Cusco, the most important pre-Columbian metropolis on the continent, is the depository and inheritor of a cultural tradition, developed throughout the Peruvian territory since 18 thousand years before Christ. It is a living museum where the greatness of ancient times is still perceived in its atmosphere. To make a complete description or interpretation of Cusco and its privileged inhabitants would be a gigantic work of hundreds and even thousands of volumes. It is that fate has rewarded this "Navel of the World" with a privileged and excellent quality of nature, geography and people; capable of having developed one of the most advanced civilizations for its time.
ITINERARY:
DAY 01 (SACRED VALLEY OF THE INKAS – OLLANTAYTAMBO – AGUAS CALIENTES):
We pick you up from your hotel in our private transport (7:00 hrs.), And then start with our guided visit to the Sacred Valley of the Incas; We will spend most of our tour around the Vilcanota River and enjoying the panoramic view of this magical place. The places to visit are:
- Chinchero, it will be the first archaeological center to visit, it is located northwest of the city of Cusco, over 3762 meters above sea level. Chinchero, the most typical population of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, is a distinctly Inca town that the ambitious conquerors wanted to civilize in order to implant their culture, but never fully achieved it. Its inhabitants inhabit almost intact Inca constructions, in the same place where their ancestors lived and formed the largest and most prosperous civilization in America. Chinchero has a rich monumental and cultural heritage. It is one of the few places that conserves the Inca urban layout in a visible way. The remains of the Inca palace, the colonial church built on a stone base, its impeccable terraces and a colorful Sunday fair are its main attractions.
- Moray, at first glance it looks like a kind of amphitheater. Moray is a concentric platform system, built in three gigantic holes located at different levels. The largest hole contains 12 circular terraces with varying diameters. At the bottom of these holes there is a drainage system that prevents the storage of rainwater. What is striking is the mean annual temperature difference between the top and bottom of the depressions, which reaches approximately 15 ° C (59 ° F) in the main depression about 30 meters deep. For scholars, Moray was possibly an Inca agricultural experimentation center, where cultivation experiments were carried out at different heights (seed production). Moray could have served as a model for the calculation of agricultural production not only in the Urubamba Valley but also in different parts of the Tahuantinsuyo (domestication of wild plants).
- Salineras of Maras (Salt Mines), they consist of approximately 3000 wells with an area of about 5 m² on average, built on the slope of the "Qaqawiñay" mountain. During the dry season they are filled or irrigated every 3 days with salty water that emanates from a natural spring located in the upper part of the wells so that when the water evaporates, the salt contained in it gradually solidifies. This process will continue for about a month until a considerable volume of solid salt is obtained, about 10 cm. high from the ground, which is subsequently beaten and thus grainy; the salt will then be packaged by category and sent to the markets of the region; Today that salt is being iodized so its consumption is not harmful. The salt mines of Maras look like a white patch between the multicolored green of the Sacred Valley and the Urubamba mountain range. Then we will arrive in Urubamba where we will have time to enjoy a delicious Lunch.
- Ollantaytambo, it will be the last archaeological center to visit for the day, located at an altitude of 2,700 meters above sea level. Ollantaytambo is a compound Quechua word that derives from: "Ollanta" personal name of an Inca Captain whose story was kept as an oral and written tradition and as a drama by Antonio Valdez, priest of Urubamba, in the middle of the 18th century it was adapted for a play in 1780; and "Tambo" Spanish form of "Tanpu" city that offers lodging, food and comfort for travelers. Ollantaytambo was a very important fortified city, built as a "tanpu" to enable roads to the "Antisuyo" (La Selva). According to many historians also to allow the protection of the great capital of the Inca from the attacks of the "Antis" who were his worst enemies. Today its name as "fortress" is common but inappropriate because it did not have a war duty, it was rather a complex city with a large urban sector and religious temples.
After the visit to Ollantaytambo, we will go to the Ollantaytambo train station (5 min.). We will take the train for 1:40 hrs towards the town of Aguas Calientes where we will spend the night. Aguas Calientes (2000 masl), is a small town located 30 minutes (by bus) from the citadel of Machupicchu.
DAY 02 (AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHUPICCHU – AGUAS CALIENTES – OLLANTAYTAMBO - CUSCO):
For this trip, we will pick you up from your hotel in Aguas Calientes, then we will take one of the buses to ascend 400 m. in 30 minutes along a zigzag path until you reach the wonder of the world "The citadel of Machupicchu", which is inside the "Historic Sanctuary of Machupicchu". The guided tour in Machupicchu takes approximately 2 hours. You will begin to visit the main sectors of the citadel: the sacred square, the Temple of the Sun, the Intihuatana, the Royal Enclosures, the Temple of the Three Windows and the cemetery. At the end of the tour you will have free time to explore the citadel on your own. After this visit, you must return to the town of Aguas Calientes and enjoy your lunch in one of the local restaurants; Then you will take the train back; the return will follow the same pattern as the outward journey. When you arrive at the train station in Ollantaytambo, we will be waiting for you with our bus to take you back to the city of Cusco.
THE SERVICE INCLUDES:
- Sacred Valley Circuit
- Train: Ollantaytambo - Aguas Calientes (1:40 hrs.)
- Lodging in Aguas Calientes
- Bus: Aguas Calientes - Machupicchu (30 min.)
- Entrance to Machupicchu
- Guided tour in Machupicchu (approximately 02 hrs.)
- Bus: Machupicchu - Aguas Calientes (30 min.)
- Train: Aguas Calientes - Ollantaytambo (01:40 hrs.)
- Bus: Ollantaytambo - Cusco. (01:50 hrs.)
THE SERVICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:
- CuscoTourist Ticket (Peruvian: 40 soles; Foreigner: 70 soles). Visits: Chinchero, Moray, Ollantaytambo and Pisaq
- Entrance to Salineras (10 soles)
- Meals - Drinks
- Regards
- Tips
WE RECOMMEND TO BRING:
- Passport
- Camera
- Long-sleeved shirt and pants
- Swimsuit
- Warm clothes (in case of cold)
- Raincoats (long poncho)
- Hat and sunglasses
- Insect repellent 50% DEET
- Sunscreen
- Hiking shoes
- Medications and personal supplies
- Handbag
- Water
MAP VALLE SAGRADO Y MACHUPICCHU
MACHUPICCHU PHOTOS - PERU MYSTERIES!!!
