History of the Sacred Valley of the Incas:
According to the history of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, it was inhabited by small Andean communities until the conquest of the Incas (mainly under the mandate of Emperor Pachacutec from 1438 to 1471). Then began a period of important construction of platforms, temples and cities such as: Ollantaytambo, Moray and even Machu Picchu.
During the Inca civil war (1529 – 1532), the inhabitants of the valley remained loyal to the Huáscar army. With the arrival of the Spaniards, the Inca rebel Manco Inca fled through the Sacred Valley, setting fire to Chinchero and settling in Ollantaytambo,
where he fought fiercely against the invaders. So before his imminent fall, he settled in the inaccessible jungle and established his reign in Vilcabamba.
With the conquest, the fertile territories of the valley were divided by the Spanish. The main temples were destroyed, and Christian churches were built in their place.
Today, many parts of the Inca archaeological sites are damaged, either by the weather or damage caused by the Spanish. Even so, the Sacred Valley of the Incas is a popular tourist destination. Colonists retain many of the ancestral traditions, even since Inca times.
Tour Sacred Valley – Go with a Tour:
There are two tour packages to the Sacred Valley: a) the full day Sacred Valley tour (includes Pisac, Urubamba, Ollantaytambo and Chinchero) and) the half-day Maras, Moray tour (includes the Maras salt mines and platforms Moray circulars).
Facts:
The Sacred Valley of the Incas is one of the most important destinations in South America, so It houses beautiful traditional cities colonized since colonial times, such as the community of Maras. There the Incas built old citadels like Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Chinchero.
They also cultivated a wide variety of agricultural products on terraces like Moray. Today, all of these places are very attractive tourist attractions for visitors, before or after visiting Machu Picchu.
Altitude – Elevation:
The Sacred Valley is 2,800 masl meters above sea level, so you can enjoy the best climate of this region.
Weather:
The Sacred Valley of the Incas is known for its temperate climate. However, rains can happen at any time, so always carry a raincoat with you. Especially from January to March, when the rains are more frequent. So the weather here is warm, it is not so cold, like the Cusco city.
Where is the Sacred Valley of the Incas?
The province of Urubamba, located in Cusco, is where is located the Sacred Valley of the Incas. It is located 15 kilometres northeast of the city of Cusco. You get there by a paved road in the city of Cusco.
A trip through one of the nearest cities will take about 40 minutes. From there, you can move around the other cities in the valley. It is also possible to reach where is located the Sacred Valley of the Incas by train. This trip ends in the city of Machu Picchu.
How is the Sacred Valley of the Incas?
This valley was a sacred area for the Incas, as it covered an extensive area, very productive for agriculture. The main products grown by the Incas were: corn, potatoes, olluco, quinoa and coca leaf, considered a sacred plant. Today, agriculture remains one of the main activities of the inhabitants of this valley.
Due to the vast agricultural activity in the valley, the Incas decided to build their main temples and cities there. The most important urban centres were Pisac, Yucay, Chinchero and Ollantaytambo.
A little further on in the jungle, Emperor Pachacutec ordered the construction of a beautiful citadel that would serve as a resting place and border with the cities of the jungle: Machu Picchu.
The Vilcanota River runs through all the main cities in the valley. The Incas believed that this river was the terrestrial representation of the Milky Way. The Salkantay and Verónica mountains (considered gods by the Incas) crown the beautiful landscape.
Today, the river, the mountains and the land are still considered sacred by the inhabitants of Cusco who inhabit these lands. Many tourists come to the Sacred Valley to learn about its history and beauty.
What to do in the Sacred Valley of the Incas?
All the places you can visit in the Sacred Valley
Pisac:
The city of Pisac is located 33 kilometers from the city of Cusco (it is known as the port of the Sacred Valley). It is world-famous for its handicraft market and its impressive archaeological remains, located in the upper part of the city. This city is important for its location and fertile land.
Its Inca and colonial constructions are admirable. In addition, Pisac is famous for being an ideal place for spiritual retreats.
Urubamba:
Urubamba is one of the most important cities in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. It was born during the colony and is considered the world capital of corn. This is possible thanks to the fact that it is watered by countless rivers that rise at the glacier mountain peaks.
This whole territory was appreciated by the Incas due to the fertility of their lands. It is one of the best places to relax. There you will see many foreigners who decided to leave their countries and stay there.
Ollantaytambo:
Ollantaytambo is located 97 kilometres northeast of the city of Cusco. During the Inca era, it was a fortified city with temples, defensive walls, as well as urban and agricultural sectors. It is known to function as an administrative checkpoint. It is considered one of the most important archaeological sites in Peru and South America.
Chinchero:
The city of Chinchero is located 28 kilometres from the city of Cusco. It is one of the points in the valley located at the highest altitude: 3,772 meters above sea level (12,375 feet). There was the palace of Emperor Túpac Yupanqui, which was destroyed by the Spanish. In their place, they built the colonial church of Nuestra Señora de Monserrat.
This church, built in the 17th century, includes paintings from the ‘School of Cusco’. The city is also famous for its craft market, where you can still trade.
Maras:
The city of Maras is famous for its proximity to the hundreds of salt wells that form a spectacular landscape. There you can see more than 5,000 salt extraction pools built during the Incas. A saline source and the Qaqawiñay mountain slope were used for its construction.
The salt mines of Maras are one of the 4 places in the world where you can get pink salt. The colonists commercialize this salt in the main markets of Cusco.
Moray:
The city of Moray is located 74 kilometres from the city of Cusco and is home to the famous Inca circular platforms. This set of concentric circular platforms gives the feeling of being an artificial crater. This place was one of the main “agricultural research centers” of the Inca Empire.
He dedicated himself to experimenting and sowing crops from different places. The different climates and elevated floors were built with the aim of making it possible to plant products from the coast and the jungle in cold climates.
Yucay:
This quiet city is located 55 kilometres from the city of Cusco. At the time of the Incas, the fertile lands of this place were used mainly for agricultural production. Emperor Huayna Cápac had a series of platforms and palaces built there.
During the colony, the lands of Yucay were distributed by Spanish rulers, who ordered the construction of churches and houses in the old Inca buildings. Today, it is a welcoming place for visitors interested in history, since there are still Inca walls and platforms.
Map:
Hotels – Cliff Hotels – Glass Pod – Sky Lodge:
Although most people decide to stay in the city of Cusco; the cities of the Sacred Valley offer quality options. Above all, they offer a better climate (at a lower altitude) than the city of Cusco.
For example, in the city of Urubamba there are hotels of all levels, up to 5 stars or sky lodge o cliff hotels or the glass pod, that you can sleep within a completely transparent hanging, Glass pod, luxury capsule that hangs from the top of a mountain.
In the Sky Lodge, you will be able to sleep inside a completely transparent hanging shelter, allowing you to appreciate the breathtaking view over.
In the Sky lodge, you will be able to sleep inside a completely transparent hanging shelter, allowing you to appreciate the breathtaking view over the Sacred Valley.
Contact Us:
For more information, please contact us DREAMY TOURS, we will be happy to answer all your questions regarding tours in all Peru and Bolivia. We are a Travel Agency specialized in tours packages, if you need some information, please write to us.
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