PÍSAC (2,970 m / 9,744 ft)
At the entrance to the Sacred Valley, 32 km (20 mi) from Cusco, this picturesque village offers a blend of “mestizo” (mixed European and indigenous Amerindian) and colonial architecture. The village is best known for its Sunday market, which draws hundreds of tourists each week. In spite of its popularity the market retains much of its local charm, at least in the part where villagers from miles around gather to barter and sell their produce. There are smaller markets in Písac on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. 0n Sundays there is also the traditional Mass held in Quechua, which is attended by the Varayoc or village leaders from the surrounding communities.
PÍSAC ARCHAEOLOGICAL COMPLEX
Set high above a valley floor patchworked by patterned fields and rimmed by vast terracing, the stonework and panoramas at Písac's Inca citadel are magnificent. Terraces, water ducts and steps have been cut out of solid rock, and in the upper sector of the ruins, the main Temple of the Sun is equal to anything in Machu Picchu. Above the temple lie still more ruins, mostly unexcavated, and among the higher crevices and rocky overhangs several ancient burial sites are hidden.
URUBAMBA (2,863 m / 9,393 ft)
Located 78 km (48.5 mi) from Cusco via Písac and 57km (35.5 mi) via Chinchero, Urubamba is in the heart of the Sacred Valley, at the foot of the majestic snow-capped peak Chicón, and is known as the "Pearl of the Vilcanota" with beautiful countryside and a healthy climate. It was also a pre-Hispanic agricultural center.
OLLANTAYTAMBO (2,800 m / 9,186 ft)
Located 97 km (60 mi) from Cusco, at the western end of the Sacred Valley, the town of Ollantaytambo has been built on top of original Inca foundations and is the best surviving example of Inca town planning. The town is divided in "canchas" (blocks) which are almost entirely intact. Each cancha has only one entrance (usually a huge stone doorway) which leads into a central courtyard. The houses surround the courtyard. The town is located at the foot of some spectacular Inca ruins which protected the strategic entrance to the lower Urubamba Valley. The temple area is at the top of steep terracing which helped to provide excellent defenses. Stone used for these buildings was brought from a quarry high up on the opposite side of the Urubamba river - an incredible feat involving the efforts of thousands of workers. The complex was still under construction at the time of the conquest and was never completed. After Manco Inca Yupanqui was defeated by the Spaniards at Sacsayhuamán following the unsuccessful siege of Cusco (1536), he retreated to Ollantaytambo where he later fell into their hands.
CHINCHERO (3,762 m / 12,343 ft)
Chinchero is a small Andean village located high up on the windswept plains of Anta about 30 km (18.5 mi) from Cusco. There are magnificent views overlooking the Sacred Valley of the Incas, with the "Cordillera" (mountain range) Vilcabamba and the snow-capped peak of Salcantay dominating the western horizon. Chinchero is believed to be the mythical birthplace of the rainbow. Its major claim to tourism is its colorful Sunday market which is much less tourist-orientated than the market at Písac.
The village mainly comprises mud brick (adobe) houses, and locals still go about their business in traditional dress.
The village may have been an important town in Inca times. The most striking remnant of this period is the massive stone wall in the main plaza which has ten trapezoidal niches. The construction of the wall and many other ruins and agricultural terraces (which are still in use) are attributed to Inca Tupac Yupanqui, who possibly used Chinchero as a kind of country resort. In the main plaza an adobe colonial church, dating from the early seventeenth century, has been built upon the foundations of an Inca temple or palace. The ceiling and walls are covered in beautiful floral and religious designs. The church is open on Sundays for mass.
A must-see, the breathtaking Sacred Valley was undoubtedly a key area of settlement to the Incas. Its agreeable climate and fertile plains make a rare and fruitful combination for the high Andes. Today the Sacred Valley remains a lush agricultural region supplying the city of Cusco with much of its produce such as corn, fruit and vegetables. Its Quechua-speaking inhabitant have preserved their ancestral customs and rites.
Duration: Full day
Time: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
Frequency: Every day
Group size: 10 - 30 people
* We offer private customized tours upon request
Itinerary:
- Village, market (only Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday) and archaeological complex of Písac
- Lunch in Urubamba
- Authentic Inca village and fortress of Ollantaytambo
- Market and visit of village of Chinchero
Included:
- Bilingual Spanish/English professional guide
- Round trip by bus to all sites
- Lunch in Urubamba
Thank you for being so flexible with us, especially with the short notice. My husband loved his hike and I really enjoyed visiting Cusco and the Sacred Valley.
It was so fascinating!
Kristine, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Tours for the Contemplative Traveler
Tel : 1- (561) 212 9173
Fax : 1- (561) 482 3218
P.O. Box 272998
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Peru@SpeakGlobal.net
www.PeruHereNow.com
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