Driving through Sacred Valley to Pisac

Our transport was picking us up at 7.30am, so we ordered a packed breakfast as we were too early for the restaurant service. It consisted of a piece of bruised fruit, a carton of peach juice, and a cereal bar that was full of sugar. We didn't eat any of it.

Our minibus arrived and took us to the other side of town, where we transferred to a larger bus for our trip through the Sacred Valley. We had two guides on the bus - one for the English speakers and one for the Spanish speakers. Our guide was very good and explained all about the Sacred Valley before we got to our first stop - Pisac.

The Sacred Valley of the Incas, or the Urubamba Valley, is a major tourist destination. In 2019, 1.6 million people, mostly non-Peruvians, visited Machu Picchu, its most famous archaeological site. Stretching from Pisac to Ollantaytambo, this fertile valley is irrigated by the Urubamba River. The Chanapata civilisation first settled in this area in around 800 BCE because of its rich soil. They were succeeded by the Qotacalla civilization, who lived in the Sacred Valley from 500 to 900 CE. The Killke civilization flourished from 900 until it was absorbed into the Incan Empire in 1420. Despite its fame, the Incan Empire ruled this area for only a little more than 100 years until the arrival of the Spanish.Read more