Known as Vilcamayo to the Incas, as El Valle Sagrado de los Incas to the Spanish and as The Sacred Valley to the rest of us, this is the portion of the Urubamba river valley from Pisac to Ollantaytambo.
The Sacred Valley is a fertile valley - it is beautiful, atmospheric and captivating. It is at a lower elevation than Cusco (an hour away by car), which makes for a gentler acclimatisation to the altitude. With a mild climate and a dramatic setting of mountains, valleys and meadows, the Sacred Valley is well-suited for outdoor activity holidays such as riding on the stunning Peruvian Paso horses, mountain biking, rafting, paragliding, walking and trekking.
Suggested Peru itinerary
The Urubamba river flows through the valley and there is plenty to see and do here. To stop in the valley for a few days after spending some time in Cusco and before heading to Machu Picchu is highly recommended. Visit the busy Sunday market at Chinchero or ancient Inca citadel near the small town of Pisac. Then there is the impressive fortress at Ollantaytambo, the salt extraction still going on at Maras, the unique micro-climate at Moray’s terraces…. It won’t take long for you to understand why the Incas considered this region sacred. However the Sacred Valley was home to several cultures prior to the rise of the Inca Empire. These pre-Inca cultures include the Chanapata (800-300 BC), the Qotacalla (500-900 AD) and the Killke (900-1420 AD). The Inca actually only controlled the valley for little over a century.
Today, the Sacred Valley is a quiet place, but this is changing very slowly (or not so slowly in some instances) as its attraction as a tourist destination grows.
Many visitors with inside knowledge are opting to base themselves not in Cusco, but in the Sacred Valley itself, taking several day trips and returning to one of the excellent hotels that have sprung up in Urubamba, Yucay, and Ollantaytambo. We think a bit of time in both works well.
Sol y Luna is enclosed in a red-walled courtyard surrounded by tall eucalyptus trees and lush gardens, with Andean Peaks as the backdrop. There are 28 spacious bungalows with private terraces, filled with lovely wooden furniture. More…
Lodge K'uychi Rumi (meaning “The Rainbow Stone” in Quechua), offers you a very special accommodation alternative for your stay in Urubamba. Similar in style to Sol y Luna, but smaller with just six comfy rustic Andean cottages. More…
Inkaterra’s enclave of five private villas offers an idyllic setting for discovering the Urubamba valley and its pastoral patchwork of richly cultivated land, dotted with colourful villages, surrounded by majestic mountains. More…
Hotel la Casona in Yucay, built in 1810, is a charming family owned and run hotel located in the Sacred Valley near Urubamba, offering 39 newly renovated rooms of all sizes. More…
Sonesta Posadas del Inca is a former 18th century colonial-style monastery with 84 rooms, located in Yucay in the heart of the Sacred Valley and surrounded by beautiful gardens. More…
Horse-Riding in the Sacred Valley is arguably the best way to get off the tourist track. If you are a competent rider and happy to try out a new style of riding - Peruvian style - then you will love riding the beautiful Peruvian Paso horses which have earned themselves the reputation of being the ‘cadillac’ of horses. More…
