The Sacred Valley of the Incas

Take a colectivo (shared taxi) to Urubamba and/or Ollantaytambo

at the colectivo terminal in Cuzco :

Intersection Calle Pavitos and Av. Grau 510, Cuzco

Private taxis are also available locally, but prices are negotiable in all cases.

Chinchero is around 45 minutes from Cuzco.

Chinchero

The Inca ruins of Chinchero are impressive, and it is thought that the Inca nobility used to come here to take the waters. It will take you no less than an hour to visit the site.

Afterwards, you can stroll through the remarkably well-preserved streets of the village, visit the colonial church and discover the wealth of local crafts. Every Sunday, the lively Chinchero market is a real feast for the eyes.

The salt pans of Maras

By colectivo, in the same direction (Cuzco to Urubamba), get off at the Maras fork, just before Urubamba.

You can then find a taxi to take you straight to the entrance to the salt pans, or walk for around 1 hour.

On foot, from Chinchero, head towards the village of Maras via Urcos (1h30), then continue north-west of Maras (1h) to reach the saltworks.

There is an entrance fee of around €2.50 for the saltworks, which are open from 8am to 5pm.

Far from the ocean and at an altitude of 3,200m, this natural spring saturated with sodium chloride remains a mystery to all scientists. Long before the Incas, Maras and its saltworks were supplying the whole of Peru with salt. This know-how has been passed down from generation to generation, and the local families who form the cooperatives continue the tradition.

There are no fewer than 3,600 salt pans on the mountainside, where 150 to 200 tonnes of pink "Incasalt" are harvested in the traditional way during the dry season from May to September.

The terraces of Moray

From the village of Maras, 6km to the west (1h30 walk) are the ruins of Moray. The walk between Maras and Moray is fairly easy and truly magnificent.

The Moray site is thought to have been a centre for agricultural research and experimentation during the Inca period. A large main amphitheatre and two smaller ones are formed of concentric circular terraces where various vegetables and legumes were grown.

From Moray, you can take a colectivo or taxi to Ollantaytambo, or walk back to Maras and find transport in the village to Ollantaytambo or your overnight accommodation.

Skylodge Adventure Suites

Between Ollantaytambo and the village of Urubamba, the Skylodge Adventure Suites offers you a "capsule" room on the side of a cliff, suspended 125m above the ground - what better way to spend an unforgettable night!

You'll need to take a via ferrata to get there, so beware of those suffering from vertigo. The next day, you'll reach the bottom of the valley on a zip line: thrills guaranteed.

Book well in advance, for around €794 per room, including dinner and breakfast.

Sauce Hotel Boutique

Redondel de Ollantaytambo, Ventiderio, Ollantaytambo (behind the Plaza de Armas)

For the less adventurous, here's a charming family-run hotel on a reasonable budget in the centre of Ollantaytambo, ideal for visiting the village.

Around €70 for a double room, including breakfast.

An idea for a restaurant in Ollantaytambo?

Mawic Restaurant

Avenida Ferrocarril, no. 119, Ollantaytambo

Careful, inventive Peruvian cuisine using delicious local produce.

Open daily from 12pm to 9pm.

A morning in Ollantaytambo

Ollantaytambo was a very important village in the Inca Empire because of its strategic position to the north of the Sacred Valley, on the road to Machu Picchu. It is surprisingly well-preserved in its original layout, and you'll enjoy strolling through its narrow streets and squares, typical of Inca architecture, but its main attraction is its hillside fortress, from which you can enjoy a splendid view over the valley. This fortress also played a very important role in the Inca resistance to the Spanish conquistadors.

The archaeological site covers several hectares and was home to a fortress, a palace and a place of worship.

Here you can admire gigantic terraces, fortification walls and ancient dwellings made of giant, perfectly-cut stones, and, at the very top of the site, the impressive Temple of the Sun with its 6 pink monoliths.

On the other side of the village, don't miss a visit to the Pinkuylluna site, the ruins of ancient Inca warehouses set into the mountainside. Access is free and the view is magnificent!

From Ollantaytambo, it takes 1? hours by colectivo or bus to reach the village of Pisac via Urubamba.

What to see in Pisac

The village is famous for its large Sunday craft and food market (also on Tuesdays and Thursdays) in the Plaza de Armas.

The archaeological site of Pisac is 8km outside the village (a 3-hour walk). Don't hesitate to take a taxi from the village of Pisac to save time, as it will take no less than 4 hours to visit this exceptional site.

The ruins are divided into 4 groups, which had military, religious and agricultural functions:

• P'isaqa includes the military constructions defending the southern entrance to the Sacred Valley of the Incas

• Intiwatana includes several temples, including the Temple of the Sun, as well as altars, water fountains and an Inti Watana (sundial)

• Qallaq'asa "the citadel" is built on a rock overlooking the Sacred Valley

• Kinchiraqay is made up of wide agricultural terraces

Opposite the Qallaq'asa citadel, you'll notice numerous holes in the cliff: these are the tombs of the Tankanamarka cemetery.

To finish the day, take a tour of the Pisac Community Museum, where you'll see an exhibition of traditional textiles and ceramics from the region, as well as some beautiful archaeological pieces from the Pisac site.

👛 Free admission from 8am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm, closed on Saturdays.

📍 Avenida Amazonas 133, Pisac

Cuchara de Palo Restaurant

In a magnificent setting, you can enjoy traditional dishes such as aji de gallina (chicken dish with spiced peanuts), seco de cordero (lamb stew with coriander), lomo saltado... with delicious local produce but also more creative dishes such as trout with passion fruit, mashed potatoes withamaranth, kiwicha corn pancakes and alpaca steak in a red wine reduction with quinotto... Yum!

⏰ Every day, 7am to 9pm

📍 Plaza Constitución 333 Pisac

If you don't want to spend the night in Pisac, you can easily find a colectivo to take you back to Cuzco (30 minutes).

Getting to the Sacred Valley of the Incas

You may already have a Cuzco Integral Tourist Ticket (BTCI) valid for 10 days to visit Cuzco, its museums and the Sacred Valley. If not, you will need to buy a Partial Tourist Ticket (BTCPIII). This ticket, which must be purchased on the first day before leaving Cuzco, is essential for visiting the main sites in the Sacred Valley during the 2 days.