[Trip Review] Election Afterparty: Sacred Valley Tour

I booked a Sacred Valley tour through Pelago when I was in Cusco. You can earn 3mpd with Krisflyer when booking through Pelago so be sure to check out Pelago when booking any tours, and activities etc.

Alpaca Knitwear

The first stop of the day involved us understanding the whole alpaca knitwear making process, from washing the alpaca fleece, dyeing it, and spinning to make clothing.

We also saw samples of different species of corn and potatoes.

Moray

Moray is an Inca site containing several Inca ruins. Most of these ruins are circular in shape, and are depressed into the ground. It is not known why the Incas created these sites, but it has been proposed that they are agricultural laboratories.

Maras Salt Mines

Salineras de Maras, or more commonly known as the Maras Salt Mines, are one of the largest salt extraction centers of pre-Hispanic origin. The salt mines consist of a collection of thousand of ponds/wells placed in stepped terraces.

Ollantaytambo

After a delicious buffet lunch, our guide took us to Ollantaytambo. Ollantaytambo is a village in Sacred Valley, set on the Urubamba river. The Ollantaytambo ruin is a massive Inca fortress, and just like most of the Inca sites, the ruins here feature large stone terraces on a hill.

Don't be intimidated by the height of the fortress. It looks daunting, but it is actually quite manageable. The altitude is making the climb more difficult than it is.

Pisac

Pisac is situated in the south of the Sacred Valley region, and similar to most of the other villages or towns, you are here for the Inca ruins.

Conclusion

If you are planning to do the Inca trail to Machu Picchu, do consider joining a Sacred Valley tour. It will expose you to the various Inca sites, so that you can compare and better appreciate Machu Picchu. The Sacred Valley tour will also help you to acclimatise to the altitude, which prepares you for the Inca trail.

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