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.
Day 1 |
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. |
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Note:
We recommend you buy the General Tourist Ticket that allows you to visit 15 places, including the ruins of Cusco and the museums. Otherwise, you can purchase a one-day partial ticket which allows a one-day visit to the Sacred Valley sites including Pisac, Ollantaytambo, and Chinchero. This is in case you are not planning to visit any of the Cusco sites.
If you are staying in Cusco for at least a few days or even more than a week, we recommend you buy the Boleto Turistico “Tourist Ticket” which is valid for 10 days and costs 130 Soles (US$ 49.00). This ticket will be your entrance to visit the 4 archaeological sites in the City Tour, the 3 sites in the Sacred Valley, the circles of Moray as well as the water temple of Tipon and Pikillacta in the South Valley of Cusco. The tourist ticket also includes entrance fees to many museums and the folkloric dance center of Cusco (dance show every day at 07:00 pm).
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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.
Exclusive international transaction fees: The extra transaction fees depend on how the payment is made and on your bank. For further information please don’t hesitate to ask.
Upon request, with each booked tour with Green Peru Adventures, you will receive a free walking tour of the mysterious and historic city of Cusco. You will be guided by one of our multilingual, professional guides.