Peru Guide
The Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu
The SACRED VALLEY, or Vilcamayo to the Incas, traces its winding, astonishingly beautiful course from here down towards Urubamba, Ollantaytambo and eventually Machu Picchu. Located about 30km northwest of Cusco, it's a steep-sided river valley that opens out into a narrow but very fertile alluvial plain, which was well exploited agriculturally by the Incas. The river itself starts in the high Andes south of Cusco and is called the Vilcanota, the same name as the mountain range where it emerges from until the Sacred Valley; from here on down river it's known as the Río Urubamba, a magnificent and energetic river which flows on right down into the jungle to merge with other major headwaters of the Amazon.
Standing guard over the two extremes of the Sacred Valley, the ancient Inca citadels of Pisac and Ollantaytambo perch high above the stunning Río Vilcanota-Urubamba and are among the most evocative ruins in Peru. Pisac itself is a small, pretty town with one of Peru's best artesania market. Further downstream is the ancient village of Urubamba, which has visitors' facilities plus a developing reputation as a spiritual and meditation centre, yet somehow still retains its traditional Andean charm. At the far northern end of the Sacred Valley, even the magnificent ancient town of Ollantaytambo is overwhelmed by the astounding temple-fortress clinging to the sheer cliffs beside it. The town is a very pleasant place to spend some time, with several good restaurants and a convenient location in the heart of great trekking country. Unsurprisingly, it's an ideal base from which to take a tent and trek above one of the Urubamba's minor tributaries, or else tackle one of the Salcantay trails.
Beyond Ollantaytambo the route becomes too tortuous for any road to follow. Here, the valley closes in around the rail tracks, the Río Urubamba begins to race and twist below Machu Picchu itself, the most famous ruin in South America and a place that – no matter how jaded you are or how commercial it seems – is never a disappointment.
Highlights
1 Trekking in the footsteps of the Incas The Inca Trail – a hot spot in danger of being damaged because of its own success – is just one of many breathtaking paths in the Andes around Cusco.
2 Machu Picchu This most stunning and awe-inspiring of Inca citadels never fails to impress; magically set against spiky, forested mountains and distant glacial summits, it's dwarfed only by the sky.
3 Pisac Standing at this Inca citadel offers one of Peru's most amazing panoramas along the Sacred Valley and down onto the beautiful little market town of the same name.
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