The Sacred Valley

photo by Dawn Wohlfarth

V!VA User‘s Description

The Sacred Valley is the valley west of the sloping edges of the mountain town of Cusco. This area is rich, not only in fields, farms and views, but also in ancient Inca ruins. The famous ruins at Machu Picchu neighbor other Inca ruins at Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Vilcabamba and Choquequirao. Compared to the chilly city of Cusco, the Sacred Valley is a sunny paradise where travelers can explore the remains of numerous Inca palaces, fortresses and temples, and wander through charming Andean villages that continue to produce some of the country's finest handicrafts. Carefully sculpted by the Incas, the valley and its major attractions constantly echo the importance of lunar and solar movements in Inca culture. The temple fortresses of Pisac and Ollantaytambo both exemplify the Incas' ability to integrate rhythms of nature with magnificent feats of human engineering.

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