Usually a day trip from Cusco, although definitely worth a few days, the Sacred Valley offers its 1 million plus annual visitors multiple historical and cultural spots to visit...and a hotel on the side of a cliff. Also called the Urubamba Valley, it encompasses everything along the Urubamba River from the town of Pisac to Ollantaytambo.
The Incas
While the valley was originally settled by the Chanapata, whose civilization dates back to 800 BC. From 1000 to 14000 CE, the Inca's gradually incorporated the Sacred Valley into their empire, as the lower elevation and warmer climate created ideal conditions for farming. The valley was considered sacred by the Incas based on its territorial relation to the Milky Way and the mythology surrounding the founding of the region had they Ayer brothers emerging from a pyramid in Ollantaytambo.
Ashley and I arrived in Cusco around 6am, having taken the night bus from Arequipa, and
with the help of our hostel arranged for a driver to take us to a few sights around the Sacred Valley that day. Like everything else in Peru, the Sacred Valley is not super close to Cusco (72km away) and all the sites around the valley are spread out, so seeing everything in one day is next to impossible, especially if you like to take your time and explore each area.
What to See
Ollantaytambo Ruins
Both the name of a town and a set of Inca ruins, Ollantaytambo sits at an elevation of 2,792 meters and is one of the most visited sites in the Sacred Valley, and is often used as a base for travelers who want to stay in the Sacred Valley as they explore it. Under the Inca emperor Pachacuti, the area of Ollantaytambo was captured, destroyed, and was rebuilt as part of his personal estate. The new construction included extensive terracing and irrigation for farming and new lavish buildings provided a place to stay for the Inca nobility. The ruins include the Temple Hill, terrace, storehouses, quarries and defenses to protect the city. There is also a sprawling market and a plethora of restaurants and cafes to grab a bite to eat.
Pisac Terraces
Situated on the Vilcanota River, the town of Pisac is known its Incan ruins and a large market that occurs on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. The ruins sit atop a hill and are separated into four groups along the ridgeline: P'isaqa, Inti Watana, Qalla Q'asa, and Kinchiraqay. The Into Watana group of ruins includes the Temple of the Sun, baths, alters, water fountains, and a ceremonial platform. The terraces that the Incas built into the steep hillside are still used for farming by the residents of Pisac. The market in Pisac is the most visited in the region and along with the usual souvenirs, you can find castillos de cuyas, which are literal castles for guinea pigs made out of clay and baked in the ovens at back of the market.
Moray
Situated on a high plateau at 3,500 meters are the Inca ruins at Moray, these unusual
ruins consist of several terraced circular depressions, the largest of which measures 30 meters (98 feet) deep. While the purposes of the ruins aren't known for certain, it's purported that they were for farming as the difference in depths, design, and orientation in relation to wind and sun can create temperature differences of up to 15 degrees Celsius between the top and bottom of the depressions. Soil samples from the circles have shown that soil was brought from different regions of Peru, supposedly for growing different crops.
Salinas de Maras
Probably the second most visited site in the Sacred Valley and the most Instagrammed are the Salinas de Maras in the town of Maras. The most famous feature of this town are its salt evaporation ponds which have been used since pre-Incan times. A subterranean stream is the source of the highly salty water that is channeled into several hundred ancient terraced ponds. The size and shape of the ponds was carefully designed to control the flow of water and speed of evaporation. Due to contamination in the ponds, access to the crystalized ponds is restricted, however, you care still able to access a viewpoint with a guide and learn about the salt making process.
Chinchero
A small, rustic town located between Cusco and Urubamba (also the proposed site of a new airport), Chinchero sits beneath the Vilcabamba mountain range and in the shadow of the snow-capped Salkantay peak. While it is skipped by most, but has many interesting sights for visitors to see. Chinchero is the home the colorful Peruvian weaving that you see around Peru, and town boasts the Interpretation Center of Andean Textiles, weaving demonstrations are put on by local women who also demonstrate how they produce they different colors, and how the wool is washed, dyed and spun. There is also a small set of ruins in the town, it is thought Chinchero wass used as some sort of country resort, there are impressive stone carrvings, as well as aquaducts and teracces for farming as the soil is some of the most fertile in the valley.
What to Do
Spend the Night in the Sky
If you've got the budget for spending the night at the Sky Lodge is a one of a kind experience. This unique hotel has has glass pods suspended from the side of a cliff that offer spectacular views of the Sacred Vally and Urubamba River. Check in at this one of a kind hotel and take up to three hours as it requires a hike, zip lines, climbing and some repelling depending on your preference. A night in one of the pods includes breakfast and a bottle of wine.
Adventure on Horseback
If you're looking to see the Sacred Valley in a more adventurous way, a horseback tour may be up your alley. Tours are offered in a variety of lengths from on day to four or five days, the length of the tour will dictate how many sites you visit on your tour. For accommodations during overnight tours there are a variety of options from homestays with a local family to more luxury (dish) hotels for the higher end tours. While previous horseback riding experience is not necessary to book a tour, I wouldn't recommend a multi-day tour unless you have ridden previously. Horseback riding is a physical activity and spending multiple days in the saddle will most likely be uncomfortable for someone who is unaccustomed to it. The second reason that I don't recommend multi-day tours for individuals with no experience is that it requires more from the guides to supervise you, horses are animals, and even well trained ones can act in an unpredictable manner, pair this with a rider who may panic or who doesn't really understand how to control a horse and it can be a high stress situation. It's like climbing Everest with no mountaineering experience, sure you can do it, but you're putting the sherpas and other climbers at great risk. I've ridden horses since I was eight and taught riding lessons for a number of years, so my perspective is largely based on my experience.
Ashley and I were able to see Ollantaytambo and Moray on our sprint around the Sacred Valley, we probably could have fit in one more spot, but we took our time in each location which lowered how many spots we could hit. In the afternoon a storm rolled in and we were doing some 4-wheeling in a sedan on the sides of mountains on our way back to Cusco, still not the wildest ride I've been on.
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