Sacred Valley tour Cusco: ruins, guide, buffet lunch

Four Inca sites in one day, with someone who knows what you're standing in front of

A full-day guided tour of Peru's Sacred Valley departing from Cusco visits the Pisac archaeological site and traditional market, Urubamba, Ollantaytambo and Chinchero, with hotel pickup at 7:40 am and buffet lunch included. The guide speaks English or Spanish and walks each ruin with you; the tour runs about nine hours and returns to Cusco around 7 pm. Travel insurance is not included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Sacred Valley and Inca sites

• Pickup from hotel in Cusco
• Visit Pisac archaeological center
• Explore Pisac traditional market
• Travel to Urubamba
• Buffet lunch at Don Angel restaurant
• Travel to Ollantaytambo
• Guided tour of Ollantaytambo ruins
• Visit Chinchero church and market
• Return to Cusco

The Experience

You get picked up from your Cusco hotel at 7:40 am and head toward the valley, passing Saqsaywaman and Tambomachay on the way. The first stop is Pisac, where you explore the archaeological center—temples, residences, altars, canals and tunnels carved into the mountainside—then walk through the traditional market if you want to pick up textiles or ceramics (those are extra). A 40-minute drive takes you to Urubamba, where you sit down for buffet lunch at Don Angel restaurant and taste regional Peruvian dishes.

After lunch, the group continues to Ollantaytambo, where a guide leads you through the ruins—this is the site where you actually learn what you're looking at instead of reading a placard. The final stop is Chinchero, a smaller town where you visit the church, the traditional market and other sites before the drive back to Cusco, arriving around 7 pm near the main square. The whole day is nine hours of stops and travel, so you see four different places without arranging transport between them or figuring out which ruin matters.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup from Cusco at 7:40 am and return transport to the main square.
• buffet lunch at Don Angel restaurant in Urubamba.
• guided tour of Ollantaytambo ruins.
• entry to the Pisac archaeological site and access to the traditional markets in Pisac and Chinchero.
• a guide who speaks English or Spanish.

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by INFOCUSCO

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're arriving in Cusco and want to see the valley's main ruins without renting a car or hiring a private driver—the guide handles the history at each stop, and the fixed schedule means you're back in town by evening. Small groups work well here because the guide can answer questions as you move through each site, and the buffet lunch gives you a break midday instead of hunting for a restaurant on your own.

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Top questions

What's actually in the Pisac ruins that I'll see?

Pisac holds ancient temples, residences, altars, canals, engravings, tunnels and caves built into the mountainside. The site sits above the town, and you explore the archaeological center before heading down to the traditional market where locals sell crafts and produce.

Is the buffet lunch included in the price, or do I pay extra?

Buffet lunch at Don Angel restaurant in Urubamba is included in the tour price. The meal features a variety of Peruvian regional dishes, and it happens around 1:15 pm after you've finished Pisac.

How much time do I spend at each stop?

Pisac takes roughly two hours (archaeological site plus market), then a 40-minute drive to Urubamba for lunch. Ollantaytambo gets a guided tour starting around 3:15 pm, and Chinchero is the final stop before the return drive to Cusco, which takes about two hours.

What language does the guide speak?

The guide speaks English or Spanish, and you choose which one when you book. The guide walks you through Ollantaytambo and explains the sites rather than leaving you to wander on your own.

Does the tour include a visit to the Pisac market, or just the ruins?

Both are included in the itinerary. You visit the archaeological center of Pisac, then the traditional market where you can browse and buy souvenirs if you want—any purchases are your own expense.

What time does pickup happen and when do I get back to Cusco?

Hotel pickup is at 7:40 am from your Cusco hotel, and the tour returns around 7 pm, dropping you near the main square. The full day is approximately nine hours of travel and stops combined.