Join the Cusco Sacred Valley Tour for a full-day adventure. Explore breathtaking landscapes, ancient Inca ruins, and enjoy a special journey.
Duration:
Full day
Difficulty:
Moderate
Recommended age:
16 years
Language:
Spanish, English, Portuguese
Max Altitude:
4100 msnm
Group Size:
2 people minimum
Unforgettable cusco sacred valley tour: full-day adventure to machu picchu
The Cusco Sacred Valley Tour full day is a popular tour. You will get a complete insight to the culture and traditions of Incas. This is one of the best things to do while you acclimatize in Cusco so you will be able to avoid altitude sickness while visiting Machu Picchu.
As the name suggests, Sacred Valley of the Incas was home to some of the prominent ancient Inca ruins. Some of the Inca sites still continue to be. Like Maras Salt Mines. Even today, salt farmers here use the traditional Solar evaporation method to extract salt here. Infact, this is a prominent source of income to locals here.
On this full day trip from Cusco, we will be visiting three prominent sites: Chinchero, Pisac and Ollantaytambo.
Chinchero:
Chinchero is a small village near the city of Cusco. Sadly, this village is often overlooked by travellers. It houses beautiful agricultural terraces and a white washed church. The church was built by Spanish conquistadors on the remains of the royal palace of Tupac Yupanqui.
The terraces and aqueducts which were built by him are in use even today.
Ollantaytambo:
Ollantaytambo was the administrative capital of the Inca Empire. This beautiful village is a testament to Incas advanced town planning system. It houses two archaeological sites on hill tops.
One of the sites was sacred to Incas and housed many religious centres. Sadly when the Spanish invaded Ollantaytambo, this site became a deadly battleground.
Now when you visit Machu Picchu by train, you will be taking the train to Aguas Calientes from here. This is also the closest town to the trailhead of Inca trail.
Pisac:
This village is home to a flea market and an archaeological site sprawls at the main square every weekend. Farmers and craftsmen from the neighbouring villages sell their handicrafts here.
The archaeological complex is massive and is just second to Machu Picchu. It offers stunning views of the valley.
We offer the Cusco Sacred Valley Tour full day both in small groups and as private tours.
Check out our complete Sacred Valley Peru guide and a detailed post on 5 Lesser-known ruins in the Sacred Valley of Incas.
Itinerary trip
Cusco Sacred Valley Tour: Full day
We will be picking you up from your hotel in Cusco. Then in our private transport, we will be driving you to Chinchero.
Here our local expert will be introducing you to the life and culture of Andean communities here. They are famous for handicrafts using Alpaca wools.
Once you have had your fill of this beautiful village, we will be driving you to Ollantaytambo. Here we will begin the tour by admiring the beauty and architecture of the village. We will then be visiting the archaeological complex.
Our local expert will be sharing some detailed story about the prominence of the complex. It depicts the Inca mythology.
We will then continue the tour to Urubamba. This is often referred to as the heart of the Sacred Valley due to its centric location. Here we will be stopping in a local restaurant for buffet lunch.
After relishing an authentic Peruvian meal, we will be visiting Pisac. Here we will begin the tour by visiting the traditional market. This is an ideal place to buy souvenirs.
We will then drive you to the hill top to the main entrance of the archaeological complex. Our local expert will be walking you through some of the notable parts of the complex.
After the full day tour, we will be returning to Cusco City.
Inclusions
Price Includes
- Professional English speaking tour leader
- Pick-up from and drop off in your hotel
- Private Transportation
- Guided tour of archaeological sites
- Buffet lunch in Urubamba (Options for Vegans)
- First aid kit
Price Excludes
- Tourist Ticket
- Any Private Expenses
Packing list
- Camera and film, fully charged & extra batteries (batteries drain quicker in the cold)
- Poncho if you are visiting during the rainy season
Usefull info
Pricing
Small Group Tour (Personalized Experience) :
2 -3 People – 99US$ Per person
4+ People – 90US$ Per person
Children/students 89US$ Per person
Exclusive Private Tour:
2 -3 People – 160US$ Per person
4+ People – 140US$ Per person
Children/students 130US$ Per person
FAQs about the Cusco Sacred Valley Tour (full day)
We are sure you want your trip to be the best experience possible and, in order to do that, you need to know every possible detail about it. Don’t worry, we are going to answer all your questions and we will make sure this becomes an unforgettable experience for you.
Yes, the tourist ticket (BT) is neccessary for this tour and it is NOT included in the price of it. There four different types of BT and you can buy it in the Municipality in Cusco City or directly in the archeological site yo go to.
The ones that you can use for the Sacred Valley tour are two. First,there is the General Tourist Ticket, this one costs 130 soles for foreigners and allows you to enter to 16 sites and is valid for 10 days, then there is the Partial Tourist Ticket – circuit 3 , which costs 70 soles to foreigners, allows you to visit 4 sites and is valid only for 2 days.
After lunch time, we are going to take you to the local market. During this time you can buy all of the souvenirs you want, the most popular ones are jewelry, sculptures and pottery pieces, and of course alpaca wool products. This art pieces, called souvenirs, show a lot of the Andean culture of Peru, these usually have a lot of color and are handmade by local artisans.
Yes, a full day is enought time to visit the most important Sacred Valley main sites, especially if you are already in Cusco. Even though the tour seems to have a lot of place to go, you’ll spend only about 4 to 5 hours on the road, since every mentioned place is in the same region. So, considering that a full day tour is probably 10 or more hours long including the stops, the time is enough.
Don’t worry about that, that is why this tour starts early in the morning and has a very prepared itinerary, our guides are prepared to take you to know the best sites during this trip. We know you want to see it all, and we want to show you the best, so, we’ll make sure your full day is full of unique moments.
In Urubamba you can find traditional Peruvian food using the most famous Inca food ingredients, such as potatoes, rice, corn or quinoa, plus, you can also find some typical desserts like mazamorra morada or picarones. And don’t worry if you don’t eat meat, you will also find vegan options.
Urubamba is the most usual place where tourists eat during their Sacred Valley Tour given the lower altitude this town has compared to the other ones in the region, making it more comfortable for digestion.
