Sacred Valley of the Incas Voyage Tips and guide

The Sacred Valley of the Incas is a valley in the Southern Sierra in Peru that contains many famous and beautiful Inca ruins. It was called the Sacred Valley because it contains some of the best land in the region and was not a part of the Incan Empire but the property of the Emperor or Inca himself.

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Map of Sacred Valley of the Incas

Major cities or major attractions in the Sacred Valley include:

• -13.1552-72.52381 Aguas Calientes — on the bottom of a magnificent valley, this town is the main gateway to Machu Picchu
• -13.528-71.9762 Cusco — the unofficial capital of the region, Cusco is a fascinating city with beautiful colonial architecture built right atop Incan constructions. Although most of the Inca buildings have been replaced by the Spaniards, there are still some Inca walls and foundations to be seen in the center of Cusco.
• -13.335-72.1573 Maras — on the main route to Incan sites of Salineras and Moray, Maras is an otherwise unremarkable dusty town
• -13.258-72.2644 Ollantaytambo — one of the last Incan towns to fall, much of Ollantaytambo is laid out in the same way as it was in Inca times with extensive ruins worth seeing. In the town of Ollantaytambo houses can be seen which date from Inca times. The nearby ruins features agricultural terraces as well as military, religious and administrative sections. Admission with boleto turistico.
• -13.174-72.1925 Patacancha — a traditional Quechua village in Cusco, near Ollantaytamb
• -13.423-71.8516 Pisac — in addition to Machu Picchu-like ruins, it's the weekly market, in which locals from highlands gather with their fresh produce, that puts Pisac on the itinerary of many travellers. The mountain overlooking the village of Pisac is covered with terraces and several ruins. Well-worth a visit. Admission with boleto turistico.
• -13.5713-71.78447 Tipon — some of the most interesting agricultural terracing and water management developed by the Incas, all still in perfectly working condition. A group of agricultural terraces and irrigation channels. It is believed to be dedicated to agricultural experimentation as well as religious activities. Admission with boleto turistico.
• -13.307-72.1158 Urubamba — a regional transportation hub, Urubamba also has a street market on offer
• -13.32-72.0869 Yucay

Other destinations near to or accessible from cities in the Sacred Valley include:

• -13.3933-72.86851 Choquequirao — a more remote and less-travelled alternative to Machu Picchu, much of Choquequirao has undergone reconstruction but still is impressive anyway (and not least because of the mighty views over Apurimac Valley). According to some this site is as impressive as Machu Picchu, but without the crowds. The only way in is a 4-day trek (two days each way).
• -13.1628-72.5452 Machu Picchu — one of the most spectacular sets of ruins in the world, a visit to Peru is not complete without a visit to this mysterious "lost city of Incas". The star attraction of the sacred valley. Also the endpoint of the Inca Trail.
• -13.3292-72.19443 Moray — terraced co-centric circles that were used for developing better agricultural crops by Incas. Amphitheater shaped terraces. It probably served as an agricultural laboratory and seed cultivation site.
• -13.6124-71.71694 Pikillacta - One of the few pre-Inca sites. It has been built by the Wari-culture. Admission with boleto turistico.
• -13.4833-71.96225 Puca Pucara - A small site. Which purpose it served is still unclear.
• -13.509-71.97056 Qénqo - This site is hewn out of a rock. It probably served as religious shrine.
• -13.509-71.98257 Sacsayhuamán - Cusco was envisioned to represent a puma with Sacsayhuaman as head. Large parts of the site has been destroyed in the colonial era as the Spaniards used the stones of the sites to build their own houses. What remains is still impressive. Admission with boleto turistico.
• -13.4785-71.96778 Tambomachay - A small ruin, which probably was a religious center, but could also be a military center. Walk back and visit Puca Pucara, Qénqo and Sacsayhuamán on the way back. (See Cusco). Admission with boleto turistico

The main way in is through Cusco (CUZ ^IATA), which has daily flights to Lima and Arequipa and buses to other parts of Peru and Bolivia.

Buses and minibuses (colectivos) are the way to get around for many destinations. However, to get to Aguas Calientes (to access Machu Picchu) the only ways in are by train or on foot.

The Sacred Valley is dotted with Inca Ruins, with Machu Picchu being the absolute star attraction. If you are in a hurry, try to visit at least Pisac and Sacsayhuaman.

• Salineras — ancient saltpans used by Incas in salt production. Thousands of salt pans nestled in a canyon that have been used to harvest salt from a spring for thousands of years.

• Inca Trail — the classic mountain trek to Machu Picchu

See the valley. Although the various ruins are the undeniable highlight, a 4-5 hour bus tour of the loop Cusco-Chincheros-Urubamba-Pisac-Cusco shows truly spectacular landscapes, especially on clear days during the winter (May-September). Tours can be booked with various agencies, although it is cheapest to just take buses between the various cities (and you can start in any of them).

There are many beautiful towns in the Sacred Valley that contain great landscapes, traditional restaurants, hotels/hostels and local markets. The largest ones are Pisac, Calca, and Urubamba.