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Complete 1-Day Sacred Valley Tour – Trip Details
Places You Visit with SAM Travel Peru on the Sacred Valley Tour
- The spectacular viewpoint of the Sacred Valley (Mirador of Taray)
- The extensive Pisac Inca ruins, which have many impressive examples of Inca architecture
- The colorful local market of Pisac, where you can see local people who are keeping traditional culture alive
- A quick stop at Urubamba for lunch (not included in price)
- The Moray Archeological site where you can learn about Incan agricultural experimentation
- The famous Pre-Inca Salt Mines of Maras where naturally salty spring water is gathered in the same way it has been for hundreds of years
- The magnificent archeological site of Ollantaytambo and amazing views of the valley
No other travel agency except SAM travel visits all of these sites in their Sacred Valley Tour!
Sacred Valley Tour Full Day – Itinerary
We will pick you up at your hotel at 7:30am, with our private van and head towards the Sacred Valley of the Incas, where your first view of the valley is at the Mirador of Taray. This spectacular view of the Urubamba valley is laid out before you, with traditional farming communities in the valley floor and mountain peaks rising from the end of the valley. Keep reading for a sneak peak of the highlights!
PISAC
Onward, we drive to the archaeological site of Pisac, where you can see an immense Inca cemetery with more than 2000 tombs. You will learn about the incredible farming terraces carved into the mountain. We will spend about 1.5 hours here, exploring the ancient Inca city. These ruins are quite extensive and you will see many examples of original Inca architecture.
Then we head back to the colorful market of Pisac, which we visit for about 20 minutes. Then we drive to Urubamba for lunch where you have the option of a buffet restaurant of delicious Peruvian food, or other nearby restaurants.
SALT MINES
The Salt Mines (Salineras), close to the colonial town of Maras, are Pre-Inca. Hundreds of saltpans decorate the hillside and have been used for salt extraction since before the Inca era. A natural spring at the top of the valley discharges a small stream of water heavily laden with salt, which is diverted into saltpans and evaporated to produce a salt that is of very high quality. This is one of the few places in the world where you can find naturally pink salt! This is a shorter walk than Pisac.
MORAY
The fascinating Inca site of Moray is also known as “The Greenhouses of the Incas.” Different levels of terraces are carved into a huge bowl, part of which was further excavated by the Incas. The terraces have varied microclimates depending on how deep into the bowl they are placed. It is believed they were used by the Incas to research the optimal conditions for their crops. This is another short stop.
OLLANTAYTAMBO
We finish our tour in Ollantaytambo, exploring the archeological site for about 1 hour. Like Pisac, this is a very extensive site. You will learn about the incredible architecture of the Sun Temple, admire the water fountains, the Incahuatana and the impressive storehouses. Finally, we will return to Cusco, dropping you at your hotel around 6:30 pm.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
Included
- Small group up to 10 people
- Professional English speaking guide with extensive knowledge of each site
- Private comfortable transportation
- Tax
Not Included
- Entrance tickets to archeological sites: 70 soles (1 day only) or approximately US$20 per person which can only be purchased in soles and only at the first archeological site. (See important info for more information)
- Meals
- Salt Mine entrance 10 soles
PRICES
Spend more time at the Inca cities in small or private groups!
GROUP PRICES
| # of Persons | Price Per Person |
|---|---|
| 2 persons | $75 pp |
| 3 persons | $65 pp |
| 4 persons | $55 pp |
| 5 + persons | $45 pp |
***Price per person is based on the number of people in the group. When the group is finalized each person will pay based on the size of the final group. There is no guarantee of how many persons may join except the limit is 10 persons per group.
***A minimum is 2 people is required to start a group.
PRIVATE GROUP PRICES (Any date)
| # of Persons | Price Per Group |
|---|---|
| 1 to 2 persons | $197 |
| 3 to 5 persons | $240 |
| 6 +— | –280- |
| — | — |
| — | — |
***Private group price is based on group price not per person, and will be completely private with your own guide, chauffeur and private van. No others will be added to the group.
***Minimum is 1 person but that person will pay $197 for the private group.
EXTRA FEES
- Entrance ticket to the archeological sites: 70 soles or approximately US$20 per person which can only be purchased in soles at the first archeological site. (See important info for more information)
- Salt Mine entrance of 10 soles
WHY CHOOSE SAM TRAVEL
SAM Travel Peru is a family-owned travel agency and a local tour operator based in Cusco with personal experience over many years of trekking. SAM Travel Peru is a 100% Cusqueñian Company without any shareholders.
Our dream as a locally based company, is to create small personalized tours & treks strictly and only operated by local professional staff. We bring to you the best PERSONALIZED and HIGH-QUALITY SERVICE.
We take pride in our reputation as a RESPONSIBLE & SUSTAINABLE tour operator. Our staff are our extended family. We ensure they are supported financially by offering them a fair salary. We are so proud of our team! Without them, we wouldn’t be able to offer the best service and lifetime experiences to our clients.
SAM Travel Peru knows how important it is to trust in a reliable honest operator to create your adventure of a lifetime while in Peru. Check out our reviews and certificates of excellence on, TRIPADVISORfor yourself! Also we are highly recommended on Conde Nast Travelers, Lonely Planet and by many blogs like: Trek de Lares 4 hours, “It’s the journey, not the destination…”, Lares Pass – Day 3, Trekking in the Sacred Valley.
SMALL GROUPS
To ensure a more personalized service for our guests, at SAM Travel Peru we have a policy that our groups will not exceed 10 people. This fact alone sets us apart from other companies that operate departures with bigger groups.
OUR TOP TOUR GUIDES
We are so proud of our guides! They are highly professional and speak fluent English. They are very knowledgeable and passionate for Inca heritage and history. Our guides are dedicated to continuous personal and professional development. They do research to ensure that you receive accurate and recognized theories in Inca and Andean culture. Our crew is fun loving, great sports and well-educated. They all hold degrees in one of the following: Archeology, Tourism, Botany, History or Anthropology.
OUR SERVICE PROJECTS
SAM Travel Peru has always believed that we should give back to the local isolated communities. Therefore, as part of our commitment to responsible tourism, we always do many service projects and hire locally.
SAM Travel Peru is so proud to be able to support these people, not only employing them but go back to our grassroots as they share with their families. It makes us happy to have this holistic approach with our highland employees and their families!
HOW TO BOOK THE TOUR?
FIRST, to book your Bus to Puno from Cusco, we need you to fill out our booking form by clicking on BOOK NOW on our homepage or click here the link BOOK NOW.
Please be ready with the following information (FROM EACH PARTICIPANT in your group). We cannot purchase your Bus to Puno from Cusco without the following information:
- Personal information (your full name, exactly as on your passport):
- Gender
- Passport number
- D.OB. (dd / mm / yyyy)
- Nationality
SECOND, we require a deposit of $53.00 USD per person in order to purchase a your entrance to Machu Picchu and train ticket. You can make you deposit by clicking on the VISA or PAYPAL symbols on the top of our home page, or you can click on the VISA or PAYPAL symbols on our booking page.
WHAT ABOUT THE BALANCE?
If you would like to avoid the high credit card fees in Peru, you may pay in cash at our office (US dollars or Peruvian soles) here in Cusco. There are many ATMS within the historical center to withdraw money. You can also pay by VISA or PAYPAL online but you will have to pay a 5.5% service fee, charged by VISA and PAYPAL. To pay your balance through PAYPAL, you need to log into your PAYPAL account and use our email address samtravelperu@gmail.com.
BOLETO TURISTICO (tourist ticket )
You have the option to purchase a 1 Day or a 10 Day Boleto Turistico.
The partial ticket, or 1 Day ticket costs 70 soles (about US $20) and is valid for 1 day. You can visit a many sites as you like in one day with no further charge. There are no discounts with this ticket.
Both tourist tickets, of 1 day or 10 day, allows the access to different archeological sites around Cusco, and Sacred Valley Tour. This is the best way to visit all the archeological sites of the region and the Sacred Valley. Most of the main archeological sites are not accessible for free.
The general ticket allows you over the next 10 days to enter 16 archeological and cultural sites in Cusco, the south valley and the Sacred Valley tour. The price of this ticket is 130 soles (about US $40) and is valid for 10 days. This is the cheapest and most convenient way to plan to see different sites in a few days. The cost for students under 25 (with the presentation of a valid ISIC card) and for teenagers under 18 (with the presentation of an identity card) is 70 soles (US $20). Children under 11 are free.
Here is a list of sites where you can use your Boleto Touristico:
- Sacsayhuaman
- Q’enqo
- PucaPukara
- Tambomachay
- Pisaq
- Ollantaytambo
- Chinchero
- Moray
- Tipon
- Piquillaqta
- Museo Histórico Regional
- Museo de Arte contemporáneo
- Museo de Arte Popular
- Museo de Sitio de Qorikancha
- Centro Qosqo de Arte Nativo
- Monumento al Inca Pachacutec
Note : The entrance ticket to the main archeological sites like Sacsayhuaman, Pisac, Ollantaytambo,Chinchero,Tipón and Moray are sold individually. You must buy the Boleto turístico to visit them. You can get it in Avenida el Sol nearby Peru office or at the time you enter the first site that you are visiting. YOU MUST PAY IN SOLES, NO CREDIT CARD OR US DOLLARS ARE ACCEPTED.
Important: These entrances are not included in the Boleto Touristico.
- The entrance to Qoricancha or Santo Domingo Convent (15 soles)
- The entrance to the Cathedral (25 soles)
BRIEFING
The briefing will take place the night before the trek at 6pm in our office, which is located at Calle Garcilaso 210, office 213 (second floor) in the La CASA DEL ABUELO shopping center.
TIPPING
If you’re happy with the services provided, a tip – though not compulsory – is appreciated. While it may not be customary in your country, it’s of great significance for the people who will take care of you during the Lares trek to Machu Picchu. It inspires them to give excellent service and is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry across many SAM Travel Peru destinations. Of course, you are free to tip as much as you would like, depending on your perception of the quality and the length of your trip. Remember, a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.
ARE WE SUSTAINABLE?
Yes, we are a locally sustainable & responsible tourism operator. That incorporates universal principles of tourism: protect the environment and benefit the local communities by respecting their culture and religion. With this in mind, we have trained all our local staff to know and understand, respect the places and the local people.
WHAT TO BRING FOR THE SACRED VALLEY TOUR
- Warm jacket and rain jacket
- Hat
- Water
- Sun protection
- Insect repellent
- Some money for souvenirs
- Money in soles to purchase boleto turístico y entrance to salt mine
- Original passport
- If you are a student, take your student ID card (only works for the 10 day boleto turístico)
