"The tour was amazing! Jorge, our guide was brilliant and he explained all the places, the history and culture of Sacred Valley very well. The tour was well timed and not rushed at all. The food served during lunch was also great. Overall, it was a great experience and I would like to thank Jorge once again for being such an awesome guide."
Cusco · Chinchero · Moray · Ollantaytambo · Pisac
Sacred Valley Tour from Cusco
Five Inca sites in one day, with a buffet lunch in Urubamba and the option to leave the tour in Ollantaytambo for the Machu Picchu train. A lower, gentler day than Rainbow Mountain, and a good one to start with.
From
$25
per person
current promotion, usually $36
Free cancellation
- 4.8 / 5 3987+ Reviews
- 12 - 12.5 hours Duration
- 5 Sites In One Day
- Lunch + Guide Included
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
What the Sacred Valley Day Includes
From the listing of the featured Sacred Valley day trip, checked October 2026.
Highlights
- Visit some of the most important historical sites of the Sacred Valley
- Discover the cultural treasures of the Incas
- Learn about the history of the Incas from a professional guide
- Explore the Chinchero Weavers, Moray, Maras Salt Mines, Ollantaytambo, and Pisac
- Optional drop-off in Ollantaytambo
What's Included
- Pickup from the historical city center
- Bilingual tour guide
- Sacred Valley bus transportation
- Buffet lunch with vegetarian options
- First aid kit
- Drop-off at Plaza Regocijos
How the Sacred Valley Day Works
A loop out of Cusco through the high plain and down into the valley.
Pickup and Chinchero
Pickup in Cusco's historic centre between 5:45 and 6:15 am, then about an hour and a half to Chinchero for a weaving demonstration, its Inca site and its old church.
Moray and the Salt Mines
The circular terraces of Moray, then the Maras salt pans next door, with a guide at each.
Lunch and Ollantaytambo
A buffet lunch in Urubamba, then Ollantaytambo and its terraced fortress, more than 200 steps up. You can leave the tour here at about 3 pm.
Pisac and Back to Cusco
The Pisac archaeological site at the end of the day, then the drive to Cusco, arriving between about 6:00 and 7:00 pm.
Photo Gallery
The Sacred Valley in Pictures
Moray's rings, the Maras salt pans and the Inca towns of the valley.
Book Your Experience
Check Availability & Prices
Select your preferred date and time. Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Sacred Valley Day Trips from Cusco Compared
The full valley loop, the same sites in another order, and the one-way day that ends at the train. Prices and ratings checked October 2026.
| Feature | MOST REVIEWED Sacred Valley and Salt Mines with Lunch | Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Moray and Maras | Chinchero, Moray, Maras, End in Ollantaytambo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sites | Chinchero, Moray, Maras salt mines, Ollantaytambo, Pisac | Chinchero weavers, Moray, salt mines, Ollantaytambo, Pisac | Chinchero, Moray, salt mines, Ollantaytambo |
| Length | 12 to 12.5 hours | 9 to 12 hours | 8 to 9.5 hours, one way |
| Ends In | Cusco, 6:00 to 7:00 pm (or Ollantaytambo at 3:00 pm) | Cusco | Ollantaytambo train station |
| Lunch | Buffet in Urubamba, included | Buffet in Urubamba, included | Buffet in Urubamba, included |
| Entrances (cash) | Partial tourist ticket 70 soles + salt mines 20 | Tourist ticket 70 soles + salt mines 20 | Partial tourist ticket 70 soles + salt mines 20 |
| Traveller Rating | 4.8 / 5 from 3,987 reviews | 4.7 / 5 from 2,581 reviews | 4.8 / 5 from 1,805 reviews |
| Starting Price | From $25/per person in current promotion (usually $36) | From $30 / person | From $26 / person |
| Check Availability | See This Loop | See the One-Way Day |
Other Ways to See the Valley
More Sacred Valley Day Trips
Prices, ratings and dates on each listing (checked October 2026).
Before You Book
The Sacred Valley Day: What You See and What You Pay
The five sites, the tourist ticket, and why this is the day to do before Rainbow Mountain.
The Sacred Valley is the low, green valley of the Urubamba river north of Cusco, lined with Inca terraces, fortresses and the towns that grew around them. A day tour from Cusco strings together five places that would take days to reach by bus: Chinchero, Moray, the Maras salt mines, Ollantaytambo and Pisac. It asks very little walking of you, and the valley floor lies well below Cusco, which is why it makes such a good first or second day in the region, before you go up to Rainbow Mountain or Humantay.
The loop, stop by stop
The featured day picks you up between 5:45 and 6:15 am and drives about an hour and a half to Chinchero, where a weaving workshop shows how wool is dyed with plants and woven by hand, before the Inca site and the colonial church. From there it is Moray, the circular terraces the Incas cut into a hollow in the hills, and the Maras salt mines next door: thousands of small pans fed by a salty spring, still worked today.
After a buffet lunch in Urubamba, the tour climbs the more than 200 steps of the Ollantaytambo fortress, then ends at Pisac before returning to Cusco between about 6:00 and 7:00 pm. If you are heading on to Machu Picchu, you can leave the tour in Ollantaytambo at about 3:00 pm; the operator suggests a train leaving after 4:00 pm.
Check Sacred Valley dates and prices
What you pay on top of the tour
The tour price covers transport, the guide and lunch. The entrances are paid in cash, in soles:
| Ticket | Cost | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Boleto Turistico, partial Circuit III | 70 soles (foreign visitors), 2 days | Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero, Moray |
| Boleto Turistico, full | 130 soles, 10 days | 16 sites in Cusco and the valley |
| Maras salt mines | 20 soles | the salt pans |
Ticket prices are COSITUC’s tariff, read on 27 October 2026; the salt-mine fee is the one in the October 2026 listings. If you plan other Cusco museums and Inca sites, such as Tipon or Pikillaqta, the full ticket can work out cheaper than two partial ones.
Which version to book
- The featured loop, the most reviewed, for a first visit: all five sites back to Cusco.
- The same five sites starting with Pisac, if its dates suit you better.
- The one-way day ending at the Ollantaytambo station, if you are taking the train to Machu Picchu that afternoon.
- The Moray and Maras half day, if you only want the terraces and the salt pans.
For more time in the valley itself, with a night in Urubamba or Ollantaytambo, sacred-valley-tour.com covers the towns one by one and where to stay in each.
Sacred Valley first, Rainbow Mountain later
Sleeping lower for a night or two after you land is one of the ways the CDC suggests easing into Cusco’s altitude, and the valley is the obvious place to do it. Then, a few days in, you are ready for Rainbow Mountain at about 5,000 m. Ready to book the valley? Compare the options or check live availability.
Guest Reviews
What Sacred Valley Travellers Say
4.8/5
from 3987 verified travelers
"Our guide William was amazing, he was very knowledgable and we could see that he loves the history. He answered all my extra questions about Incas and their religion. The driver was also good and we had a smooth ride. One of the best day tours we went to on our trip!"
"Alan was our guide and he was fabulous! You cover a lot of ground on this tour, but Alan never made us feel rushed as he always told us how long we had at places and gave us such great insight into the history and importance of all the locations we visited. Buffet lunch was huge and delicious!"
"Liliana was a great guide, very professional. She was prepared and gave us all the necessary information about Inkas, historical places we visited, and much more! We enjoyed the tour and would definitely recommend it!"
"Highly recommend this tour! I really enjoyed learning about the Inkas, and Sacred Valley is absolutely gorgeous. Our guide Lily was very entertaining and I wished I had some cash on me to tip her - she was great. Also, buffet lunch was excellent - this tour is a steal at this price cuz food alone would cost $15-20 if bought separately"
"Incredible visit! Our guide was Jorge, very knowledgeable about Inca and peru culture, English fluent, super nice guy. The transportation was super good, clean, comfortable. The lunch was great, super tasteful food, multiple options, super fresh. I strongly recommend this tour!"
Read all 3987 verified reviews
See All ReviewsSee the Sacred Valley in One Day
Pickup in Cusco between 5:45 and 6:15 am, a bilingual guide, a buffet lunch in Urubamba, an optional drop-off in Ollantaytambo, and free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Starting from $25 per person in current promotion (usually $36).
Check Availability & BookStill Choosing Your Cusco Days?
More Day Trips from Cusco
Other Cusco tours, with dates and cancellation terms on each listing.
Sacred Valley Tour from Cusco: FAQ
The sites, the tourist ticket and how the day fits with Rainbow Mountain. Prices checked October 2026.
For a first visit, a full-day loop that covers Chinchero, Moray, the Maras salt mines, Ollantaytambo and Pisac with lunch in Urubamba, like the featured day here. If you are taking the train to Machu Picchu, pick a version that ends in Ollantaytambo. If you only want the terraces and the salt pans, the Moray and Maras half day is shorter and cheaper.
Yes, as a long day: the featured loop collects you between 5:45 and 6:15 am and is back in Cusco between 6:00 and 7:00 pm. A good part of it is spent on the road between sites. To see the valley at an easier pace, sleep a night or two in Urubamba or Ollantaytambo.
One full day covers the main sites. Two or three days lets you add a slower look at Pisac market, the Ollantaytambo streets and a walk, and it doubles as acclimatisation, because the valley floor lies well below Cusco.
Yes, and it suits the start of a trip: Inca terraces, fortresses and living towns, little walking and a lower altitude than Cusco. It is also the road to Machu Picchu, so many travellers see it on the way to the train.
They are different days rather than rivals. The Sacred Valley is history and towns at low altitude with little effort; Rainbow Mountain is a hard high-altitude walk to a natural sight. Do the valley in your first days and Rainbow Mountain once you have acclimatised.
Yes. Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero and Moray are covered by Cusco's tourist ticket, not sold separately. The partial ticket for this circuit (Circuit III) costs 70 soles for foreign visitors and is valid for two days; the full ticket costs 130 soles and covers 16 sites over ten days (COSITUC prices, read 27 October 2026). The Maras salt mines are separate: 20 soles at the gate.
Between about 5:45 and 6:15 am for the full-day loop, from your hotel in the historic centre or a meeting point nearby. The day returns to Cusco between 6:00 and 7:00 pm, or you can leave the tour in Ollantaytambo at about 3:00 pm if you are catching a train after 4:00 pm.
On the three full-day options on this page, yes: a buffet lunch in Urubamba, with vegetarian options. Drinks, tips and the entrance tickets are extra.
More than 200 to the top of the terraced fortress, and there is no lift. You can stay at the bottom and see the terraces from the square if stairs are hard for you.
Still have questions? Email us at info@cusco-rainbow-mountain-tour.com