Sacred Valley of the Incas Tour

The Sacred Valley Tour of the Incas is a full-day tour that departs daily, after prior coordination. We will be waiting for you at your hotel at 7:30 a.m., then we will board the bus that will take us from the city of Cusco to our first stop, which is the Tamarisk Viewpoint, from where we will observe the impressive valley through which the Vilcanota River (Wilka Mayu) flows, the most important river in the Cusco region.

Next, we will visit the Traditional Market and the Archaeological Park of Pisaq. After our visit, we will continue with our itinerary and make a mandatory stop for lunch at noon. After a refreshing meal, we will continue our journey and visit Ollantaytambo and its surroundings. After exploring this site, we will board the bus again and head to our final visit point: Chinchero, where we will explore its handicraft market and archaeological complex. After this visit, we will return to the city of Cusco.

Below you’ll find detailed information about the places visited during the Sacred Valley Tour:
Pisac and Its Market

A picturesque village and important archaeological site, Pisac (a colonial-era indigenous reduction) and its ruins are located 32 km from Cusco, at the foot of a hill in the Sacred Valley.

The Pisac Market is held three times a week—Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays—and continues an ancient tradition of trade that takes place in the town’s main square. Rural communities from the surrounding areas bring their agricultural products to trade in the market. There are also a variety of high-quality, locally made handicrafts that attract tourists.

The Pisac ruins are located around the town, high on the mountainside. Their most striking feature is the abundance of terraces that cover the mountain where the ruins are found. In the first section of the complex, we can see several finely crafted imperial buildings, including the Temple of the Sun, which contains a sun clock (Intihuatana). We can also see water fountains that were part of a complex hydraulic engineering system.

Pisac is home to the largest Inca cemetery in the region, where many mummies were buried in the fetal position—a common practice in Andean burials. The site was designed to harmonize with the natural contours of the land, achieving perfect balance between man and nature.
Ollantaytambo

The current town of Ollantaytambo and the ruins of the same name are located 76 km northwest of Cusco. The town is considered a living museum due to the preserved architecture and because its inhabitants are direct descendants of the Incas who originally settled the area.

Ollantaytambo is well-prepared to receive the flow of tourists. It is the only remaining Inca city in Peru that has preserved its original street layout, which still includes functioning aqueducts. The colonial-style houses are built on top of ancient Inca dwellings, and many still feature double-jambed stone doorways—a hallmark of Inca craftsmanship.

The Ollantaytambo ruins are nearby and consist of a series of agricultural terraces. As you pass these and climb the mountain, you’ll see a wall decorated with a series of niches and a megalithic stone gate. Inside, there are large stones featuring rare Inca architectural designs.

There is also an unfinished temple dedicated to the Sun God, where Andean cross-shaped carvings can be seen.
Chinchero and Its Market

Chinchero is located 30 km northwest of Cusco, and during the Inca era, it served as a stop along the road to Machupicchu.

The Chinchero Market is a craft fair held on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, where typical products from the region are bought and sold. In the market, you can purchase handwoven textiles made by local women who continue to use traditional Inca weaving techniques dating back 500 years.

The Chinchero ruins were built around 1478 by Inca Túpac Yupanqui and had religious, political, and military purposes. The mostly indigenous population still inhabits ancestral buildings.

The town square features a unique Inca wall with 12-jamb niches, each two meters tall, which were used for royal mummies. This wall also acts as a retaining wall for the adjacent square. The church, partially built on Inca foundations and commissioned by Francisco de Toledo, is called Nuestra Señora de Monserrat and contains murals and paintings of great artistic value.

A short walk from the square reveals remains of houses, agricultural terraces, and a large area that was once used for celebrations and communal gatherings.