Highlights of the Sacred Valley Peru

ancient door sacred valley peru

Once overlooked by tourists as just a stepping stone between Cusco and Machu Picchu, nowadays the Sacred Valley Peru is truly a destination in its own right. Chock-full of activities for all types of travelers, you can hike to little-visited Incan ruins, make friends with the locals in traditional weaving villages, and photograph…

Juanita Mummy Arequipa: The Incan Ice Maiden

juanita mummy arequipa

The Juanita mummy is a must while exploring Arequipa, Peru’s second-largest city. A statement that has rung true for decades but one that has recently become more widely known, as Juniata was thrust back into the public eye in October of last year when archaeologists revealed a model showing what…

An Andean Pachamanca Lunch

pachamanca

On a recent visit to the Sacred Valley, I had the pleasure of participating in and enjoying a Pachamanca Lunch at El Albergue’s Organic Farm at the edge of the town of Ollantaytambo. Pachamanca Lunch in the Sacred Valley Peru is fast gaining a reputation as a destination for gastronomy and…

Ollantaytambo Tour: The Legacy of the Ruins

Ollantaytambo (2,800 meters, or 9,200 feet above sea level) is the name given both to the Inca ruin complex sculpted into the cliff side at the northern end of the Sacred Valley and to the town founded by the Incas. A private Ollantaytabmo tour can be arranged as part of…

The Inca site of Pisac

Pisac Ruins Pisac ruins is one of the highlights of the Sacred Valley. The Inca site of Pisac is well-known for agricultural terracing, which sweeps around the south and east flanks of the mountain in vast, graceful curves, almost unbroken by steps. A fortress city The Pisac ruins, the largest fortress city…

The Spanish conquest of the Incas

One day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

The key to Spanish success during the conquest of the Incas Just 169 soldiers accompanied Francisco Pizarro as he campaigned from northern Peru through the Andes before ultimately capturing the Inca capital of Cusco, defeating tens of thousands of soldiers in their wake. There is no single answer to the…