Your day will kick off with a morning pickup from your hotel in Cusco between 7:30 and 7:45 a.m. As we move out of the city, the scenery will quickly change to green valleys and enormous peaks of the Andes. Our first stop will be Pisac, which is about 45 minutes away. You will visit one of the most impressive archaeological complexes of the Sacred Valley, with Inca terraces running up the mountain, as well as temples looking over the entire valley. Your guide will provide an overview of the function of each area, from the ceremonial spaces to the Inca cemetery carved into the rocks containing thousands of tombs.

Once we finish at Pisac we will head to the local town market, where local artisans sell their beautiful handmade crafts, silver jewelry, and colorful Andean textiles. This is a great opportunity to get a sense of local culture, or to find some unique souvenirs.

After Pisac, we will continue along the valley to Urubamba for lunch. Here we will enjoy a traditional buffet-style lunch of regional Peruvian dishes from the fresh locally produced ingredients.

In the afternoon, we’ll travel to Ollantaytambo, an incredible archaeological site that was a fortress and ceremonial site. You’ll walk through its huge stone terraces and learn about the strategic importance of this location during the Inca resistance to the Spanish conquest. The town of Ollantaytambo is a living museum—the streets and water canals still follow Inca organization.

While returning to Cusco the last stop will be Chinchero, a colorful Andean village known for its weaving and textile culture. You’ll visit the colonial church built over an Inca palace and see demonstrations of traditional dyeing of textile selected by indigenous communities.

At the end of the day, we’ll return to Cusco in the evening with even a greater appreciation for the history, landscapes and people of the Sacred Valley of the Incas.