Super Sacred Valley Tour is a specially designed itinerary that allows you to explore more archeological sites in one day. On this tour, you’ll drive from highlands of Cusco, across teh Andes into the fertile lands of the Sacred Valley, enjoy the spectacular views, starting the day Visiting Pisaq, Ollantaytambo, Moray, and finally visit the salt mines before going back to Cusco. Drop off at your Hotel
Included on Super Sacred Valley with Maras Moray tour
Pisaq archaeological site
Pisaq is one of the most beautiful archeological sites from the Inca Empire. Located on a mountain top, very well protected from possible invasion, this stunning place houses one of the largest Ancient Inca Cemetery with more than 10000 tombs. Explore the urban area surrounded by impressive walls and marvel with the sophisticated agriculture terrace system adapted to the mountain shape.
Pisaq Market
Located in the central part of the current city, the colonial-style city of Pisaq is famous for housing the biggest hand-crafted goods and textile markets, the market is tourist-oriented nowadays but on Sundays, we can still see local people from the surrounding villages arrive at the town with vegetable and goods to sell and shop from the town what they need to return home, this tradition comes from the Inca Period where Pisaq was trading center where Incas used to exchange products with other cities.
Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo, a former political, economic, and administrative center in the northern part of the Inca Empire, used as a Stronghold during the Battle of Ollantaytambo in 1537 between Inca emperor Manco Inca’s forces and Spanish conquistadors led by Hernando Pizarro. The town has been continuously occupied since the 14th century, lying over the Inca foundation with cobblestone streets and water canals that still brings water to the city. The locals still use the streets and original doorways. Also is outstanding the religious Archaeological site with temples built with enormous granite boulders brought from another mountain located 5 km away.
Moray
Located in teh upper of the Sacred Valley, Moray is home to 4 terraced circular shape depressions on the ground. The deepest depression is 30 meters deep, is widely believed that this natural depression was used as Greenhouses. The different levels on each terrace have different temperatures and this is how there were used for agricultural experimentation and adaptation of different crops to different climates.
Salineras
Located near the town of Maras, Salineras contains more than 3000 salt ponds. The spring with salty water is located in the upper of the complex, the villagers of Maras collect the salt using the evaporation system, a process that takes up to a month to get the salt and deliver to local markets, each member of Maras village owns a certain number of ponds and all together they make a Local company called MARASAL.
After being collected from your hotel at 7:00 a.m, you’ll with your tour guide to the first stop at Mirador Taray to marvel with the spectacular view of the Sacred Valley, the eastern mountain range of the Andes, the Urubamba River, the sacred valley was one of the most important agricultural centers during the Inca Empire and remains the same until nowadays.
Later, you’ll continue until Pisaq archeological site, an ancient Inca settlement located in the upper part f the town with the same name. Visit the impressive agricultural terraces that start at the bottom of the valley and ends at the very top of the mountain perfectly adapted to the mountain shape and see the largest Inca cemetery that houses more than 10000 tombs.
After exploring the site, you’ll drive to Pisac town where to discover and bargain in the handicraft market, very famous because the local artisans sell their handcrafted product directly to tourist, The market is open every day and it gets busier during Sundays when the local villagers arrive at Pisaq sell their vegetable, and get what they need as well. Next is a 1.5 hours drive to Ollantaytambo to visit teh Ina fortress.
Your adventure continues exploring Ollantaytambo, another impressive Inca Site with a remarkable urban architecture where locals are still using the same building, doorways, and using the same Inca street with water channels running since the Inca times. In addition, you’ll explore the Inca ruins and see amazing stonework in the temples and learn how the Incas transported the ebnormi¿ous rocks from one mounatin to another.
After enjoying a delicious lunch serve with fresh products from the region, You’ll drive to the highlands and out of the Sacred Valley to visit Moray, the mysterious circular shape farming terraces used probably for agricultural experimentation. Afterward, move on to picturesque Maras town, famous because they are salt producers since Inca Times. Explore the more than 3000 salt ponds, learn thee harvesting process, and buy souvenirs before heading back to Cusco around 6.30 pm.