The Sacred Valley follows the Urubamba River for about 60 kilometers between Pisac and Ollantaytambo. It is lower than Cusco, greener, and full of Inca terraces, villages and farms.
It is also where we start most Peru trips, because the lower altitude makes the first few days much easier on the body.
The valley sits below Cusco, with the town of Urubamba at about 2,870 meters, compared with roughly 3,400 meters in Cusco. That gap matters. Sleeping lower for the first nights is a gentler way to adjust, so we usually fly clients into Cusco and drive straight down to the valley, saving the city for the end.
Food is a reason to come as well. Mil, Virgilio Martínez's restaurant, sits near the Moray terraces.
May to September is the dry season, with clear skies and cold nights. November to March is the wet season, greener and quieter, with rain often arriving in the afternoon. April and October are good shoulder months.
Fly into Cusco and drive down to the valley. Two or three nights is the right amount for most trips, enough to acclimatize, see two or three sites without rushing, and then take the train to Machu Picchu from Ollantaytambo or from a hotel station.
Small and quiet, on a hillside above the Urubamba River, with garden terraces and two villas for families. It is about 30 minutes from Ollantaytambo station.
A full-service resort on the river at Urubamba with its own train station for Machu Picchu, a large spa and heated pools. Our pick for families.
A restored 18th-century former monastery in the village of Yucay. Comfortable, central and sensibly priced.
Mammals
Birdlife (river and valley)
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