Two Days
Up and down the Sacred Valley

DAY 1

We leave the hotel by van directly for Chinchero, a potato-growing town at an elevation of approximately 3700 meters. During the hour-long ride, we see remarkable views of the Vilcanota mountains.Once in Chinchero we may visit the ruins, which display a great mixture of both Inca and Colonial building styles. We then get our bikes ready and depart on the country road leading through the green and red patchwork squares of the surrounding fields. This difference in color is due to the variety of crops grown by the local farmers. Arriving at the Huaypo lagoon we take a road along its border. A bit further up, we enter the Huayllacocha and Mahuaypampa communities. We visit one of the local houses, where we rest and enjoy our snack.

We continue on the same road until we reach the terraces of Moray. Our guide will take us down into these ruins and explain their function. It is said that the ancient agricultural terraces of circular and concentric shape, which were built by the Incas, were used as a seed-producing area for the principal crops of the empire: maize and potato.

Before riding on we have lunch at the top of Moray. After lunch we take a dirt road that leads us down towards the Huarocondo gorge. The descent into the gorge is single track and fairly steep. We pass through a small community and have some wonderful panoramic views. At the bottom of the gorge we arrive at our camp. The tents are set up and the cook prepares our dinner. After dinner we can sit around the campfire and tell stories, before crawling into our sleeping bags and getting a good night's sleep.

DAY 2

After breakfast, we visit an ancient cave with remarkable rock carvings. We descend to Pachar on a country road. We pass through this community, which has a small train station.

Cycling on to Ollantaytambo we will see a growing number of ancient Inca terraces and note that the river becomes a canal. To enter Ollantaytambo we cross another hanging bridge built next to the remains of an old Inca bridge. We visit the town with its many houses that date back to Inca times. Other homes were constructed with the stones left by the Inca civilization.

The ride up to the village of Huilloc is a hard one because the road has some very rocky parts. Depending on the physical condition of the group this can be done by van or bike. On the way we ride past several small waterfalls. In Huilloc the local people dress in colorful ponchos and skirts, that they weave themselves. We may see the people working on these traditional fabrics. Most of the men in this town are porters for the Inca Trail. We stop for lunch here.

The way down to Ollantaytambo is the same and again we have a choice to go by bus or bike. Before entering the fortress of Ollantaytambo we put on warm clothing, since the wind causes the temperature to drop sharply at the top of the fortress. To keep warm we also drink tea or coffee. Our guide will show us around the ruins, constructed with some of the largest stones in the Inca empire.

We take the van back to the hotel

Programs Select a program The Pumahuanca Gorge The Terraces of Moray and the Saltpans The Glacier of Chicon The town of Urquillos The Huayllacocha and Mahuaypampa communities Pisaq and its ruins The ruins of Ollantaytambo Up and down the Sacred Valley