Climate: Cusco features two well-defined seasons: the rainy season, from November to March, with average temperatures of 12 °C; and a dry season (the recommended time of year for visiting) from April to October, with cold nights, sunny days and average temperatures of 9 °C.
Services: The Sacred Valley of Urubamba area features restaurants, hotels and services such as rental of horses and mountain bikes.
The eloquently beautiful valley stretching from the town of Pisac to the one of Ollantaytambo, in Cusco, was closely cherished by the people of ancient Peru.
The run begins in the Archeological park of Sacsayhuaman Covering 7,400 acres; this park is to be found north of the city of Cusco and includes the following archeological monuments: Sacsayhuamán, cyclopean work that the Inca called House of the Sun and the Spaniards: The Fortress; Qenqo, ancient ceremonial center dedicated to the earth; Puca Pucara, administrative and military center, besides being a control post on the Inca road; Tambomachay, important place of worship dedicated to water, and Laqo, Lanlakuyoc and Cusilluchayoc, pre-Columbian observatories and centers of ceremonial worship.
After leaving the archeological park one arrives at Pisac, a picturesque town of creole and colonial aspect, situated 20 miles from the town of Cusco in the province of Calca.
On the way to the heart of the Sacred Valley is Yucay, a lovely stretch that holds the palace of Inca Manco Sairi Tupac II, a structure of stone and mud brick with decorative designs in high and low relief. Not far off is Urubamba, trading center of the valley (at 49 miles from Cusco via Pisac and 36 miles via Chinchero), outstanding for its countryside and healthy climate - This place, at the foot of snow-capped Chicón, offers many possibilities for adventure tourism.
At 12 miles from Urubamba and 61 from Cusco, on a modern higway, lies Ollantaytambo, an architectural group that in the days of the Tahuantisuyo empire was a gigantic agricultural, administrative, social, religious and military complex. On the highest, western part of the town rises a mountain that holds countless pre-Hispanic structures among which the Principal Temple is outstanding.
To get to Chinchero, last point of the journey, its is necessary to go back to Urubamba and then branch off for 18 miles. This town, 17 miles from Cusco, is a fine example of archiotectural syncretism of the Andean with the Hispanic. Without doubt, Chinchero makes a magnificent close to the journey that reaches out not only geografically but across time.
