Menu
The Sacred Valley (or Valle Sagrado de los Incas) is a region in Peru, located in the Andean highlands just north of Cusco, and it was one of the most important areas for the Inca Empire. It’s known for its stunning landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and archaeological sites.
This tour is ideal for travelers short on time or eager to experience multiple highlights in a single day. Efficiently designed and well-paced, it offers the perfect opportunity to explore key sites, making the most of every moment while discovering Peru’s rich cultural and historical heritage.
DAY 1: SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCAS VIP
Our excursion starts with a pick up service from your hotel at 6:30 a.m. in our tourist bus. We will visit the following places:
CHINCHERO: Know as a very important centre for agricultural production. We will visit the church that also is home to a Cusquenian school as well as various decorative elements that maintain their originality. Every Sunday local produces sell their produce at the local market, where bartering is still a common practice.
MARAS: Located to the west of Cusco at 3300 m.a.s.l. where you can see the Urubamba mountain range and the snowy peaks of “La Veronica” (5682 m.a.s.l.) and the “Chikon” (5530 m.a.s.l.). Settlement took place here during the Spanish conquest when the Incan nobles were stripped of their palaces in Qosqo (Cusco) forcing them to move and settle in smaller towns like Maras. The town has a church made of adobe bricks with typical religious architecture of the village.
MORAY: Located about 7 km southwest of Maras, it is the only archaeological site of its kind in the region. It is made up of depressions or gigantic natural holes in the surface of the land that were used to build terraces or agricultural terraces with their respective irrigation channels. It is therefore a prototype of a greenhouse or biological experimental station which was quite advanced for its time that helped the Andean people to domesticate many varieties of potatoes and amoung other crops such as corn, quinoa and faba beans.
SALINERAS: Also known as the “salt mines” is located to the northwest of the town of Maras and is made up of some 3000 small wells with an average area of about 5 m². During the dry season they are filled or “irrigated” every 3 days with salt water that emanates from a natural spring located in the upper part of the wells so that when the water evaporates, the salt contained in it gradually solidifies. The salt is then pounded & granulate and packaged into plastic sacks and sent to the regional markets. Today the salt is iodised, making it safe for consumption.
URUBAMBA: Our lunch stop where you will be able to try Cusquenian cuisine in our all-you-can-eat buffet menu and more. We will then continue to our last place of visit, Ollantaytambo, know for its agricultural terraces, religious temples and ceremonial water fountains.
OLLANTAYTAMBO: We will visit the archaeological ruins of Ollantaytambo which was a religious site and a resting place for the ancient Peruvians. We will then take the train departing at 04.36 p.m. and arrive to Aguas Calientes at 06.10 p.m. approximately.
AGUAS CALIENTES: After checking-in to your accommodation, you will have the option to visit the thermal baths of Aguas Calientes. In the evening (time to be confirmed) you will participate in an orientation where our guide will outline the next day’s schedule and activities to Machu Picchu.
DAY 2: MACHUPICCHU
Machu Picchu, the legendary Inca citadel, is nestled high in the Andes Mountains of Peru at 2,430 meters above sea level. Built in the 15th century and later abandoned, it remained hidden from the world until its rediscovery in 1911. Often referred to as the “Lost City of the Incas,” Machu Picchu is renowned for its breathtaking mountain scenery, sophisticated dry-stone architecture, and deep cultural significance. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it stands as one of the most iconic and awe-inspiring archaeological wonders on Earth, attracting travelers from around the globe to experience its history, mystery, and majesty. Today we will visit this incredible site.
After breakfast, we will head to the bus station (about a 10 minute walk) to take the bus to the citadel of Machupicchu. Our entrance time to Machupicchu will be between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. (depending on availability). Once in Machupicchu we will have a two-hour guided tour where we will visit the main places of Machupicchu including the tower of the watchmen, the main square, the sundial, etc. At the end of the tour we will take the bus back to Aguas Calientes. The return train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo will be at 2.30pm or 7pm depending on your entrance time to Machupicchu and availability at time of purchase. From Ollantaytambo you will be transferred to Cusco by private bus (service provided by Inca Rail).
