About Sacred Valley
The Sacred Valley of the Incas follows the Urubamba River through a broad, fertile trough in the Andes between Cusco and Machu Picchu, walled by snow-capped peaks and lined with some of the empire's most impressive monuments. Its lower altitude makes it many travelers' favorite base in the region — warmer nights and easier acclimatization than Cusco, with adventure and history out every door.
The valley packs remarkable variety into a short distance: the hilltop fortress and living Inca town of Ollantaytambo, whose lanes still run with original water channels; the market town of Pisac beneath its own ridge-top ruins; the dazzling terraced salt pans of Maras; and Moray's mysterious circular terraces, thought to be an Inca agricultural laboratory. Between the monuments lie adobe villages, weaving cooperatives, and farmland little changed in five centuries.
Pavlus Recommendations
How our planners would spend a day in Sacred Valley.
Climb Ollantaytambo's terraces
The fortress staircase rises past massive pink-granite walls to sweeping valley views — and the town below is the best-preserved living Inca settlement in Peru.
See the salt pans of Maras
Thousands of shallow terraced ponds spill down a hillside in shades of white and ochre, harvested by hand as they have been since Inca times. Photographers, bring extra memory cards.
Shop the Pisac market
Pisac's plaza fills with textiles, ceramics, and silver from the surrounding villages. Buy from the weavers themselves and you'll take home a story along with the souvenir.
Tours That Visit Sacred Valley
| Tour | Tour Partner | Days | Next Departure | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peru Easygoing Walking Tour | Backroads | 7 | Mar 19, 2027 | $6,199View & Get Price |
| Peru Family Hiking & Walking Tour | Backroads | 7 | Aug 28, 2026 | $6,399View & Get Price |
| Peru Family Multi-Adventure Tour | Backroads | 8 | May 31, 2027 | $7,099View & Get Price |
| Peru Family Hiking & Walking Tour | Backroads | 7 | Call for dates | $6,749View & Get Price |
| Peru Hiking & Walking Tour | Backroads | 7 | Dec 18, 2026 | $6,299View & Get Price |
| Peru Multi-Adventure Tour | Backroads | 8 | Apr 19, 2027 | $7,299View & Get Price |
| Peru Women's Hiking & Walking Tour | Backroads | 7 | Nov 13, 2026 | $6,299View & Get Price |
| Machu Picchu to the Galapagos | Odysseys Unlimited | 17 | Sep 8, 2026 | $8,295View & Get Price |
| Treasures of Peru | Odysseys Unlimited | 11 | Sep 7, 2026 | $4,295View & Get Price |
Book any of these through Pavlus and pay less — never a service fee. Browse the full catalog → or call 800-528-9300 for your unadvertised Pavlus price.