Explore the Most Significant Archaeological Sites Around Cusco
The Sacred Valley Day tour is a popular activity for everyone who visits Cusco. Its sacred river, also known as Vilcanota or Willcamayu, runs through the valley, making for some of the best scenery while you explore some of the Inca’s archaeological sites, including Pisaq, Ollantaytambo, and Chinchero, which will show you how big and advanced their technology was.
- Overview
- Itinerary
- Inclusions
- Recommendations
- Faqs
- Pricing
- Enquire Now
What To Expect?
Get up close and personal with the culture of the ancient Inca civilization as you explore the main archaeological sites of the Sacred Valley near the empire’s former capital of Cusco. History lovers are sure to delight in this chance to explore this beautiful mountain valley, which harbors a wealth of important Inca sites.
The Sacred Valley Day Tour start your day with a morning pickup from your hotel in Cusco, continuing first to the historic city of Pisac. The city was once known as a key trading post, offering a central location for Inca traders to barter for goods. The tradition persists to this day at Pisac’s well-known market, offering you the opportunity to browse for a wealth of handcrafted textiles and souvenirs made by the local community. If you happen to be visiting Pisac on a Sunday, you’ll also get to witness the town’s famous mass, conducted in both Quechua and Spanish.
Observe the town’s collection of dignitaries in attendance, and watch as they play the pututo, a traditional musical instrument. Take a break after finishing your time in Pisac with a tasty lunch of Peruvian specialties before continuing to the Fortress of Ollantaytambo to discover its impressive Temple of the Sun. During the Incan civil war, this imposing structure’s 12-foot (3.5-m) stones served as a key defensive barrier. After finishing your exploration of Ollantaytambo, continue back to Cusco, where you’ll be dropped off at your hotel.
Itinerary at a Glance
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Day01
Cusco - Pisaq-Ollantaytambo & Chinchero
Detailed Itinerary
Detailed Itinerary
What To Expect?
Get up close and personal with the culture of the ancient Inca civilization as you explore the main archaeological sites of the Sacred Valley near the empire’s former capital of Cusco. History lovers are sure to delight in this chance to explore this beautiful mountain valley, which harbors a wealth of important Inca sites. Start your day with a morning pickup from your hotel in Cusco, continuing first to the historic city of Pisac. The city was once known as a key trading post, offering a central location for Inca traders to barter for goods. The tradition persists to this day at Pisac’s well-known market, offering you the opportunity to browse for a wealth of handcrafted textiles and souvenirs made by the local community. If you happen to be visiting Pisac on a Sunday, you’ll also get to witness the town’s famous mass, conducted in both Quechua and Spanish.
Observe the town’s collection of dignitaries in attendance, and watch as they play the pututo, a traditional musical instrument. Take a break after finishing your time in Pisac with a tasty lunch of Peruvian specialties before continuing to the Fortress of Ollantaytambo to discover its impressive Temple of the Sun. During the Incan civil war, this imposing structure’s 12-foot (3.5-m) stones served as a key defensive barrier. After finishing your exploration of Ollantaytambo, continue back to Cusco, where you’ll be dropped off at your hotel.
Cusco | Qorao - Sacred Valley Lookout - Pisac - Urubamba - Ollantaytambo - Chinchero - Cusco
Highlight of the day: Learning a lot about the Inca empire and understanding more about the different sites.
Explore the Most Significant Inca Sites in the Sacred Valley
Our exciting day out begins between 7:20 and 7:50 am when we collect you from your accommodation and set off in our private transport to our first destination of the day.
On our way to Pisac, we’ll make our first stop of the day, about thirty minutes from Cusco. We’ll be visiting Qorao market, to wander around and see locals selling their handicrafts. There are handmade souvenirs and some stunning art pieces that you can buy as a reminder of your trip or as thoughtful gifts for friends and family back home. Here, you’ll also get the chance to take some photos of the incredible landscapes and local wildlife, like llamas.
Next, we’ll keep heading to “El Mirador Del Valle Sagrado.” This lookout over the valley will provide you with the perfect opportunity to photograph the Andean mountain range and the Sacred Valley together.
We will soon arrive in Pisac to visit its colorful market and archaeological site. The Pisac complex is well-known because of its terraces that rise from the bottom of the mountain to the top in a harmonious way. You’ll also see the biggest Inca cemetery and Pisac’s Intihuatana, which is famous for predicting the solstices and equinoxes that determined the ancient culture’s agriculture calendar.
Once finished, we’ll drive for another hour to Urubamba and enjoy a delicious buffet lunch of traditional Peruvian dishes. There’ll be a wide range of options available, and it’s the perfect chance to try many foods.
In the afternoon, we’ll visit Ollantaytambo town to tour its unique and extensive archaeological site that’s home to water sources, high terraces, temples, and more. The site is surrounded by towering mountain peaks and colorful valleys (plus a view of a faraway glacier)!
This town is the most well-preserved layout of a typical, Incan-built city with its narrow, cobbled streets and stone walls. It’s the only original Inca town where people still live to this day. Its conservation allows for the enduring legacy of the Incan people to live on and for us to understand the ancient culture better.
On our way back to Cusco, we’ll make a final stop at the town of Chinchero. You’ll have the opportunity here to visit a beautiful colonial temple, best known for its mural painting above the entranceway (this temple was built on top of Inca foundations). We’ll also get to see the Incan walls in the main plaza.
The highlight in this town is watching local women making textiles. They’ll teach you the process and you’ll get the chance to support them by purchasing their handmade pieces if you wish. Finally, we’ll continue onto Cusco and drop you off at your accommodation early evening.
At Machu Picchu by Locals we are transparent and provide the specific details of what is included and excluded in our tours. We know this is very important so that you know what exactly to bring and you don’t miss anything. We provide this information to ensure that you have an incredible experience during your cultural tour.
WE INCLUDE
High Quality Service & Safety
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Pre-departure briefing
You’ll meet your trekking guide and group in our office for an orientation before your trek. The meeting will be at 5:00 pm the evening before the trip begins.
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Experienced Tour Guide
English and spanish speaking, professionally educated, and official tour guide. Your guide will explain the culture and surroundings along the entire route, including leading your group in ancient ceremonies! He or she will keep you safe, sound, and comfortable on your trek so that you can enjoy your time worry-free!
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Medical Kit or First AID Kit
All Machu Picchu by Local guides have received specialized training in first aid. We hold mandatory training sessions with our guides every February. Your guide will always carry a first aid kit to face basic emergencies (altitude sickness, travelers’ diarrhea, cuts, scrapes, etc.) as well as oxygen. If necessary, we’ll evacuate you from the path as quickly as possible and ensure that you arrive at a clinic for treatment.
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Customer Service 24/7
We have telephone service available 24 hours/day for easy of communication with our travel expert.
Transportation
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Private Transport
All your transportation is included in this package. We will pick you up from your hotel to explore the Sacred Valley. Once you complete the tour, we will take you back to the door of your hotel.
WE NOT INCLUDED
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Boleto Turistico or Cusco Tourist Ticket
This ticket is necessary and allows you admission to many of the most popular attractions in Cusco and the Sacred Valley, including archaeological sites and museums.
From PEN 70.00 (US$ 20.00) to PEN 130.00 (US$ 40.00) per person.
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Lunch
Lunch is not included in this trip, however you can contact our sales team in case you want included it
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Travel Insurance
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Tips for our staff
Tipping is the norm on any excursion in Peru. Although we pay good salaries to our entire team, something extra is always welcome.
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Additional costs or delays beyond our control
Landslides, bad weather conditions, itinerary modifications due to a safety concern, illness, pandemia, government policy changes, political instability, strikes, act of God, etc.
SACRED VALLEY DAY TOUR INFO
At Machu Picchu by Locals we focus to make your trip an unforgettable experience and we want to provide all details which you need to know before to leave your country and start your life experience in Peru.
What you need to pack?
Important
- Passport
- Good daypack (the smaller, the better)
- Water storage: Water reservoir like Camelback is encouraged – but enough for at least 2-3 liters.
- Comfortable hiking pant
- Trekking poles
INSIDE YOUR DAYPACKS:
Daypack can be any size for hiking, but we always say the smaller, the better. If it is larger try to bring it as lighter as possible.
- Rain gear
- Sun hat
- Sunscreen
- Camera
- Water bottle
- Bug spray
- Hand sanitizer
- Toilet paper and small plastic bag for waste
- Extra Money for Souvenirs, Drinks & Tips
- Personal medication or Own first aid kit
- Snacks (Chocolate, energizing bars, caramels, etc.)
PREPARING FOR YOUR SACRED VALLEY DAY TOUR!
Here some frequently asked question about our day tours in Cusco
BOOKING SYSTEM
At Machu Picchu by Locals, we try to make the best of us to booking system works as easy as possible for you, once you decided to do some of our day tours, we will send to you a booking form where you need to complete all the required detail which we need to book your tickets, we need a previous deposit of 50% of the price per person. Once as soon as you paid it, we immediately book a spot for this tour once we have done with it, we will send you your invoice and confirmation form that all the booking process has set up satisfactorily.
What sites are included in a typical day tour?
The classic full-day tour usually includes visits to the archaeological sites and towns of Pisac, the lunch stop in Urubamba, and the massive Inca fortress of Ollantaytambo. Some tours may also include Chinchero for its weaving demonstration and ruins.
Is the Boleto Turístico (Tourist Ticket) included in the tour price?
No, the Tourist Ticket (Boleto Turístico del Cusco) is almost always a separate cost and is mandatory for entering the main archaeological sites. You can purchase the Partial Ticket (Circuit III) for the Sacred Valley Tour, or the General Ticket which covers 16 sites over 10 days. The Maras Salt Mines require a separate, small entrance fee, as they are not covered by the Tourist Ticket.
What is the total duration of the day tour?
A Sacred Valley day tour typically lasts 10 to 12 hours. They usually start with a hotel pick-up in Cusco between 7:00 AM and 8:00 AM and return you to Cusco between 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM.
How does the altitude of the Sacred Valley compare to Cusco?
The Sacred Valley is generally lower in altitude than Cusco.
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Cusco: Approximately 3,400 m (11,152 ft)
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Sacred Valley (Urubamba): Approximately 2,870 m (9,420 ft)
This lower elevation makes the valley a good place to acclimatize for a few days before attempting more strenuous activities or high-altitude treks.
What should I wear and bring on the tour?
Layered clothing is essential. The weather can change quickly, starting cold in the morning, becoming warm and sunny during the day, and cooling off in the late afternoon.
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Must-haves: T-shirt, sweater/fleece, waterproof/windproof jacket, comfortable walking or hiking shoes, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, plenty of water, and cash (Peruvian Soles) for tickets, snacks, and souvenirs.
Can the tour end in Ollantaytambo instead of returning to Cusco?
Yes, many travelers arrange for their tour to end in Ollantaytambo, as it is the main train station for onward travel to Machu Picchu (Aguas Calientes). This saves time compared to returning to Cusco and then traveling back out. Be sure to confirm this with your tour operator in advance.
Is lunch included in the day tour?
Most group day tours include a buffet lunch in a restaurant in the town of Urubamba. However, you should confirm this when booking, as some budget tours may exclude it. Private tours often offer more flexibility for dining options.
What is the best time of year to take the tour?
The dry season (April to October) offers the most reliable weather with sunny days and clear views. This is also the peak tourist season. The wet season (November to March) means fewer crowds and a lush, green landscape, but you should be prepared for potential rain showers.
Should I do a group tour or a private tour?
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Group Tour: A better option if you are on a tight budget. It is a set itinerary and is generally faster-paced.
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Private Tour: Recommended if you want flexibility, more time at certain sites (like Ollantaytambo), a personalized guide, and the ability to combine sites like Maras/Moray which are sometimes skipped on the classic route.
Can I buy souvenirs and local textiles during the tour?
Absolutely! Many tours include a stop at the Pisac Market (especially on market days like Sunday or Tuesday) or a weaving demonstration in Chinchero. These are great places to buy authentic alpaca textiles, ceramics, and other handicrafts. Remember to carry local currency (Peruvian Soles) and be prepared to respectfully bargain for prices.
From: USD 35.00 per person
USD 30.00: from 4 people to more
Thank you for your interest in having an adventure travel experience in Peru curated by Machu Picchu by Locals. Please take a moment to complete our short form, so one our friendly Adventure Consultants could provide you all the information for your trip of a lifetime in Peru.
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Feel free to reach us via email at sales@machupicchubylocals.com or by calling us directly at +51 951 359 694
Monday - Friday:
09:00 to 18:00 Hrs.
Saturday:
09:00 to 13:00 Hrs.
Prolongacion Av. Grau L-8, Santiago - Cusco
Full Day Tour
Sacred Valley Day Tour
What's it like!!
Map of Sacred Valley Day Tour
WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT?
At Machu Picchu by Locals we offer the best service for all our customers and here is what makes us different than others.
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Small groups: Along our excursion group size is a capped at 8 people. This guarantees that you will enjoy every step of our excursion
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Hotel: During our excursion to Machu Picchu, we offer a private hostel stay for the last night. This ensures you are well rested and ready to explore Machu Picchu.
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Local Tour guides: Our team consists of 100% local tour guides, who have expert knowledge in our ancient culture.
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Best Camping Equipment: We have the state-of-the-art camping equipment for our excursion. The equipment is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before and after every excursion.
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Best Trekking team: At Machu Picchu by Locals we focus to create the best experience during our excursions. Our team that consists of tour guides, cooks, porters, horse drivers are handpicked. We train our team to offer you the best service. We take care of our team by providing them with good equipment and paying them fairly.
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