While travelers visit Cusco, they often go directly to Machu Picchu, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. However, there are several more historically significant archeological sites in and around the city that were important during the Inca Empire. Join us on an amazing excursion to the Sacred Valley of the Incas to see major monuments from the ancient civilization’s rule.
On this day trip, you will see Ollantaytambo, Pisac’s archeological site and colorful market, the Inca site of Chinchero, and the Andean Textile Center. On the excursion from Ollantaytambo to Cusco, you will have the opportunity to stop at numerous magnificent viewing locations to see the majesty of the Andean Mountains and the breathtaking valley panorama.
We’ll start your adventure by picking you up from your hotel in Cusco in our comfortable private vehicle. Get ready for a full-day journey through the heart of the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
After about 30 minutes on the road, we’ll arrive at the Qorao Market. Here, local artisans offer handwoven textiles, ceramics, and souvenirs. It’s the perfect place for photos with llamas and to appreciate the early morning Andean scenery.
Next, we’ll stop at a scenic lookout point that offers breathtaking panoramic views of the Sacred Valley and surrounding Andes mountains. A great chance to take stunning photographs and soak in the highland landscape.
We arrive in the historic town of Pisac, famous for both its colorful traditional market and impressive Inca ruins. Visit the artisanal market and browse local goods. Explore the Pisac Archaeological Site, where soaring agricultural terraces, the Inca cemetery, and the Intihuatana (solar calendar stone) await your discovery.
We’ll head to Urubamba for a delicious buffet lunch at a local restaurant. Enjoy a wide variety of authentic Peruvian cuisine—perfect for recharging before the next ancient wonder.
Arriving in the living Inca town of Ollantaytambo, you’ll explore its legendary archaeological site. Discover high agricultural terraces, ceremonial temples, and ancient water systems. Admire the backdrop of snow-capped peaks and the valley below. This is one of the best-preserved Inca towns, with cobbled streets still in use today.
On the way back to Cusco, we’ll stop in Chinchero, a charming highland town filled with history. Visit a colonial church built atop ancient Inca walls.
See women demonstrate traditional Andean weaving techniques using natural dyes. You’ll have the chance to support local artisans by purchasing authentic handmade textiles.
We’ll return to Cusco and drop you off at your accommodation around 6:00 pm, filled with unforgettable memories and a deeper understanding of Incan culture and history.
The Sacred Valley of the Incas is a valley in the Andean highlands of Peru, situated between Cusco and Machu Picchu. The valley stretches along the Urubamba River, from the village of Pisac to the town of Ollantaytambo, and includes many small villages and Inca archaeological sites.
The Sacred Valley was a significant area during the Inca Empire, as it was a major source of food and other resources. The Incas built many impressive structures here, including terraced agricultural fields, irrigation systems, and fortresses.
Today, the Sacred Valley is a popular destination for tourists, who come to explore the region’s history, culture, and natural beauty. Visitors can visit the impressive ruins of Pisac and Ollantaytambo, as well as the market at Pisac, where local artisans sell their crafts.
The valley is also home to many traditional indigenous communities, where visitors can learn about local customs and traditions. Outdoor activities such as hiking, mountain biking, and river rafting are also popular in the area. Overall, the Sacred Valley offers visitors a unique blend of history, culture, and natural beauty, making it a must-visit destination for anyone traveling to Peru.
Your journey through the Sacred Valley will begin around 8:30AM, when you will be picked up from your hotel. With our private transport, we will head for the Sacred Valley of the Incas. In Pisaq you will be able to enjoy the wonders of the valley, for the place of its´ archeological centre lies on the mountain in harmony with nature.
The village of Pisaq has an enormous cultural attractiveness, because of its colonial streets and impressive hills around it, which form a charming landscape. Part of its´ attractiveness is also the handcraft market. After continuing our trip, we will be brought to magnificent scenery of mountains and snow-covered mountaintops.
We arrive in the village Ollantaytambo and will visit the archeological complex, which type of constructing is as old as its´ great stones. The complex presents a collection of houses, temples, platforms, colcas (deposits) and several enclosures of which the function is not determined yet.
The village of Ollantaytambo is seen as the last Andean village because of the houses and narrow streets that shows us the Inca style of constructing. Before returning to Cusco, we will visit our last tourism attraction, Chinchero, during a spectacular sunset.
The village of Chinchero offers us an enormous tourist potential, because of its´ spectacular colonial church, archeological sights and market. After this, we will return to Cusco at about 6.30pm.
Tour Highlights
Pisaq Ruins and Market: An Inca Citadel with large terraces, temples and urban sectors that gives us an idea of how people made their way during these times, we will take advantage of visiting the traditional handcrafted markets and their competitive prices for their crafts.
Pottery Classes: We will have an opportunity of seeing the process of pottery goods of Andean times alongside a master of this craft that will leave us impressed.
Urubamba: The Sacred Valley’s capital where we will take a break to enjoy our lunch.
Ollantaytambo: Market and Ruins. Known as the Valley’s exclusive fort, place of entry to its ruins, place of access to the destination of Machu Picchu and its market within its small plaza.
Chinchero: Market and Ruins. Know as Rainbow city, it shows us an extraordinary panoramic view with its Green plains, mountains and snowy peaks, while also visiting the colonial church of 1600 dedicated to the Virgin of Montserrat.
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Excludes
All briefings are done at our office at 7:00 PM one or two nights before your trek. If you are unable to make this time, you need to coordinate another time with a member of the Xtreme Tourbulencia office team. Briefings are approximately 40 minutes long.
Xtreme Tourbulencia is one of the only companies to pick you up directly from your hotel. As long as your hotel is in the center of Cusco city, we will coordinate this pickup based on a time that your guide will discuss at the briefing. Pick up times may vary 30 – 45 minutes based on traffic conditions and previous pickups.
Cusco is an old city with cobblestoned streets and very narrow passageways. Smaller hotels and Airbnbs are often located on streets that cars can´t pass through.
They also are frequently on hillsides with long steep climbs, making it difficult to carry luggage. We highly recommend that you book accommodations with better access. We have a list of hotels that are all comfortable with easy access to pick up and drop off.
You must be honest with your guide about any health conditions or concerns you might have. While our guides are not medical professionals, they do have first aid training. We also work with a clinic in Cusco that can help assist our team.
You are responsible for assessing whether a Tour is suitable for you. You should consult your physician to confirm your fitness for travel and participation in any planned activities. You should seek your physician’s advice on vaccinations and medical precautions.
Xtreme TourBulencia will not provide medical advice. It is your responsibility to assess the risks and requirements of each aspect of the Tour based on your unique circumstances, limitations, fitness level, and medical requirements.
If you develop extreme altitude sickness or any other illness that prevents you from hiking, and you still wish to visit Machu Picchu by train, we will work with you to coordinate this trip. Since this will be a new trip, it may require additional fees. We will use as much of the original itinerary to keep costs low.
If you experience issues while hiking and can not continue, a porter will accompany you to the closest road and wait while a car comes to pick you up and bring you to the nearest health clinic.
Group tours are made up of all different types of people, with various hiking skills and ages. By agreeing to a group tour, you agree that some people might be slower or faster than you are.
Everyone can go at their own pace for the trek, and the guide will work with the group to spend time with everyone. Groups might request some modifications to the tour, and the guide will work with everyone to make the best decision for the group.
Unfortunately, strikes are frequent in Peru and can disrupt our tours. Roads are often blocked, and trains stopped. We will make sure your trek continues as planned, even if that means leaving the night before your start date.
Under these circumstances, tours might need to be canceled. But our operations department will coordinate with you in this situation. Your safety is always our top concern and will dictate how we decide.
You are responsible for your items throughout the Tour. Please be diligent about where you leave your things and remember to remove all items from our vans, your tents, restaurant, etc.
Do not leave anything unintended during your hike. Other trekkers or teams might pick it up not knowing whos it is.
Tipping is part of the tradition of any trek to Machu Picchu. While we pay good wages to our entire team, anything extra is always appreciated. Please know that this is not obligatory and that you should never feel pressured into this.
Typically the participants in a group pool their tipping money together for the porters and chef. The amount recommended is different per trek and listed below.
For the guide, this is more personal and needs to be decided based on your relationship with them and done separately from the group. Porters and Chefs prefer soles if possible. Guides are happy with U.S. dollars, Peruvian Soles, or even your credit card.
Travel insurance is inexpensive and strongly recommended. With trips being planned months ahead of time, you never can predict what could happen. Adventure travel includes more risk than the average trip.
Insurance is a way to protect the investment you have made on this journey. We can help recommend an agent to walk you through this type of insurance if needed.
Of course, the weather is unpredictable. Typically the dry season in Cusco is from April through October, but this does not stop rain from falling in June or the sun from coming out in December so just be prepared.
No matter what month you are doing the trek, make sure that you have rain gear that includes a waterproof jacket, pants, poncho, and waterproof gloves. Many people forget about gloves, but being cold and wet makes hiking very unpleasant.
Also, prepare for four seasons. Several of the treks through the Andes involve various microclimates and you will need to be prepared. Layers are always key since they are easy to adjust to different temperature changes. Be prepared with a warm packable down jacket since the evening will be cold.
It’s also important to note that the weather can change a listed itinerary. There are times that routes become impassable, and our guides will be forced for your safety to rework your tour.
As soon as people book their trip to Peru, specifically Cusco, they start wondering about altitude sickness. The air at high altitudes contains less oxygen than at sea level and forces your body to work harder to get the oxygen it needs.
Over several days at high altitude, your body adjusts to the lower amount of oxygen in the air. For this reason, we always recommend spending at least two days in Cusco before beginning any trek in the Andes. Cusco is a marvelous city with lots to do, so if you have more time to acclimate you won´t be bored.
With altitude sickness, you may first feel like you have the flu or a hangover. You may have a headache, tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, trouble sleeping, trouble breathing during exercise. If any of these effects become severe, please contact our office, and we will help you get to a doctor.
Most of the time, these symptoms will be mild. We always recommend easing into activity slowly, allowing your body to adjust. Drink plenty of fluids such as water or coca tea.
Coca tea has been used since ancient times to help prevent altitude sickness. Leaves from the Coca Plant contain alkaloids that help bring oxygen into your blood, helping your body avoid the effects of altitude sickness. Avoid drinking a lot of alcohol and coffee. They will cause you to urinate more often and become dehydrated. Avoid smoking. Smoking makes it more difficult for your body to get oxygen. Avoid sleeping pills. They may cause shallow breathing at night, making it more difficult for your body to absorb oxygen while you sleep.
Remember the trek to Machu Picchu is not a race. Even those in the best shape will suffer from altitude sickness if they race to the top of the mountain too quickly. Go slow, and it will give your body time to adjust to the elevation.
Your healthcare provider may prescribe medications, such as acetazolamide and dexamethasone, to help prevent altitude sickness. Start the medicine two days before you get to a high altitude. Continue to take it while you are at high altitude.
You must remember that this is your holiday and you do not want to stress out about the possibility of getting sick from the mountains. Do everything slowly and drink lots of water, and enjoy the coca tea.
If anything does happen and you, unfortunately, get sick, let your guide know right away. Xtreme Tourbulencia guides are trained to help you get through it.
The airport in Cusco currently is only for domestic flights, so all international travelers by plane must disembark in Lima and go through Customs. Even if your flight to Cusco is the same day by the same airline carrier, you must grab your bags in Lima and then check them back in.
The best way to get to Cusco is by air, and there are several options in airlines. LAN tends to be the most expensive but has the most options and flights. Expect delays or flight cancellations. Due to the high altitude of Cusco, it tends to be difficult to land, and any acclimate weather will stop air traffic.
Bus travel is always available, and while the trip can be long, especially from Lima, the buses in Peru are very well maintained and comfortable. This option is strongly encouraged if coming from a city closer to Cusco, like Puno. Lima buses will take about 20 hours to arrive.
What Do I Need To Bring?
The Sacred Valley of the Incas Full Day Tour is an unforgettable journey through Peru’s most historically significant and breathtakingly beautiful valley, located just 15 kilometers from Cusco. This comprehensive day trip takes you through the heart of ancient Inca civilization, visiting spectacular archaeological sites like Pisac, Ollantaytambo, and Chinchero while immersing you in vibrant local culture.
You’ll explore traditional markets, witness skilled artisans at work, and discover why the Incas considered this fertile valley sacred to their empire.
Your Sacred Valley adventure typically includes three major archaeological sites: Pisac with its impressive terraced ruins and bustling traditional market, Ollantaytambo featuring the best-preserved Inca town and fortress, and Chinchero known for its colonial church built on Inca foundations and traditional textile demonstrations.
Each site offers unique insights into Inca architecture, agricultural techniques, and daily life, while providing stunning views of the Urubamba River valley below.
The complete Sacred Valley tour typically lasts 10-12 hours, starting with pickup from your Cusco hotel around 7:30 AM and returning by 6:00-7:00 PM. This full-day experience includes transportation time between sites, guided visits to each archaeological location, market browsing, lunch, and photo stops at scenic viewpoints.
The extended duration allows you to fully appreciate each site without feeling rushed and includes time for cultural interactions with local communities.
The ideal months for your Sacred Valley tour are April through October during Peru’s dry season, when you’ll enjoy clearer skies and more comfortable temperatures for exploring outdoor archaeological sites. May through September offers the most predictable weather with minimal rainfall.
However, the Sacred Valley is beautiful year-round, and even rainy season (November-March) provides lush green landscapes and fewer crowds, though you should prepare for occasional afternoon showers.
Dress in comfortable layers suitable for changing mountain weather, including a warm jacket for early morning, light clothing for midday sun, and a rain jacket just in case. Essential items include comfortable walking shoes with good grip, sun hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and a camera for capturing the stunning scenery. Don’t forget to bring cash for market purchases, optional activities, and tips for your guide and driver.
Yes, the Sacred Valley Full Day Tour is designed to accommodate travelers of all fitness levels and ages. While there’s moderate walking involved at each archaeological site, the terrain is generally manageable with well-maintained paths. The tour includes regular rest stops and opportunities to explore at your own pace. Most sites have both easier viewpoints and more challenging areas for those wanting additional adventure.
Pisac market is one of Peru’s most authentic and colorful traditional markets, where local artisans sell handwoven textiles, intricate jewelry, ceramics, and unique souvenirs. You’ll witness centuries-old trading traditions as indigenous families from surrounding villages gather to sell their goods. The market operates Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday with the largest selection, but smaller markets run daily, offering opportunities to purchase genuine Peruvian crafts directly from their creators.
The Sacred Valley sits at a comfortable altitude of 2,800 meters (9,200 feet), significantly lower than Cusco’s 3,400 meters (11,200 feet). Most visitors actually feel better in the Sacred Valley due to the lower elevation and warmer climate. However, if you’re sensitive to altitude, take it easy during your first few days in Peru, stay hydrated, and consider coca tea, which locals have used for centuries to combat altitude effects.
Most Sacred Valley tours include a delicious buffet lunch featuring traditional Peruvian cuisine at a restaurant overlooking the beautiful Urubamba Valley. You’ll typically enjoy dishes like quinoa soup, grilled trout, roasted chicken, fresh vegetables, and local specialties prepared with ingredients sourced from the fertile valley.
Vegetarian options are usually available, and the dining experience provides a perfect opportunity to rest and enjoy spectacular mountain views.
Many tour operators offer customizable Sacred Valley experiences, allowing you to focus on specific interests like archaeology, textiles, photography, or cultural interactions. You can often add activities like horseback riding, mountain biking, or visits to local families for authentic cultural exchanges. Some tours also include stops at salt mines of Maras or the agricultural terraces of Moray, depending on your preferences and available time.
Comfortable, modern vehicles with experienced drivers handle all transportation, including pickup and drop-off at your Cusco accommodation. The scenic drive through the Andes offers spectacular mountain views and photo opportunities at various viewpoints. Professional drivers are familiar with mountain road conditions and safety protocols, ensuring a smooth journey between the valley’s archaeological sites and cultural attractions.
Shopping in Sacred Valley markets is an adventure in itself, offering opportunities to purchase authentic Peruvian textiles, alpaca wool products, handcrafted jewelry, and unique souvenirs. Bargaining is expected and part of the cultural experience, so don’t hesitate to negotiate prices respectfully. Always carry small bills in Peruvian soles, as vendors may not have change for large denominations, and remember that supporting local artisans helps preserve traditional crafts.
Yes, most Sacred Valley sites require entrance fees, which are sometimes included in your tour price or may be extra depending on your operator. The Cusco Tourist Ticket (Boleto Turístico) covers multiple sites and is often the most economical option for visitors planning to explore several locations. Your guide will inform you about current fees and help you purchase tickets efficiently at each location.
Ollantaytambo is often called the “Living Inca Town” because it’s the only place where descendants of the Incas still live in original Inca houses. The massive fortress demonstrates incredible Inca engineering skills, with enormous stone blocks transported from quarries across the valley. The town also serves as the train station for Machu Picchu, making it a crucial transportation hub and a perfect example of continuous habitation since Inca times.
Absolutely! Many travelers choose to stay overnight in the Sacred Valley to explore additional sites, enjoy peaceful valley evenings, or use it as a base for visiting Machu Picchu. Extended stays allow you to visit salt mines of Maras, circular terraces of Moray, or participate in community-based tourism programs. Some visitors prefer the valley’s lower altitude and warmer climate to Cusco’s higher elevation.
Your Sacred Valley journey includes authentic cultural encounters like watching traditional textile demonstrations in Chinchero, where skilled weavers show ancient techniques passed down through generations. You’ll visit local markets where indigenous families sell their produce and crafts, observe daily life in traditional Andean communities, and learn about sacred Inca beliefs connected to the valley’s agricultural cycles and spiritual significance.
The Sacred Valley serves as an excellent preparation for Machu Picchu visits, providing historical context about Inca civilization and architectural techniques you’ll see at the citadel. Many travelers combine their Sacred Valley day tour with multi-day Machu Picchu packages, using Ollantaytambo as their train departure point. The valley’s lower altitude also helps with acclimatization before visiting higher elevation sites.
The Sacred Valley provides endless photography opportunities, from dramatic mountain landscapes and ancient stone terraces to colorful market scenes and traditional cultural activities. Golden hour lighting on the valley walls creates magical conditions for landscape photography, while vibrant markets offer authentic portraits of local people in traditional dress. Your guide can suggest the best viewpoints and optimal times for capturing stunning images.
The Sacred Valley is generally accessible year-round with minimal restrictions, though some sites may have limited areas during maintenance or archaeological work. Photography is allowed at most locations, but flash photography may be restricted in certain areas. Respect local customs when photographing people, especially in markets, and always ask permission before taking portraits of individuals.
The Sacred Valley Full Day Tour offers the perfect combination of spectacular natural beauty, fascinating archaeological sites, and authentic cultural experiences all within a single day. You’ll gain deep insights into Inca civilization while supporting local communities through market visits and cultural exchanges.
The tour provides excellent value, combining multiple significant sites with comfortable transportation and expert guiding, making it an essential Peru experience that complements any visit to Machu Picchu.
Do not hesitate to give us a call. We are an expert team and we are happy to talk to you.
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Main Office: +51 84622440
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