Chinchero Perú Sacred Valley Travel Guide
The Incas referred to it as the birthplace of the rainbow, this typical Andean town combines Inca ruins with beautiful colonial buildings. Chinchero is undoubtedly a must-see place to visit.
Chinchero sits at an elevation of 12,500 feet (3,762 m), 1300 feet (362m) higher than Cusco Chinchero is full of history, Inca architecture, traditions, ruins, ancient archaeological sites, megalithic rock carvings, multicolored markets.
Discover more about this important place in the Sacred Valley of the Incas in Peru.
Chinchero, was a royal estate of the Inca, initially inhabited by local tribes of the place which were conquered by the Incas and joined years later.
Chinchero ruins were almost entirely demolished and modified in the Spanish style during the colonial period.
The climate varies according to the region of Cusco, having two defined seasons, rainy season from November to April and dry season between the months of May to October. With a high temperature of 18.5 degrees Celsius which averages 16 degrees Celsius annually and a low of -6 degrees Celsius with an average of 0 degrees Celsius in a year, rainfall reaches 4533 mm in the year.
What to see in Chinchero?
Chinchero’s main attractions are its colorful Sunday market and the Incan archaeological site but also for its Andean textile interpretation centers which are often visited by many travelers.
Chinchero Market
Chinchero local market is located in a square very close to some archaeological sites and Chinchero ruins.
Visit the colorful local market in the town of Chinchero. This is one of the most traditional markets in all of South America.
The Chinchero market takes place on Tuesdays, Thursdays and especially Sundays, is less touristy than its counterpart in Pisac, in ancient times the Chinchero market was more local than touristic, people from different local communities would gather to exchange their products, such as alpaca garments for potatoes, quinoa and corn.
The current market of Chinchero is smaller than that of Pisac, however, it still keeps that tradition alive for its thousands of visitors.
The market is simultaneously traditional and you can see locals negotiating for goods and buying clothes as well as wooden colonial style paintings, you’ll find a good supply of handicrafts, especially textiles.
Chinchero weaving demonstration
This area is famous for weaving and you will see talented women weavers demonstrating the process in a local workshop using ancient Inca techniques, such as the use of the “Away” and the “Loom” and use products such as sheep wool, alpaca and baby alpaca for their confection. The technique is complex and well worth a visit.
The quality of its production is recognized all over the world and brings thousands of foreign visitors during the year. The family uses handlooms to make beautiful textiles, handbags, bags, tapestries and textiles in general. Everything is carefully hand-made, no one leaves without taking one of the colorful, graceful and well-decorated garments that are displayed there.
Chinchero Church
From the 16th century, this small and somewhat dark church is a jewel of colonial art. The walls and ceiling are entirely painted; the large wooden door is finely carved with a large number of biblical scenes, the interior, decked out in merry floral and religious designs, is well worth seeing.
The entire church was built using as foundations the finely carved limestone stones that belonged once to a great Inca palace.
It was in the 1960s that the Inca palace was discovered under the Catholic church.
Today the church of Chinchero is visited by tourists although it is not covered in the tourist ticket, it is usually open for free to tourists in the mornings.
Chinchero Local Museum
The museum exhibits objects found in the excavations of the area such as ceramics, lithic material and bone remains. In addition to colonial paintings from the XVII and XVIII centuries. Located in the Plaza de Armas in the district of Chinchero, province of Urubamba, this museum has two large rooms. At the entrance you can see archaeological pieces obtained in the area (utilitarian ceramics, metals, bone remains, metal instruments, stone objects, mortars for grinding grains and plants, among others), as well as photographs and a huge stone block carved in the shape of a puma.
Chinchero Poc Poc Waterfall
The Poc Poc waterfall is located only 2 kilometers from the archaeological site of Chinchero in the Urubamba province in the Sacred Valley.
If you are visiting Chinchero on your own don’t miss this option of a short hike to the waterfalls of Chinchero.
The Poc Poc waterfall is not well known to tourists mostly by locals, one of the reasons why you should visit Poc Poc is because it is connected to an Inca trail that goes down to the Urubamba Valley and leads to the town of Ollantaytambo.
Make the hike to the falls an opportunity to take time out of everyday life and immerse yourself completely in the tranquility of Chinchero’s poc poc waterfall, and the natural ecosystem.
Chinchero and Sacred Valley Tour
How to get to the Chinchero Archeological Site
If you are thinking of going on tours to Cusco and Machu Picchu, you must not miss your visit to the Sacred Valley of the Incas and discover Chinchero.
We will explain the service offered by most of the authorized tours. We will also share everything you will be able to see and do during the experience.
Spend a beautiful day taking our Sacred Valley Classic Tour – This fantastic day trip to the Sacred Valley of the Incas is one of the most popular tours among Cusco and Peru tours. This wonderful full day Sacred Valley experience is perfect for those who want to visit the best aspects of the Sacred Valley, and is visited by many tourists before their trip continues to Machu Picchu, which is a great introduction to Inca history, or this tour can be done after Machu Picchu as well. Also, this amazing tour can be extended to Machu Picchu Train tour or any Trek for the full Cusco experience.
Our classic excursion to the Sacred Valley starts at 7:30 in the morning, to beat the crowds. Our English-speaking guide will pick you up in the lobby of your hotel. We will start the day traveling in a private vehicle from Cusco along the road that winds around the mountains towards the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Learn more at the following link…
