South & Central America

Sacred Valley of the Incas

The Urubamba Valley or ‘The Sacred Valley of the Incas’ is a large area of immense cultural interest and importance just outside of Cusco.  At Sacsayhuaman, the first archaeological side you come to, it is the sheer size of the blocks of rock that the Incas carved and used in their construction that is so remarkable with some blocks weighing almost 130 tons and yet they still managed to fit them together with absolute precision. There are three great walls running parallel for over 360 metres with 21 bastions along the way, so it was originally thought to be a huge fortress, but modern thinking suggests that in fact this is a temple to the Sun, where an altar of solid rock is approached by broad steps and the zig zags appear to be chicha (maize beer) grooves which the liquid flowed down during festivals. Priests graves have also been discovered here, which is another clue to its original purpose.

As you head further down into the valley the little town of Pisac is one of the first main towns you come to and where you can enjoy the fabulously vibrant and colourful market (daily, but main days are Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday).

Just outside Pisac the labyrinth of cultivation terraces is impressive enough and shows the great care which the Incas devoted to their system of agriculture and irrigation, but the ruins themselves are fascinating. The Pisaqa is the first group of buildings you come to with its beautiful curving wall, but the Intihuatana temples and rock outcrops are magnificent and were an important astronomic observatory for the Incas. Here you see the Reloj Solar (Sun Clock); palaces of the moon and stars; the baths and water channels and the solstice marker, which played a significant role in their lives. The military area can also be seen as well as Kanchicaray, which is where the agricultural workers lived.

The spectacular Inca ruins and terraces behind the little town of Ollantaytambo are an impressive sight and one not to be missed.  The Bano de la Lusta (Bath of the Princess), the temple observatory of Inca Misanca and the irrigation canals cut out of the sheer rock face are fascinating. The huge flights of terraces that follow the contours of the rocks overlooking the Urubamba were successfully defended by the Inca warriors against Hernando Pizarro in 1536 and were shortly after turned into fortress walls, which are still clearly visible today.

Other archaeological sites of interest just nearby include Qenqo with its lovely temple and amphitheatre; the water shrine of Tambomachay and the old fort and lodgings of Puca Pucara.

Our preferred hotels include:

Sol y Luna
Casa Andina Private Collection
Posadas del Inca Yucay