Valle Sacrado

Before leaving the Cusco region, there are a number of places to see. Cusco is situated close to the Valle Sacrado (Sacred Valley), where the Vilcanota River, later changing name to Urubamba, is surrounded by fertile lands, cultivated since thousands of years with a lot of memories from the Inca times and still basically inhabited by natives of the Quechua ethnic.

I made a tour together with a local guide, 73 years old, retired teacher, fluent in Spanish, French, English, German… and of course in the local Quechua, as talked by the Incas.

On the way to the valley we first visited Chinchero (3800 meters, 12500 ft), believed to be the “birthplace of the rainbow”, an important town during the Inca times. There are some fantastic agricultural terraces still in use, some ruins, a market place, a church… and some splendid views.

Arriving to the valley, we first visited Urubamba, surrounded by Inca installations. We also went to see the local market, not at all dedicated to tourists, just there for the daily needs of the local population.

We made stops as Yucay and at Calca. By chance it was the day of the month when the natives descend from their mountains to receive a monthly very modest governmental allocation. The central place of Calca was full of women, queuing in front of the small bank office. Only women… ; I guess that if the men would have been there, little money, if any, would have been left at their return. They were so friendly and offered some of their potatoes, the only food they had brought.

Next goal was Písac, where we first visited another fantastic Inca settlement with the best remaining Inca “andenería” (irrigated platforms) system (what you can see on the top picture) and a number of ruins, high above the present village with the region’s perhaps best known market place.

We ended the tour by a nice lunch between the guide, the driver and myself, costing me 15 $, beer, wine and coca leaf mixture included, maybe the best meal I had in Peru! On the Peruvian menus you will generally be offered excellent soups, trout as dominating fish, llamas, alpaca, “cuy” (guinea pig) or chicken as meat, “papas” (potatoes; some 600 varieties), corn (also in a lot of varieties and colours), a magnitude of wonderful vegetables – all this can be rather spicy -, nice cakes (cucadas, churros, champus), fruits of all kinds, very good beers and some more than acceptable local wines….

As usual, I propose that you have a look on my photo blog, if you wish to see the above photos in full size.