INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES

Sacred Valley of the incas Communities are home to the living culture of Cusco. If you want to be part of this living culture, the inhabitants of the valley are ready to share their work with you and allow you to experience their daily life for yourself.

The Sacred Valley of the Incas is the spectacular and historic valley where the runas (human beings) of the Tahuantinsuyo (Inca nation) lived, who built impressive works of agricultural engineering admired throughout the world. Located a short distance from Cusco, it is a spectacular valley located in the Andes mountain range in South America. The valley runs parallel to the meandering Urubamba River, also known as the Vilcanota River or Willkamayu River, and is just 15 km (9 miles) north of Cusco.

This beautiful valley between the towns of Písac and Ollantaytambo was greatly admired by Peruvian ancestors due to its special conditions: beneficial climate, fertile land, and the presence of the Willkamayu River (sacred river). The runas, with the incentive of the qualities granted by nature, built architectural works linked to agriculture, which was the main activity in ancient Peru. Here, the Incas found the perfect place to record their intrinsic knowledge of hydraulic engineering and their deep love for nature. It is for this reason that the aqueducts, the irrigation channels and the channels of the Willkamayu River, as well as the impressive platforms, the astronomical-scientific observation centers and the centers of spiritual activity, are still preserved. The sacred valley of the incas is a rich agricultural area that supplies the city of Cusco with its production of corn, fruits and vegetables.