Cusco Sacred Valley of the Incas (El Valle Sagrado / Urubamba Valley)

(Cusco / Cuzco, Peru)

Situated within easy reach of the Inca-rich city of Cusco, the Sacred Valley of the Incas is a spectacular valley, located within the South American Andes mountain range. Running parallel to the winding Urubamba River, which also goes by the name of the Vilcanota River or the Wilcamayu River, the Sacred Valley of the Incas can be found just 15 km / 9 miles to the north of Cusco.

A number of tour companies and travel agencies around Cusco offer trips to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, so you will likely find a lot of choice. Most are fairly rushed and stop only at the most prominent of archaeological sites within the valley, along with some busy markets and Andean villages. However, if you find that you have a couple of days going spare, then do consider exploring this tranquil site at your own pace.

General Information

There are a number of must-see sites and charming villages around the Sacred Valley of the Incas and tourists are strongly advised to search out the following:

• Calca - just a little under 20 km / 12 miles beyond Pisac, Calca is a particularly noteworthy market town within the Sacred Valley of the Incas, although has little to offer in the way of tourism, apart from some small Inca ruins and hot springs

• Moray - sited some 10 km / 6 miles from Urubamba, Moray resembles something of an amphitheatre, with breathtaking terracing creating two distinctive bowl shapes, one large and one small. It is believed that each terrace offered the Incas different climatic conditions for growing crops and remains something of a living museum (photo by Philipp Weigell)

• Chinchero - widely thought to be the birthplace of the rainbow by many Incas, Chinchero is a traditional Andean village, standing around 400 metres / 1,310 feet higher than Cusco and a particular highlight of the Sacred Valley. Visitors to Chinchero can expect to find rich Inca ruins, magnificent mountain views, a fascinating archaeological museum, lively Sunday markets, a massive Inca wall, and a popular trail leading to Wayllabamba

• Ollantaytambo - very much dominated by an awesome Inca fortress, the characterful village of Ollantaytambo showcases Inca city planning at its very best, with a maze of cobbled streets dating as far back as the 13th century. The Museo CATCCO is on hand and filled with local history

• Salinas - roughly 7 km / 4 miles from Urubamba and next to the village of Tarabamba, Salinas is where you will find literally thousands upon thousands of historical salt pans, which date back to Inca times

• Pisac - located 33 km / 21 miles to the north-east of Cusco and reached along a paved road, Pisac (Pisaq) is a good starting place for exploration of the Sacred Valley. The main attractions at Pisac include a colonial village, an elevated Inca fortress and much agricultural terracing

• Yucay - a picture-postcard village approximately 4 km / 2.5 miles from Urubamba, with a spreading grassy plaza and three highly recommended hotels

• Urubamba - lying at the very junction of the Cusco valley road, Urubamba is an important transit hub, being a good base for those intending to visit Moray and Salinas.
  Urubamba is an ideal place for various outdoor activities, which tend to be organised at Cusco and include mountain biking, horse riding, hot-air ballooning and even paragliding