INCA STONEWORK
Inspect dry-stone trapezoidal doors and cyclopean granite blocks at Ollantaytambo and the sun temple complex at Písac.
The Sacred Valley.
LATIN AMERICA & CARIBBEAN/PERU/13.3039° S, 72.1158° W
Morning air along the Urubamba River carries woodsmoke and wet clay. Flanked by glaciated Vilcanota peaks, this fertile trench drops nearly six hundred metres below Cusco, coaxing giant white corn and heirloom tubers out of the sediment. Terraced stone ramparts still brace the canyon walls, built with precision joints that defeat a butter knife. It is Quechua farming country first, ancient royal estate second, and largely indifferent to your schedule.
Last updated 5 Sept 2026
Field notes
Photographs · Wikimedia Commons© OpenStreetMap
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What The Sacred Valley is about
Twelve ways to read the region. Pick a town below and you can turn any of these into a timed 1, 2 or 3 day plan.
MARKET TOWNS
Wander the Sunday produce and textile stalls in Písac, Chinchero, and Urubamba for handwoven alpaca and local maize.
HIGHLAND AGRICULTURE
Study the concentric agricultural terraces of Moray, an Inca test lab that created microclimates for Andean crops.
SALT PRODUCTION
Walk the narrow clay paths between the three thousand terraced evaporating pans at the pre-Inca Maras salt pans.
TRADITIONAL WEAVING
Watch backstrap weavers in Chinchero spin sheep and alpaca wool using natural dyes like cochineal and yanali.
REGIONAL FOOD
Taste pachamanca cooked over hot earth stones, fried trout from local rivers, and roasted cuy seasoned with huacatay.
FERMENTED DRINKS
Look for red plastic bags on poles signalling fresh chicha de jora, fermented sprouted corn beer brewed in village homes.
DAY HIKING
Follow trails down the Pumamarca ruins or trace the contour path linking Moray to the Maras salt pools across the plateau.
COLONIAL CHURCHES
Step inside Chinchero's church of Nuestra Señora de Monserrat, built over an Inca palace with vibrant floral frescoes.
RIVER VALLEYS
Track the fast-moving Urubamba River through willows and red cliffs as it cuts the gorge toward the cloud forest.
CERAMIC CRAFT
Visit studio workshops in Urubamba where potters throw red clay pieces glazed with local minerals and pre-Columbian motifs.
MOUNTAIN PASSES
Traverse high passes above Calca and Lares, where potato farmers tend stone-walled plots beneath snow-capped peaks.
Where to go in The Sacred Valley
The bases worth booking. Each one has its own field guide with 1, 2 and 3 day itineraries.
- 01Ollantaytambo
CUSCO / PERU
Granite Inca streets that still function as village homes beneath a massive cliffside fortress.
- 02
- 03Urubamba
CUSCO / PERU
The valley's transport and dining anchor, with a lower altitude and excellent garden restaurants.
- 04Chinchero
CUSCO / PERU
High plateau village renowned for colonial frescoes, Inca terraces, and master backstrap weavers.
- 05
- 06Moray
CUSCO / PERU
Colossal sunken agricultural amphitheaters engineered to test crops at tiered temperatures.
- 07Calca
CUSCO / PERU
Unpretentious market town with local thermal baths and trailheads into the high Vilcanota.
- 08Yucay
CUSCO / PERU
A peaceful green village surrounded by manicured Inca terraces once favored by royal courts.
- 09Huarán
CUSCO / PERU
Rural hamlet filled with smallholder organic farms, eucalyptus groves, and quiet mountain lodges.
- 10Lamay
CUSCO / PERU
Small agricultural village celebrated for rustic roadside ovens roasting guinea pig with herbs.
- 11Coya
CUSCO / PERU
Sleepy valley outpost with fine views across the river and walking tracks up into the hills.
What to do in The Sacred Valley
Carved by the Urubamba River beneath the Vilcanota Range, this valley runs from Písac down to Ollantaytambo. Lower in altitude than Cusco, it offers gentler acclimatisation alongside formidable ruins and functioning agrarian villages. Days revolve around open-air markets, plateau walks, and solid plates of roasted corn and river trout. It suits travellers who prefer exploring at human pace.
When to go to The Sacred Valley
The dry winter from May to September brings clear blue skies, cold nights, and heavy crowds at major ruins. Shoulder months like April and October offer greener hillsides and fewer tour buses. The rainy season runs December through March, turning roads slick and filling rivers, though morning showers often clear by afternoon.
Getting around The Sacred Valley
Colectivo minivans ply Route 28B along the valley floor between Písac and Ollantaytambo for just a few soles, departing when full. Private drivers make linking high-plateau sights like Moray and Chinchero straightforward. Trains to Aguas Calientes depart regularly from Ollantaytambo station, forty-five minutes down the line.