The Sacred Valley was our destination after our Gate 1 Travel group spent the afternoon in Chinchero. We were headed to our hotel near Urubamba for the next two nights.
The Sacred Valley got its name from the Incas because of the sacred river that ran through it. The valley is only about a kilometer wide in most places, with side valleys and agricultural terraces. Surrounded by mountains, it was ideal for growing produce, mainly corn.
A majority of the valley sits at about 9,000 feet above sea level. Lower than Cusco at just above 11,000 feet. And the valley is lush and green!
We Saw The SkyLodge!
During the drive to our hotel, we passed the Skylodge. We saw these unique accommodations in YouTube videos from some of our favorite travel bloggers.
These transparent luxury capsules are mounted to the side of the mountain. They sit about 1,200 feet up the mountain and measure 24 feet long, 8 feet high, and wide. The suites have solar lights and a private bathroom.
To get there, you climb metal ladders embedded in the mountains and leave by zip-lining back down!
While we did not stay here, the views would be AMAZING!
Sorry for the picture, but we were on a moving bus shooting up the mountain!
Sonesta Posadas del Inca Yucay
Manco II 123, Yucay 08665, Peru
The Sonesta Posadas del Inca Yucay was our home for the next two nights and our base for exploring Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu. And it was probably our favorite hotel of the trip.
The hotel has 118 rooms, spectacular gardens, little plazas with cobblestone streets, an adorable chapel, a square with local vendors, and incredible mountain views.
We scored a corner room on the second level, so our walk from the lobby and restaurants was pretty short. The accommodations were simple but comfortable, and we loved walking past a row of fresh lavender and under an arch of honeysuckle to get to our room.
The grounds are magnificent, and we arrived in late November, so they had already installed Christmas decorations.
The hotel offered breakfast daily, and everything was delicious, with plenty of options. Our favorite was eggs made to order on an antique stove.
Dinner at the Hotel
On our second night, we opted not to “dinner with a local family” and stayed at the hotel. Several other folks joined us at La Dispensa, the hotel’s Pizza and Pasta Restaurant.
Chuck had a Meatball Pizza, and Mark opted for a traditional Margarita Pizza. Both were very good. However, service was incredibly slow and disorganized despite the restaurant only having one other table.
{Side Note – Gate 1 Travel trips often offer “dinner with a local family” as an optional dining experience. We’ve done one or two, including one when we passed through our new hometown of Merida on our Mexico trip. They seem to be very hit or miss, with pretty limited options of local food. As a general rule, we opt for dinner on our own to explore local eateries – but Pizza is always an option too!}
We loved the resort and could stay there for a week exploring the area. We definitely recommend the hotel for your Sacred Valley adventure.
Moray and Maras
Nearly our entire group booked the optional Moray and Maras Tour, and we’re happy we did. We ventured just outside the valley to these two unique locations significant to the local communities.
Along the way, we could see some local families working in the fields using ox plows and hauling their belongings on donkeys. We stopped on our way back to the hotel to get a closer look and shared some water and extra box lunches with them.
Box Lunches
Since we mentioned our box lunches, we’ll address that first. There’s always a lot of chatter on the Facebook groups about the box lunches.
They were okay – you’re in the middle of nowhere and eating on the bus. Ours included a Ham and Cheese Sandwich, a Shredded Chicken Sandwich, a slice of Pound Cake, extra Water, Peach Juice, a Granola Bar, and some hard Candy.
They are not winning any Michelin Stars. The Chicken was a little dry, but it was edible and filling.
Maras Salt Mines
Maras is known for thousands of salt pools on the hillside that date back to Incan times. The saltwater that feeds these pools is deep inside the mountains and trickles through a series of channels, spilling over the edges and evaporating as it trickles down the hillside.
As beautiful and unique as the place is, its daily operation makes it unique. Salt is still raked and harvested by hand with wooden planks, packed into bags, and carried uphill to be weighed at the cooperative, where locals are paid for their Salt.
This is generational wealth. Each terrace is family-owned and can only be passed down to family members to keep it in the community. Our tour manager, Pavel, and his wife are descendants of this town and own about 75 terraces, which they lease out to be harvested.
We purchased several bags of Salt for our use and as gifts. The Rose Salt is perfect for everyday cooking, and the Smoked Salt is excellent for grilling and finishing—it’s really smokey, and we’ve used it to add smoke to Greens when hosting vegetarian friends. The third Salt we bought was Herb Salt, a bit chunkier and excellent for Chicken.
{PRO Tip: If you plan on buying the Smoked Salt, bring several large zipper bags. Even wrapped in two plastic grocery bags, you could still smell it in your suitcases when we opened the bags.}
Moray
The second stop of the trip was Moray, an archaeological site made up of terraced circles. Sitting on a high plateau, these circles, some as deep as 30 meters, have an irrigation system and were used for farming. The design of the circles and retaining walls helps promote drainage.
The temperatures become increasingly lower the farther down you go, allowing farmers to grow crops that thrive at different temperatures.
The surrounding area is beautiful, with views of the mountains and local plants. We saw many locals, especially schools, exploring the site.
This optional Gate 1 Travel tour to Moray and Maras was one you don’t want to skip.
Ollantaytambo
Ya, it’s as hard to say as it looks, even speaking a good bit of Spanish. Pronounced OH-yon-tay-tom-bo, this Inca site is a fortress that towers over the valley and is the last stand of the Incas against the Spanish.
The historic site consists of a series of terraces, temples, and ancient buildings surrounded by a village, many of which are still occupied by descendants of the original inhabitants.
True confession—the tour included a climb to the top of the fortress to see the sunset. It was steep, windy, and a pretty big climb. We knew we were going to Machu Picchu the next day, so nearly everyone chose to explore the site and village. It was definitely the right choice for us.
It was interesting to see the ancient aqueducts still in use today and how some locals live.
Hacienda Puka Punku Restaurante
Km. 75 Carretera Urubamba – Ollantaytambo
Valle Sagrado, Cusco, Perú
One night, after arriving in the Sacred Valley, we headed offsite to a local restaurant called Hacienda Puka Punku Restaurante. We were all provided menus on our road trip to make our selections.
We started dinner with a Quinoa Chowder, a bothy soup with lots of fresh vegetables and Quinoa. We were served delicious local bread, and drink offerings included soft drinks, local Beer, and Wine. Mark chose the Peruvian Sauvignon Blanc, which was surprisingly good.
Chuck chose the Stirfried Noodles with Criolla-style Beef for his entree—sort of like the Lomo Saltado he had in Lima but with Pan-Fried Noodles. It was tasty and a good-sized portion.
While Lima, on the coast, is known for its seafood, the high plains surrounding the valley are known for their Trout. So Mark went with the Grilled Trout with Steamed Vegetables. It was fresh, well-prepared, and delicious!
The dessert options were Quinoa Porridge, Fresh Fruit, or Chocolate Torte—obviously, we both chose Chocolate. When in Peru, eat Chocolate!
Although it is a banquet hall catering to tourist groups, the food and service were excellent.
But, the absolute highlight of the night was the local entertainment. Some men played a variety of Siku or traditional Andean panpipes. These pipes are made of cane cut to various lengths and create amazing music.
These three guys were entertaining, the music was incredible, and they could not have been nicer, allowing some of our group to attempt to play their instruments.
Ceramicas Apu Yawarmaky
Before leaving the Sacred Valley, we stopped at a local ceramics studio. The owner demonstrated how the local pottery is made, handprinted, and fired.
It was interesting and allowed us to support a small family-owned business and buy local handcrafts.
We opted for this tiny decanter and four bowls, perfect for serving dipping sauces when entertaining.
And now, what you’ve all been waiting for!!!! We took the Vistadome Train to Machu Picchu during our stay in the Sacred Valley! – and that deserves a blog post of its own!
It is all so facinating! My love for adventure and travel, youngest son Lucas would LOVE to stay in one of those mountainside “hotels”. Or as I would call them…NOT FOR ME!
That’s okay, you won’t see us staying there anytime soon. We’ve watched some great YouTube videos of people staying there but the climb alone would do us in.