Sacred Valley Tour – 1 Day

The Sacred Valley of the Incas is a stunning valley that lies to the north of Cusco. Also called the Urubamba Valley stretches from Pisac to Ollantaytambo, its course irrigated by the Urubamba River. Civilizations had inhabited this valley since at least 800 BC when the Chanapata civilization came here to use the rich soil. Centuries later, around 900 AD, the Killke civilization arrived in the valley. They remained until the Inca Empire took control of the region in 1420 and made the Sacred Valley their own.

With such a rich chronology, it’s perhaps no surprise that the Sacred Valley is full of fascinating archaeological sites. Its towns and villages are also home to the vibrant customs and traditions that thrive here, creating a colorful and authentic cultural experience. Our full-day Sacred Valley tour will take you to some of the most impressive sights, including Pisac, Ollantaytambo, and Chinchero, where we’ll see beautiful examples of Inca architecture and get a feel for daily life in this part of Peru.

We’ll pick you up from your hotel in Cusco at 07h30 and then set off on our day trip to the Sacred Valley. Leaving Cusco, we’ll pass by Saqsaywaman and head over the mountains before descending some 450 meters (1,500 ft) to the valley floor. Here we’ll find ourselves beside the sacred Urubamba River and the pretty village of Pisac. In Pisac, we will visit the colorful traditional market, where you can browse the array of local artisan work and other souvenirs – which of course, you can buy to take home with you.

We’ll spend about 30 minutes here and then head up to the ruins of Pisac, which sit atop a hill at the entrance to the valley.
At the Pisac archaeological site, we’ll explore the extensive ruins and enjoy the beautiful views across the valley. You’ll be given a guided tour of the ruins, passing through various structures that once served as homes, storage rooms, and temples, and you’ll see Inca altars, carvings, tunnels, caves, and the famous Intihuatana, the “hitching post of the sun.” We’ll explore Pisac for about 90 minutes. Alternatively, if you’d like to spend more time in the market in Pisac instead of seeing the ruins, you can talk to your guide and arrange a time and a place to meet when the tour group returns through the market after the ruins.

We’ll now head on towards Urubamba, where we’ll stop for about 45 minutes for lunch (not included). After another 30-minute drive, we’ll reach the wonderful Inca town and the archaeological site of Ollantaytambo. Ollantaytambo was the royal estate of the Inca emperor Pachacuti, who conquered the region and built the town and a ceremonial center. We’ll spend about an hour exploring these magnificent ruins, visiting the impressive Temple of the Sun, and seeing massive blocks of rock that were perfectly carved and polished by master Inca stonemasons. Ollantaytambo is also a fine example of Inca agricultural construction and hydro-engineering, with a complex series of stone water fountains, channels, and agricultural terraces, the latter organized by elevation to create different microclimates for crop experimentation.

We’ll see the extent of the water system when we return to the town, where fast-flowing water channels built by the Incas are still in use today. Walking to the town square, we’ll have great views of the ruins above us, as well as Inca granaries and storehouses built on the sides of the surrounding mountains. Here we can also watch the daily life of Ollantaytambo, where many of the locals still wear traditional dress.

After Ollantaytambo, we’ll drive to Chinchero, where we’ll spend about 30 minutes visiting the famous church and the massive Inca stone wall in the main plaza, which has ten trapezoidal niches. Meanwhile, the colonial church dated back to the early 17th century and was built upon the foundations of an Inca temple or palace. The walls of the church are covered in wonderful floral and religious designs. The people of Chinchero are very much connected to the old traditions, and many still dress in colorful clothes that combine indigenous and Spanish influences. We’ll also have beautiful views from Chinchero, as the village is surrounded by the stunning snow-capped peaks of Chicón and Veronica.

This is the last destination on our Sacred Valley tour, so now it will be time to head back to Cusco, where we’ll drop you off at your hotel.

• Pick up from your hotel on the morning of departure.
• Private round-trip transportation.
• English / Quechua / Spanish professional guide speak.
• Second Tour Guide over 12 people.
• First aid kit.

• Tourist Ticket for archeological sites (70.00 Soles).
• Feeding.
• Tips (optional).

• Original Passport.
• Original Student Card (if you book as a student).
• A travel insurance card is essential.
• Sun hat.
• Sun protection cream.
• Waterproof jacket/rain poncho.
• Extra money.
• Water.

We also offer a special service only for you or your group, you have the power to choose the size of your group and the date of departure, we will never add other people since it will be organized only for you.

Our Sacred Valley Tour – 1 Day private service, includes additional items such as:

• Private Transport just for you.
• Buffet lunch at Urubamba
• English / Quechua / Spanish professional Guide speak just for you.
• Tourist Ticket for archeological sites

We offer 3 kinds of service, each with different price ranges and you can book in any of these services according to your convenience, we just need you to be a minimum of 02 people to organize your trip on the date that suits you, all our services are 100 % guaranteed.

We are a direct TOUR OPERATOR that never passes clients to other agencies as most agencies do it here in Cusco to save operating costs with poor quality.

We will make the trip even if there are only 02 people in your group.

Can I be picked up from Pisac?
Yes, let us know in advance to organize your pick-up time.