Machu Picchu & the Sacred Valley
Inca terraces, Andean markets and the cloud-forest citadel at the end of the trail.
Best time to visit
May–September (dry season)
Currency
Peruvian Sol (PEN)
Language
Spanish, Quechua
Time zone
America/Lima (UTC-5)
The Sacred Valley runs between Cusco and Machu Picchu, and it's the cultural heartland of the Andes. Pisac and Ollantaytambo hold formidable Inca ruins; the markets at Chinchero sell textiles woven the same way they have been for centuries.
Machu Picchu itself is reached by train to Aguas Calientes and then a switchback bus, or on foot via the Classic Inca Trail — a four-day trek over three passes that arrives at the Sun Gate at dawn. Permits for the trail sell out months ahead, so book early.
Postcards
Machu Picchu & the Sacred Valley in pictures
A glimpse of what the days look like once you're there.
Trips here
Journeys in Machu Picchu & the Sacred Valley
Handcrafted itineraries our planners have run before — adaptable to your own dates and pace.
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