How to Take a Tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas
A Two-Day Tour of the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu - My Experience Traveling with Crossover Peru
The best way to visit the Sacred Valley of the Incas is to book a two-day tour. I booked a tour with Crossover Peru, which included both the Sacred Valley of the Incas and Machu Picchu.
The night before I was to begin touring, I had a meeting with a representative from Crossover Peru named Luz. Luz provided me with six tickets, including the entrance ticket to Pisac and Ollantaytambo, the entrance ticket to Machu Picchu, round-trip train tickets to Machu Picchu Station, and round-trip bus tickets to the entrance to Machu Picchu.
Luz also gave me her WhatsApp number so I could text her if I had any questions. I thought it was a nice gesture of Crossover Peru to send a representative to the hotel of each participant the day before the tour.
It is also important to know that Crossover Peru only sets up the tours. The guides are contracted by Crossover Peru but are not affiliated with the company. Throughout the two days, many other people were touring with us who had purchased different packages from various companies.
How to Take a Tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas - Table of Contents
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A Two-Day Tour of Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley with Crossover Peru - Day One
Meeting My Guide Alberto
Day one of my two-day tour of the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu began with a 6:30 am wake-up call. My guide, Alberto, had said that he would pick me up at 7:30 am. After eating breakfast at my hotel. I gathered my belongings and went to the lobby to wait for Alberto. Being a two-night tour, I had to bring clothes and toiletries for one night. Since Machu Picchu only allows tourists to bring a bag with a maximum size of 20 liters, I decided to take two bags. My first bag was the backpack that I frequently use for traveling. It is big enough for a day’s worth of clothes and my camera equipment. I also brought with me a waterproof dry bag, which was 20 liters in size. This bag would be what I would take with me on my tour of Machu Picchu.
Alberto arrived on time and introduced me to the rest of our passengers. Our transportation consisted of a bus that had ample legroom and comfortable seats. I was the last passenger to be picked up, so as soon as I boarded the bus, the tour began.
As we set out towards the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Alberto told us a little bit about the history of the Inca Empire. Much of his commentary was in Spanish, with smaller translations into English. I understood some of the Spanish and did not always need English Translations.
Alberto explained that the original Incas had two goldenrods that were placed into the ground in the Sacred Valley. These rods meant that this would be the land where they would build their empire. He also mentioned that many of the people who lived here were not Incas but rather members of other tribes who had to work for the Incas to pay their taxes. Three months of unpaid labor per year was the tax to live on Inca lands.
Mirador Taray Viewpoint - Great Views of the Sacred Valley of the Incas
About an hour into our journey, we stopped at a small collection of shops. In addition to shopping, there was also an option to use the bathroom. The cost of using the bathroom was S/. 2 ($0.50). This stop was because our next stop was at the Mirador Taray Viewpoint, which did not have restrooms.
Fifteen minutes later, we arrived at the Mirador Taray Viewpoint. This viewpoint provided a beautiful view of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. There were also a few local women selling handmade crafts and allowing visitors to pose with Luminita, their alpaca.
I took a few photos and took a picture of Luminita. Then, I tipped Luminita S/. 5 by putting a coin in the purse that was around her neck.
The stop at the Mirador Taray Viewpoint lasted around 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes were up, we got back into the van and continued to the city of Pisac, where we would see our first Inca Ruins.
The Pachamama Joyas Jewelry Store
One question tourists might ask is, what are the roads like in the Sacred Valley? Up until arrival in Pisac, all of the roads were paved. The road to the ruins of Pisac was dirt and had been washed out by a storm the day before. Alberto was informed that we would not be able to travel on the road until 10:00 am. It was only 9:15 am at this time, so we made an unscheduled stop at the Pachamama Joyas Jewelry Store.
As we entered the store, we were corralled by one of the employees who took us on a tour of the store and showed us the process of mining the silver and turning it into jewelry. We then had time to look around and make purchases. I was quickly helped by an eager man who offered to give me the best price. The two items that interested me were a silver Inca Tumi figurine and a silver necklace pendant with local stones for my mother.
If you visit Pachamama Joyas, be sure to be ready to bargain. I was originally quoted a price of S/. 600 for the pendent and S/.122 for the Tumi. At that point, I said, “No thank you,” and started to walk out as that did not seem like the “best price.” I ended up paying S/. 700 for both items.
At around 10:15 am, we were given the update that the road would be reopening within five to ten minutes. We got into the van, and a few minutes later we were on our way to the Inca Ruins of Pisac.
The Inca Ruins of Pisac
The Inca Ruins of Pisac were the first of three Inca ruins that we visited. I created a separate page to highlight my time touring Pisac. To view that page, please click HERE.
Lunch at Hatuchay Restaurant - A Great Place to Eat While Touring the Sacred Valley
We were at Pisac for about an hour. As we walked back towards the bus, Alberto explained that our next stop would be lunch. Lunch was not included in my tour package, and I had to pay S/. 50 ($13) to eat lunch at the Hatuchay Restaurant.
It was a bit of a drive to lunch at the Hatuchay Restaurant. The food was served buffet style and was mostly local Peruvian food. I enjoyed eating loco de pollo and lomo saltado.
Being a teacher, I am used to only having around 20 minutes to eat lunch. I finished my food long before everyone else, so I took some time to walk the grounds outside the Hatuchay Restaurant. During this time, I photographed two beautiful sets of flowers. About 15 minutes later, the rest of the tour group was done eating, and we set off to visit the Inca Ruins of Ollantaytambo.
The Inca Ruins of Ollantaytambo
The next stop on our tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas was the Inca Ruins of Ollantaytambo. Like Pisac, I created a separate page to highlight my time visiting Ollantaytambo. To learn more about my time at these ruins, please click HERE.
Taking the Voyager Train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes
After visiting Pisac and Ollantaytambo, it was time to say goodbye to Alberto and board a train to head to the town of Aguas Calientes. Aguas Calientes is the gateway to Machu Pichu and the location where I would be spending the night.
When I arrived in Aguas Calientes, I would meet an employee from Crossover Peru at the train station, who would take me to my hotel. To learn more about how to take the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, please visit my Machu Picchu page by clicking HERE.
Spending the Night In Aguas Calientes at Terraza de Luna
My hotel was included with the two-day tour of the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, and all I had to do was show my passport to get my key. The front desk agent explained that my tour guide to Machu Picchu would be arriving at 7:00 pm to brief me on tomorrow’s tour.
The room at Terreza de Luna was comfortable, although I was slightly too large for the twin-size beds. Terraza de Luna had free breakfast and a restaurant that I ended up not eating at. The next morning, I decided it was worth an extra 20 minutes of sleep instead of eating breakfast.
A Two-Day Tour of Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley with Crossover Peru - Day Two
The Town of Aguas Calientes
Day two of my two-day tour of the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu would be entirely focused on Machu Picchu. The meeting point for the tour was Plaza de Armas. It was about a five-minute walk from my hotel to Plaza de Armas, which included walking down the narrow streets of Aguas Calientes.
The Inca Ruins of Machu Picchu
The highlight of my two-day tour of the Scared Valley of the Incas was a visit to Machu Picchu. I created a separate page to highlight my time visiting Machu Picchu. To view that page, please click HERE.
Returning to Cusco from Machu Picchu
After visiting Machu Picchu, I headed back to the town of Aguas Calientes. With about an hour before I needed to head to the train station, I found a restaurant for lunch and then picked up my backpack, which was being stored at my hotel.
After lunch, I walked from my hotel to the train station in a driving rainstorm. When I arrived at the Ollantaytambo Train Station, a driver was waiting, holding a sign with my name.
The only unenjoyable part of the entire trip was the ride back to Cusco. My driver, who was definitely not at fault, was sideswiped by a bus. We had to go to a mechanic who could give us the estimated cost of the damage. The bus driver then paid my driver in cash. The accident caused me to get back to Cusco about 90 minutes late. I felt bad for the driver as I believe it was his personal car that was involved in the accident.
I thoroughly enjoyed my two-day tour of the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu with Crossover Peru. Crossover Peru is a professional company that works with certified guides and drivers. Everyone who I interacted with was helpful and made sure that I had the best time possible touring Machu Picchu.
Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu Tours and Packages
Below are some tours and packages for visiting the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. I tried to pick tours of all levels, from the two-week trek on the Inca Trail to a cheaper one-day visit to Machu Picchu.
Please note that as an affiliate of Viator, I will receive a small commission if you book using one of the links below. This commission is at no additional cost to you. Viator works with various tour agencies, and booking one of these packages does not ensure that you will be booked with Crossover Peru.
Prices are accurate as of November 2023.
 Ultimate Machu Picchu: Trek the Salkantay trail to Machu Picchu - $1,950.00 ULTIMATE MACHU PICCHU |
 4 day Inca Jungle trek to Machu Picchu - Cycling, Water Rafting, Zipline - $897.44 Explore and experience the best of the Inca Jungle on your way to Machu Picchu with this exclusive 4-day adventure trip that combines Trekking, Mountain Biking, Rafting and Zipline before reaching Machu Picchu, the highlight of the trip. This tour is considered by some as even better than the Inca Trail because of all the additional activities you will do along the way as you hike through beautiful landscapes and cross rivers. |
 2-Day Trip Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu by Train - $1000.00 Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu by train 2 days 1 night, is an perfect itinerary highly recommended, Avoid spending the whole day rushing around. This 2 day tour will let you climb Huayna Picchu Mountain and enjoy Machu Picchu. Begins and finishes at your hotel in Cuzco. |
 Day Tour To Machu Picchu From Cusco - $349.67 -We pick up from all the hotels in Cusco and Sacred Valley |
 Machu Picchu By Car (2 Days) - $173.08 We offer a unique and authentic experience. We a fully locally owned tour operating company with years of experience. We are determined to make our customer's experience a memorable one. |
 2 Days Direct Train to Machu Picchu via Ollantaytambo - $418.67 This 2 Days Direct Train to Machu Picchu allows you to get a direct connection to Aguas Calientes from Cusco. You will have a three hour relaxing train ride with a no rush departure option from Cusco. You may choose a late morning pickup, noon or early afternoon. Your final destination is Aguas Calientes where you will spend your first and only night before visiting Machu Picchu the following day. Be one of the first to visit the spectacular Machu Picchu citadel and take in the spectacular views. |
 2 Days - Sacred Valley + Machu Picchu (PRIVATE TOUR) - $427.00 The Sacred Valley of the Incas is the most popular route in Peru. Since it was a crucial area for the Inca empire and that functioned as an agricultural, spiritual and political center. During the tour we will appreciate beautiful landscapes and Inca and Pre-Inca archaeological sites, in the afternoon we will take the train from ollantaytambo to aguas calientes. Note: if you are already in the city of Cusco it is recommended to make this tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas to contribute to its acclimatization since it is at a lower altitude. VISITS: Pisaq, Ollantaytambo, Urubamba Machu Picchu AVAILABILITY: Every day TOUR DURATION: 8:30 am to 6:30 pm. FREQUENCY: All year |
 Machu Picchu By Train From Poroy (1 Day) - $400.00 For many visitors to Peru and even South America, a visit to the Inca city of Machu Picchu is the long-anticipated highpoint of their trip. In a spectacular location, it’s the best-known archaeological site on the continent. This awe-inspiring ancient city was never revealed to the conquering Spaniards and was virtually forgotten until the early part of the 20th century. |
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