Visiting Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley

There are some really beautiful stops to see along the road between Cusco and Machu Picchu. Many travellers to Peru have one goal in mind: to see the incredible Incan ruins of Machu Picchu. However, not many people realise that there is much to explore in the neighbouring surrounds of the Peruvian Andean mountains. Between Cusco and Machu Picchu lies a great range of cultural and historic stops so if you’re visiting Machu Picchu, here’s what you shouldn’t miss in the Sacred Valley.

Awanakancha

Your first stop should be in Awanakancha. This little village is home to the Andes culture. You can get up close with a range of Alpaca, Llama and Vicuña and also learn about the locals wool weaving and dyeing techniques used to create garments and souvenirs. This is a great opportunity to take something home with you while supporting the local community.

Pisac

Pisac is a beautiful little village known for its lively handicrafts market in the main square. A path winds from the square up to Pisac Archaeological Park. Views from the top are absolutely incredible stretching across the Quitamayo gorge and surrounding valley.

Urubamba

Urubamba sits on the Urubamba River surrounded by rugged mountains. The town is well known for the Maras Salt Mines (hundreds of hillside salt pools dating back to Inca times) and the nearby, Moray archaeological site defined by round shaped terraces. Hang-gliding, paragliding and rafting are also popular activities in this area.

Ollantaytambo

Ollantaytambo is a village in the Sacred Valley of south Peru. It’s known for the Ollantaytambo ruins, a massive Inca fortress with large stone terraces on a hillside. Major sites within the complex include the huge Sun Temple and the Princess Baths fountain. Standing atop of these magnificent ruins will give you beautiful sweepings views of the valley and village below.

Visiting Machu Picchu

Trekking the Inca Trail is not for everyone. It’s strenuous and and takes a few days to complete before you reach the end goal of Machu Picchu. If you plan on skipping the trek but still want to see the iconic ruins then keep scrolling for some helpful tips on visiting Machu Picchu!

Ticket Prices

Ticket prices for Machu Picchu range from $37 – $62 per person and only 2,500 spaces are available each day.

Personal Recommendation

I would recommend an overnight stay in Aquas Calientes. It takes a few hours to get here from Cusco, so you can plan a travel itinerary that includes a few stops along in the Sacred Valley (as mentioned above), then stay overnight and get to Machu Picchu for sunrise or sunset the following day.

Getting To Machu Picchu

The easiest way to get to Machu Picchu is to take the train to Aguas Calientes. It’s a scenic 3.5-hour trip along the Urubamba River in the Sacred Valley.

There are three train companies to choose from: Inca Rail, Peru Rail, and the Belmond Hiram Bingham train. The Hiram Bingham is a beautiful, luxurious train with brass and polished wood and includes a white tablecloth meal with wine during your journey. Personally, I would love to experience this one if I were to ever find myself visiting Machu Picchu again. However, it’s much more expensive than Inca Rail or Peru Rail, both of which offer comfortable passage on different types of trains.

Helpful Tip: Whichever train you choose, book as far in advance as possible. Tickets sell out weeks ahead in some months.

Avoiding the Crowds

The busiest and most crowded time of the day is the early morning to lunchtime. Due to being on the Inca Trail trek, my group and I were one of the first to step inside the site of Machu Picchu. However, it was not long until the place started to fill up. The least crowded time of day is in the afternoon a few hours before closing time at 5.