Full-Day Tour: Cusco – Chinchero (Andean Textile Center) – Inca lookout of Raqchi – Salt Mines of Maras – Incan agricultural lab called Moray – Ollantaytambo Incan site – Pisac ruins & Market

1 Super Day Sacred Valley Tour or Sacred Valley VIP Package Tour Peru, begins with an early morning pick-up at 7 a.m. from your accommodation in Cusco to drive toward the high mountain village of Chinchero (Western side of the Sacred Valley). CHINCHERO — is a small village with beautiful views of the Sacred Valley and famous for its weaving and spectacularly sited at high altitude (3,800 mt./12,500 ft.). In this charming village, you will see adobe homes, narrow cobbled streets, and people in traditional Peruvian dress. At Chinchero, we will also visit a town that has retained many traditions, resulting in exceptional handicrafts and woven goods (we will be witness to a live demonstration of handmade souvenirs and the use of simple instruments and natural dyes). Besides, we´ll visit the ruins of Chinchero and then, we continue driving to the lookout of Raqchi to take in the view of the Urubamba Valley. This part of the valley is filled with crops that dress the mountains like carpets.

We will then continue our trip to Incan agricultural lab known MORAY — is an archaeological site located to the northwest of Cuzco on a high plateau at about 3,500 mt. (11,500 ft) and just west of the village of Maras. This Inca site contains unusual Inca ruins, mostly consisting of several terraced circular depressions, the largest of which is approximately 30 m (98 ft) deep. As with many other Inca sites, it also has an irrigation system. Here, our guide will transmit you the history of this impressive Inca ruins on the mountain top. After learning how Quechua people cleverly designed a drainage system at the bottom of the terraces in order to avoid flooding during the rainy season. Afterwards, we drive down to SALT MINES OF MARAS — at this amazing site, you can see the pans fed by saline spring water that was built on steep terraces along one side of a narrow valley. The water is sent throughout the pans by a network of channels where the water slowly evaporates leaving the salt behind. Salt has been collected from Maras since Pre-Incan times and it is thought that a collective of salt ‘miners’ has maintained the terraces and channels for hundreds of years. We then follow the route to URUBAMBA — The charming town enveloped by tall Andean peaks in the heart of the Sacred Valley to reach OLLANTAYTAMBO — is a quaint town of Inca foundation with remarkable water channels, stone streets, colorfully dressed native people and the great Sun Temple on the hilltop.

To finish off, we will head to Pisac drive along the Urubamba River… Our final stop is THE RUINS OF PISAC and THE MARKET. Once there, you will explore the Pisac archaeological park and learn about the powerful Inca Empire. Then we back on road to down to the Pisac town´s traditional market for a brief exposure to all local artisans and their colorful merchandise. After our full day Sacred Valley tour service will end at your hotel in Cusco.

Important Note: Since our day will be very full, we will provide a box lunch instead of stopping at a restaurant for lunch, to cover all the Sacred Valley must-see sites in one single day.