Sacred Valley tour from Cusco: Moray, Salineras, Ollantaytambo

Six stops across the Sacred Valley: terraces, salt mines, ruins and an Andean lunch

A private Sacred Valley tour from Cusco combines six archaeological and agricultural sites in a single day: Chinchero, Moray, Salineras, Urubamba, Ollantaytambo and Pisac. Hotel pickup starts at 6:30 a.m., and the guide speaks English or Spanish. Lunch at an Andean buffet in Urubamba is included. Entrance fees to the sites are separate.

Step-by-step itinerary

Sacred Valley tour with key visits

• Pick up from hotel at 6:30 am
• Visit archaeological site in Chinchero
• Explore agricultural terraces at Moray
• Visit salt mines at Salineras
• Enjoy Andean buffet lunch in Urubamba
• Visit archaeological site in Ollantaytambo
• Visit archaeological center in Pisac
• Return to Cusco by 7:00 pm

The experience

The day starts with pickup from your Cusco hotel at 6:30 a.m. and heads straight to Chinchero, where you walk the archaeological remains of an Inca settlement. From there the route moves to Moray, an agricultural laboratory of concentric stone terraces built by the Incas to test crop varieties at different altitudes: the terraces descend like a stadium carved into the mountainside. Next is Salineras, salt ponds that have been worked since Inca times, where water from a mineral spring evaporates in shallow pools across a hillside. The visual contrast between the white salt and the red earth is what makes the site recognizable from a distance.

Lunch happens in Urubamba, a town in the valley floor, where you eat an Andean buffet. Afterward the tour moves to Ollantaytambo, an Inca fortress with massive stone walls and terraces that overlook the Urubamba River. This is also where the train station sits, so if your itinerary includes a train to Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu, you can stay behind here instead of returning to Cusco. The final stop is Pisac, an archaeological center with extensive Andean terraces and what the operator describes as the most preserved Andean cemetery of the region. The return to Cusco is at 7:00 p.m.

The tour runs every day and accommodates groups of 2 to 8 people, so you travel with a private guide and driver rather than a larger group. The guide speaks English or Spanish, and you can request the language when you book. All transportation is included, as is lunch. Entrance fees to each site are paid separately at the gate.

What’s included

• Private transportation with pickup from your Cusco hotel at 6:30 a.m.
• a live guide in English or Spanish.
• lunch at an Andean buffet in Urubamba.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day7 departure times: the first at 06:00, the last at 11:00

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelers

Operated by MachuPicchu Journey

Is this one for you?This is a private tour, so you travel with your own guide and driver rather than joining a larger group: a format that works well if you want to move at your own pace or need flexibility to stay longer at one site. The fixed itinerary covers six stops in a single day, which suits travelers short on time but wanting to see the range of the Sacred Valley. If you prefer a slower pace or want to focus on fewer sites, a custom itinerary may serve you better.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What is Moray and why is it on this tour?

Moray is an Inca agricultural laboratory made of concentric stone terraces that descend into the earth. The Incas used the different levels to test crops at varying altitudes and temperatures, and the site is included because it shows an engineering approach to farming that is unique to the Sacred Valley.

Does the tour stop at Machu Picchu?

No, this tour does not include Machu Picchu. It covers six sites within the Sacred Valley itself: Chinchero, Moray, Salineras, Urubamba, Ollantaytambo and Pisac. If you want to reach Machu Picchu, you can take the train from Ollantaytambo station, which the tour visits, and arrange that separately.

What time does the tour start and end?

Hotel pickup is at 6:30 a.m., and the tour returns to Cusco at 7:00 p.m. The full day is 12.5 hours from pickup to drop-off.

Is lunch included, and what kind of food is it?

Yes, lunch is included at an Andean buffet restaurant in Urubamba. Entrance fees to the archaeological sites and salt ponds are not included and are paid separately at each location.

Can I book this tour for just two people?

Yes, the minimum group size is 2 people and the maximum is 8, so the tour operates as a private group at any size within that range. You travel with your own guide and driver, not mixed with other travelers.