Home » Super Sacred Valley Tour With Maras Moray
Super Sacred Valley Tour With Maras Moray
Explore the amazing landscapes of the Sacred Valley and visit Pisaq, Ollantaytambo, Maras, Moray, and Salineras on a full-day tour from Cusco. This is the perfect choice for travelers with fewer days in Cusco who still want to discover as many places as possible.
Tour Overview
The Super Sacred Valley Tour is a specially designed full-day itinerary that allows you to explore more archaeological sites in one day. On this tour, you will drive from the highlands of Cusco, across the Andes, into the fertile lands of the Sacred Valley.
Enjoy spectacular views of the Sacred Valley as you visit Pisaq, Ollantaytambo, Moray, and finally the Maras salt mines (Salineras) before returning to Cusco. Drop-off is at your hotel.
Highlights of the Super Sacred Valley Tour
Full Description
Cusco – Pisaq – Ollantaytambo – Moray – Maras – Salineras
After being collected from your hotel at 7:00 am, you will drive with your tour guide to the first stop at the Taray viewpoint, where you can marvel at the spectacular view of the Sacred Valley and the eastern mountain range of the Andes. The Sacred Valley was one of the most important agricultural centers during the Inca Empire and remains vital today.
Later, you will continue to the Pisaq archaeological site, an ancient Inca settlement located in the upper part of the town. Visit the impressive agricultural terraces that start at the bottom of the valley and end at the top of the mountain, perfectly adapted to the landscape, and see one of the largest Inca cemeteries, with more than 10,000 tombs.
After exploring the site, you will drive down to Pisaq town to discover and bargain in the handicraft market, which is very famous because local artisans sell their handcrafted products directly to visitors. The market is open every day and is busiest on Sundays when local villagers arrive to sell vegetables and buy what they need to take back home.
Next, enjoy a 1.5-hour drive to Ollantaytambo to visit the impressive Inca fortress. Ollantaytambo is another remarkable Inca site with well-preserved urban architecture, where locals still use the original buildings, doorways, and streets with water channels running since Inca times. You’ll explore the ruins, admire the stonework in the temples, and learn how the Incas transported enormous rocks from one mountain to another.
After a delicious lunch served with fresh products from the region in a local restaurant, you’ll drive up to the highlands and out of the Sacred Valley to visit Moray, the mysterious circular farming terraces probably used for agricultural experimentation. Then you’ll move on to the picturesque town of Maras, famous for its salt production since Inca times. Explore more than 3,000 salt ponds, learn about the harvesting process, and buy souvenirs before heading back to Cusco around 6:30 pm.
Included in the Super Sacred Valley Tour
- Pick-up and drop-off from your hotel in Cusco.
- Exclusive modern transportation (round trip).
- Professional English-speaking tour guide.
- Lunch at a local restaurant.
- Entrance tickets to all the places we visit.
Not Included on the Tour
- Personal expenses (souvenirs, extra drinks, etc.).
- Gratuities.
Places We Visit During the Super Sacred Valley Tour
Pisaq Archaeological Site.
Pisaq is one of the most beautiful archaeological sites of the Inca Empire. Located on a mountain top, it is very well protected and features one of the largest ancient Inca cemeteries with more than 10,000 tombs. Explore the urban area surrounded by impressive walls and marvel at the sophisticated agricultural terrace system adapted to the shape of the mountain.
Pisaq Market.
Located in the central part of town, the colonial village of Pisaq is famous for its large handicraft and textile market. The market is tourist-oriented nowadays, but you can still see local people from surrounding villages arriving to sell their products and buy supplies. This tradition dates back to Inca times, when Pisaq was a trading center where people exchanged goods with other regions.
Ollantaytambo.
Ollantaytambo was a political, economic, and administrative center in the northern part of the Inca Empire and was used as a stronghold during the
Battle of Ollantaytambo in 1537 between Manco Inca and the Spanish. The town has been continuously occupied since the 14th century, built over Inca foundations with cobblestone streets and water canals still in use. The archaeological site includes impressive temples built with enormous granite boulders brought from another mountain about 5 km away.
Moray.
Located in the upper part of the Sacred Valley, Moray is home to four circular terraced depressions in the ground. The deepest one is about 30 meters deep. It is widely believed that these “greenhouses” were used for agricultural experimentation and the adaptation of crops to different microclimates.
Salineras (Maras Salt Mines).
Located near the town of Maras, the Salineras complex contains more than 3,000 salt ponds. The salty water springs from a natural source above the ponds. Villagers from Maras harvest salt using an evaporation system that takes up to a month. Once the salt layer is thick enough, they harvest and take it to local markets. Each family in Maras owns a number of ponds, and together they form a local company called
MARASAL.
What You Need to Take
- Warm clothes for the morning and afternoon.
- Rain gear, just in case.
- Sun cream and insect repellent.
- Water and snacks.
- Camera.
- Extra money in cash for souvenirs or drinks.
Important to Know Before Booking
- Minimum of 2 people and maximum of 8 per group.
- You will visit local markets, so bring some cash if you plan to shop.
Covid-19 Measures to Keep You Safe
- Temperature checks for all travelers may be required according to local regulations.
- Face masks required for travelers and staff in public areas when mandated.
- Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff at all times.
- High-traffic places and equipment sanitized regularly between uses.
- Maximum eight people per group to reduce crowds; for larger groups we assign two teams.
- Transportation and some touristic sites may operate at reduced capacity.
- Printed material such as maps or vouchers will be avoided where possible.
- 100% online payments with no booking fees.
- Flexible bookings during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Price & How to Book
Price
Price per person: 150 USD
Booking & Payment
To book the Super Sacred Valley Tour, you need to make an initial payment of 50 USD per person. The remaining balance can be paid online, in installments, or in Cusco with any credit card, with no booking fees at all.
