Exlore the best Inca Ruins of Sacred Valley of the Incas. The Sacred Valley of the Incas was a very special place for the ancient, ancient cultures. This is due to its very special climate, which is maintained throughout the year, with temperatures from 15 to 21 C°.
The Vilcanota River is the main source of water resources, which is used to irrigate the fields of corn, fruits and vegetables. In ancient times this river was considered the most sacred, which had a link to the Milky Way. This is how the ancient Peruvians identified some dark spots in the Cusco sky with different forms of animals and shepherds.
Following this astral map, the Incas decided to build their main temples and sanctuaries taking the form of these animals. The first world-famous site is the Pisac ruins that resemble a condor, then there is the Pachar site where there is a Sapo mountain, the Ollantaytambo fortress has the shape of a Lama with its calf.
This is how this valley, which to this day fulfills its function as a pantry and main granary of the city of Cusco.
It is considered one of the most picturesque towns of the Sacred Valley of the Incas thanks to its cultural expression and mestizo architecture. Chinchero is located about 30 kilometers away from the Imperial City of Cusco and sits at an altitude of 3,754 meters above sea level.
Although the town may not be the main attraction here, its history and cultural expression definitely is since it comprises an archeological complex known as the royal precinct of the most important inca ruler Tupac Yupanqui. Likewise, most of its inhabitants are Quechua speakers and have maintained their ancestral culture alive.
This Inca site was the designated residence of Tupac Yupanqui. Here he ordered the construction of beautiful palaces though it was later incinerated by Manco Inca to help people escape during colonization to the hidden lands of the jungle.
Chinchero is recognized for its top-quality textiles and its cultural expression. The local craft market is situated next to the Archeological Site of Chinchero. Here you’ll find remarkable textiles, souvenirs and alpaca clothing.
If you’re looking for the perfect place to get to know the Cusqueñan cultural expression, this could be the perfect place to do so! Pisac is located at an hour drive from Cusco and comprises an elevation of 2,972 m.a.s.l. Here you’ll be able to know the outstanding textile work of the region as well as the knitting and coloring processes.
Likewise, Pisac also has one of the most impressive archeological sites of the valley, located in a privileged location that grants sweeping views of the valley and the mountainous landscape around it.
The ancient structure served as a control and religious center during the Inca era. However, the real purpose is still unknown, according to some historians it was a royal hacienda of the Inca Pachacutec with administrative, ceremonial, and agricultural areas, but this remains uncertain.
The Archeological Site of Pisac is located at 3,300 meters above sea level, offering incredible views of its surroundings and the Sacred Valley of the Incas. To visit this Inca site, you’ll have to purchase the Cusco Tourist Ticket, which we include in all our travel packages.
If visiting this beautiful town, make sure to pass by the local craft market, where you’ll find a great variety of textiles, alpaca clothing, and souvenirs.
Ollantaytambo is a small village frozen in time with a distinctive Inca-Colonial urban setting surrounded by towering mountains and an impressive ceremonial fortress that you definitely should visit.
Ollantaytambo is also the starting point for many travelers that visit Machu Picchu since it also has one of the three train stations of the region. The archeological site is recognized as the only place that defeated the Spanish army during colonization.
The agricultural terraces of Moray are widely known as an Inca agricultural laboratory since each terrace offers different microclimates allowing them to experiment with different crops and plant species.
However, this is just a theory since the site was already abandoned when the Spaniards arrived to Peruvian lands, which means that there are no records that can help us decipher what their real purpose was.
The renowned anthropologist John Earls believed that Moray was used as an experimental farm over 500 years ago since it comprises a complex irrigation system and also noticed a significant temperature difference that ranged in 12°C from top to bottom.
Likewise, there are other hypotheses that claim that the archeological site could have been a ceremonial center though it is very unlikely due to its location since it is quite far from the Imperial City of Cusco. Some other theories say that it could have been an extraterrestrial spacecraft landing site, and as wild as it might seem, it has been also said about the Nazca Lines before. But we’ll leave it up to you, visit it and make sure to capture every detail of this archaeological complex.
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