Located between Cusco and Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley of Peru is a truly special place, dotted with ancient fortresses and villages steeped in long tradition.
Introduction to the sacred valley of Peru
Midway between the hugely popular destinations of Cusco and Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley is the perfect place to take a break and book a night or two at a rustic resort. Here you can go kayaking or horseback riding during the day and enjoy the twinkling of millions of stars under the night sky.
Just 15km north of Cusco, you'll find the Sacred Valley of Peru, with towns like Pisac and Ollantaytambo. The Sacred Valley regularly hailed as one of South America's most important historical sites, and extremely important to the Incas, is located in the Urubamba River valley.
Sacred Valley of Peru
Often considered the spiritual and commercial heart of the Inca Empire, it evolved into a fertile alluvial plain where all kinds of crops and fruit trees thrived in the temperate valley bottom climate. zone. North of Ollantaytambo and heading towards Machu Picchu, the valley becomes subtropical and the Urubamba River turns into a whirlpool, making overland access impossible. However, you can continue to Machu Picchu on foot or by train.
The valley is tightly bounded by the great folds of the Andes, some of which are bare land, and some by snow or glaciers. Weaving communities clung to the folds of the foothills, while crumbling Inca ramparts perched high on the mountainside, as if on guard.
Peru's Sacred Valley in Winter
Many visitors think of the Sacred Valley of Peru as a transit point between Cuzco and Machu Picchu. However, if you can spare the time, there are plenty of activities and points of interest here. You'll find an array of archaeological sites, one of Peru's trendiest restaurants, a variety of hikes off the Inca Trail and plenty of adventure activities.
The highland climate of the valley in Peru has a fairly constant temperature all year round. On high mountain peaks, like Salkantay, temperatures are cold enough to sustain year-round snow. The climate is much milder than the bottom of the valley inhabited by towns such as Pisac, Urubamba and Ollantaytambo.
Ruins from the Inca
The peak tourist season in the valley coincides with the dry season: June, July and August. During this time, the weather is usually sunny and coincides with the favorable summer months for visitors from the Northern Hemisphere.
Low season coincides with the area's rainy season: December, January, February and March. Rainfall and storms are unpredictable, so flight delays to and from Cusco are more common. However, there are perks to traveling during the low rainy season. Locations tend to be less crowded and the Sacred Valley's mountain views are beautifully green.
Tourist towns in the sacred valley
Písac, a town at the eastern mouth of the Sacred Valley in Peru, is very popular with visitors, who flock to its handicraft market. Among the regional crafts are soft alpaca shawls and scarves.
Later, Písac transformed into a Sunday farmers and food market, where locals from surrounding villages joined the expatriate crowds.
The town of Pisac
The city of Pisac and a temple of the sun stand on a mountain top. These ruins showcase the precise stonework that became something of a patent for the Incas. You'll also see astronomical observatories and ceremonial baths that are drained from aqueducts.
The town of Chinchero is buried deeper into the mountains north of Cuzco, Chinchero is a Spanish colonial settlement that is also famous for its Sunday morning market. Quechua-speaking women wear traditional manta shawls and patterned skirts, selling products and crafts. Quieter than Písac, Chinchero also bears some Inca ruins, such as thrones and stone steps.
The town of Chinchero
The town of Ollantaytambo has the golden star fortress of the valley. It looms like a granite giant at the end of a paved road between Cuzco and the Sacred Valley of Peru. The town center was once an important administrative center for the Incas. Today its layout and the remaining Inca walls give you the best approximation of what an Inca town looked like five centuries ago.
The town of Ollantaytambo
The Inca ruins of the Sacred Valley are not limited to fortresses. Moray is made up of three swirls of seven terraces that dig into the earth like whirlpools. They are supposed to be a latter-day laboratory for growing plants in different microclimates.
With terrain varying from steep mountain slopes to flat cornfields, the Sacred Valley is a good spot for mountain biking and horseback riding. Alternatively, you can go rafting on the water along Urubamba, or canoeing in the calmer sections of the river. The Sacred Valley is your starting point for the classic Inca trail, but it's not the only hiking trail that leads to Machu Picchu. There are several other options, most involving camping and taking a minimum of three days.
Travel experiences to try in the sacred valley of Peru
Visit an archaeological site
The Sacred Valley is home to important archaeological sites and stunning natural landscapes. The tour will take you to some of the most impressive ruins in the area, including Pisac Archaeological Park and Ollantaytambo Fort. The ruins of Pisac include ceremonial baths, settlements, and the largest Inca cemetery. They're gorgeous in that they're on top of a mountain overlooking the village and the vast terraces where the Incas grow their crops. Ollantaytambo Fort is another magnificent site. It is one of the most sophisticated examples of Inca architecture and town planning.
Fort Ollantaytambo
Visiting Maras & Moray
The Maras salt pans and the concentric terraces of Moray are two examples of Inca ingenuity in the Sacred Valley of Peru. Scholars believe that the Moray terraces were once an elaborate agricultural laboratory for the Incas; Each terrace has a unique microclimate. Today, the mountainside salt flats of the Maras, initiated by the Wari culture and expanded by the Incas, are owned and operated by local residents. You can get here by car, on foot, by bike or even by horseback!
Visiting Maras & Moray
Climbing and skiing the Zipline
In the Sacred Valley between Urubamba and Ollantaytambo, there exists a series of professionally operated zip lines that you can visit on a full day trip. Climb a series of steel ladders and cables - known as Via Ferrata - up a steep rock face. At the top of the mountain, you'll reach different zip lines ranging in length from 100 to 500 m that you'll slide through. To do this you need good physical condition and time to acclimate to the altitude.
Slide the Zipline
Guided and independent hiking
The Sacred Valley of Peru is a mountain playground with world-class hiking trails. The Classic 4-Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is the most sought-after hike in Peru. But hiking in the Sacred Valley is not a multi-day adventure.
Hiking in the valley
Area day hikes are a great alternative for travelers on a tight budget. There are day hikes that can take you to Pisac ruins, Ollantaytambo ruins or Huchuy Qosqo ruins. There are also hiking trips to natural beauties like Humantay Lake and Rainbow Mountain.
Visit Andean artisans
Sign up for a cultural workshop led by top local artisans in woodcarving, basket weaving or pottery. It is a unique opportunity to meet the people here and learn about the important traditions of the area.
Shop for handicrafts in the Andean
Llama Trek
This is a 3-4 hour hike that will help you understand the role llamas play in everyday life in the Andes. This adventure begins on a trail 15 minutes from the quaint town of Urubamba and hikes uphill to find llamas grazing. Enjoy a picnic against a wonderful mountain backdrop and then head down.
