The Inca Trail is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It is without a doubt one of the world’s greatest hikes and it was at the top of my bucket list for over a decade before I went. If you’re planning a trip to South America or Peru, chances are the Inca Trail is the one thing you’re …
The classic 4-Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is one of the world’s great hikes. It is the same route that the ancient Inca rulers used for reaching the sacred Citadel and New World Wonder. Along the way, there are half a dozen other major ruins, plus countless more smaller ones. Today, the 4-day trail …
The Ollantaytambo Ruins (Ollantaytambo Archaeological Site) in Peru’s Sacred Valley is second in importance only to Machu Picchu itself. These prominent ruins overlooking Ollantaytambo townsite were the site of the only major Inca defeat of Spanish forces. Today, they are also one of the most accessible ruins around Cusco because you can walk to them …
One of my biggest surprises when visiting the Sacred Valley in Peru was the exceptionally high quality of the food. Again and again, I enjoyed high-end restaurant food and presentation, but for surprisingly low prices. Ollantaytambo, my favorite town in the Sacred Valley, is home to only a few thousand people. It is most famous …
Ollantaytambo is my favorite town in the Sacred Valley of Peru, and I’m not alone. So many visitors rush through Ollantaytambo on their way to Machu Picchu, or as a part of a Sacred Valley day tour like this one, and wish they had budgeted more time for it. Personally, I fell in love with …
People often associate Cusco, the ancient Inca capital, with Machu Picchu, the most famous Inca site. Many visitors fly into Cusco, rush to see Machu Picchu, and then fly out. But did you know that the Cusco region has nearly 100 other major archaeological sites, and countless other smaller ones? In this article, I’m going …
Pisac was special for me. It is the first place I visited not just in Peru but in all of South America! After flying in directly to Cusco via Lima (see my recommended Lima itinerary), I spent the first four days of my trip acclimatizing in laid-back Pisac, which is 427 m (1401 ft) meters …
The Pisac ruins are some of the most important Incan ruins in Peru’s Cusco region and the Sacred Valley, along with the ruins at Ollantaytambo and more remote Huchuy Qosqo. They are a great addition to any Machu Picchu visit. I especially recommend visiting these and other Sacred Valley attractions BEFORE Machu Picchu so you …
Pisac (also spelled Písac or Písaq) is one of the largest towns in the Sacred Valley of Peru. The Urubamba River flows through this valley towards the famed Machu Picchu. As the furthest east town in the valley (or furthest away from Machu Picchu), most visitors bypass Pisac altogether in their rush to get from …
