Sacred Valley of the Incas and Aguas Calientes
Pisac, and Ollantaytambo: the best of the Sacred Valley in a single day
- Meals
- Buffet lunch
- Accommodation
- Aguas Calientes – boutique hotel
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Walking distance
- 1-2 km approx.
- Walking time
- 2–3 hours total (between guided hikes and visits)
- Start elevation
- 3,300 m (Cusco)
- Lowest point
- 2,040 m (Aguas Calientes)
- Highest point
- 3,762 m (Chinchero)
- Stop 01
Pick-up and first lights of the Sacred Valley
The adventure begins early in the morning, when our team picks you up directly from your accommodation in Cusco. While the city is still awake, we leave the cobblestone streets behind and head east, towards the heart of the valley. As we make our way along the winding road, the first rays of sunlight begin to illuminate the mountains and cultivated fields. It's a quiet and magical moment: the fresh air, clear skies, and the promise of a day full of discoveries create the perfect setting to connect with the energy of the Sacred Valley.
- Stop 02
Taray viewpoint: panoramic views of the Sacred Valley
From the first moment, the trip invites you to connect with the environment. It all begins with a strategic stop at the Mirador de Taray, from where the landscape of the valley unfolds in all its splendor: terraced crop fields, the Urubamba River winding between hills and snow-capped peaks on the horizon. It is the ideal point to understand the magnitude of what is to be done.
- Stop 03
Pisac: Between the Ceremonial and the Everyday
The first major archaeological encounter is at Pisac, an architectural gem built with precision on the mountainside. Its terraces, cemeteries, temples and canals reveal Inca ingenuity at its finest. But Pisac also offers direct contact with modern life: its artisan market, one of the most vibrant in Cusco, is a place where colors, aromas and textures combine in a celebration of Andean identity.
- Stop 04
Urubamba: local flavor in the heart of the valley
In the middle of the day, a buffet lunch in Urubamba allows you to recharge your batteries while enjoying the local cuisine. Fresh ingredients from the valley, such as giant corn, quinoa, and native potatoes, are part of a culinary experience that is also part of the culture. All this accompanied by panoramic views that turn the meal into a moment of contemplation.
- Stop 05
Ollantaytambo: the Inca city that still breathes
The tour continues to Ollantaytambo, a unique site where Inca architecture continues to fulfill its function. The ceremonial fortress, with its immense terraces and carved stone blocks, rises majestically among the mountains. The streets of the town maintain the original outline of the empire, and walking through them is like going back five hundred years in time. Ollantaytambo is, without a doubt, one of the most impressive archaeological sites in the country.
- Stop 06
Expedition train to Aguas Calientes
From Ollantaytambo station we take the Expedition train to Aguas Calientes, following the Urubamba River between mountains and cloud forest. We spend the night in Aguas Calientes, at the foot of Machu Picchu (in a boutique hotel).
