The Sacred Valley of the Incas or known as El Valle Sagrado de los Incas, it’s truly one of the most travel destinations in the world.
Many travelers, therefore, stay in Cusco before making their trip to Machu Picchu. On this journey, travelers follow the Urubamba River through the Sacred Valley, either by train or on foot. And for many visitors eager to feast their eyes on Machu Picchu this is all of the Sacred Valley they’ll ever see. It’s better than nothing of course, but few people devote enough time to exploring the hidden gem of a lifetime.
You can visit the sacred valley of the Incas along the Chinchero route where you can visit more picturesque places as well as more Inca ruins. These are the places that you will visit along the Chinchero route: Chinchero town, Chinchero The temple of the Rainbow, Moray the Inca Circular terrazes, Maras, town, Maras Salt Mines and Ollantaytambo Inca fortress. After Ollantaytambo you can go back to Cusco or from Ollantaytambo you can continue your trip to Machu Picchu.
The Sacred Valley is home to many Inca ruins, some of which are arguably just as impressive as Machu Picchu without the large crowds. The communities across the valley are also very spiritually vibrant. Set aside more time to explore if you’re open to learning about Shamanic rituals. Many credible yoga, ayahuasca and san pedro retreats take place in this region.
Regardless of what’s drawing you to this mysterious and majestic corner of the world, it’s a worthwhile place to spend time— for a day, for a week, for a lifetime. If you’re a casual tourist hoping to maximize your time in the Andean highlands, consider buying the Boleto Turistico (or Cusco Tourist Ticket). For a little over 130 soles or $40 you can visit the majority of the region’s archeological sites in the span of the 10 days.
If you’re staying in Cusco or a neighboring village long term, you can take your time exploring. Each town is worthy of a day trip on its own, and if you have the pleasure of visiting multiple times, there’s more to see than the ruins themselves. The valley spans a large region north of Cusco, so I can’t address every possible destination. But let’s start with a few of our favorites.
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There are a handful of archaeological sites so close to Cusco that you could hike there such as Sacsayhuaman and Q’enqo. And though there’s really no site that’s not worth seeing, I’ve chosen to highlight a few of the most significant complexes of ruins located in the small towns throughout the valley, all of which are a short colectivo ride from Cusco’s city center.
Chinchero
Geographically, Chinchero is actually on the way to Urubama. However, it’s one of my favorite towns in the valley and We think it really merits its own trip. It rests at a higher elevation than much of the valley, which makes for fantastic views. The Chinchero archaeological site is also the starting point for a little known hike along an old Inca road, which leads to the small village of Urquillos. It’s especially beautiful during the rainy season when all of the wildflowers are in bloom!
In chinchero, we will visit a local family at Chinchero town where you will be given a demonstration of the Andean textiles that have been passed down to all of them from generations since Inca times. You will also have the opportunity to shop from the local families.
Pisac
If you only have time to visit one town, Pisac will give you the perfect snapshot of the Sacred Valley. Located only 45 minutes away from Cusco, Pisac’s ruins are particularly stunning due to its agricultural terraces cut into the cliffside; you can even climb up the stairways for a stunning view. Pisac is also well known for its Sunday market and extensive selection of Andean handicrafts.
And if you’re hoping to spend the night in the valley, a hostel in Pisac is a great choice. In addition to traditional Andean culture, you’ll encounter a lot of spiritually and artistically inclined expats. Urike’s Café is a popular meeting place with an international feel. If you want to venture off the beaten path, Pisac is also a good launching point for the Kinsa Coche (Three Lakes) hike.
Moray
Located six hundred meters above the level of the Valley, contrasting with the green forests and the varied and vigorous vegetation that houses the Vilcanota mountain range; It extends between 3,200 and 3,500 meters above sea level, the reddish and semi-arid Maras Pampa, which is barely irrigated by it; flow of some springs, contains at one end, one of the most beautiful and sophisticated environmental laboratories of the Inca state: Moray. Designed taking advantage of natural depressions that project like funnels below the level of the pampa, Moray contains, in the largest of its four buildings, a series of ceremonial fountains and concentric platforms, in whose descending and successive agricultural surfaces the contemporary studies – neos found variations in average temperatures of up to 5°C.
Moray was an agricultural research center for Inca use that used a method similar to the technique we know today as spiral cultivation, which, as you can see, is used for the cultivation of plants with diverse environmental needs, with the difference that in this case It has natural depressions.
Maras Salt Mines or known as Las Salineras de Maras.
The wealth of the Sacred Valley was not only sustained by the fertility of its lands, the abundance of water and the beneficial condition of its climate. but also by the springs of warm water supersaturated with salt. whose flows were directed to flood miles of small shallow ponds carved throughout the slope on which the so-called Maras salt flats are located; salineras from which appreciable quantities of salt are currently obtained by evaporation.
The important role of personalized salt in the history of the world is known, since there is no people that has not used it as a dietary supplement since the most remote antiquities. Sodium chloride, among all sales, is one of the most necessary for the life of man, since it is present in the constitution of almost all fluids and cartilage, remaining as an always living deposit of energies. It is estimated at around 7500 grams. the amount of salt a person needs to consume annually.
During the Inca Empire, salt became the main product of exchange with the nomadic tribes of the eastern jungles and an important element of their redistributive economy, since in addition to its necessary intake, it was used to obtain it. massive dried-salted meat.
The MARAS SALINERAS, date back more than 3000 years old according to archaeological remains present in the area; They are located along the Qoripujio Mountain in the Peruvian Andes of the Sacred Valley of the Inkas, in the Maras District, Urubamba Province, Cusco Department – Peru.
Currently there are more than 3,000 salt ponds and the owners are the residents of the town of Maras.
Urubamba
Urubamba, one of the largest towns in the valley, is also easily accessible from Cusco. The Sacred Valley is even referred to as the Urubamba Valley sometimes because the Urubamba River runs through it. And though the town isn’t famous for a particular set of ruins, it offers a well preserved glimpse into the everyday lives of Andean villagers. It’s also a good jumping off point for two notable sites: Maras and Moray.
The village of Maras is home to spectacular salt mines believed, like many of the region’s ruins, to actually pre-date the Incas. Just outside Maras, Moray is an archeological site famous for the circular construction of its agricultural terraces. And on a less historical note, if you’re in the greater Urubamba area, the Brewery of the Sacred Valley is definitely worth checking out!
Ollantaytambo
Many people go through rather than to Ollantaytambo because it’s the most common place to catch the train to Machu Picchu. However, not regarding Ollantaytambo as a destination unto itself is a huge mistake. The winding corridors of the town, set against the waning valley’s jagged mountains cape, are a treat to explore. It’s also home to an impressive archeological site, which includes a former fortress and temples.
