Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu 2 Days.
23 reviews 
Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu 2 Days.
23 reviews
Overview
Sacred Valley and Machupicchu in 2 days is the best option to know the tow most important attractions in Cusco Area like the mystical Sacred Valley where you can visit a great city over the mountain and a great royal neighborhood in Pisaq, also you can see the Indian Market where you can get many crafts, enjoy of a wonderful typical and international buffet lunch at the heart of the Sacred Valley…. Ollantaytambo is one of the Inca Alive City now days because it is still having a Inca Design where the houses of the modern people living there, the way to take the train in the evening to Aguas Calientes makes easier to do this tour because you don’t waste your time spending more days in Cusco…. Machupicchu visiting it very early in the morning is one of the great experiences that you need to have when you will get Cusco.
Highlights
The Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu Tour in 2 days will allow you to enjoy the scenic beauty of the Sacred Valley and its history, its Inca architecture, its craft markets, its gastronomy and its mild climate.
In this tour we can not miss Machu Picchu recognized as one of the seven wonders of the world, surrounded by cloud forests and mountain landscapes.
Itinerary
Day 1 : Pisac – Moray – Maras Salineras – Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes
We begin this beautiful day at 7:30 am, when your guide will pick you up in our private van at your hotel in Cusco. Our route to the Sacred Valley of the Incas takes us to Pisac. First, we will stop at the Mirador of Taray, from where we will have a magnificent view of the Urubamba Valley and its traditional farming villages. You will see that agriculture in the Sacred Valley has hardly changed in the last five hundred years. Continue to the archaeological site of Pisac, where you can visit an impressive Inca cemetery with more than 2,000 tombs. There we can admire the agricultural terraces carefully carved into the mountain, explore the Inca tunnel and the religious area of this important citadel. Here we spend about 2 hours exploring the Inca city. Then we descend to the colorful market of Pisac, where we spend about 20 minutes and then drive to Urubamba for lunch.
Our next stop is the archaeological site of Moray, also known as the “Greenhouse of the Incas”, a deep basin full of architectural wonders. The levels of the terraces are carved into a huge bowl, carefully laid out by the Incas. Depending on how deep they are in the bowl, the terraces have different microclimates. Archaeologists believe that the Incas used them to determine the optimal growing conditions for their plants and to experiment with crossbreeding.
Continuing on to the colonial town of Maras, we marvel at the pre-Inca salt mines, called “salineras” in Spanish. Thousands of salt pans have been passed down through countless generations and have been used to extract salt since before the time of the Incas. A hot spring in the upper part of the valley releases a small stream of highly saline water that is drained into the salt pans and evaporated for salt extraction. This is one of the few places in the world where you can find natural pink salt!
Finally, we will drive to Ollantaytambo and take time to explore the Inca village, intact since Inca times, and the massive Inca ruins on a guided tour with our guide. Admire the massive architecture of the Temple of the Sun at the top of the impressive terraces and learn about the importance of this site to the Incas at the beginning of the Spanish conquest.
After dinner, we will take the train to Aguas Calientes, where you will spend the night in our hotel. The train leaves Ollantaytambo at 19:04 and arrives in Aguas Calientes at 20:45.
Day 2 : Aguas Calientes – Machupicchu – Cusco
This is the day you have been waiting for! After an early breakfast at your hotel, you will take one of the first buses to Machu Picchu so you can witness the sunrise. It is a truly extraordinary place that you should not miss! Your guide will give you the full guided tour, which lasts about two hours. You will see all the important parts of Machu Picchu, including the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of the Condor, the Temple of the Three Windows, the Sundial, the Quarry and the House of the Incas. You will also learn how Machu Picchu is divided into three sectors: agriculture, housing and religion.
After the tour, those who have booked in advance an additional hike up Huayna Picchu or Mount Machu Picchu will have time to enjoy the view on their own. When you have had your fill of the extraordinary views of Machu Picchu, take the bus back to Aguas Calientes for lunch (not included). Depending on the departure time of your train, you may also have time for some shopping.
The train will take you back to Ollantaytambo along the spectacular Urubamba River. Near Aguas Calientes, the gorge is narrow and the river has many beautiful white water sections. From the train you can also see Wiñay Wayna standing high on the steep canyon wall! Back in Ollantaytambo, your driver will be waiting for you at the exit of the train station to take you back to your hotel in Cusco in our private vehicle. You can expect to arrive at your hotel around 19:00.
Notes Itinerario
Included
- All transfers
- Professional speaking English guide
- Buffet lunch in Urubamba
- Expedition train Ollantaytambo-Aguas Calientes (2 ways)
- Double room 2 Stars Hotel in Aguas Calientes like El Marquez de Oropesa breakfast included (if you want, you can have a better hotel quality, ask prices in our office).
- Entrance fees to Machu Picchu
No Included
- Food (except for the buffet lunch in Urubamba)
- Entrance to the archeological sites (Pisaq, Ollantaytambo)
- Thermal baths in Aguas Calientes
- Tips
Recommendations:
1. How to get to the Sacred Valley?
Most flights to the Sacred Valley depart and arrive from Lima. The Peruvian capital offers visitors many things to see and do, being the gateway to the rest of the country, with domestic flights to major cities, including Cusco. Keep an eye on the websites of the various airlines, as from time to time they offer discounts and promotions for travel to the Imperial City, with prices as low as $70. If you can, look for a window seat, as the view of the Andes on the way is breathtaking.
2. When to travel?
The climate in the Sacred Valley does not usually vary much throughout the year. Daytime temperatures range between 20 and 25 °C, while at night they drop to approximately 5 °C, and the cold can be intense for some people. We recommend traveling in the dry season, between April and November. If you don’t mind the rains, you can travel between December and March.
3. Choose your accommodation wisely
From backpackers to five star hotels, the options in the Sacred Valley are numerous and varied. In the rural areas of the Valley there are hotels and haciendas that offer stays with the most attractive complementary services, such as relaxation therapies, spiritual retreats, healthy food, yoga classes, etc.
4. Plan your travel itinerary and distribute your time
The Sacred Valley has thousands of places for all tastes, such as Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Urubamba, Chinchero, Yucay, Maras, Moray, Aguas Calientes, among others. Most tours offer trips by bus and train, with stops at the main archaeological complexes, visits to markets and adventure sports.
5. Enjoy the exquisite local gastronomy
The gastronomic options in the Sacred Valley have grown. There are a large number of restaurants in Ollantaytambo, Urubamba and Pisac that offer all kinds of Andean dishes based on fresh, native ingredients. Dare to try the Chiri Uchu, a fried trout, a baked guinea pig, a succulent Inchicapi or a regional tuber stew called Kapchi; as you can see, the alternatives are very varied and original.
Recommendations Machu Picchu
- The best months to travel to Machu Picchu are April and May.
- During the rainy season (January – March) fewer travelers go to Machu Picchu, and therefore the prices of the services can be more comfortable on some specific dates.
- During the winter or dry season (June – September) Machu Picchu receives more travelers than any other time of the year. For this reason, the price of tourist services is much higher than usual.
- For many travelers, from the second half of September to the first two weeks of November are also ideal dates to visit this world wonder.
- If you are going to travel to Machu Picchu during the week of New Year, Easter, Fiestas Patrias (July 28 and 29) and Christmas, be very careful and make your reservations well in advance.
- These are the dates when everything is full and the availability of trains, hotels and entrance tickets to Machu Picchu are not available for last minute reservations.
What To Bring
- Personal water bottle and snack
- Camera + Film/Video camera (optional)
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