Cusco Sacred Valley Tour Review: Is It Worth It?

So, you’re planning a trip to Cusco and that Sacred Valley tour is staring back at you from all the travel blogs. You know, that day-long jaunt hitting Maras, Moray, and that valley area? You’re very likely wondering if it’s genuinely worth your time, and possibly more importantly, your travel budget, too it’s almost always a big concern. I’m here to break down that full day Sacred Valley tour that originates in Cusco, sharing my thoughts, so you, like your typical traveler, can decide if this excursion should be part of your Peruvian experience. Very often, people just don’t know if they should do these kinds of excursions.

First Stop: Chinchero – More Than Just Weaving

Many of these tours start out bright and rather early, so maybe prepare yourself for that. After all, there’s a good amount of ground to cover and seeing the spots before those big crowds arrive is usually very nice. Usually the first stop is Chinchero. Lots of descriptions paint it as a plain weaving demonstration, but in fact, it’s so much more than that, actually! I mean, sure, the weaving is a big piece, but it’s the culture infused into that craft that creates it memorable. Now the groups sometimes show how they get the alpaca wool, how they dye the wool with natural plants, so they’re turning that wool into beautiful colors. This is a great opportunity, naturally, to purchase some things. Remember to negotiate some with a respectful attitude, especially if that is what you decide to do!

The location itself is rather striking, anyway. So it is often a village resting at a pretty high elevation with some Inca ruins. Very nice for viewing and photos. That those ladies are keeping such an ancient art form alive, turning that into a source of income for their families, and telling some stories at the same time? Very cool.

Moray: Inca Agricultural Experiment?

Okay, next up, Moray. These terraced circular depressions always make it look a little like someone dropped a UFO in the middle of farm country. A common opinion is that these terraces acted as kind of an agricultural lab. That each level gets a rather different microclimate, as I understand it, allowing the Inca to study what that altitude does to each one of those crops, I bet, too. Moray presents you, basically, with a bunch of eye-catching landscape photography chances.

Standing at that top and checking out that huge design does allow you to reflect back a little about how brilliant those Inca were. Just think for one little moment about their engineering, which can almost take one’s breath away at moments. Very few tours go down into those levels, so that upper rim, is where, just like any other person, you’re going to experience things. But you do get fantastic shots from this angle, typically speaking.

Maras Salt Mines: A Landscape of White

Next comes that unforgettable landscape of the Maras salt mines. So, here’s a mountainside filled with a few thousand shallow pools. They all, just a little bit, resemble geometric designs cascading down those hills. Here’s how the process works: some saltwater from an underground spring is directed into all those ponds. That then the sun causes all that water to go away. Salt! And you get an area with tons and tons of shimmering white that glistens when light bounces off it!

This place is frequently more than just scenery, though, alright? These are very family-owned, each one, so, and that’s been so for literal generations. That’s pretty neat. So, you are directly enabling locals when you go there, maybe pick up some souvenir salt from all those shops that ring those pools.

The Sacred Valley Proper: Pisac or Ollantaytambo?

Usually, those tours include a stop in that actual Sacred Valley, alright? That those usual spots tend to be Pisac or Ollantaytambo. I want you to think about what to expect:

Pisac: This has a bustling market. And there’s also that hillside Inca fortress. You, like others who visit, get a wide array of crafts and textiles there. Negotiate some, have some fun doing that. That ruin above gets you fantastic views; think about comfy walking shoes for that climb!
Ollantaytambo: This place has another set of great Inca ruins. Arguably more imposing, at least. That the steep terracing gives you this cool sensation. Here’s an interesting tidbit: that the stones were quarried away far away, very far away actually, so, bringing all those rocks there must have been a chore and a half.

Depending upon your choice, that’s where your day starts heading, at least figuratively. A few trips keep heading onwards into Aguas Calientes. Aguas Calientes is that town at Machu Picchu’s base. But those who don’t will, basically, be heading to Cusco in the evening.

Is that Sacred Valley Tour For You? Key Considerations

So, should that Sacred Valley tour be part of the travel plans? That very simple answer depends somewhat on what things are most important. Consider these things:

Time vs. Depth: This is, basically, a full-day sprint, which touches many important locations. So, it’s amazing for experiencing a little bit of that landscape around Cusco if you do not have a lot of time. In other words, if you’d rather get fully absorbed in those individual destinations? Then you’d do things separately.
Mobility Problems: Quite a bit of hopping around can be involved, mostly when talking about uneven paths. And also high elevation spots as well! Take this into consideration if these aspects worry you.
Tour Style: These organized tours make things super handy and you might just make some fellow travel friends. However, should you choose freedom of schedule and going at the pace that you like best? Plan all that yourself or maybe just hire a driver just for the day!
Cost Factors: Consider that if you should go this way and arrange this entire day on your own. In that case, all costs, when pooled, are less expensive as opposed to pre-organized tour choices? You’d often be paying less if you were doing it with a group versus just a couple of people on that tour.

Making it a Great Trip: Some Tips

Here are some things to bear in mind making all that a pretty satisfying tour:

Altitude Support: Cusco is already really, really high. Those Sacred Valley locations, too it’s almost a given that they are higher too, probably, for those visitors. Acclimatize, by taking it slow at first, maybe drinking that coca tea that is all around.
Clothing in Layers: That climate will, in fact, shift around dramatically. From bright, really hot sunshine, to that very chilly afternoon. So, wearing several things works out great to accommodate what happens.
Comfy Shoes: A pair of comfy shoes, you know, makes total sense with all that exploring on foot. The paths sometimes are, actually, very rough.
Snacks and Water: Having snacks and also drinking water is especially vital at elevations where moisture loss happens faster. A handful of small nibbles comes in very useful when that next dining occasion doesn’t show up as you wanted.
Cash for Souvenirs: A few of those little shops aren’t able to accept cards. Bringing local currency allows you not to pass on whatever might catch your eye!

What Makes it Meaningful?

That the Sacred Valley tour ends up being something, you know, way beyond seeing places if you decide to look at all those angles. That’s often about, like, that human connection, perhaps, the respect for other cultures, just admiring histories, and building some memories, too it’s almost as though memories don’t happen as often these days! Just try starting a dialog. Don’t hesitate showing gratitude toward others when they reveal their cultures. That this makes everything a bit more deeper.

At the end of the day, going on the tour might just have to do with how well it clicks into what you wanted and what way suits you best! I hope sharing my thoughts helped somewhat. Perhaps these perspectives now give what it takes when choosing and that no matter that end up, maybe your adventure might be all the more neat?

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