Sacred Valley tours are offered by all international Peru vacation package providers but the adventurous can easily set out alone and see the best of the Sacred Valley on a two day loop.

Inca Ingenuity at Moray, Sacred Valley, Peru. Photograph: Matthew Barker 2009

All of the following attractions can be visited with the universal tourist ticket boleto touristico ($40) which offers entrance to most of Cusco and the Sacred Valley’s sites.

Start from Cusco with a bus from the terminal at Puente Grau. Buses here leave for the main transport hub at Urubamba but don’t continue all the way, ask to be let off at Tiobamba where you’ll be able to catch a taxi to the fascinating Inca site at Moray.

Resembling a series of large amphitheaters, the circular agricultural terraces at Moray were actually an elaborate laboratory which created a series of micro-climates with which the ingenious Incas could determine the optimal growing conditions for all their most important crops, thus ensuring a steady supply of food for the entire empire.

A walk around Moray lasts around an hour, but on-site services are extremely limited – bring water and snacks with you.

Take the return taxi back to the main road at Tiobamba and wait for a passing bus heading on to Urubamba. There’s little reason to stay in town, you can easily switch buses and head straight on for the much more attractive town of Ollantaytambo.

This small village is one of the most picturesque settlements in the Sacred Valley, where cobbled streets and traditionally-built homes give a picture of life which has gone largely unchanged for hundreds of years.

Ollantaytambo is home to an impressive set of Inca ruins but you might want to save these for the following morning. Content yourself with a relaxing walk along the wide, fast flowing River Urubamba. Follow the trails leading up the surrounding hillsides for wonderful views over the town and the ruins.

Spend the evening enjoying the town’s small but bustling nightlife, with a great selection of restaurants and bars to choose from.

The mountainside fortress of Ollantaytambo, Sacred Valley, Peru. Photograph: Matthew Barker 2009

The town’s ruins open to the public at 7am which is a good time to catch the pre-tour crowd. Bilingual guides are available for around 30 soles, which are strongly recommended due to the lack of alternative information around the site.

After a couple of hours walking up and down the steep ruins and enjoying the breathtaking views, head back into town for a bite to eat at Heart’s Cafe, the profits of which go to support local community projects in the surrounding area.

After brunch, catch a bus back to the main terminal at Urubamba and switch buses for another gem, the bustling town of Pisac.

If you can time your trip, arriving in Pisac for midday Sunday will give you a memorable insight into rural Peruvian life with a massive, frenetic market where all the region’s produce goes on sale.

Stalls offering produce as diverse as coca leaves, live guinea pigs, fruits, vegetables and all kinds of meat compete with more tourist friendly stalls laden with souvenirs and holiday gifts.

Spend an hour or so exploring the enormous market before catching a taxi to the top of Pisac’s ruins, an enormous complex comprised of Incan and pre-Incan constructions, vast agricultural terraces, mountainside tunnels and temples.

Once again, a guide is recommended and give yourself at least three hours to explore the entire site.

Heading back into town, those with a strong constitution can try a glass of the local tipple, chicha, which is created by chewing and spitting corn kernels into vats for fermentation. Chicha is available from rustic outlets, usually someone’s kitchen, look out for a red flag at the front door and be prepared for lots of inquisitive attention from the locals!

If you can’t wait, have a late lunch in Pisac or else catch a direct bus back to Cusco, which should take around one hour. Settle back in to your Cusco hotel and relax after your two day adventure in the Sacred Valley!

“We returned on Tuesday evening from our wonderful trip.  Thanks for all the help in planning it and all the decisions you helped us make.  The guides were wonderful, especially Rodrigo in Quito and Ronnie for the Sacred Valley.  Ronnie was really good, informative, great sense of humor and very knowledgeable.  Miguel in Lima was also good and very helpful!

“The boat, the Galapagos Legend was great, very well managed and organized and we were constantly in awe of what we saw and the experiences we had.

“Machu Picchu was so amazing, even with all the pictures we had seen, we were not prepared for the sheer wonder of it all.

Mr Bromberg's group enjoy the view at Machu Picchu, Peru

“Everything went like clockwork, all was very well planned and organized and great choices were made by you for us.  Everyone was lovely, kind and very helpful!

“In fact everyone we met was wonderful, eager to help, tell us about their country and make us feel at home.  It was a wonderful, once in a life time trip!”

Occurring on the Winter Solstice of the Southern Hemisphere, the celebration brings together thousands of worshipers from Peru who join those travelers fortunate enough to time their Peru vacations with this ancient Inca ceremony with roots dating as far back as the 13th century.

Festivities at the Peru's sun god festival, Inti Raymi

Considered the most important ceremony of the Inca Empire, the rituals that take place during the event are re-created thanks to the oral histories and memories of local people which have kept the traditions alive for centuries.

The Inca religion, which is focused on a worship of nature, saw the sun as the most important aspect of daily life. Though he was second in importance to Viracocha, the creator of civilization, Inti the Sun God received the most offerings–most especially from farmers who depended on the sun for their harvest. The ruler of the Inca people, Sapa Inca, claimed divine heritage as a direct descendant of Inti.

This devotion and faith to the deity led to the creation of Inti Raymi, which means “resurrection of the sun” in Quechua. Back then, preparation for the festival began with a fast of three days. People fasted from nourishment, as well as refrained from sexual activities and were also not allowed to light fires.

Preparations were carried out in Aucaypata Square, which today is located in Cusco’s main square and was larger than it is today. Inca priests and nobility gathered here, all dressed in their most elegant-wear. Once the sun arrived–a special representation consisting of a golden sculpture–Sapa Inca offered two golden tumblers. Right afterwards, he, the priests and spectators made their way to Qorikancha and called for the blessings of the sun god with yet more offerings.

They then made their way back to the square for the ceremony in which they sacrificed a llama. Today the sacrifice is only simulated, but then, the High Priest had to kill the completely black or white llama by using the ceremonial knife known as “Tumi”. Things got a little gory then when the priest had to open the animal’s chest and pull out its heart and viscera. He then foretold the future by looking at these entrails before lighting a sacred fire. His fellow priests would continue the ceremony by offering Sanqhu–a holy bread–made of corn flower and blood from the sacrificed animal.

The ceremony marked the end of the year and the beginning of the new one. And so began the celebration and feast, where attendees drank, danced and reveled for several days.

With the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores, Inca traditions and practices were quickly repressed and the Inti Raymi celebrations were outlawed by the Viceroy of Francisco de Toledo who decreed them to be pagan and contrary to the Catholic religion. The last festival with the Inca Emperor’s presence was in 1535.

Today, the celebration itself is a one-day event held on the day of the winter solstice, according to the Pacha Unachaq–the sundial used by the Incas. However the days leading up to and after this special day are filled with events such as street fairs, concerts, exhibitions and more, all in Cusco city. The big day falls on the 24th for Inti Raymi which is considered the second biggest festival in Latin America, trailing right behind Rio’s Carnival.

The view from Sacsayhuamán at the Inti Raymi festival, Peru

For the past half century, the festival hasn’t taken place in its original location in Cusco’s main square, but at the archaeological complex of Sacsayhuamán (Sacred House of the Sun) located a few minutes away from the city center. Thousands come to witness the ceremony, and more than 500 actors take part in the reenactment of the rituals.

Once all spectators have reached the Sacsayhuamán fortress and Sapa Inca has made his way from Qorikancha to the hilltop, the nobility, priests and of course, Sapa Inca, all give speeches in the native language of the Incas, Quechua. The ceremony ends with a procession back to Cusco, where Sapa Inca and his wife and sister, Mama Occla, are carried back down on their thrones, proclaiming the beginning of the new year.

Here are some things to keep in mind if you plan to make it to next year’s Inti Raymi festival:

The festival is an all-day event, with at least five hours spent at Sacsayhuamán. Entry is free and you’re able to rent chairs, but if you want a reserved seat, you must do so in advance.

This article by Peru For Less’ Diana Olano originally appeared on the Living In Peru website: www.livinginperu.com

The immense popularity of the Inca Trail has meant that the daily quota of trekkers now has to be limited; an essential measure to ensure that damage is not caused by potentially thousands of trampling feet a day.

Thankfully the trail is just one of hundreds of spectacular trekking options that a Peru vacation has to offer. Below are some of the fabulous treks that are not only alternative options for those who aren’t able to book a place on the Inca Trail, but fantastic experiences in their own right:

Lares Trek, alternatives to the Inca Trail, Peru

Lares
Not far from the Sacred Valley is a wonderful multi-day trek: The Lares Trail. This trail runs through the Lares valley which is scattered with traditional rural settlements against the backdrop of spectacular mountain scenery. Herds of llamas and alpacas surround the thatched stone houses, the inhabitants of which don traditional ponchos in bright and vibrant colours and rear guinea pigs that scamper freely between houses.
As such, trekkers can experience a remote and rarely visited region that gives an insight into the real lives of the Andean farmer who continue their profession much in the same way as has been practiced for centuries.
The trek itself is rated at moderate difficulty- similar to the Inca Trail. There are, however, two passes over 4000 meters above sea level, so it is essential that you are well acclimatized to the altitude before starting the trek.
After completing the Lares trail, Machu Picchu is easily accessible by train and there are also several options to return to Cusco.

Choquequirao
Moving further away from the sacred valley area but still within reach of Cusco, a trek to the ruins of Choquequirao is another most invigorating experience for those enthused by Inca history.

The 5 day trek can be tough to complete but the effort is well worth it: it glides along ridges and bridges high above the raging Apurimac river, ventures through a variety of ecosystems yet remains far below the snow capped Vilcabamba mountain range.

The pinnacle of the hike lands on the second day when time can be taken to explore the ruins of Choquequiro. This is considered to be a sister site to Machu Picchu in that it appears to have built by the Incas for very similar religious, political and agricultural purposes. The ruins are complete with a central plaza and ritual temples while agricultural works such as terracing, aqueducts and canals are still in good condition. There is a big difference between the two sites in 2009 however – while MP is revelled by thousands of tourists a day, Choquequirao sees few visitors and can still be enjoyed in relative peace. This means that trekkers can get a sense of discovering and exploring a ruin still untouched by mass tourism.

Salkantay trek, alternatives to the Inca Trail alternative, Peru

Salkantay
For those who like adventure, the Salkantay trek could be considered the most exciting route leading to Machu Picchu. Making its way around the imperious Mount Salkantay, it is an absolute feast for the senses of natural wonder. The remote path winds through an amazing variety of landscapes and habitats varying from green, rich valleys full of blossoming forests and trees of different species, to highland fields and glacial moraines flanked by steep rocky and icy peaks of impressive beauty. The trek can be done anytime of the year, but the best time is from April to December. Machu Picchu is within easy reach after completing the trek.

Ausangate trek, alternatives to the Inca Trail, Peru

Ausangate
Another mountainous trek, the Ausangate loop begins an 8 hour truck ride away from Cusco in the village of Tinqui. From here, the 5 day route traverses through valleys and past mountains, even passing just metres from glacial lakes that range in colour from midnight to sky blue.  At one point the tongue of the glacier reaches to within walking distance of the route – an enticing opportunity to explore the extensive system of ice caves contained within. Llamas and alpacas roam free along the trail and even their rare Vicuña cousins can be spotted from a distance.
It is a good idea to visit Cusco and Machu Picchu before attempting this trek in order to acclimatise to the altitude.

Vilcabamba
When Hiram Bingham was first shown the way to Machu Picchu by locals he thought he had found the Inca stronghold of Vilcabamba, where for 40 years the Inca dynasty repelled the attempts of Spanish conquistadores to destroy them. His guess was inaccurate, however, and historians now believe that the real Vilcabamba is located deeper into the jungle at a site that Bingham had in fact dismissed months before he first visited Machu Picchu.

Treks to the ‘real’ Vilcabamba are now in operation and the seven day hike is something of an exotic adventure. The majority of the trail leads through humid and tropical rainforest that is animated with colourful plants and wildlife while at times it can venture out into lush green countryside beneath snow capped peaks. All along the way remnants of the Inca Empire can be noticed – an Inca Trail towards their last seat of power.

The ruins are mostly overgrown with vines but this only adds to an authentic experience of exploring a site that is still shrouded by the mystery of its past and engulfed by dark forest. Many Inca buildings such as temples and palaces lie amidst this wild jungle, and further inspection of the site reveals a much more extensive city. It remains unknown just how far this extends and the prospect of new discoveries attracts many an historian, archaeologist and adventurer.

Huaraz
Those who concentrate on the Cusco and Sacred Valley Area risk missing out on some of the best trekking routes in the country. From the northern town of Huaraz arguably the most outstanding views in the entire Andes can be accessed. 7 hours journey by bus from Lima, Huaraz is nestled deep in the Cordilleras Blancas and is surrounded by towering and precipitous peaks. Amongst these is the mighty Huascarán, the highest mountain in Peru.
Numerous trekking operators are based in Huaraz, and they offer breathtaking hikes through the mountain terrain. Route options include: El Mirador from where Huascarán can be spotted; the Pitec Trail to Laguna Churup which leads to a pristine and crystal clear lake with glimmering reflections; and the popular Llanganuco to Santa Cruz loop which passes underneath 12 peaks that reach over 19,000 feet.  Trekking in the region can be tough but panoramic views of crisp and isolated mountain peaks will be compensation enough for tired legs.

Colca Canyon, alternatives to the Inca Trail, Peru

Colca Canyon
Only a few hours from the city of Arequipa is one of the greatest natural treasures of southern Peru: The Colca Canyon.  Famous for its stunning views, relaxing hot springs and excellent Condor lookout platforms, the Colca Canyon is a special gem usually bypassed by many travellers to the Arequipa region. The massive variety available in a trek of just a few days is what makes this trail a hiker’s favourite.  Most guided trips offer the option of a 2 to 5 day trek, some trails of which take hikers from snow-capped mountain peaks that tower over two miles (16,000 ft) high to the base of the world’s deepest canyon and then through the magical Valley of Volcanoes, where more than 80 volcanoes can be found! Additionally, the less intensive trails are great altitude training for those continuing onto treks in far northern Cuzco, minus the trailhead bottleneck and crowded campsites.