SACRED VALLEY TOURS AND Packages
The incredible Sacred Valley of the Incas is located along the Urubamba River and offers a lot of things to see: the Inca ruins of Pisac and Ollantaytambo are located at either end of the valley and in the middle offer recordings by ancient salt mines, Inca amphitheaters, local farms, and non-tourist markets and unique cultural and culinary tours. These trips can be combined with other tours.
Introduction to the Sacred Valley of Peru
Peru’s Sacred Valley is an essential part of any visit to Cusco and indeed Peru. It is home to some of the best Inca ruins, full of great activities and great accommodation.
You can see the beautiful ruins of Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero, Moray, or Maras Salt Mines. Or perhaps try the local maize beer, Chicha, or stay on a local farm and see how the locals live.
The 100km long Sacred Valley is generally warm in the day, perfect for exploring. It’s the gateway to Machu Picchu and full of Inca history, monuments, and mystery. The beautiful natural settings coupled with good food make this an unmissable destination.
How to get to the Sacred Valley
The most common entry point for the Sacred Valley is Cusco. Cusco is accessed by flights from Lima, Juliaca, Arequipa and Puerto Maldonaldo.
You can stay in Cusco or take a private transfer directly (60-90 minutes) to a hotel in the Sacred Valley. The most popular places to stay are in and around Ollantaytambo, Urubamba, and Pisac.
What to do in the Sacred Valley
What can’t you do? You can walk, raft, hike and bike. You can choose fine dining and wines, horse riding, or sleep on the side of a cliff; the list is endless.
A lot of the activities start, visit or end around the many Inca sites of the Sacred Valley. Here is a quick checklist:
Moray: Unusual circular Inca terraces, some up to 30m deep.
Maras Salt Mines: Traditional, pre-Inca community salt mines.
Pisac: Beautiful, carved stone Inca ruins in a small village, with a market.
Ollantaytambo: Village built and maintained in Inca style plus great ruins.
Huchuy Qosqo: ‘Little Cusco’, wonderful and quite Inca royalty ruins.
We also offer alternative tours, such as learning how to make Inca Chicha beer, visiting traditional markets, and helping out on a local farm.
Homestays, some of them high in the mountains overlooking the valley, are also available.
Don’t forget to read our FAQs, covering altitude, money, COVID, and more.
Sacred Valley Day Tour
This is the perfect route with all the highlights of the Valley.
Visit a Social Project
See local weavers, salt mines and our social project at a local school.
Quinoa Cooking Class
Tour the Sacred Valley and learn how to make Quinoa soup - the Peruvian way.
Maras and Moray
The salt mines of Maras, Moray ruins, and the Inca town of Ollantaytambo.
Valley, Farm & Chicha
Be local! Visit markets & farms then make your own Inca beer - Chicha.
Pisac, Potatoes & Picnic
Love potatoes? Visit a park and enjoy a delicious Peruvian picnic.
Yoga Retreat
Mix twice-daily yoga sessions with visits offering spiritual insights.
Valley & Machu Picchu
A range of 2, 3 and 4-day packages to Cusco, Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.
Geography of Sacred Valley
The Sacred Valley runs east to west from Pisac to Machu Picchu, measuring 100km in length and around 1km wide. It follows the Urubamba River, which formed it.
Pisac is around 20 miles northeast of Cusco and starts at around 3,000m/9,800ft above sea level. The valley ends at 2,050m / 6,370ft on arrival at Aguas Calientes, the town at the foot of Machu Picchu.
There are many enormous mountains overlooking the valley. The two most prominent are Sahuasiray at 5,818m / 19,088ft and Veronica at 5,893m / 19,334ft.
The climate of Sacred Valley
The summer months are November to March and bring with them warmth, humidity, and often some afternoon rain.
The winter months of May-September bring clear and cold nights coupled with clear, bright days. The sun is strong, but it can feel chilly in the shade.
History of Sacred Valley
The Sacred Valley’s fertile lands have made it a base for many civilizations.
The Chanapatas were the first known civilization to use the area around, 800BC.
From 500-900AD, the Qotacalla took up residence, and then from 900-1,400, it was home to the Killke.
The Incas arrived around 1,000 and maintained the area until the arrival of the Spanish in around 1530. It has been farmed throughout all these civilizations.
