Sacred Valley Full Day Tour

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Sacred Valley Full Day Tour

Discover the Sacred Valley of the Incas on this full-day excursion from Cusco. Travel to the scenic town of Pisac where you’ll visit the local market and see mass if traveling on a Sunday. Then, head over to the ruins of the Ollantayambo Fortress and the Temple of the Sun, a mysteriously built structure with massive 12 foot (3.5m) tall stones.

Get up close and personal with the culture of the ancient Inca civilization as you explore the main archaeological sites of the Sacred Valley near the empire’s former capital of Cusco. History lovers are sure to delight in this chance to explore this beautiful mountain valley, harboring a wealth of important Inca sites.

Start your day with a morning pickup from your hotel in Cusco, continuing first to the historic city of Pisac. The city was once known as a key trading post, offering a central location for Inca traders to barter for goods.

The tradition persists to this day at Pisac’s well-known market, offering you the opportunity to browse for a wealth of handcrafted textiles and souvenirs made by the local community. If you happen to be visiting Pisac on a Sunday, you’ll also get to witness the town’s famous mass, conducted in both Quechua and Spanish. Observe the town’s collection of dignitaries in attendance, and watching as they play the pututo, a traditional musical instrument.

Take a break after finishing your time in Pisac with a tasty lunch of Peruvian specialties, continuing to the Fortress of Ollantaytambo to discover its impressive Temple of the Sun. During the Incan civil war this imposing structure’s 12-foot (3.5-m) stones served as a key defensive barrier. After finishing your exploration of Ollantaytambo, continue back to Cusco, where you’ll be dropped off at your hotel.

Highlight: Pisac ruins and market, Inka fortress in Ollantaytambo.
Location: Sacred Valley, Cusco. (Pisac, Urubamba, Ollantaytambo, Chincheros)
Duration: Full day
Level: Easy.
Adventure Rating: This is a traditional tour.
Departure Dates: any day with two people. We offer affordably priced tours for 2 people so that you can depart when it suits you best.
Combos & Upgrades: Combine with one of our treks for a complete Cusco experience, and get a discount off your trek price. Excellent for pre trek acclimatization or combined with other one day treks in the wet season.

Itinerary

Inclusions

Prices

Booking

Itinerary

At 8.30am, we pick you up from your hotel and take you to the start of the tour. We travel from Cusco, past Saqsaywaman over the mountains towards the Sacred Valley. We descend 1500 feet to the valley floor, where we find ourselves by the sacred Urubamba River and the village of Pisac. In Pisac, we stop to visit a traditional market, where you can browse and buy some local souvenirs if desired. We will spend about 30 minutes here.

Then, we drive up to the ruins of Pisac. Here, we explore the extensive ruins whilst enjoying stunning views over the valley. You will be given a guided tour of the Citadel of Pisac, in which we will see temples, homes, altars, carvings, tunnels, caves and the famous Intihuatana, “The hitching post of the sun”. We have about 90 minutes to explore the ruins.

For those who would prefer to spend more time in the market instead of visiting the ruins, advise your guide so he can organize a time and place to pick you up when returning through the market.

We continue on towards Urubamba, where we make a stop (45 minutes) for lunch(not include). A 30 minute drive takes us to Ollantaytambo, which is surrounded by the sacred mountains. Here, we will spend about an hour. In Ollantaytambo, we get further exposure to Incan constructions, mainly the amazing temple of the sun, enormous blocks of rock perfectly carved and polished, stone water fountains, stairs and terraces. We also get to see the beauty of the local people in their traditional dress surrounded by the sacred mountains and Valley of Patacancha and Willoq.

On our return, we make a quick (30 minute) visit to the famous church and archaeological site in Chincheros. We return to Cusco at about 6:30-7pm.

Inclusions

Private Groups

This tour is only done privately and our prices are based on a group of two-six people. You will travel in a private van. If your group is larger than six, please ask us representative for specific pricing.

Included

Professional Guides: All of our guides studied English and tourism at Cusco National University. They all grew up in this region and have a true passion to teach others about their heritage. They are fun yet professional, and will ensure you are safe and happy.

Transportation: We will pick you up in our private van, directly from your hotel around 8 a.m. The van will be waiting for you at each stop, when you are ready. We will return you directly back to your hotel.

Not Included

Entrance Tickets: All of the sites visited on this tour require the Tourist Ticket. You can purchase this ticket at your first stop for 70 soles for a one day pass, or 130 soles for the 10 day pass.

Lunch: We will stop in Urubamba for a traditional lunch at a local restaurant. If you prefer another location, please feel free to tell your guide. This meal is not included in your tour cost.