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, the Sacred River of the Incas, which is divided in a few sections with other names like the Urubamba River. The ancient Incas believed that the Vilcanota River and its fertile land are connected with the Milky Way and the galaxy – and exactly this strong belief is what made the valley one of the most important agricultural centers of the Inca empire! Therefore, in honor of their divinities, they constructed many terraces and pyramid figures. You can also find a few administration centers in Pisaq in the Sacred Valley, as well as many farmer settlements that in our modern times present themselves in the shape of small, colorful towns. You can find the biggest white corn on earth in the Sacred Valley because the local farmers still cultivate their fields with the same 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 in the direction of Pisaq, descending 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. Afterward, we drive up the mountain where we will find Pisaqs 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 river Urubamba, passing by a colorful little town where you can observe the descendants of the Quechua people wearing colorful ponchos.
We stop in the town of Urubamba for lunch (we recommend a lunch buffet of Peruvian food). After a short rest, we keep going until we reach Ollantaytambo, one of the last living Inca towns. You will be amazed by the impressive Temple of the Sun with its intricate stone worked details, the terraces which are constructed to sustain the mountain, and finally the temple in the shape of a llama.
You will have a short time to explore this amazing complex with its beautiful water fountains by yourself. After exploring this magnificent complex, we take the road back to Urubamba and leave the river to go uphill to the beautiful fields of Chinchero. Here we will discover another amazing Spanish Inca complex and afterward visit a weaving family who still uses natural minerals and organic ink to color 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 (130 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 in Cusco and the museums as sites in the Sacred Valley, Moray and Chinchero, the south Valley of Cusco, Tipon and Piquillacta, and last for 10 days, including Cusco museums and 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 it is 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 may be made via *Western Union, PayPal, ABN AMRO Bank in Holland or securely and directly through our website by choosing your desired tour and clicking on the BOOK NOW button.
Prices
- Price US$ 35, group price
Private Tour:
- 1-2 people US$ 200 p.p.
- 3-4 people US$ 80 p.p.
- 5-6 people US$ 70 p.p.
We are looking forward to creating an unforgettable experience for you.
