In this guide, you will find a lot of experiences, places, and ideas to visit Sacred Valley, Peru... off-guide, slow, and by yourself. 

Off-guide ideas to visit Sacred Valley, Peru

Why go to the Sacred Valley of the Incas?

The Sacred Valley has a magical name. The word “sacred” tells us that something should be respected and not offended. The sacred also refers to the divinities, the contact with the superior, with the sky...

In the Inca vision, there were three types of worlds. The underworld (represented by a snake), the underworld (a puma), and the divine world (the hawk). These three combine perfectly in the Sacred Valley.

When you visit the Sacred Valley there is an energy that catches you, that makes you fall in love, that reconnects you with yourself. It is a perfect place for internal healing, for connection with the divine, to let go of the past and return to the roots.

Here Pachamama (Mother Earth), the Apus (the guardian mountains), Inti (the sun) and Killa (the moon) are venerated. The offerings, the dances, the songs... everything is aimed at honoring the ancestors, the waters, the rains, the crops.

Places off-guide to visit in Sacred Valley of the Incas, Peru

Things to know before traveling to Sacred Valley of the Incas

First, keep in mind that Peru is more than Machu Picchu. Even if you plan to visit the Inca's citadel, you can keep a few more days to enjoy the Sacred Valley and the Imperial City of Cuzco.

The Cuzco area is divided into two seasons: dry and rainy. The first runs from April to October and the second from November to March. That's the theory because sometimes the weather is pretty “crazy.” 

The best way to go outside in this area is to dress in layers. Have warm clothes for the morning, something short-sleeved or lighter for midday and dress warmly again for the afternoon/evening. 

If you arrive directly to Cusco from cities “at 0” like Lima, you may suffer a little from altitude sickness, since here it is 3,400 meters above sea level.

The first days can be somewhat complicated and it is essential to rest, that is, not wanting to go out and do 200 activities a day, because the body takes its toll.

The archaeological site of Ollantaytambo is the main attraction. The best thing about going at your own pace (not in a guided tour) is that you will be able to stay until it closes (at 5 p.m. they close the doors and you can stay until 5:30 p.m. taking photos and walking around). Also after 4 pm, there are almost no tourists. 

It has some cultivation terraces used in the time of the Inkas and also in the mountains it is said that they buried their dead. It opens from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day and you need a tourist ticket to enter.

Just 7 km from Maras, you can go to Moray, an archaeological site characterized by being made up of several circular platforms and is located at 3500 m above sea level. n. m.

As I told you before, Sacred Valley is more than these 4 must places. The good news is that you can get to every town by car or bus.

When the day is sunny you have to be careful because the UV rays are much stronger here (or at least it seems that way to me). So I recommend always going out with a cap or hat and if you have sensitive skin like me, don't forget the sunscreen.

The symptoms of altitude sickness or “soroche” are varied, such as headache, dizziness, nausea, stomach pain, fatigue, diarrhea, etc. Maybe you want to sleep for a day straight or maybe you have trouble breathing when you want to climb a ladder. Or you may not experience anything, every body is different.

There are different remedies to overcome altitude sickness. The most “natural” is chewing coca leaves, a typical plant in this area. Another is to drink coca/muña tea that is sold in bags in the market. Or also prepare a coca tea with the leaves of the plant. And the third is to take some pills called “Sorochipills” that you buy at the pharmacy.

Don't trust yourself if one day you feel better, the symptoms may return the next. It is best to continue the treatment for several days. And if you don't feel better, go to the doctor, especially if you are short of breath or can't breathe.

Now that you have some advice and tips for your trip, let's dive into the best places you can visit in Sacred Valley!

The 4 places everybody goes to in Sacred Valley are Ollantaytambo, Pisaq, Maras/Moray, and Chinchero... if you stay longer, I recommend you to visit around the valley. There is a lot more to know!

But, let's start with the "4 must" places:

Many people only go to “Ollanta” to take the train to Aguas Calientes/Machu Picchu. And although it is a super small town, for me it has its charm.

One of the must-sees is to visit the "Barrio Inka", a neighborhood with its stone streets, its walls (the base is original from the time when this civilization lived in the Sacred Valley) and its water channels that are constantly carrying water from the mountain to the city. At times there is a lot of flow and the pedestrian streets are flooded.

Right at the entrance to the archaeological site there is a craft fair with plenty of stalls to buy souvenirs. 

The Plaza de Armas or main square is a must in Ollantaytambo. In the surrounding area there are several restaurants and some days of the week there is a market where you can buy fruits, vegetables, crafts, etc. In turn, one block away is the central market.

Another “walk” is to go along Avenida del Ferrocarril, bordering a river. There are several places, cafes, breweries, ice cream parlors... until you reach the train station and its market.

If you like “quiet” trekking, I recommend that you go up to the Pinkuylluna archaeological site. Admission is free and you can go up from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Access is on Lares Street, just three blocks from the square.

It is a climb of one hour at most if you stop to take photos and make videos. You can see the archaeological site of Ollantaytambo in all its splendor. At the top of the mountain are the remains of the granaries that the Inkas used, now it is an ideal place to take many photos.

The ruins of Pisac or Pisaq are the best known of this town, famous among foreign hippies.  Right at the entrance of the town (there is an orange bridge and a mural that welcomes you) taxis or cars leave to take you to the entrance of the attraction.

Within the town you can go to Plaza Constitución, the main one. On Sundays the fair is set up with all kinds of edible products. One block away, on Intihuatana Street, is the Pisac Artisan Producers Market, with many stalls to buy whatever you want.

At the same time, on Mariscal Castilla street (the same street as the Church in front of the Plaza), there are more craft stalls. I recommend that you go to Horno San Francisco (it is not an exchange or advertising) where they are constantly preparing very delicious and cheap homemade bread. They also sell empanadas, but there were no vegan ones so I didn't buy them.

At the intersection of San Francisco and Grau is the Botanical Garden, with a wide variety of native and medicinal plants, cacti and flowers. It opens from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day and costs 6 soles.

The only highlight that Maras has, and for which it is famous, is its salt mines, where the pink salt that is mostly consumed in the country is extracted (it is bought in the supermarket or the markets). The entrance costs 10 soles and to get there you must take a taxi from the center of the small town.

The Maras salt mine is a good place to learn what the work in the salt mines is like, which is carried out in the dry season, that is, from April to October. When I went the season had not yet started, as it had rained until mid-May. Workers were fixing the pools to begin in a few days.

Moray was possibly an Inca agricultural research center where crop experiments were carried out at different heights. It is said that in Moray the Incas created more than 2,000 varieties of potatoes that are used to make typical Peruvian dishes.

It is one of the largest cities in the Sacred Valley and not as touristy as Ollantayatmbo or Pisac. But it has a lot of charm!

The Plaza de Armas is typical of any town. On one of its sides is the Parish of San Pedro, on another the municipality and on the rest there are various businesses. From one of its streets comes Commerce, a pedestrian street with restaurants, hairdressers and different types of stores.

And from Jirón Palacio street, 100 meters away there are several markets. One of them is the old one (opens from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., it has few stalls but I recommend the juices), another is the model or modern one (closes at 6:00 p.m., it has three floors and you can buy everything). There is also one that sells clothing, backpacks, footwear, etc. All within a 2-block radius.

What if I tell you that there are PLENTY more things to visit en Sacred Valley? Here I share with you places just for people who want experiences off-guides like experts!

Along Mariscal Castilla Avenue you can reach the Cemetery, located in what was formerly the Palace of the Inca Huayna Capac. You can still see part of the original walls from the outside.

Another short walk idea is to go to Berriozabal Avenue. The Seminario ceramics workshop is located there. Admission is free and it is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

There is a very interesting exhibition of pieces from the pre-Inka and Inka era in excellent condition and you can also see some of the works of the Peruvian ceramist Seminario (who lives in that same house). They also have a giftshop and give private ceramics courses.

This picturesque little town with its two squares and its murals, as well as its letters for photos, can be visited in an afternoon or a day without problems.

From the bus terminal, walk along Ucayali Street with its canal in the middle, to enjoy the water coming down the mountain. Two blocks away, turn right onto Simón Bolívar Street, where 100 meters away is the Plaza de Armas, very beautiful with many trees and benches. On the left side of the Plaza (Av Espinar) is the Qasana hotel and around the corner is the Municipality.

Once you go around the block to the square, continue along Simón Bolívar to pass by the Plazoleta María Cámara and in the background the Church of San Pedro. On the other side of the temple is the second square, called Sondor, where the letters with the name of the town and some statues of different personalities are located.

Then you can walk along San Martín de Porres Street, three blocks away is the soccer field and the sports center and if you continue along that street with a boulevard in the middle you reach the cemetery, with its colorful entrance (I didn't go in, but it was open ).

You can also go to Mercado Modelo, which is on Avenida Calca and La Mar (two blocks from the stadium) and walk through its hallways. On the outskirts there are more stalls if you want to buy corn (corn) or oranges, the most abundant.

Along the route and also corresponding to the town of Calca there is a museum called Inkary. The entrance costs 50 soles for foreigners and has different interactive rooms where they show the different civilizations of the area, including the Incas. The rooms have objects like any museum, but in a second room per civilization, a more than realistic representation of the people. It can be visited in approximately one hour.

The jewel of Lares is its hot springs because the town is very small. To get there I took a bus to Calca and then a “car” (a van) to this town.

The hot springs or baths are about 30 minutes from the town square (which has some letters with the name of the place to take photos, the parish, and a couple of businesses). The entrance costs 15 soles for foreigners and in addition to using their pools with hot water, you can stay the night in a cabin for 100 soles a night (for two people).

The pools are at different temperatures, some are very hot, and others are a little more bearable. The place is quite familiar and quiet, there are lockers to leave things although most people leave their belongings on the benches in front of the pools. There was a security girl all the time. On the other side of the pools, crossing a bridge and a river, there is a very quiet path to walk a little.

More places to visit around Sacred Valley

They are quite far from the route (on the way between Urubamba and Ollantaytambo) and to get there you have to walk uphill for about 40 minutes from the bus stop. The entrance to the sanctuary costs 15 soles and depending on the time of year you can see different species of this beautiful little bird. The visit includes a short guide and free time to see the birds approaching their drinkers.

Very close to Ollantaytambo, in the town of Pachar, are these waterfalls, which can be reached by private transportation (taxi from Urubamba costs around 40 soles). Entry to the reserve is free, they only ask you to complete your personal information when entering. It is a beautiful place to stay all morning because in addition to the falls, there are grass areas in case you want to have a picnic.

It is on the side of the road and its main attraction (in addition to being a lagoon surrounded by mountains) is sailing in small self-driven boats. They are rented by the hour and come in different sizes depending on the people who use it.

Additionally, in the restaurants, there are spaces to have a picnic, take photos with sculptures, and also stay overnight in small cabins overlooking the lagoon.

To get there you must walk about 1 hour from the archaeological site of Chinchero. The path is very beautiful, surrounded by trees and large rocks. You will always go downhill (if you return through the same place after visiting the waterfall, be prepared to make your legs work).

The waterfall is impressive, its water flow is strong and if you stay too close you will end up completely wet.

It is known as the 'Rainbow City' because it is common to observe this natural phenomenon on rainy days. In Inca times, it was an important center where the residence palace of the Inca Túpac Yupanqui was located.

At the archaeological site of Chinchero, its platforms and stone constructions draw attention, which keeps the traces left not only by the Incas but also by the cultures that preceded them.

It stands out for its stairs, Inca walls and beautiful platforms where camelids were grazed and the land was cultivated with various products. Ceramic pieces, bone remains and stone works were found there, which are currently exhibited in the Site Museum.

During the Inca era, Chinchero enjoyed great importance due to its fertile land where potatoes were mainly grown. The famous Inca Túpac Yupanqui built his palace there.

With the arrival of the Spanish, Viceroy Toledo ordered the construction of the Church of Our Lady of Monserrat on the Inca palace.

**Please notice that if you want to access to archeological sites of Ollantaytambo, Pisac, Moray, and Chinchero you should buy a tourist Ticket for 1 or 10 days (this one includes attractions in Cusco too). You can buy it at the first archeological site you visit or in the Touristic Office in Av. del Sol in Cusco**

Off-guide ideas to visit Sacred Valley, Peru

Buy to unlock full guide