What you'll do on day 12
- The Sacred Valley is the cradle of Inca civilization. It was famous for its fertility and favorable climate, making agriculture easy and producing rich harvests.
- The Incas built entire cities in the Sacred Valley, and today their ruins can still be seen: Urubamba with the country residence of the Inca Emperor Huayna Capac; the Pisac archaeological complex shaped like a partridge on the Vilcabamba hill; Ollantaytambo with its ceremonial center; Chinchero with an interesting colonial church built directly atop the walls of the Inca Temple of the Sun; and the beautiful Moray complex with agricultural terraces arranged like an amphitheater.
- Near Pisac, you can visit a local market and buy handmade silver, ceramics, and leather handicrafts. At the Awanakancha zoological center, you will see the region’s most iconic animals—llamas, alpacas, and vicuñas—and learn about how they are fed and how their valuable wool is dyed. Buffet lunch at the national cuisine restaurant Inka House.