5 sites in 1 day♡
Sale 6:20 am · vuelve 7 pm
Sacred Valley Express: Chinchero, Maras, Moray, Ollantaytambo and Pisac
★4.8(9,891 reviews)
From, per personUS$32
Panoramic view of the valley from Taray
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The Sacred Valley of the Incas
What it is, what to see and why it is the tour you can book today for tomorrow
1 h from Cusco2,790–3,762 m7 stops on 2 routesDaily departures, all yearEntry: Tourist TicketLower than Cusco: ideal for acclimatizing
A valley lower than Cusco, an hour from your hotel
The Sacred Valley is the stretch of the Urubamba river between Pisac and Ollantaytambo, north of Cusco. The Incas chose it for its mild climate and fertile soil: there they grew the maize that fed the empire, and there they left terraces, temples and the only Inca town still inhabited with its original layout.
Above the valley, on the plateau, sit Chinchero, the Maras Salt Mines and Moray: the three places that separate the Express route from the Classic one. Since almost the whole route stays below the 3,350 m of Cusco, it is the day trip that works best when you have just arrived, and that is why it is the one most often booked the night before.
Book for tomorrow: Express US$32 · Classic US$30 · is there space? · how to book
The seven places
In the order of the Express route: Chinchero → Maras → Moray → Ollantaytambo → Pisac; the Classic adds the Taray viewpoint and crosses the valley the other way
Chinchero3,762 m · weavers, terraces and a colonial churchBoth routes · the highest point
Maras Salt Mines3,385 m · more than 3,000 pans on a hillsideExpress only · community fee
Moray3,500 m · amphitheaters of circular terracesExpress only
Ollantaytambo2,790 m · fortress, Temple of the Sun and an inhabited Inca townBoth routes · the train version ends here
Pisac3,300 m · terraces, Intihuatana and the town marketBoth routes (not on the Express to Ollantaytambo)
Urubamba2,871 m · the 12 pm lunchBoth routes
Taray viewpoint2,972 m · the first view of the valley, 15 minClassic only
Which to see if all you have is tomorrow?The two routes, comparedExpress or Classic →
The valley rises and falls 970 meters
Only three stops go above the altitude of Cusco (hatched): Chinchero, Maras and Moray, all three on the Express route and all three before lunch.
When to go
The valley can be visited all year; what changes is the light and the rain, not the sites.
| Months | Rain | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Apr–May | Low | Green fields after the rains, few groups |
| Jun–Aug | Very low | Clear skies; cold at dawn in Chinchero; high season: ask about space early |
| Sep–Oct | Low to medium | Good weather, fewer visitors |
| Nov–Mar | Medium to high | Afternoon rain, green valley, small groups; we run anyway |
How to visit it
The two roads in and the three ways to get there, in how to get to the Sacred Valley; what the guide tells you at each stop, in the history of the valley; and if you are unsure whether it is worth the day, an honest answer.
Shared tour
4 to 5 places in one day
Pickup in central Cusco, a certified guide, buffet lunch and transfers. 8 to 12 hours depending on the departure. Bookable today for tomorrow.
From US$29On your own
Leg by leg, without a guide
Public transport from Cusco to Pisac or Urubamba and from there to each town; Maras and Moray are off the main road. Two or three days to see the same thing.
Each leg paid separatelyPrivate
At your own pace
A vehicle and guide for your group, 2 to 12 people, schedule to measure. For tomorrow, on WhatsApp.
From US$90 per personTomorrow’s departures
Same bus, same guide, same lunch; what changes is the places, the time and where the day ends
Ideal first day at altitude♡
Sale 7:20 am · vuelve 6:30 pm
Sacred Valley Classic: Taray viewpoint, Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Chinchero
★4.9(5,681 reviews)
From, per personUS$30
Connects with your train♡
Sale 6:20 am · termina 3:30 pm
Sacred Valley Express ending in Ollantaytambo
★4.8(9,891 reviews)
From, per personUS$31
Your own schedule♡
Tour privado · 2 a 12 personas
Private Sacred Valley tour: Express or Classic, your schedule and your own guide
From, per personUS$90
Before you go
Entradas
Tourist Ticket for the archaeological sites and a community fee at Maras; in soles, separate from the tour. What each one covers →
Altitude
Almost the whole day below Cusco; it works as a first day of acclimatizing. If you landed today →
Money
Cash in soles for the entrance fees and the markets; the artisans in Chinchero and Pisac do not take cards.
Warm layers
Layers: cold at dawn in Chinchero, hot at midday in Urubamba. What to bring if you leave tomorrow →
Tap a question to open it
No. Cusco is at 3,350 m and most of the valley sits below it: Ollantaytambo 2,790, Urubamba 2,871, the town of Pisac 2,972. Only Chinchero (3,762), Maras (3,385) and Moray (3,500) are above, and all three are visited before lunch on the Express route.
Yes, by public transport leg by leg, but Maras and Moray are off the main road and it takes two or three days to see what the tour covers in one. If you only have a day, the shared tour from US$29 is how to see it all with lunch and a guide.
Before, if you have just arrived in Cusco: the valley is lower and helps you acclimatize, and the departures ending in Ollantaytambo leave you a 15-minute walk from the train station. How to fit it around your ticket.
Yes, online until 8 pm (Cusco time), every day, at the same price as booking ahead. Check the space on WhatsApp before you pay; your pickup time arrives that same night.
A full day for either route: 11–12 hours for the Express (5 places) and 10–11 for the Classic (Taray + 3 places). With two days you can sleep in Ollantaytambo and carry on to Machu Picchu.
A pass for the region’s archaeological sites; in the valley it covers Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero and Moray. The Maras salt mines are charged separately by the community. No entrance fee is included in the tour; they are paid in soles on the day.