One of the most highly traffic tourist areas of Peru is the Sacred Valley which lays between Cusco and Machu Picchu. I spent half a day in Cusco and an entire day touring the Sacred Valley by bus.
Cusco
Nearly all of my time in Cusco was spent preparing for the upcoming 4 day hike on the Inca Trail. We stayed at El Puma Hotel, which I highly recommend! It is located a short walk from the main square and in a safe area of Cusco.
While in Cusco, I had have to opportunity to try Alpaca, which I highly recommend to everyone! I explored the main square and saw the Sun Temple and Catedral del Cuzco. If there is one thing that I regret from my trip, it is not spending more time in Cusco. I would have loved to stay a few extra days to hike Rainbow Mountain, see the Salt Mines, and explore the city more.
The Sacred Valley
Waking up bright and early, G-Adventures arranged a private bus to take us on a tour through the Sacred Valley. We stopped at the Ccaccaccollo Women’s Weaving co-op, Ceramics co-op, and the Parwa Community Restaurant, all sponsored by Planeterra Foundation.
At the Ccaccaccollo Women’s Weaving co-op we were greeted with a hug, as is the tradition, and llamas and alpacas. After buying some coca tea and feeding the alpacas, we had the opportunity to learn about the ancient weaving and dying techniques used to make alpaca wool products. Afterwards, we shopped for souvenirs and headed off the the next stop.
The Ceramic co-op was next, and wow these villagers are talented. Starting with clay from the ground, they create detailed, handmade products. The souvenirs ranged from chess sets to whistles to cutlery.
Ollantaytambo
After lunch at Parwa we reached our final destination for the day, modern day Ollantaytambo. The town, built in the shadow of Inca shops and farming terraces, is a popular stop for tourist looking for outdoor adventure in Peru. After settling in at our hotel, Ollantaytambo Lodge, the group went for a quick hike. We scurried up the mountain to explore the Inca Shops before they closed and spent the rest of the evening preparing for the next part of our adventure and star gazing at the hotel.
Check out more of my Peru blogs here, and visit the archives page to see what else Winter and I have been up to in 2019!
another good article.
Thank you! Today is the day, my blog for the hike is publishing!