Cusco: Sacred Valley & Moray Day Trip with Lunch

Six Inca sites in 12 hours: the Sacred Valley route that actually fits in one day

You're picked up from your hotel and driven through six archaeological sites and two natural attractions across the Sacred Valley in a single day. The guide handles the route, timing, and entry fees. Lunch is included. You return to central Cusco by evening, having covered Chinchero, Moray's circular terraces, Maras salt mines, Ollantaytambo's fortress, and Pisac's ruins and market without arranging transport or tickets yourself.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Moray Agricultural Terraces1h
2. Ollantaytambo Ruins30m
3. Pisac Market30m

Visit Sacred Valley and Maras sites

• Pick up from hotel
• Visit Chinchero archaeological site
• Visit salt mines of Maras and Moray site
• Have buffet lunch
• Visit Ollantaytambo archaeological site
• Visit Pisac archaeological site
• Return to Cusco near main square
• End tour

The experience

The van pulls up at your hotel between 7 and 7:30 in the morning, and by the time you've settled into your seat, you're already heading out of Cusco toward Chinchero. This is how the day works: you move. The route stacks six archaeological sites and two natural attractions into a single loop through the Sacred Valley, which sounds impossible until you realize the driver knows the timing and the guide knows which stops matter most. Chinchero comes first: a colonial town built on top of Inca foundations, where you can still see the original stonework underneath the Spanish church. It's quick, maybe thirty minutes, enough to get your eye adjusted to the altitude and the scale of what you're about to see.

After Chinchero, the landscape opens up. You drop into the valley toward Moray, which is the kind of place that stops conversation: concentric agricultural terraces carved into the earth in perfect circles, like someone drew them with a compass from above. The guide will explain the engineering (water channels, temperature gradients, crop experiments), but mostly you're standing there trying to photograph something that doesn't fit in a frame. From there it's a short drive to the Maras salt mines, where the ground is literally white and the air tastes mineral. Families have worked these ponds for centuries, and you can watch them rake and harvest if the timing is right. Lunch happens in Urubamba, a buffet with local dishes. Nothing fancy, but it's hot and it sits you down for the first real break of the day.

The afternoon is the heavy hitters: Ollantaytambo and Pisac. Ollantaytambo is a fortress built into the mountainside, with walls so precisely fitted that a knife blade won't slide between the stones. The guide takes you through the terraces and explains the defensive layout, and you feel the weight of the construction. This wasn't decoration, it was strategy. Pisac is the last stop, and by then your legs know it. The ruins sit high above the market town, and the market itself is where locals actually shop, not a tourist version of one. You can wander through the stalls if you have energy left, or just stand at the overlook and let the day settle. The van drops you near the main square in Cusco around 7 p.m., which means you've been moving for twelve hours but you've seen what most people need three separate trips to cover.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup in Cusco, professional tour guide throughout, entry fees to all six archaeological sites, the Maras salt mines, a buffed lunch in Urubamba, and air-conditioned vehicle transport. The guide handles timing and logistics at each stop, and the driver returns you near Cusco's main square by evening.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 06:00 and 06:30

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Chullos Travel Peru

Is this one for you?This works if you're in Cusco for only a day or two and want to see the main Sacred Valley sites without renting a car or hiring a private guide: the fixed route and small group size mean you cover six stops in twelve hours, which is what makes a full valley loop possible in one day.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What time does the tour start and end?

Pickup is between 7:00 and 7:30 a.m. from your hotel. The tour finishes around 7:00 p.m. near Cusco's main square.

How many people go on this tour?

Groups are small (minimum 2 people, maximum 8), so it stays personalized.

What's included in the price?

Professional guide, lunch, all entry and facility fees, and air-conditioned vehicle transport.

Is this tour available every day?

Yes, it runs every day year-round.

Do I need to be fit for this tour?

The tour involves walking at archaeological sites and some elevation. It's suitable for all fitness levels, though the day is long and you'll be on your feet at each stop.

Can I bring an infant?

Yes, infants can travel but must sit on an adult's lap.

Is this tour recommended for pregnant travelers?

No, it's not recommended for pregnant travelers due to the length, elevation, and walking involved.

What about travelers with back or spinal issues?

The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries because of the vehicle time and walking at each site.

Will we have time to shop at Pisac market?

You'll have time to walk through the market at the end of the day, though the tour prioritizes the ruins. Energy and daylight will determine how long you spend there.