The Sacred Valley extends northwest from Cusco through the Andes mountains. It gets its name from the river that flows through the valley which is called the Sacred River in the Inca language.
The Sacred Valley was a very important area for the Incas and there are numerous Inca sites along the valley. It's also a very beautiful area. These things made for a great day of sightseeing.
Our first stop was Pisac where we saw terraces built into the mountains by the Incas. The terraces were used for food production and they were built using soil brought up the mountain from the valley floor. There are similar terraces throughout the Sacred Valley.
The next stop was Ollantaytambo.
The locals' traditional dress is very colourful.
Here are a few other photos from the Sacred Valley.
We saved the best Inca site for last. Next up - Machu Picchu
Vanessa and Blake
The Sacred Valley was a very important area for the Incas and there are numerous Inca sites along the valley. It's also a very beautiful area. These things made for a great day of sightseeing.
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| View of the Sacred Valley |
Our first stop was Pisac where we saw terraces built into the mountains by the Incas. The terraces were used for food production and they were built using soil brought up the mountain from the valley floor. There are similar terraces throughout the Sacred Valley.
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| Terraces at Pisac |
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| Blake on a terrace so you can see how big they are |
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| Citadel where the Incas monitored an entrance to the Sacred Valley |
The next stop was Ollantaytambo.
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| More big terraces |
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| Long climb to the top - you really noticed the thin air |
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| Enjoying the view at the top after we caught our breath |
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| View of the valley |
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| The Incas used these niches for communication - a clap echoes through the valley |
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| Grain and produce were stored here - stuff was well preserved in the cool, dry air |
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| Partially completed temple at the top of the mountain - huge stones dragged up from the valley |
The locals' traditional dress is very colourful.
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| Vanessa with a local woman and her llama |
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| Mother and son |
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| Woman spinning wool |
Here are a few other photos from the Sacred Valley.
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| Lots of corn is grown in the valley - a staple food in Inca times and today |
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| Most everything is done by hand |
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| Every house has two bulls on the roof - they bring good luck |
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| Cute dog with wool blankets for sale |
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| White cat at night |
We saved the best Inca site for last. Next up - Machu Picchu
Vanessa and Blake
