This morning you will set out into the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Your first visit will be the Maras salt pans, a fascinating system of platforms used since the Inca times to extract salt from a natural mountain spring. Visually the shining salt-encrusted terraces are extraordinary. There are beautiful views of the snow-capped mountains of Chicon, Veronica and Salcantay and the stunning Altiplano of the Andes that surround you. Maras is a typical Andean village that boasts a beautiful 400 year old colonial church.
A further 6 km down the road are the experimental agricultural terraces of Moray. Here, different levels of terraces are carved into huge bowls, two large and one small. Part of the landscape is thought to have occurred naturally and part of which was developed further by the Incas. Their exact purpose is unknown but it is thought that the terraces created varied microclimates in which the Incas determined the optimal conditions to grow their crops.
You will also visit the sturdy remnants of Ollantaytambo, once an important Inca administrative centre. Solid stone terraces are built around the contours of the valley wall and on the mountainside opposite, you can see a carved face believed to be that of a messenger from the gods. Lunch is included.
You will return to Cuzco in the evening to your accommodation.
Start planning your tailor-made trip by contacting one of our Peru specialists
These activities are designed to give you the most authentic experiences around where you're staying. We work with local guides, who use their knowledge and often a resident's eye to show you the main sights and more out-of-the-way attractions. Our specialists can suggest tours and activities that will introduce you to the local ways of life.
Chinchero Market & Ruins
During your day of exploration, you visit the colourful local market in the town of Chinchero. This is one of the most traditional markets in all of South America, and you will be surrounded by locals in their traditional dress all buying and selling their produce.
Cuzco City Tour
A half-day tour of the city and nearby Inca ruins begins at Koricancha, which was the Inca鈥檚 sumptuous Temple of Sun before becoming the Spaniard鈥檚 Santo Domingo church.
Huchuy Qosqo Trek
The trail takes you through small hamlets and affords stunning views of the Sacred Valley and P铆sac below. The trail climbs steadily to a pass at 4,200 m, beyond which you will descend to a beautiful canyon, where a picnic lunch is served.
P铆sac Market and Ruins
In the small colonial village of P铆sac, spend the morning exploring the colourful Indian market, with its wide variety of textiles and ceramics.
White water rafting on the Urubamba
Today will take you above Cuzco to the Chuquicahuana section of the Urubamba River to raft on class III-IV rapids. Here the river is much cleaner and more fun than in the lower sections, and no previous experience is necessary.
You can enjoy this activity as part of the suggested tours below, or we can weave it into a trip shaped entirely around you.
