CUSTOMIZED SACRED VALLEY VACATION PACKAGES

THE SACRED VALLEY ADVENTURE

In the spiritual homeland of the Incas lies the SACRED VALLEY, a landscape of inspirational beauty that draws a steady stream of overawed visitors, where characteristic Andean villages thrive among the ruins of an ancient civilization.

Arriving in this high altitude world, it is easy to understand what lay beneath the ambition and confidence of the Incas, what caused their sense of being a blessed people destined for greatness. In this stunning and fertile environment, the Incas were convinced that they inhabited the center of the world. It was here that their vast empire was born, and eventually died.

The Sacred Valley itself is a stretch of green fields and rocky gorges that follows the path of the Urubamba River as it flows past such important sites as Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu. The valley is dotted with small villages and bustling towns, and is dominated by the ancient capital city of Cuzco which is located nearby.

This is a treasure trove of history, but one which remains very much alive. The region’s unique culture that has developed over thousands of years continues to thrive, and can be experienced in any one of the Sacred Valley’s communities; the famous Pisac market which draws highlanders from far and wide to sell their wares, the attractive towns of Urubamba and Ollantaytambo, or the Quechua speaking village of Chinchero.

And nestled between, sometimes within, these settlements are the clues to a bygone age; the fingerprints of an empire that once dominated the entire Andean mountain range from this very spot. From the world famous Machu Picchu to the fort at Pisac, from the vast mountainside farming terraces that ensured the empire never went hungry to the impressive temples constructed for their elaborate spiritualism, signs of Inca grandeur are everywhere.

Accompanying you on this trip of a lifetime, Peru For Less offers the very best in guided tours, excursions and hotel accommodations, suited for all travel requirements and catering for every budget.

A breath-taking journey to this region steeped in legend is made easy by Peru For Less. We are proud to offer everything you need to build magical memories that will last forever.

SACRED VALLEY FACTS

* The breathtaking valley was dubbed “sacred” by the powerful Incan civilization as its unique geographic location was characterized by distinct climatic qualities that made the area an important spring of natural resources, most especially the production of maize.

* Peru rainforest tribes such as the Antis would occasional raid the highlands, but the Sacred Valley served as a buffer zone for Cuzco, protecting the city from invasions.

* Built upon the original foundations and a two and a half hour drive from Cuzco city, the ruin of Ollantaytambo is the only location to have resisted attacks from the Spanish as the Incas used the immense terraces as a shield from conquistador forces.

* The town of Ollantaytambo, just at the feet of the ruins, remains almost exactly as it was 500 years ago when the Inca’s occupied the area, conserving the irrigation canals and street grid pattern laid out by the ancient civilization.

* The town of Chichero in the center of the Sacred Valley is believed to be the birthplace of the rainbow according to Inca legend and served as a country resort for Inca nobility.

* Today, the official name of the Sacred Valley is the Urubamba valley, which is taken from the name of the river that runs through it.

* The town of Urubamba, which means “flat land of spiders” in the local Quechua dialect, is the largest town in the Sacred Valley.

* Parts of the Sacred Valley are at a much lower altitude than Cuzco City; a visit to the town of Pisac brings you down 600 meters to about 1,970 feet above sea level.