Classic Sacred Valley day tour

Our Sacred Valley day tour is one of the most popular tours in Peru.

This trip includes all the best places to visit.

Sacred Valley day tour highlights include:

• Pisac

• Ollantaytambo

• Weavers at Chinchero

• Alpaca farm

• Urubamba

Lasting a full day, you enjoy the beautiful scenery and immerse yourself in the Inca and pre-Inca cultures. You’ll learn how the Sacred Valley was a crucial cog in the Inca Empire and how it served as a spiritual and agricultural center.

We show you the best markets where you can see the mind-boggling variety of food this area produces. We see traditional crafts practiced alongside modern ones as we tour the valley.

The Sacred Valley is situated at around 3,000m/9,800ft, lower than Cusco, and makes an ideal day trip while acclimatizing to the altitude. It’s also perfect before traveling to Machu Picchu.

This tour highlights all the best of the Sacred Valley in one day. Don’t forget to read our FAQs, covering altitude, money, and more.

Sacred Valley day tour itinerary

Our driver picks you up at 8 am from your hotel (Cusco or the Sacred Valley).

From Cusco or the Sacred Valley, there is a 45-minute drive through beautiful mountains and farmlands to Awanacancha. This is a farm where we can see and feed llamas, alpacas and vicuñas and even take selfies with them!

Pisac market and ruins

Next up is Pisac – and it’s not just the market to see – there are majestic ruins at Pisac. We see terraced Inca ruins situated high on a mountain. From here, we climb to the top of the ruins and take in amazing views of the Sacred Valley. Your guide can explain the religious, astronomical, and military functions of these ruins at Pisac.

After visiting the Inca ruins, there will be a chance to hike on a little-known, seldom-used original Inca trail and through a tunnel that the Incas built. One of the largest Inca cemeteries is also located in the ruins at Pisac, and we can tour this part of the site, too.

Urubamba market

Next, we drive to Urubamba, about an hour away, and have lunch at a local restaurant.

After lunch, we go to the local market in Urubamba. Here, local families sell fruits, vegetables, flowers, and natural medicinal plants. Your guide takes you to the market, where you can taste Peruvian fruits and foods such as passion fruit, lucuma, and chirimoya.

We also learn about the ingredients needed to make chicha, a corn beer that has been an essential part of Peruvian culture since Inca times.

Ollantaytambo

We will then drive for 30 minutes to visit the Inca ruins at Ollantaytambo.

Ollantaytambo is one of the best-preserved Inca towns in all of Peru. Many of the original 15th-century buildings are still standing. Ollantaytambo was an important town—it was home to the Inca emperor Pachacutec—and was the base for military victories against the Spanish.

Today, we explore the exquisite terracing, fountains, aqueducts, and ruins that surround the town. A highlight is Temple Hill with its Sun Temple and the impressive Wall of the Six Monoliths. The Pinkuylluna Inca storehouses are also spectacular.

If your hotel is in Cusco, we stop at Chinchero on the way back to visit the women's weaving cooperative.

Centro de Textiles Tradicionales del Cusco

In Chinchero, we visit the women's weaving cooperative to watch a demonstration by local weavers. They use traditional Inca techniques for dyeing fabric and for weaving traditional patterns. The local community has used its internationally-renowned weaving skills to regenerate the village.

There is time to browse in the shop, where the items you’ve seen being made are sold. This is a great place to get souvenirs, including Inca-style purses, colorful tablecloths, wall hangings, and many other exquisitely patterned artisanal goods.

We drive you back to your hotel in Cusco, and the tour ends.

What’s included?

Private driver & private guide

What’s not included?

Lunch, Boleto turistico: (130 soles-$40 covers entrance to Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero, Moray, multiple museums in Cusco, & Sacsayhuaman)