Special Sacred Valley Full Day
In one day, around Cusco´s High Plateau, and the Incas´ Sacred Valley, we´ll explore the best Incan architectural complexes, such as Chinchero, Maras´ Salt Mines, Moray, Ollantaytambo and Pisaq, while enjoying the hues of crop fields and spectacular landscapes, around them.
ITINERARY
At 6:30 a.m., we´ll pick you up at your hotel and, on board our group tourism transportation vehicle, we´ll head towards the District of Chinchero, on Cusco´s High Plateau, where we´ll do a short stopover, at a handicraft center, to appreciate beautiful hand-woven fabrics, while the local women weavers give us a demonstration of the hand-woven textiles´ confection process, with the use of ancient Incan techniques. Then, we´ll visit the Incan architectural complex, and the colonial village´s church.
Afterwards, we´ll discover Maras´ Salt Mines, with their salt pools, exploited by local families, since the remote past. Due to its mineral composition, Maras´ salt possesses a special pinkish-grey color, and is the most appreciated by inhabitants of the Sacred Valley and Cusco, as well as by visitors who take care of their health.
The so-impressive Incan Agricultural Laboratory of Moray presents sets of circular and concentric benched terraces, from large to small size, that fill the slopes of natural depressions, in a privileged area of Cusco´s High Plateau, where the Incas used to adapt food and medicinal plant species, on different ecological levels, so that they might prosper, in that region, as well as in others, of their vast territory.
Then, we´ll ride down to the Sacred Valley, to visit the Incan Llaqta (Multifunctional urban center) of Ollantaytambo, with its Urban and Sacred Sectors. There, military, administrative, agricultural and religious functions were fulfilled.
Later on, we´ll visit the colonial village of Pisaq, taking a short stroll around its famous Handicraft Market. Then, we´ll go up to Pisaq´s Incan Architectural Complex, from which we´ll be able to observe the beauty of agricultural and contention benched terraces, on the mountain slopes, as well as pre-Incan and Incan buildings, while we enjoy spectacular views of the natural wonders of the valley and mountains that surround it, at dusk.
Finally, our transportation vehicle will take us back to the city of Cusco, in time for a delicious dinner and well-deserved rest.
INCLUDED - NOT INCLUDED
Included:
- Group tourism transportation vehicle.
- English and Spanish speaking professional tour guide.
Not included:
- Entrance tickets to the places visited.
- Meals.
- Tips and other personal expenses.
RECOMENDATION
What to bring:
- Daypack.
- Clothes for warm weather, rain and cold, in successive layers.
- Wide-brim hat, sunglasses and sunblock lotion.
- Mountain hiking shoes or sneakers (tennis shoes).
- Photo/video camera, and extra batteries.
- Light binoculars.
- Hiking sticks, with rubber tips.