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The Sacred
Valley
You are now
here: The Sacred Valley
The Sacred
Valley of the Incas is high on the list of travelers who visit Peru.
It's a magical
place with impressive Inca ruins, Spanish colonial architecture,
unbelievably beautiful views. It's surrounded by green mountain sides and
there also are several high snow-capped peaks.
A great
adventure travel and mystery travel place! Especially those of you
passionate about ancient cultures will adore it!
This part of
Peru is one of the most agriculturally productive areas. Terraced
agricultural lands, ancient aqueducts are almost everywhere, many of them
are still used today. Towns, villages, ancient ruins and the landscape
attract a huge number of travelers from all continents here.
Our article
takes a deeper look at this place. Check it out!
Also called
Wilcamayu, this river cuts through the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
This river runs
rapidly between the mountains, runs past Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu.
The Incas considered it sacred, therefore they called it this way. It is
the main artery of life in this part of the country.
Read our article
for details...
A very
impressive archaeological site, the most visited one in the area after
Machu Picchu.
Huge stone
blocks, waterways, many temples, massive walls make this one of the
largest and most important ancient Inca cities. It's purpose must have
been mixed: used for military, administrative and religious activities.
Pizarro's men called it "The Fortress of Ollantaytambo".
Spectacular
creation by the Incas, beautiful and impressive from the point of view of
engineering!
The Moray
terraces remind us of the ancient Roman amphitheatres or craters. These
too, stepped exactly like the "andinas", filled with earth for plantations
were also used for agricultural purpose.
Our article
takes a deep look at the characteristics and the purpose of the Moray
terraces.
One of the most
visited towns in the "Valle Sagrado", offers beautiful views,
opportunities for hikers, it also has a Sunday market, which attracts many
tourists every week and there are old Inca ruins as well. It is 30 km from
Cuzco, so getting there by good paved road is fairly easy.
You might see
this town mentioned in 2 ways: Chinchero and Chincheros, both ways are
correct.
The ruins of
Písac are on the side of a mountain overlooking the town with the same
name. From "up there" one can admire a colourful view over
the town, the valleys and the agricultural lands.
Písac is among
the favourite places of photographers and the area is also well known by
hikes & mountain bikers.
Check this
article for complete information about this wonderful place!
The town has the
same name as the river running by. A beautiful town, very well preserved
architecture and way of life. Urubamba is less influenced by mass tourism
(unlike Ollantaytambo is, for example), therefore it's easier for you to
see how people live here.
Urubamba can
offer you also offer you a glimpse at Inca ruins and you can also buy
local pottery with a unique style.
This village is
very close to the town of Urubamba and a major attraction in the Sacred
Valley.
Attractions in
and around it include: the Lago Negro (Black Lake), well preserved Inca
agricultural terraces, a colourful Spanish colonial church, etc. Among
activities: mountain biking is popular, also aerostat flights hikes are
organized to the nearby mountains, the Black Lake.
One of the most
unique attractions in the Sacred Valley.
Terraces, but
these ones are for extracting salt, not for agricultural cultivations.
Many tourists arrive to the Salinas to admire and photograph the surreal
views.
Our article
contains details about the Salinas...
Located on the
road between the towns of Urubamba and Pisac, Calca is an easy to reach,
attractive little town.
Not so much the
town itself, but rather the nearby attractions draw tourists there.
Sulphurous hot
water baths, mineral water springs, snow-capped mountains are around
Calca. It is also a good place for buying gifts.
Located in the
western Sacred Valley, Maras is close to the so-called Salinas salt mines
and the terraces of Moray. Many travelers use Maras as a base for
travelling to these hotspots.
Maras is a small
village with not as many attractions as Urubamba or Yucay, but it still is
"in the way" of the tourism flux. Our article
gives you info on Maras at travelling opportunities.
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