Sacred Valley Tour with Moray and Salt Mines Included!

Day 1: Sacred Valley Of The Incas (Pisac + Moray + Maras + Salt Mines + Ollantaytambo)

Our tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas begins at 7:30am. We have our first stop only 30 minutes outside of the city in a camelid farm. Here we can pet and take pictures with various camelids including llamas, alpacas, guanacos and vicunas. The farm also has a live demonstration of the dyeing and weaving process of original Peruvian textiles. Additionally, you can visit the museum and souvenir shop, where can buy all kinds of textiles including those made from the super exclusive and luxurious vicuna, which is a highly protected species and can only be sold with a certification of trade and authentication.

**We recommend that you eat breakfast in your hotel in Cusco before departure, it will be a while before your next meal.

Mirador of Toray and Pisac Archeological site

Above the town of Pisac, is the stunning Mirador of Toray with panoramic views of the Urubamba River and the imposing mountain peaks including the highest peak in Southern Peru, the great Ausangate Mountain(6,384m/20,945ft).

Next, we drive to the entrance of the archeological site of Pisac, which overlooks the town. The Sacred Valley was agriculturally important to the Incas and still plays a major role in the sustenance of the Cusco region. The site is made up of ceremonial spaces, water irrigation channels, farming terraces and food houses right at the top. You also come across the biggest Inca cemetery with over 2000 tombs decorating the mountain side.

Town of Coya, Calca and Urubamba

We drive through the small indigenous towns of Coya and Calca before stopping in the commercial town of Urubamba for a delectable buffet lunch. The restaurant has an impressive spread and is vegan and vegetarian friendly. There is a variety of fresh vegetables, salads, protein dishes, desserts, a selection of teas and coffee. (Lunch is not included)

Maras (Greenhouse of the Incas)

After lunch, we continue our journey to the colonial town of Maras, walking downhill to the Pre-Inca Salt Mines. At the top of the hill are salt streams that pour water into the thousands of pools on the side of the mountain. Once full the streams are blocked off and the water is allowed to evaporate leaving behind salt that is then extracted for personal and agricultural use. Above 600+ local families have full rights to these pools. This is has been their ancestral way of life Pre-Inca and is a strong and important tradition that´s been passed on from one generation to the next. This is Peru´s main salt supply, supplying over 90% of the country with salt.

Moray Salt Mines

Later, we visit Moray, which was an experimental farming site built in the form of an amphitheater with different temperatures at each level to grow different types of crops. These levels of terraces were carved before the Incas took control of the Sacred Valley. Then the Incas used it for their experimental farming, to research optimal growing conditions for their crops. The Incas also brought in different soil samples from other regions, in order to optimize their research. The locals were still using it for growing their crops until the Peruvian government decided to preserve and protect it for tourism in the 1970s.

Archeological site in Ollantaytambo

Finally, we drive to Ollantaytambo to explore this quaint Inca village and the amazing Inca Ruins on the hilltop hovering above the town. These ruins are where the Incas fought their last battle with the Spanish conquerors before they had to retreat and flee into the dense jungle. Most of the structures were unfortunately incomplete or destroyed by the intense battle. There is a section with a number of boulders that were carved but didn’t make it to their destination. We stop here to learn the fascinating history of the final days of the Inca Empire. To end the day we settle down and watch the sunset over the valley.

We then drive back in our private van to Cusco, arriving at your hotel at around 6:30 pm.

• Please Note: It’s possible to end the tour in Ollantaytambo and the price will be the same.