Sacred Valley Private Tour: Pisac, Moray & Maras Salt Pools

Three sites, one guide, no crowds to manage

A private guided tour of Peru's Sacred Valley from Cusco covers the Maras Salt Pools, Moray Agricultural Terraces, and Ollantaytambo Ruins over eight to ten hours, with hotel pickup and a local guide who knows the timing to avoid peak crowds. You choose how long to spend at each stop. The guide arranges lunch at a restaurant you pick or you bring your own snacks. Entry to the archaeological park requires arrival before 4pm.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Maras Salt Pools45m
2. Moray Agricultural Terraces45m
3. Ollantaytambo Ruins1h 30m

Explore Sacred Valley and Inca sites

• Visit Maras Salt Pools
• Explore Moray Agricultural Terraces
• Tour Ollantaytambo Ruins and climb temple
• Walk terraces and see Inka cemetery

The experience

The day starts with pickup from your hotel in Cusco, Urubamba, or Ollantaytambo, then moves through three distinct sites that show how the Inca adapted to the high altitude and terrain. At the Maras Salt Pools, your guide walks you through the centuries-old salt extraction process still in use today: the white terraces descend the mountainside in a pattern the Inca designed and locals have harvested since pre-Columbian times. The guide explains the traditional methods and the history embedded in the site, which sits over 3,000 meters above sea level.

Moray Agricultural Terraces comes next, a circular arrangement of concentric terraces that functioned as an experimental laboratory where the Inca tested which crops could grow at high altitude. The terraces step down into the earth like a natural amphitheater, and the guide describes how this site reveals Inca engineering and agricultural knowledge. From there, you drive to Ollantaytambo, where you enter the archaeological park and climb around 200 steps to reach the Temple of the Sun. The guide points out the massive stone blocks and explains the site's role as both a military fortress and administrative center, then shows you the Inca cemetery and the water fountain used for ceremonies and irrigation.

Because this is a private tour, you set the pace at each stop. Stay longer at the ruins if the architecture holds you, or move through faster if you want to cover more ground. The guide knows the best times to arrive at each site to minimize crowds and can adjust the starting time to fit your preference. You handle lunch however suits you: the guide can suggest restaurants along the route, or you can bring snacks and eat where you stop. The only fixed constraint is that you must be inside the archaeological park before 4pm, which the guide manages by choosing the right sequence and timing.

What’s included

• Professional guide in English, Spanish, Portuguese, or Italian.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in Cusco, Urubamba, or Ollantaytambo.
• private round-trip transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• all driver fees, fuel surcharges, and local taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (10 to 90 years) · Child (3 to 9 years) · Infant (1 to 2 years): free

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Prices and times updated 12 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by Exclusive Inka Tour

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to hear the history and details from someone who grew up in the Sacred Valley and studied three years to become a licensed guide. The commentary is in the language you speak, and you're not rushed through any stop. The private vehicle and flexible timing let you linger at the ruins or the salt pools without waiting for a group to catch up, which matters most if you're traveling with children or prefer a slower pace through the sites.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 9 years); Infant (1 to 2 years): free.

What's the Maras Salt Pools site actually like when you get there?

The Maras Salt Pools are a series of white terraced pools carved into the mountainside, still actively harvested using methods unchanged since Incan times. Your guide walks you through how salt water flows down from a natural spring, fills the shallow pools, and is left to evaporate, leaving salt that locals collect and sell. The site sits at high altitude in the Andes and the terraces create a striking visual pattern across the slope.

How much climbing is involved at Ollantaytambo?

Ollantaytambo requires climbing around 200 steps to reach the Temple of the Sun at the top of the ruins. The climb is steady but manageable for most fitness levels, and you can move at your own pace since this is a private tour.

Can I bring my own food, or do I have to eat at a restaurant?

You can bring your own snacks or stop at a restaurant for lunch. The choice is yours. The guide can suggest good places to eat along the route, or you can eat what you've brought at any of the stops.

Does the tour include entry to the archaeological sites?

The tour includes transport and the guide, but entry to the Inca Sacred Valley archaeological park is optional and paid separately if you want it. The guide can arrange this for you, or you can purchase the tourist ticket on your own.