Sacred Valley: Full-Day Small Group Tour & Maras Salt Pools

Summary

Small group Sacred Valley journey with local stories, salt pools and ancient terraces

You’ll travel from Cusco through five ancient sites in the Sacred Valley — think weaving workshops in Chinchero, Moray’s circular terraces, and Maras’ shimmering salt pools. There’s a buffet lunch in Urubamba (vegan options too) before exploring Ollantaytambo’s fortress and Pisac’s temples with your bilingual guide. Expect laughter, local flavors, and moments that stick with you long after you’re back.

What’s the experience like?

We’d barely left Cusco before the landscape started shifting — that early morning chill mixing with the smell of eucalyptus as our van wound out of the city. Our guide, José, had this way of telling stories that made me forget how little sleep I got. First stop was Chinchero. The women at the weaving workshop showed us how they use cochineal for those deep reds; I tried spinning alpaca wool and, honestly, made a mess of it. They laughed with me, not at me. The archaeological site was quiet except for a few local kids running around. Something about the air up there felt different — thinner but kind of electric.

Moray’s terraces looked like something from another planet. José explained how the Incas used them to experiment with crops — microclimates in each level. He tossed a pebble down and we listened to it bounce, echoing weirdly off the stone rings. At Maras, you could actually taste salt in the breeze before you saw those white pools spilling down the hillside. I watched an old man scraping crystals into a sack; he nodded when I caught his eye but didn’t say much. Lunch in Urubamba was this loud buffet — quinoa soup, roasted corn, and something sweet I still can’t name (but wish I could find back home).

Ollantaytambo felt alive even with all the stone — climbing those steps to the Temple of the Sun left my legs shaky but it was worth it for that view over rooftops and fields. Pisac came last, late light catching on those endless terraces clinging to cliffs. We wandered through temples and aqueducts while José pointed out details I’d never have noticed alone — like how water still runs along channels built centuries ago. We got back to Cusco after dark, tired but wired from everything we’d seen.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Full day Sacred Valley tour

• Pick up from hotel early morning
• Visit Chinchero craft workshop and archeological center
• See Terrazas de Moray archaeological site
• View salt mines at Salinas de Maras
• Enjoy lunch buffet in Urubamba Valley
• Explore Ollantaytambo Fortress and Temple of the Sun
• Visit Pisac archaeological site
• Return to Cusco by evening

Top questions

How long is the Sacred Valley full-day tour from Cusco?

The tour lasts about 12-13 hours including hotel pickup between 6:30-7:00am and return around 7:30pm.

Is lunch included on this Sacred Valley day trip?

Yes, a buffet lunch with vegan options is included during your stop in Urubamba.

What archaeological sites are visited on this tour?

You’ll visit Chinchero, Moray agricultural terraces, Maras salt pools, Ollantaytambo fortress, and Pisac ruins.

Is hotel pickup included for this Sacred Valley tour?

Yes, pickup from your hotel in Cusco is included between 6:30am and 7:00am.

Are guides bilingual on this day trip?

The guide speaks both Spanish and English throughout the tour.

Does this tour support local communities?

You’ll visit two local workshops supporting nearby communities during your journey.

Is this Sacred Valley tour suitable for all fitness levels?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels; infants must sit on an adult’s lap.

What’s included

Your day includes roundtrip transportation from Cusco with hotel pickup in the early morning hours, entry to five destinations guided by a professional bilingual guide (Spanish-English), visits to two local workshops supporting community artisans, a buffet lunch in Urubamba with vegan options available, plus first aid equipment and oxygen provided throughout your journey before returning to Cusco at night.