Sacred Valley of the Incas

The Sacred Valley follows the Urubamba River between Pisac and Ollantaytambo, a fertile valley the Incas farmed on great stone terraces. At around 2,800 metres, it is lower and warmer than Cusco, which makes it a comfortable place to adjust to the altitude.

Highlights include the hillside ruins and craft market at Pisac, the fortress-temple of Ollantaytambo with its giant stone blocks, the circular terraces of Moray and the salt pans of Maras, where families still harvest salt from thousands of pools as they have for centuries.

A day touring the valley ends conveniently at Ollantaytambo station for the train to Machu Picchu. Valley hotels are spacious and quiet, with gardens and mountain views, ideal for families and honeymooners. The market at Pisac is at its liveliest on Sundays, when villagers come down from the hills.