Sacred Valley Tour from Cusco – Sacred Valley Peru Tour

Sacred Valley Tour from Cusco or the Sacred Valley Peru Tour with Maras Moray is one of the popular full-day tours from Cusco. It takes you to all the sites that form the Sacred Valley of the Incas and to the two renowned archaeological complexes in South America, Maras, and Moray. 

As Cusco City Tour, this full-day trip also offers an insight into life during the Inca Empire. This is one of our signature tours. We have dedicated English-speaking local tour guides who have immense knowledge about history. 

Sacred Valley Tour from Cusco includes visits to Urubamba, Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Chinchero, Moray, Salt Mines of Maras.. 

To enhance your experience, we will be serving you a local buffet lunch in Urubamba.  

Pisac:

Pisac is a small Andean village. It is home to massive Incan ruins and a traditional market. The archaeological complex of Pisac nestles on a hilltop overlooking the valley. 

It is just second to Machu Picchu in size. The complex houses farming terraces, ceremonial sites, remains of ancient Incan temples, and more. 

The market sprawls every weekend in the main square, Plaza De Armas of Pisac. It is worth visiting because it reflects the authentic traditions that the locals have preserved. Farmers and craftsmen from nearby villages set their stalls to sell their products. If you are looking to buy some Peruvian souvenirs then the market in the town of Pisac is the best place. 

Ollantaytambo:

This is a beautiful village that depicts the town planning of the Incas. The village is sandwiched between two massive Inca ruins. Ollantaytambo was an administrative center for the Incas. 

The village saw massive development under the reign of Manco Inca. In fact, it has impressive stonework in the whole of Sacred Valley.

The archeological site here was sacred to the Incas. They used it primarily for religious purposes. In 1537, when the Spanish invaded Ollantaytambo, the sacred site turned into a deadly war zone. Although the Incas won the battle, Manco Inca deserted the place fearing the following attack and moved to the Vitcos Rosaspata. 

Today, Ollantaytambo serves as a gateway to the trailhead of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu or if you are visiting Machu Picchu by train to Aguas Calientes. 

Maras:

This is one of the most photographed sites in the Sacred Valley of Incas. Maras are home to the salt mines that nestle on one side of a hill. The villagers continue to practice the Incas way of salt mining. In fact, this tradition is passed down from generation to generation. 

There are geometrically shaped puddles in which they let in the natural spring water. When the water evaporates, it leaves behind crystals of salt which are scrapped out manually. The salt of Maras is pinkish in color and has a distinct taste. 

Moray:

Another prominent site in the Sacred Valley is Moray. It is home to distinct agricultural terraces. The circular-shaped farming terraces resemble the Roman amphitheater. 

The Incas built them by digging holes in the ground. There are different levels. 

There is a difference of 15 degrees celsius from the top to the bottom. The Incas experimented with the growth conditions of different crops here. This was more like an agricultural laboratory for the Incas. 

Chinchero:

The town of Chinchero is often overlooked by travelers. It was built as a country resort during the reign of Inca Tupac Yupanqui. Chinchero has the most fertile soil in the whole valley. 

Like all Inca sites, the complex has impressive farming terraces with many aqueducts. Most of them are in use even today. 

There is also a white-washed church overlooking the town. This was built by Spanish colonists by destroying the royal palace of the Incas. 

Locals in Chinchero are popular for weaving. You will see most of the locals dressed in their traditional colorful attire. They have often seen knitting using Alpaca or Llama wool. 

We offer both small group tours and private tours. We highly recommend this trip before visiting Machu Picchu or Rainbow Mountain as it will help you acclimatize and avoid altitude sickness.

Check out our exclusive 1-Day Machu Picchu Tour from Cusco Itinerary and our Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu 2-Day Tour.

Do take a moment to check our reviews on Tripadvisor.