Cusco to Sacred Valley Peru Tour offers a detailed and complete insight into the life of the Incas. This full-day tour to Sacred Valley from Cusco and Maras Moray, with our local English-speaking tour guide, is one of the most popular tours in the region.
We highly recommend this tour before visiting Machu Picchu while acclimating to the city of Cusco.
Cusco to Sacred Valley Peru Tour takes you to the archaeological sites in Pisac, Ollantaytambo, and Chinchero. To enhance your experience, we will be giving you a guided tour of two prominent sites, the Salt Mines of Maras, and the circular terraces of Moray.
You will also be relishing a traditional buffet lunch at a local restaurant in the town of Urubamba.
Chinchero:
This is a small village closer to the city of Cusco. Among all sites in the Sacred Valley, Chinchero has the most fertile soil. The white-washed church that stands here today was once a Royal Palace of Pachacutec. On conquering Chinchero, Spanish invaders demolished it and built the church on its remains.
Chinchero is also home to Andean textile weavers. Our professional guide will be introducing you to the traditional method of knitting.
Maras:
As it is locally known, the salt mines of Maras or Salineras de Maras exist since the Pre-Inca times. They are passed down from generation to generation. Locals here practice the traditional salt farming methods just as their ancestors did.
They let in natural spring water to these salt ponds. As the salt water evaporates, it leaves behind crystals of salt which they manually scrape.
Moray:
Moray is home to circular agricultural terraces. The terraces have different levels dug into the ground. Each layer has a different temperature.
The Incas built Moray Terraces to experiment with the best weather conditions needed to grow any crop. This served as an agricultural research station.
Ollantaytambo:
We will then continue the tour to Ollantaytambo. This charismatic town is a perfect living example of Incas town planning. The town snuggles between two hills. Each of these hills houses an archeological complex.
The fortress here was the most sacred site during the Inca empire. When the Spanish invaded Ollantaytambo in 1537 this sacred site was transformed into a deadly battleground.
Today, this is the point where you will be boarding the train to Aguas Calientes for the 2-day train tour to Machu Picchu and Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu.
Pisac:
Pisac ruins are an unmissable site in the Sacred Valley Peru. Perched high up on the hill, with staggering views of the Vilcanota river snaking through the Urubamba Valley, The ancient Inca site here is massive and is just second to Machu Picchu. The irrigation system here is notable.
Pisac is also popular for the weekend traditional market. Local farmers and artisans from the neighboring villages gather here to sell their produce.
We offer this Cusco to Sacred Valley Peru tour both as a private tour and in a small group.
Cusco to Sacred Valley Tour is a perfect addition to the Cusco City Tour and South Valley Tour.
We offer this experience as a small group tour and as a private tour. Join us in this full day Sacred Valley Tour.
Super Sacred Valley Tour is one of our signature tours. We maintain high safety standards. Our main aim is to offer you a pleasant and safe experience on any of our tours.
The best time to visit the Sacred Valley of Incas is during the dry season – March and November. During the rainy season, the site gets slippery.
Do take a moment to check out our reviews on TripAdvisor. We offer the best tours including Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
Your epic Peru Sacred Valley Tour begins with an early morning transfer from your hotel in Cusco to Ollantaytambo. Along the way, we will be stopping in Chinchero. Our local expert will be giving you an immersive tour of the Andean handicrafts center.
We will be stopping at the Inca ruins that offer a detailed introduction to the Inca civilization. After the tour, we will be driving you to Maras Salt mines. The geometric-shaped salt puddles on the slopes of a hill amidst a beautiful setting serve as the main source of income for the locals here.
Our local expert will be introducing you to the traditional Solar evaporation method and will give you an insight into the life of locals here.
Our next stop on this full-day Cusco to Sacred Valley of the Incas tour will be in Moray. These emblematic circular terraces are possibly one of the most photographed sites in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. You will get an overview of the Incas advancement in farming.
CUSCO TO SACRED VALLEY PERU TOUR
We will then drive you along the course of the Urubamba river amidst the snow-capped Andean peaks to the heart of the Sacred Valley Peru, Urubamba. Here we will be stopping at a local restaurant for traditional buffet lunch.
After relishing a native meal, we will be driving you further to Ollantaytambo, the former administrative capital of the Incas. We will be visiting the main Inca complex here on a guided tour.
You will then have some free time to walk around the town and check out the Incas town planning system.
Once you have had your fill of Ollantaytambo, we will be driving you to Pisac. It lies on the other end of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Here we will begin the tour with a visit to the Inca complex that nestles on a hilltop overlooking the valley.
We will spend about an hour here visiting the prominent parts of the complex.
After the tour, we will be stopping at the main square. Here we will be visiting the traditional market where you can shop for some souvenirs.
We will culminate the full-day trip to the Sacred Valley of the Incas with a 45-minute drive back to Cusco city. We will be reaching Cusco by 06:00 PM.
The Cusco to Sacred Valley Peru Tour was an extraordinary journey through the heart of Andean culture and history, offering a kaleidoscope of experiences that left me in awe. Our day began with an early morning transfer from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, with captivating stops along the way, including the Andean handicrafts center in Chinchero, where we were immersed in the vibrant tapestry of local artistry.
As we ventured deeper into the Sacred Valley, each stop unveiled new wonders, from the geometric marvels of the Maras Salt mines to the enigmatic circular terraces of Moray, a testament to the ingenuity of the Inca civilization. Our local experts provided fascinating insights into traditional salt production methods and advanced farming techniques, enriching our understanding of local life and culture.
