Sacred Valley Tour from Cusco (Full Day) – Sacred Valley Ruins

On this full day Sacred Valley tour from Cusco, you will be visiting the Inca sites that has been an important part of Incan civilisation. Stretching over 60 kilometres, Sacred Valley Ruins holds its prominence even today. Soil in the valley is very fertile in and cultivates different varieties of crops.

A complete tour of the Sacred Valley Ruins along with the South Valley tour would give you a complete understanding of the Inca history and its impact today, in modern Cusco. 

Our Sacred Valley tour operates from Cusco will take you to the below mentioned archaeological sites:

Chinchero: 

Tourists often overlook Chinchero. Inca Tupac Yupanqui built Chinchero as a country resort. The aqueducts and agricultural terraces which were constructed during his reign are in use even today. Among all sites of Sacred Valley, Chinchero has the most fertile soil. 

Locals in Chinchero are famous for weaving. They sell their handmade sweaters, bags and other products in the market that sprawls every Sunday. 

There is a white-washed church, which stands in the Plaza. This church was built on top of the remains of the palace of Inca Tupac Yupanqui in 1607 by Spanish conquistadors. 

Maras:

The Salt Plains of Maras is very distinctive and has been in use since pre-Incan times. These geometric shaped puddles on the hill side are supplied with fresh water from the nearby natural springs. When the water evaporate they leave behind salt crystals. They the scrape them off the ground. The local community in the region owns the salt field today. 

Moray:

Moray is a popular site in the Sacred Valley of Incas. The circular shaped agricultural terraces are among the most photographed sites of the valley. These agricultural terraces looks somewhat like a Roman amphitheatre. This was like an agricultural laboratory to the Incas.

They used to experiment the growth of crops in different weather conditions. There is a difference of 15 degrees celsius from the top to the bottom of the circular agricultural terrace. 

Ollantaytambo:

Ollantaytambo was an administrative centre of Incas. Sandwiched between two Incan ruins, Ollantaytambo depicts the perfect city planning of Incas.  The archaeological remains (former fortress) are very unique and are on a hill top overlooking the town.

The fortress was a religious site and served as a last stronghold of Inca Manco Yupanqui. The fortress was used by Inca Manco as a retreat from Spanish attacks. The religious site later became a major battle ground. From high above the the terraces and fortress the Incas managed to hold back the Spanish army, which resulted to be a victorious battle for the Incas.

However, Inca Manco knew that the Spaniards would return and wit even more force, the Manco retreated to Vilcabamba in the jungle. Soon after, Pizarro and his troops conquered the fortress of Ollantaytambo. 

Pisac:

One of the most prettiest sites in the Sacred Valley of Incas is Pisac. The archaeological complex of Pisac is immense and is just second to Machu Picchu. The temple of the sun here is an unmissable Inca ruin. Pisac is also known for its weekend market where the local farmers and craftsmen set their stalls on the main square and sell their products. Pisac market is an ideal place to shop souvenirs. 

We operate both group and private tour of the Sacred Valley of Incas. 

Still wondering the reasons to visit Sacred Valley of the Incas? Here are the reasons.