Sacred Valley, Valley along Urubamba River in Southern Sierra, Peru
This valley runs along the Urubamba River in the Andean highlands between the towns of Pisac and Ollantaytambo. The slopes show ancient stone terraces that climb the mountainsides, and on the valley floor lie small villages beside fields that are still farmed today.
The Inca settled this region in the twelfth century and built cities, temples, and agricultural complexes on the valley slopes. After the Spanish conquest in the sixteenth century, many villages remained inhabited while farming practices slowly changed.
Locals still hold open-air markets in villages like Chinchero and Pisac, where they sell textiles, pottery, and agricultural products. At these market squares, you hear Quechua spoken in everyday life.
The altitude between 2800 and 3000 meters (9200 and 9800 feet) requires adjustment to the thinner air, so walk slowly when you arrive. The rainy season lasts from November to March, and during this time many paths become muddy or slippery.
Several salt mines at Maras sit on a mountainside, where salty water from an underground spring flows into shallow pools and evaporates in the sun. These mines have been used since before Inca times and remain in operation today.
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