 Destination  |
Peru
Sacred Valley
Incas Sacred Valley
.jpg) They
are many tourist offices around the Plaza de Armas in Cusco
where you can buy a tour to the must see
Incas Sacred Valley costing between US$15 and US$25.
The sacred Valley of the Incas
is understood to be the land that extends between the towns
of Pisac and Ollantaytambo. We
visit the Sacred Valley as part of an organized one-day tour.
The tour includes a stop to some villages
that represent the culture of Peru, a visit to the market at
Pisac and the Pisac ruins, a stop for lunch in
Urubamba, a visit to the beautiful Inca
village and fortress of Ollantaytambo and a quick stop at the
quechua village of Chinchero.
Pisaq Market
.jpg) After
the small
beautiful villages our next stop was in
Pisaq
market. In
Pisaq village there
are hundreds of tourists each day of the
week. Sunday
market is the bigger but there are smaller markets
on both
Tuesday and Thursday. One
part of the
market caters almost exclusively to locals, trading fruits
and vegetables.
But all the other part have everything you could buy in Cusco, and
more. Pisac market is a
must-see for those visiting the Cuzco region.
Prices are low and is a
great place to buy memorable souvenirs. Just
don't forget that Bargaining is
standard practice in the Pisac market.
Pisaq
Ruins
.jpg) Pisac
ruins,
is one of the main tourist
atractions in the Sacred Valley
and one of the most important Archaeological Parks in the
region. Located
just 32 km northwest of Cusco City.
Founded during the reign of Viceroy Francisco de Toledo.
Pisac ruins can be reached by climbing the hill to the
mountaintop. Walking paths above the terraced
walls offer incredible views over the site and the valley below.
The Pisaq ruins are known for its small, intricately placed stones
that fit perfectly together. Today
many archaeologist from all of the world they protect and they
restore Pisac, because many secrets of
Pisac history is still not
found.
Ollantaytambo
Village Ollantaytambo
Inca
Ruins
.jpg) Next
stop on sacred Valley of the Incas tour
was the Ollantaytambo village.
Ollantaytambo is a little
village town located at the western end of
the Sacred Valley along the Patakancha
River. Is
built directly on top of the original Inca town.
This is where the Incas retreated
after the Spanish took Cuzco.
Ollantaytambo was still under construction when the Spanish invaded
Peru, so the complex was never completed.
Originally this rural
village was divided into blocks called canchas, and each
cancha had just one entrance, which led into a courtyard.
Ollantaytambo was both a fortress
and temple.
Considered by
archaeologists to be the best surviving example of Inca town
planning.
Steep stone terraces rising from the edge of town lead up to the
fortress ruins at the top of the hill. The site is an incredible
feat of ancient architectural and engineering techniques.
Chinchero
Village
.jpg) Our
tour ends at Chinchero Village.
Chinchero is a small Andean Indian village located 30 km
far from the city of Cusco by asphalted
road.
Chinchero
Village have beautiful views overlooking the Sacred Valley of
the Incas and is believed to be the
mythical birthplace of the rainbow. The
village has a rich monumental and cultural heritage. Here in
Chinchero the women are dressed in traditional dresses
not to attract the attention of tourists, but everyday,
preserving their tradition fervently. Women
of Chinchero also had inherited the spinning and
wool weaving art generation after generation. The
colonial church of
Chinchero,
dating from the early seventeenth century, and
has been built upon the foundations of an Inca temple.
The colorful Sunday market in
Chinchero is where the communities of the region exchange their
agricultural products and handicrafts.
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Incas Sacred Valley,
Pisaq Ruins, Ollantaytambo
Village, Chinchero Village |
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