Sacred Valley, Pisac, Ollantaytambo

Journey from Cusco into the Sacred Valley on a day trip that takes in Pisac, Ollantaytambo, the salt mines and Moray. It runs for 9 hours in total.

Overview

This tour squeezes the entire Sacred Valley into one long day on a shared bus, visiting Chinchero, Moray, the Maras salt ponds, Urubamba, Ollantaytambo and Pisac in that order, with a guide speaking English or Spanish. The verified duration is nine hours. The day begins early, with the meeting point at the Plaza de Armas in Cusco, next to the water fountain. Exact timing and any meeting arrangements are confirmed the day before the service, starting at 6:00 p.m., through the contact details provided at booking.

The route moves fast and covers a lot of ground. Chinchero stops first for its textile tradition and a look at how natural fibers and dyes are worked. Moray follows, with its circular agricultural terraces, then the Maras salt ponds, which are still worked today and require a separate entry ticket. A buffet lunch in Urubamba breaks up the day before the fortress town of Ollantaytambo, which still keeps its original Inca urban layout. Pisac closes the circuit, pairing hillside ruins with a colonial town and artisan market below. From there the bus heads back toward Cusco, with drop-off on Calle Plateros.

It suits travelers with very limited days who want the main valley sites in a single push. Reviewers praise the guides' knowledge and passion, and they are equally clear in warning that the day is nonstop and tiring. One option worth knowing about: the tour can instead end in Ollantaytambo at 3:00 p.m., which works well for anyone catching the train to Aguas Calientes for Machu Picchu.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meeting point in CuscoMeet at the Plaza de Armas in Cusco, next to the water fountain. Timing and any meeting arrangements are confirmed the day before the service, starting at 6:00 p.m., via the contact details given at booking.
2. Drive to ChincheroA 40 minute bus ride to the Chinchero district. The stop lasts 25 minutes and includes a guided visit, free time and shopping at the textile center; this stop is optional.
3. Moray terracesA further 40 minutes on the bus to Moray, where the circular terraces created different microclimates for Inca crop experiments. The visit and guided tour last 20 minutes.
4. Maras salt minesAfter a 25 minute drive, spend 30 minutes at the salt ponds, fed by an underground spring and still in use today. This stop is optional and carries an extra entry fee.
5. Lunch in UrubambaA 20 minute transfer to Urubamba, the heart of the Sacred Valley, for a 50 minute buffet lunch with time to look around the local market.
6. Ollantaytambo fortressA 30 minute ride to Ollantaytambo, a living Inca town that still preserves its original urban layout. The visit, guided tour, free time and sightseeing last 1 hour.
7. Pisac ruins and townThe longest transfer of the day, 100 minutes, to Pisac, where hillside Inca ruins sit above a colonial town with an artisan market. The guided visit lasts 1 hour.
8. Return and drop-offA 45 minute bus ride back. Drop-off is either on Calle Plateros or, for those heading to Machu Picchu, at the Plaza de Armas de Ollantaytambo, where the tour can end at 3:00 p.m. to catch the train to Aguas Calientes.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will shape how this day goes, from cash for entry fees to how much stamina it demands.

• Bring soles in cash. Entry fees are not in the tour price. The tourist ticket costs 70 soles and the salt mines ticket costs 20 soles, and the listing is blunt about it: you just need to have soles in cash. Visitor tickets can be bought at the first stop in Chinchero.
• A nonstop, tiring day. Several reviewers describe the day as busy and nonstop, and one called it pretty physical, adding that not everyone can manage it. The listing itself frames the tour as being under strict time control at each stop, designed for people with very limited days. Go in expecting a fast pace with short stops.
• Packing list. The listing asks travelers to bring a passport, cash, sunscreen and biodegradable mosquito repellent. Drones, weapons or sharp objects, and alcohol and drugs are not allowed on the tour.
• Luggage limit. The agency allows only 12 kilos of luggage on the bus. Anyone planning to continue straight on to Machu Picchu after the tour should pack with that limit in mind.
• The Machu Picchu handoff. The tour can end in Ollantaytambo at 3:00 p.m., where trains leave for Aguas Calientes. One reviewer found this ending very convenient for the train ride, so it is a real option rather than a gimmick. Mention it when booking if that is the plan.
• Food and guides. A buffet lunch in Urubamba is included, and reviewers who mentioned it singled it out as excellent. Guides also draw repeated praise for being knowledgeable and passionate. Drinks and tips are not included.

Common issues. The pace is the main complaint. The summarized feedback notes that some travelers found the stops rushed and would have liked more time at each site, and reviewers echo that the day is nonstop and tiring, with one calling it pretty physical. Entry fees are extra and must be paid in soles, in cash. Transport is a shared service, and luggage on the bus is capped at 12 kilos.

Common Questions