Full Day Sacred Valley Tour From Cusco

• Transportation to the Sacred Valley (round trip)
• Professional tour guide
• Picnic lunch at Moray
• Entrance to Cotahuasi and Salineras

Where We Visit

• Cotahuasi animal sanctuary
• Pisaq market
• Pisaq ruins
• Ollantaytambo
• Maras
• Moray
• Salineras

• Tourist ticket ($25 approx.)

This Sacred Valley tour is the best way to witness the wonder of the area. The tour starts in Cusco city around 8 am. It will begin with a drive to the Sacred Valley, passing through the animal sanctuary of Cotahuasi where you can see pumas, condors, llamas, alpacas, vicuñas, and guanacos. It’s then another 30 minutes to Pisaq.

Pisaq is a famous Inca city divided into two parts. It contains an archeological site located on top of the mountain. It's in a spot that is extremely safe and secure, therefore it has a low threat level from enemies or floods. This site is home to the largest Incan cemetery in Cusco, which is located on a steep slope. The second part of Pisaq is the city is located on the bank of the Urubamba River, famous because it's home to the largest handicraft market in the region of Cusco. While there, you will be able to purchase hand-made souvenirs.

After spending time browsing the handicraft market, you will continue along the Sacred Valley until Ollantaytambo, “The Last Living Inca City”. Explore the city and have lunch in the surrounding area as you soak up the beautiful panoramic views. Finally, after lunch, you will drive to Maras, Salineras, and Moray.

The Salineras, or salt mines, have existed since pre-Inca times. Due to the location in an impossibly steep mountain slope, this spectacular spot impresses everybody who goes to visit. The villagers of Maras harvest the salt from this collection of over 3,000 thousand ponds using the same technology that their ancestors did. The process takes about a month and requires the salty water to be evaporated until it gets about 10 cm high. Then, the salt can be harvested and sent to the local markets.

Moray is located at 3,500 meters (11,500 ft.) and contains four circular terraces, each of which has its own irrigation system. This location was the “greenhouse of the Incas”, used for their agricultural experimentation. This involved a trial of the adaptation of different crops thanks to the huge difference between each terrace. This enabled the Incas to get different microclimates in each terrace and, as a result, produce many different products from one location.

Finally, you will visit another astonishing archeological site called Ollantaytambo. It is considered “The Last Living Inca City” or “World Capital of Native Americans” as a result of the local people who still live the way the Incas did. Ollantaytambo was where the Battle of Ollantaytambo occurred in 1536. It is a city that has to maintain almost all of its original history and keep its buildings intact. The spot relies on the same customs, is home to the same Inca streets and doorways, and even has the same water channel running through it that existed since the Inca times. Ollantaytambo is probably one of the last places in Peru that keep all Inca Traditions.

After visiting Ollantaytambo, it's time to return to your hotel. You will arrive back at Cusco around 6 pm.