Photo gallery
Sacred Valley tour photos
Tour overview
Sacred Valley tour at a glance
The Sacred Valley tour shows you the heart of the Inca valley in one day from Cusco. On the classic route you visit the Awana Kancha camelid center, the terraces and craft market of Pisac, a buffet lunch in Urubamba, the Ollantaytambo fortress and the weaving village of Chinchero. The extended route swaps Pisac for the Moray terraces and the Maras salt mines. Because the valley sits at about 2,900 m, lower than Cusco, it is the ideal tour for your first or second day.
Our Cusco team checks the services, timings and availability for your dates and sends the options in a written quote.
Journey highlights
Highlights of the Sacred Valley tour
- Pisac terraces and market
- Ollantaytambo's Inca fortress
- Weaving demonstration in Chinchero
- Buffet lunch in the valley; Maras & Moray route available
Detailed itinerary
Sacred Valley tour itinerary
Times and services are indicative. Your final schedule is confirmed in your written quote.
Itinerary
Choose between two routes when you book. Both include lunch, the Cusco Tourist Ticket for the valley sites and a professional guide.
Classic route — Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Chinchero
Awana Kancha (morning). On the way down to the valley, a stop at a camelid center where you can feed llamas and alpacas, learn to tell them apart from vicuñas and guanacos, and see how their wool is dyed with natural plants and woven. Pisac (mid-morning). From a viewpoint over the Urubamba River, you continue to the archaeological park of Pisac, with sweeping agricultural terraces, temples and the largest Inca cemetery in the Andes carved into the cliff. Then time at the Pisac craft market for textiles, silver and ceramics. Lunch in Urubamba (midday). A buffet of Peruvian dishes, with vegetarian options, in a restaurant with gardens and views of the mountains. Ollantaytambo (afternoon). The Inca fortress-temple of Ollantaytambo rises above the town on steep terraces. You climb to the Temple of the Sun, with its six huge pink granite monoliths, and your guide tells the story of the battle in which the Inca Manco defeated the Spanish here. The town below still keeps its Inca street plan. Chinchero (late afternoon). On the way back to Cusco you stop in Chinchero, at 3,760 m, for a weaving demonstration and a visit to the colonial church built on Inca walls, with views of the snow-capped Urubamba range.
Maras & Moray route
Chinchero (early morning). The route starts with a weaving demonstration in Chinchero, while the morning light is still soft on the mountains. Moray (morning). The great circular terraces of Moray drop like an amphitheater into the ground. Your guide explains why the Incas may have used them to test crops at different temperatures, with a difference of several degrees between the top and the bottom. Maras salt mines (late morning). More than 3,000 salt pools cascade down a hillside, fed by a salty spring that local families have worked since before the Incas. You walk along the edge of the pools and can buy pink salt from the cooperative. Lunch and Ollantaytambo (afternoon). After a buffet lunch in the valley, you visit the Ollantaytambo fortress and the Inca town below it. Pisac (late afternoon). The route returns to Cusco through Pisac, with a stop at the viewpoint over the terraces and the valley.
What's included
What's included in the Sacred Valley tour
Included
- transport
- guide
- buffet lunch
- Cusco Tourist Ticket (valley sites)
- Maras salt mine fee (extended route)
Not included
- drinks
- tips
Compare your options
Classic or Maras & Moray route?
Choose the classic route (from US$ 69, about 10 hours) for the biggest Inca sites, Pisac and Ollantaytambo, plus the Pisac market. Choose the Maras & Moray route (from US$ 89, about 11 hours, pickup around 6:45 am) if you prefer the circular terraces of Moray and the 3,000 salt pools of Maras, still with Ollantaytambo in the afternoon. If you only want Maras and Moray, the half-day Maras & Moray tour takes about 6 hours.
| Classic route | Maras & Moray route | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sites | Awana Kancha, Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero | Chinchero, Moray, Maras, Ollantaytambo | |
| Pickup / return | 7:30 am / 6:30 pm | 6:45 am / 6:30 pm | |
| Lunch | Buffet in Urubamba | Buffet | |
| Group / private from | US$ 69 / US$ 149 | US$ 89 / US$ 179 |
Compare your options
Combine the Sacred Valley with Machu Picchu
The Machu Picchu train leaves from Ollantaytambo, in the valley. If you are traveling to Machu Picchu the same evening, we can leave you at Ollantaytambo station at the end of the tour instead of driving you back to Cusco. Or book it all together: the Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu 2 Days includes this valley day, the train, a hotel in Aguas Calientes and a private Machu Picchu visit. Read our Sacred Valley guide for more about each site.
Plan with confidence
Duration, difficulty and price
Good to know
Good to know before you go
Planning guides
Planning guides
What to bring
What to pack
- Original passport (required at every entrance in Cusco)
- Daypack and a refillable water bottle
- Layers, rain jacket, sun hat and sunscreen
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Cash in soles for the market, drinks and tips
Carry the original passport used to book. Check your confirmed ticket and operator instructions for current baggage and site rules.
Frequently asked questions
Sacred Valley tour FAQs
Is the Cusco Tourist Ticket included?
Yes. It covers Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero and Moray, and the Maras salt mine fee is included on the extended route.
Can I book this as a private tour?
Yes. A private tour lets you change the order, spend longer at each site or add a weaving workshop.
Is it suitable for children and older travelers?
Yes. It is one of our easiest tours, with short walks at each site.
Classic route or Maras & Moray?
The classic route has the most important Inca sites (Pisac and Ollantaytambo) and the Pisac market. The Maras & Moray route is better for photography and landscapes, with the salt mines and the circular terraces.
Can I end the tour in Ollantaytambo to take the train to Machu Picchu?
Yes. If your train leaves from Ollantaytambo that evening, we leave you at the station instead of returning to Cusco.
Is lunch included?
Yes, a buffet of Peruvian dishes with vegetarian options. Drinks are not included.
When is the Pisac market open?
Every day, but it is busiest and most colorful on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Is it a good tour for acclimatizing?
Yes. The valley is about 500 m lower than Cusco, so it is one of the best tours for your first or second day before Machu Picchu or a trek.
Tripadvisor reviews
What travelers say about the Sacred Valley tour
Reviews of Traveleez Peru SAC, the operator of Machu-Picchu.tours, on our Tripadvisor profile Machu Picchu by Traveleez.
★★★★★
Incredible experience
“An unforgettable experience. Super punctual, good transportation, and very good treatment.”
Translated from Spanish
