Sacred Valley
The Sacred Valley of the Incas was undoubtedly a key area of settlement to the Incas. Its agreeable climate and fertile plains make a rare and fruitful combination for the high Andes. It was also the route to the jungle and therefore an area with access to the fruits and plants of the tropical lowlands. Today the Sacred Valley remains a lush agricultural region supplying the city of Cusco with much of its produce such as maize, fruit and vegetables. The Sacred Valley also holds two of the most important handicraft markets of Cusco: Pisac and Chinchero.
History
The Sacred Valley, named Yucay by the Incas, one of the most fertile of Peru:, served as a buffer zone, protecting Cusco from incursions of the Antis, the fierce jungle tribes who from time to time raided the highlands. The plains, slopes and mountains that form the Cusco valley, was product of a great tectonic upheaval that defines the profiles of the mountainous territory of the Andes. Later, the valley became the bed of a gigantic glacial lake, that when it emptied toward the south, left a fertile land for those who would later occupy this territory. Successive cultures occupied the valley, and archaeology knows them as the Markavalli or the Chanapata, whereas history refers to the descendants of these as Alcavisas, Wallas or Sawasiras.
In any case they were tribes that had developed a great social organization, based on the principles of solidarity and the respect to their elders. They had a profound control of the territory based on their ancient knowledge of ecology and the harmonic interactions between living beings and their surroundings. They had also developed a certain economic stability based on the old tradition of shared work (THE AYNI). The Wari, the first political PAN-ANDEAN organization, on the verge to becoming a true empire, saw the importance of the Cusco valley. They built a great city 30 kilometers to the east, known today as Pikillaqta
One-day tour
one-day tour includes a visit to the market at Pisac, a stop for lunch in Urubamba, a visit to the beautiful Inca village and fortress of Ollantaytambo and a quick stop at the quechua village of Chinchero on the way back to Cusco. Alternatively you can also visit the Sacred Valley on your own, travelling by local bus. It can be quite tiring to try and see Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Chinchero all in one day by local transport
Pisac
Most people visit Pisac to see the market on Sunday, but there are smaller markets on both Tuesday and Thursday. However Pisac is a pretty village and has plenty of small handicraft shops and is worth a visit on any day of the week. There are local buses departing from Cusco every 15 minutes for the one hour ride to Pisac village. Local buses cost about US$1 each way. A taxi can be hired for about US$10 each way. There is no public transport up to the ruins. You can either hike up, starting from the plaza (allow two hours round trip). Alternatively you can negotiate with a local taxi driver to take you there (about 20 minutes following a long winding road) and either return by taxi or walk down hill to the plaza. (A local taxi costs approximately US$5 each way)
Pisac Ruins
The citadel, now in ruins, controlled a route which connected the Inca Empire with Paucartambo, on the border of the eastern jungles. Set high above a valley floor patchworked by patterned fields and rimmed by vast terracing, the stonework and panoramas at Pisac's Inca citadel are magnificent. Terraces, water ducts and steps have been cut out of solid rock, and in the upper sector of the ruins, the main Sun Temple is equal of anything at Machu Picchu. Above the temple lie still more ruins, mostly unexcavated, and among the higher crevices and rocky overhangs several ancient burial sites are hidden
Pisac Village and Market
Modern Pisac is a picturesque Andean Village, typical except for the huge, spreading pisonary tree that dominates the central square. The village is best known for its Sunday market, which draws hundreds of tourists each week. In spite of its popularity the market retains much of its local charm, at least in the part where villagers from miles around gather to barter and sell their produce. In the tourist section of the market you can buy a wide variety of handicrafts - mostly the same things you see in Cusco. Many of the guide books state that handicrafts are cheaper than Cusco but in recent years I haven't noticed much difference in price. My advice is if you like something in Cusco, buy it! And likewise in Pisac. Don't wait around hoping you'll find it a few dollars cheaper elsewhere. Pisac is a good place to buy the local ceramics including a huge and varied collection of hand-painted multi-colored beads. There are smaller markets in Pisac on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Urubamba
Few places in the Tahuantinsuyo could compete against the beauty and wealthy of this valley, for this reason it received that name. Its character of "sacred" has survived the pass of the time and that magic continues seducing the visitors.
Under the shadow of the eucalyptus the Sacred Valley has become one of the most important tourist centres in the country. Apart from the incomparable historic wealth, the area of Urubamba offers infinitive possibilities to enjoy for the tourist: trekking, thermal baths, rafts or kayaks rides, paragliding or hang gliding, horsing, climbing, etc.
Geographic Location
2871 m.a.s.l. It is a town of Inca origin at 76 km far from Cusco by Pisac, and at 57 km (45 minutes) by Chinchero.It is located at 15 km to the North of Cusco. It is at 27km (1 hour) to the Northeast of Cusco and you can get there through an asphalted road in good conditions.
It is possible to get there by two asphalted roads: the first one is the most used leaving from Cusco by Chinchero (28km) to Urubamba (57 km).The second important road leaves from Cusco to the northeast towards Pisac (32 km) going next to the Vilcanota River up to the village of Calca (50 km) exactly in the heart of the valley. The first route is the most used due to its excellent conditions.
In the valley, there are a series of picturesque towns (some of them has beautiful colonial churches), terraces and other archaeological remains, as well as the most famous corn in the world.
Among the tourist activities we have the andinism practised in the snowy peaks of Chicon, Vtkav Willca (also known as Puma Sillo or Veronica), Piturisay, Sawasiray, Terijway and Sunchobamba (all of them are tops of the the chain of mountains of the Vilcanota up to 5000 meters high), trekking, rafting (along Pisac, Calca, Huaran, Ollantaytambo), horsing and mountain riding. In the town along the valley there are numerous hotels and restaurants of typical food. We recommend spending the night in one of them.
Climate
It is at 2800 m.a.s.l.. Its climate is not so severe. As in any other place on this altitude, its climate has two seasons: rainy and dry season. Rainy season is between November and April. The heavy rain may fall suddenly and unfortunately we can not always enjoy a blue sky. But rainy season has its advantages as the hills are covered with thick grass and it is warm.
During dry season the colors of the sky are brilliant but air is dry so the skin seem to break. Generally nights are cold and it can be freezing at dawn. The sky full of stars becomes a real show this time. Talking about its climate, the Sacred Valley is the perfect place. The ancient Peruvians realized that so they came here to get cure from their diseases. Despite of reaching high temperatures and being in an area full of vegetation, there are not mosquitoes in this valley due to its altitude. Besides, we hardly get hot as there is always cool air.
The road
Following the route you will arrive at San Cristobal, and if you have time you can visit the church and admire the most popular protecting saints in Cusco. The road to the Sacred Valley is the same to go to Sacsayhuaman so if you desire and have time you could also visit the ruins of this complex: Quenco, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay.
The amazing detail of the road is that leaving Cusco means going up to the mountains surrounding Cusco so you will admire the most impressive sights of the city, especially at sunset and sunrise. If light and time are favorable, you can take magnificent photos. From these points it is possible to admire the layout of the city carefully. When days are clear, the contrast between the red roofs and the blue sky is spectacular.
The belvedere of Taray
It is the first place from where we really admire the valley. Its landscape, as it is usual in Cusco, amazes the traveler who after long curves and ups will suddenly discover the hills and the entire valley. The Vilcanota or Urubamba river is running down there. From this belvedere you can take excellent photographs. We can usually find some children waiting the arrivals of tourists anxiously in order to offer them the brochures that "they make by themselves" and they are very proud of them. The path continues and if we are lucky we could admire the snowy peaks of Huancalle and Pitusiray.
Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo is an attractive little town located at the western end of the Sacred Valley (about two and a half hours by bus from Cusco). The town has been built on top of original Inca foundations and is the best surviving example of Inca town planning. The town is divided in canchas (blocks) which are almost entirely intact. Each cancha has only one entrance (usually a huge stone doorway) which leads into a central courtyard. The houses surround the courtyard. Good examples of this construction can be found behind the main plaza.
After Manco Inca was defeated by the Spanish at Sacsayhuaman following the unsuccessful siege of Cusco (1536) he retreated to Ollantaytambo. Francisco Pizarro's younger brother Hernando led a force of 70 cavalry, 30 foot soldiers and a large contingent of natives to capture Manco Inca. The Inca's forces, joined by neighboring jungle tribes, rained down showers of arrows, spears and rocks upon the unfortunate Spanish troops. In an intelligent move the Inca's flooded the plains below their stronghold making it difficult for the horses to maneuver. Hernando, uncharacteristically, ordered a hasty retreat. Ollantaytambo became the only place ever to have resisted attacks from the Spanish.
The town is located at the foot of some spectacular Inca ruins (entrance with the Tourist Ticket 'Boleto Turistico') which protected the strategic entrance to the lower Urubamba Valley. The temple area is at the top of steep terracing which helped to provide excellent defenses. Stone used for these buildings was brought from a quarry high up on the opposite side of the Urubamba river - an incredible feat involving the efforts of thousands of workers. The complex was still under construction at the time of the conquest and was never completed.
However, their victory was short-lived when the Spanish returned with four times their previous force. Manco Inca retreated to his jungle stronghold in Vilcabamba and Ollantaytambo fell into the hands of the Spanish.
Chinchero
Chinchero is a small Andean Indian village located high up on the windswept plains of Anta at 3762m about 30km from Cusco. There are beautiful views overlooking the Sacred Valley of the Incas, with the Cordillera Vilcabamba and the snow-capped peak of Salkantay dominating the western horizon. Chinchero is believed to be the mythical birthplace of the rainbow. Its major claim to tourism is its colourful Sunday market which is much less tourist-orientated than the market at Pisac.
In the main plaza an adobe colonial church, dating from the early seventeenth century, has been built upon the foundations of an Inca temple or palace. The ceiling and walls are covered in beautiful floral and religious designs. The church is open on Sundays for mass.Half an hour's walk from the village brings you to Lake Piuri which once fed Cusco with water. It takes about 3 hours to walk around the lake passing through small picturesque villages.
