of Chinchero. Here, we will discover another impressive Spanish Inca complex, and afterwards, visit a weaving family who still uses natural minerals and organic ink to colour the wool. We will return to Cusco around 07:00 pm and leave you at the beautiful Plaza Regocijo.
Included/Exclude
- Tourist bus
- Bilingual professional tour guide
- 24-hour support from the company owner
- Lunch in Urubamba (Sacred Valley)
- Cusco Tourist Ticket (S/. 140 Soles or US$49.00) – half price for students with original student card
- Insurance of any kind
Note
We recommend you buy the General Tourist Ticket (BTG), which allows you to visit 15 sites, all the archaeological sites in Cusco and the museums as sites in the Sacred Valley, Moray and Chinchero, the south Valley of Cusco, Tipon and Piquillacta, and lasts for 10 days, including Cusco museums and a dance show.
Recommendations, what to bring
- Original passport
- Student card if you book your tour as a student
- Backpack
- Water (you can buy it everywhere, too)Sun protection (sun cream, hat)
- Rain jacket or rain poncho (in the rainy season)
- Money for lunch and souvenirs
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Warm clothing for the afternoon return to Cusco
What we need when you make a reservation
- Full name, as written in your passport (please include a scanned copy of your passport)
- Passport number
- Nationality
- Date of birth
- Tour departure date
- Send a deposit of 60% of the total price of your tour. (The remainder of your balance will be due upon your arrival in Cusco.) Payment can be made via Western Union, PayPal, or ABN AMRO Bank in Holland, or securely and directly through our website by selecting your desired tour and clicking the BOOK NOW button.
Prices
- Price US$40.00 group price
Private Tour:
- 1-2 people US$250 p.p.
- 3-4 people US$90 p.p.
- 5-6 people US$80 p.p.
“With every tour you book with Green Peru Adventures, you can request a free walking tour of Cusco’s mysterious and historical city, accompanied by one of our professional guides, who speaks several languages.”
We are looking forward to creating an unforgettable experience for you.
