From the Sacred Valley Chinchero, Maras, Moray and Ollantaytambo
Description
What makes our tour special is that we are based right here in Urubamba, the heart of the Sacred Valley. Being locals gives us a unique advantage – we can offer a more personalized, efficient, and competitive service, ensuring you get the most authentic experience possible. On this tour, you’ll visit Chinchero, famous for its ancient terraces and vibrant textiles, Moray, the Inca agricultural lab with its stunning circular terraces, and the Maras Salt Mines, where traditional salt harvesting has been practiced for centuries. You’ll also enjoy a delicious Andean Gourmet Lunch, made with fresh, local ingredients and served with incredible views of the valley. To top it all off, we’ll guide you through Ollantaytambo, where you can marvel at the Sun Temple and the massive stone terraces. Thanks to our local knowledge and deep connection to the Sacred Valley, we’re able to offer you a one-of-a-kind experience at the best value.
Tour Options
Itinerary
At the Textile Interpretation Center, you will immerse yourself in the fascinating world of traditional craftsmanship, learning about the ancient techniques of spinning, weaving, and dyeing natural fibers, such as the luxurious alpaca wool. Skilled local artisans will demonstrate the intricate process of textile production, using natural plant-based dyes passed down through generations. You will have the opportunity to appreciate their expertise up close and, if you wish, purchase one-of-a-kind textile products that showcase the region’s rich cultural heritage.
We will explore the remains of Tupac Inka Yupanqui's resting palace, now functioning as a colonial temple, offering insight into the context of the Colonial Inquisition. At the archaeological site, we will also see impressive Inca agricultural terraces, water systems, and structures that showcase the advanced engineering of the time, along with remnants of colonial architecture that were added during the colonization.
During your visit to the Maras Salt Mines, you will explore a stunning network of over 4,000 salt ponds that have been in use since pre-Inca times. You will learn about the artisanal salt extraction process and how to identify the three different qualities of salt produced in the area. Additionally, you will discover the healing properties of the pink salt and enjoy panoramic views of the salt terraces, a unique and photogenic landscape you won't want to miss.
An impressive Inca agricultural site where circular terraces were used to experiment with microclimates and enhance crop production. The tour guide will explain how the Incas cultivated various species on these terraces, optimizing their agricultural output by creating controlled conditions that favored crop growth.
As part of your exclusive tour, enjoy a delightful Andean Gourmet Lunch, featuring a curated selection of traditional and contemporary dishes that highlight the freshest local ingredients from the Sacred Valley. Choose from a variety of appetizers and main courses, each prepared with care to offer you an authentic and flavorful experience of Andean cuisine. Indulge in fresh avocado stuffed with quinoa or a comforting quinoa soup as a starter, followed by a selection of mouthwatering main dishes, from the wood-fired trout to the rich grilled chicken in mushroom sauce, or the flavorful Lomo Saltado. For a lighter touch, enjoy our vegetarian pizza options, all paired with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. Join us for this unforgettable culinary experience, offering a taste of the Andes as part of your tour.
The Sun Temple at Ollantaytambo is an impressive Inca structure, built with massive stones weighing up to 70 tons each. This temple, dedicated to the sun god Inti, is aligned with astronomical events, reflecting the Incas' advanced understanding of the stars. The site also features large terraces used for agriculture and defense. Ollantaytambo was a key military, religious, and administrative center during the Inca Empire and played an important role in the resistance against the Spanish conquistadors.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
The pickup location will be arranged at the time of tour booking.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(35)
One of the best routes to explore Cusco sightseeing. Our guide Miguel was excellent , there were insightful conversations about Cusco , sacred valley and overall about the culture , people etc of Peru. Highly recommend this trip to anyone who is looking to acclimatise into the city , it’s easy, convenient. The team is also very punctual and prompt in responses with respect to any query you may have before the trip. Miguel is very knowledgeable and a great company.
Excellent full-day tour of the Sacred Valley! The itinerary was well organized with the perfect mix of history, culture, and breathtaking scenery. Visiting Chinchero, the Maras Salt Mines, Moray, and Ollantaytambo gave us a great appreciation for the ingenuity of the Inca civilization, and the traditional textile demonstration was a real highlight. Our guide was knowledgeable, engaging, and kept the day running smoothly. Highly recommend this tour for anyone visiting Cusco.
Thank you so much for this review! We’re so glad you loved the full day in the Sacred Valley. Chinchero, Maras, Moray and Ollantaytambo in one day is a lot, but it sounds like the pace worked perfectly for you. I’ll let your guide know you mentioned the textile demo — that’s always one of his favorite stops too. Really appreciate you taking the time to recommend us. Hope to have you back in Cusco again soon! — Highlanding Travel
It was a great experience, we learned a lot of valuable information.
Thank you for your review! We’re really glad you had a great experience and learned so much. That’s exactly what we hope for on our tours. Hope to see you back in Cusco sometime! — Highlanding Travel
If you want a tour of Sacred Valley, look no further! Our family and I had a private tour with Mihai at Highlanding Travel and could not have been more pleased. He was very knowledgeable, pleasant, and accommodating. We felt at ease and looked after during our tour. Our only regret was not using him sooner for our other tours in the region.
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re really glad Mihai made you feel at ease and that you enjoyed the Sacred Valley with us. I’ll pass your message to him — he’ll be so happy to read it. Sorry we missed your other tours, but we’d love the chance to take care of you next time you’re in Cusco. — Highlanding Travel
We had a wonderful private tour with Mihai through the Sacred Valley, visiting the salt mines, traditional weaving communities, and impressive Inca temples. The experience was personalized, informative, and perfectly paced. Mihai is incredibly knowledgeable, shares fascinating insights, and tailors the tour to your interests. Highly recommended for anyone looking for an authentic and unforgettable way to explore the region.
Thank you so much for this review! We’re really glad you had a wonderful private tour with Mihai and that the pace and personal touches worked for you. The salt mines, weaving communities, and Inca temples really are special when you have time to enjoy them. I’ll share your feedback with Mihai — he’ll love hearing you found it authentic and unforgettable. Hope to welcome you back in Cusco again soon! — Highlanding Travel
Cool full day tour exploring the sacred valley. Our guide Mihail was planning the whole day for us so we could use every minute of our last day until we got directly to the airport on time. Interesting places and delicious lunch, but the best was Mihail's very deep knowledge about the Inka culture including latest research about all details we asked him.
Thank you for the review! We’re so glad Mihail made the most of your last day and got you to the airport on time. That’s always a bit stressful, so I’m happy it went smoothly. I’ll tell him you loved the lunch and how much you appreciated his deep knowledge on Inka culture. He puts a lot of work into staying up to date, so he’ll be really chuffed to read this. Safe travels, and hope you’re back in Cusco soon! — Highlanding Travel
Simply fantastic! This started off as one tour with Highlanding Travel and turned in to three days of adventure with them!!! Our family cannot say enough amazing things about Mihai and the team. This tour provides a cultural experience and the locations and history shared by Mihai are rich and meaningful. We were so impressed by Mihai and his driver Juan that we asked if they could take us to Lake Humantay the following day. Mihai was able to accommodate us! The hike was strenuous, but Mihai was able to ensure our entire family made it to the summit, including our youngest daughter who is not able to hike, but rode alongside us on horseback. Mihai was so understanding about the different needs of our family members and was patient, kind and thoughtful. Later in our trip we enlisted Mihai to assist us with transport to/from the train for Machu Picchu. He provided such personalized service. It was absolutely incredible. We were so sad to say goodbye after three days with his company and care. We 100% recommend Highlanding Travel- 10 out of 10!!!!! Thank you Mihai!!
We’re truly moved by this review - thank you! Three days of adventures with your family sounds like a dream. We’re so glad Mihai and Juan could adapt everything for you, from Lake Humantay with your daughter on horseback to the Machu Picchu train transfers. Making sure every member of the family feels cared for is what Mihai does best. We were sad to say goodbye too, and we can’t wait to welcome you all back to Cusco for round two!
We traveled with Mihai (guide) and Ruben (driver) and they were both incredible. We did the full day tour. Pick up was prompt and the van was new and sparkling. Not only was Mihai super knowledgeable, he added the human touch across the entire tour. One of my family members fell sick during the trip and they went above and beyond to make sure they were comfortable and even offered to take them back to the hotel while the rest of us continued the tour. The lunch included in the tour was excellent and we finished off the day with a quick stop at the Sacred Valley Cerveceria, which I would highly recommend. Overall, fantastic experience and I would recommend the company to all my friends and family
Mihai and Ruben will be thrilled to hear this. I’m sorry to hear your family member wasn’t feeling well, but I’m glad we could take care of them and still keep the day special for everyone. Really appreciate you recommending us — and yes, that Cervecería stop is a favorite! Hope to host you again in the Sacred Valley.
Our tour guide and driver were amazing. They tailored the way we wanted to explore the day and avoided all the large groups. Loved it!
Thank you, Julia! So glad we could make the day your own and skip the crowds. Hope we see you again in the Sacred Valley 💛
Great tour! The guide was Mihai and he was very good and knowledgeable
Thanks so much! 😊 We’ll pass your kind words to Mihai — he’ll love hearing that. Glad you had a great tour!
