What to do in the Tourist Attractions of the Sacred Valley

Ollantaytambo has some of the oldest continuously occupied buildings in South America. Once a bastion of Inca resistance to Spanish colonization, it is remarkably well preserved. Many visitors come to Ollantaytambo because it happens to be the start of the Inca trail to Machu Picchu, but don’t be in a hurry: the ruins are fascinating.

What to do in Ollantaytambo?

The archaeological site of Ollantaytambo – One of the main tourist attractions of Ollantaytambo is its archaeological site. It has immense walls and stairways of various sizes. Among its constructions are: the Temple of the Sun, the Royal House of the Sun and the Bath of the Ñusta.

The town of Ollantaytambo – One of the towns with more history is Ollantaytambo. Its streets, walls and squares preserve the Inca tradition combined with the colonial. It is the only town that maintains its original Inca urban design.

What to do in Maras?

The salt mines of Maras – The salt mines of Maras are made up of hundreds of natural salt wells formed thousands of years ago. This salt was exploited by the Andean man for a long time. Even the Incas commercialized its production.

The town of Maras – The town of Maras is famous for its church dedicated to San Francisco at the base of which was an Inca palace. Inside there are paintings of the ‘Cusco School’. From this village you can visit the salt mines of Maras and the terraces of Moray.

What to do in Moray?

The circular terraces of Moray – The circular terraces of Moray were actually an ‘agricultural laboratory’ where the Incas experimented with the sowing of different products such as coca, quinoa, potato, oca and more. Its terraces have a circular shape, simulating an amphitheater.

What to do in Chinchero?

The archaeological site of Chinchero – It was the palace of the Inca Tupac Yupanqui until the Spanish invaders destroyed it to build the town’s church. You can still appreciate the walls and the system of andenería of the place.

The town of Chinchero – One of the most traditional towns in Cusco. Its inhabitants dress in their characteristic red and black attire. There it is still possible to barter. Its authorities are elected by the community as their ancestors did several centuries ago.

The textile centers – Chinchero is famous for its textile centers. There, the villagers continue to create alpaca garments just as they did hundreds of years ago. There tourists can buy sweaters, gloves, scarves, shawls, chullos, ponchos and many other products.

What to do in Urubamba?

Town of Urubamba – This town is the capital of the province of the same name. It has a pleasant climate that attracts tourists. The largest corn crop in Peru is harvested here. In addition, there are high quality restaurants where you can taste the delicious Peruvian food.

Adventure sports in Urubamba – In Urubamba several adventure sports are practiced such as: canoeing, cycling, rock climbing, zipline and even paragliding.

How to combat altitude sickness in the Sacred Valley?

Altitude sickness is not a recurrent problem in the Sacred Valley. However, to reach the valley you will need to pass through the city of Cusco and there you run the risk of feeling the symptoms of altitude sickness.

This discomfort is suffered by tourists whose bodies are not accustomed to the mountain geography. Cusco is at 3,399 m.a.s.l. (11,151 ft). There the atmospheric pressure is low.

The main symptoms of altitude sickness are: nausea, shortness of breath, fatigue, insomnia and loss of appetite.

The altitude sickness usually disappears gradually within a few days of getting used to the climate of Cusco. You can also alleviate the discomfort by drinking plenty of water (especially mate de coca).

To better combat the discomfort of altitude sickness, it is recommended to adapt to the climate of Cusco at least 1 day before the tour of the Sacred Valley.

Some people choose to spend their first days in the Sacred Valley. This way the symptoms of altitude sickness will be less intense. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)