The Incas built ancient cities gathered in what is known as the Sacred Valley, conformed by beautifull towns such as Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Chinchero.
The Sacred Valley of the Incas is one of the most important destinations in South America. It houses beautiful traditional towns settled since colonial times as the community of Maras. There the Incas built ancient cities such as Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Chinchero. They also cultivated a great diversity of agricultural products on terraces like Moray. Today, all these places are very striking tourist attractions for visitors, before or after the visit to Machu Picchu.
The Sacred Valley of the Incas is located in the Urubamba province in Cusco, Peru. It is located 15 kilometers northeast of the city of Cusco. It is reached there by paved road from the city of Cusco. A drive through one of the nearest towns will take around 40 minutes.
From there you can move around the other towns in the valley. It is also possible to arrive by train. This trip ends in the town of Machu Picchu.
What is the Sacred Valley of the Incas like?
This valley was a sacred area for the Incas since it included an extensive territory that was very productive for agriculture. The main products cultivated by the Incas were: corn, potatoes, olluco, quinoa and the coca leaf, considered a sacred plant. Today, agriculture continues to be one of the main activities of the inhabitants of this valley.
Due to the vast agricultural activity in the valley, the Incas decide to build their main temples and cities there.
The most important urban centers were Pisac, Yucay, Chinchero and Ollantaytambo. Even a little further into the jungle, the emperor Pachacutec ordered the construction of a beautiful citadel that serves as his resting place and border with the inhabitants of the jungle: Machu Picchu.
The Vilcanota River registers all the main inhabitants of the valley. The Incas believed that this river was the earthly representation of the Milky Way.
Will´s Machu Picchu adventures has a great tour to offer the best out of the sacred valley of the Incas. In this tour, you will visit the Archeological Center of Pisac, an artisan market, the ruins in Ollantaytambo and Chinchero. This is our Shedule to guarantee yhe best experience out of the Sacred valley.