Sacred Valley Tour is a splendid program that combines picturesque towns and amazing Inca temples; with beautiful mountain scenery in the region of Cusco Peru. The Sacred Valley of the Incas or Urubamba Valley is a spectacular valley located in the Peruvian Andes close to the city of Cusco: the capital of the Inca civilization; It’s very important entrance to the Inca Citadel of Machu Picchu.
This Sacred Valley Tour is located in the Peruvian region of Cusco at 2,800m. In colonial documents; it is referred to as the “Valley of Yucay”, according to recent researches it encompasses the heartland of the Inca Empire.
For the Sacred Valley Tour is generally understood to include everything between Pisac and Ollantaytambo; it has been formed by the Urubamba River, also known as Vilcanota River or Willcamayu.
Our Sacred Valley Tourr; is cultural and traditional valley link the Cusco city and iconic Machu Picchu. In the company of our English speaking guides we include the cultural highlights of Pisac and Ollantaytambo including the Inca setlemenst and the traditional markets at Pisac. A highlight of the journey is our diversion to the famous Sacred valley to see the scenic Mountain range from the viewing point of Taray.
DETAILED TOUR ITINERARY
One-day Sacred Valley Tour starts once we pick you up from your hotel at 08:00 a.m and travel toward Pisac. It is a full-day tour; it’s situated close to Cusco which was the agricultural larder of Cusco in Inca times; an important source of food for the Inca, the Valley is a lush of agricultural region that continues to supply the city of Cusco with much of its production: especially vegetables and corn. You will visit the impressive ruins of Pisac and the colorful artisan market.
The Sacred Valley is embraced between the towns of Písac and Ollantaytambo and has wonderful landscapes where its inhabitants, native of the Quechua ethnic group, conserve many customs, traditions and ancestral rites.
The Sacred Valley of the Incas is an area where you can enjoy the high technological development that the Incas reached in terms of agriculture through the terraces systems. These terraces are still in use today by the local people and show sophisticated designs of hydraulic engineering for irrigation purposes; some terraces were to channelize the River of Urubamba and other terraces were to protect the mountains from the erosions. In the sacred valley you will visit:
Pisac
Is a picturesque town located at the beginning of the Valley; it is located at 32 km (20 miles) from Cusco, at 2,972 meters above sea level. It has the greatest “andenería” system (platform system) achieved by the Inca in all of the Andes. Close to the town lies the Archaeological Park of Pisac or Pisac Ruins, an Inca site whose construction in finely assembled, refined stone, demonstrates a Citadel, turrets, military fortresses, and astronomical observatories, etc. The largest Inca cemetery in the whole of South America is also located here.
In the Main Square of the town of Pisac, every Thursday and Sunday there is a crafts fair, showing beautiful textile crafts, sweaters, ponchos, bags, and showing reproductions of Inca archaeological pieces, the keros (ceremonial glasses), necklaces, etc. To this fair, artisans and indigenous merchants of many towns come to trade their products.
Calca
Located beyond Pisac, it is another charmingly town some 50 km from Cusco, affording wonderful views of the mountains of Pitusiray and Sahuasiray. Close to the town are the medicinal spas of Machacancha (thermal sulfurous springs) and Minasmoqo. Also close by is the archaeological Inca complex of Huchuy Qosqo dwelling place of Inca Wiracocha, perched over a thousand meters over the Sacred Valley; Calca is known as the Capital of the Sacred Valley for its climax and the quality of corn that produce.
Urubamba
The most populated town and very fertile valley. It was a great agricultural producing center of the Inca times. Also known as the “Capital Arqueológica del Perú” (Archaeological Capital of Peru), for its rich Inca archaeological sites it is also called “La Perla del Vilcanota”, for the incomparable landscapes that surround it. At this place, the river change the name from Vilcanota to Urubamba.
Ollantaytambo
Is located 97 km (60 miles) from Cusco, at an altitude of 2,800 meters above sea level; the name comes from two things: Ollanta a personal name and Tambo which means lodge or resting place. According to the legend, Ollanta was of plebeian origin, who loved the princess Cusi Coyllor (cheerful star) the daughter of Inca Pachacútec.
In disagreement with this love, Pachacutec sent the princess to a house of Virgins from where Ollanta tried to abduct her. He failed without but managed to escape. From the fortress that Ollantay controlled he rebelled against Pachacutec, and after several bloody battles was defeated, but because of the generosity of Pachacutec, he forgave the life of Ollanta.
The current town of Ollantaytambo has many houses built on the bases of the old Inca towns with local people maintaining their ancestral customs. It is an important stopping place for travellers to the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.
SACRED VALLEY TOUR INCLUDES
- Transportation: According to the itinerary.
- Entrance Fee: to the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
- Guide: Licensed bilingual tour guide.
- Other: Local guide for permanent assistance.
RECOMMENDED THINGS TO BRING
For Sacred Valley tour you’ll need a warm jacket or fleece and wind coat; rain gear or poncho (plastic poncho can be purchased in Cusco); sun hat; sun block and insect repellent; camera; snacks, chocolates, energy bars, mineral water.
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