Hiking the Sacred Valley without a guide

The sacred valley is a lush agricultural region about 15 km north of Cusco which extends to Machu Picchu. The area is so rich that among the local markets and the many Inca ruins, you will also find incredible salt ponds and old Incan agricultural terraces. However, for low-budget travellers, visiting the area with one of the many cramped day-tour buses or by taxi isn’t cheap.

Well, no worries we have a solution for you!

Like many in Cusco, you probably already have in mind your trek to Machu Picchu. Whether it is the Salkantay trek or the Inca trail, you still need to spend a few days in Cusco adjusting to the altitude… What about acclimatizing and getting ready for the big day, by hiking overnight in the Sacred Valley away from the gringo trail?

Here is the original 2-day itinerary across the Sacred Valley… Yes! We were the first ones to write about it!

To stay on a budget, we looked for the most efficient and smarter way to visit independently the best sites of the Sacred Valley, so if you are not into using local transportation and hiking, this might not be for you. Though, we would invite you to look at the alternatives here.

This self-guided itinerary will take you to:

• the ruins of Ollantaytambo
• the Salineras de Maras
• the village of Maras
• the Moray Terraces
• the town and ruins of Pisac.

2-day itinerary to the Sacred Valley without a guide

In this article, we will share all the details you need to prepare yourself for this itinerary and hike without a tour. This itinerary doesn’t require a high level of fitness but it is important to know it will mainly take you uphill, and at this altitude, it may be more tiring than usual. The route we are about to share will allow you to spend a couple of days in the region, without breaking your wallet and of course, will help you acclimatising at a lower altitude.

Between the main sites, you will cross incredible landscapes surrounded by the sounds of nature and locals working in their fields. Hiking on your own will definitely feel authentic, away from the hustle and bustle of Cusco and the thousands of other visitors in the region. This route is in fact almost unknown to most tourists.

Despite the few companies organising trekking tours of the Sacred Valley, we were far from the hordes of hikers you can find along the Salkantay trek or the Inca trail…

No worries, if you don’t feel like going uphill, we have prepared an alternative route going downhill. Follow this link to read about it now.

Map of the Sacred Valley for a Self-guided hike

Before we start, you need to be aware there are no markings or signs along the path.

For this reason, we would recommend using an offline app on your phone such as Maps.me. It is a free app available on any phone. We have always found it very reliable, but there is one trick. The main issue with offline maps is that you have no way of checking the quality of the trails in advance.

If the trails are not used often, the vegetation takes over and the trail disappears. Sometimes, the trails on the maps are “shortcuts” made by locals and can turn out to be quite dangerous.

The trails of the Sacred Valley aren’t an exception. We got lost a couple of times and had to ask local farmers the right way.

itinerary | hiking the sacred valley

Here is an idea of what the itinerary around the Sacred Valley without a guide should look like.

Obviously, this is just an example and it is completely flexible to match your preferences. Please continue reading for our step by step itinerary and all our best tips to help you prepare for that great trip into the Sacred Valley on your own!!

Cusco to Ollantaytambo

Local transportation

Start day 1 by taking a colectivo from the street “Pavitos“ in Cusco to the village of Ollantaytambo. These minivans can host up to 10 people and leave when full. They run all day, but for this itinerary, make sure to leave before 9 am. Most of the other people will be going to Ollantaytambo to hop on the train to Aguas Calientes and ultimately reach Machu Picchu. The train station is further out of the town, so make sure you tell the driver to leave you at the ruins of Ollantaytambo instead.

TIPS | Don’t be afraid to remind the driver where you want to stop, as they will probably forget. They always do!

>> Colectivo from Pavitos St – 1.5-hour drive – 10 soles pp

Visit the ruins of Ollantaytambo

Once at the entrance of the ruins, you will need to cross a small wooden bridge and pass through the artisanal market before arriving at the ticket desk. Here, you will be asked to present your Boleto Turistico (tourist ticket) in order to visit the ruins. If you do not have one, you will be required to purchase at this desk before entering the ruins.

At this stage, you will also have the opportunity to hire a guide to learn about the history of the ruins. To keep our budget under control we usually don’t, but for this one, we really feel that we missed out on the important information and history of the place.

Count around 90 min in Ollantaytambo. This should give you enough time to walk around the ruins, learn about the place and admire the views from the top. We would suggest to also visit the far right side (the green or red circuit). The views over the town and the ruins of Pinkuylluna on the other side of the valley are astonishing.

ABOUT OLLANTAYTAMBO

Ollantaytambo is a town where you can visit the Inca ruins of an old royal residence. It was one of the last Inca towns to fall into the hands of the Spaniards and still reveals some of the finest and best stonework outside of Machu Picchu. As you visit the site you will take the many steps along the terraces the Incas used for agriculture to the ruins of a well-preserved temple. The temples and houses were made of stone and adobe and water canals used to run through the entire site.

Where to stay in Ollantaytambo

Ollantaytambo is the town where you can get the train to and from Aguas Calientes for your visit to Machu Picchu. So you can decide to finish by these ruins and head to Machu Picchu without going back to Cusco.

• If you decide to do so, you can check in at one of this accommodation nearby: Ruina View (€20 for a double – simple but cheap)

Ollantaytambo to the Maras Salt Ponds

Are you ready for a bit of a hike on your own? We hope so! Buses and walking trails will be your only way of transportation. This section of the trip will bring you to the Maras Salt Ponds via the back entrance. This route is a great way to enter as there are much less traffic and tourists, you’ll have it all for yourself!

Colectivo to Media Luna

Once you are done with the visit of the Ollantaytambo ruins, make your way back down to the main square of the town. Find the “Mercado Central” (food market) and hop on a colectivo heading to Urubamba. Ask the driver if you could be dropped off at “Media Luna“, at the corner of the road to “Pinchingoto” (Espanol: “a la Esquina de Media Luna y Pinchingoto”). It shouldn’t cost more than 2 soles per person.

TIPS | As soon as you leave the ruins of Ollantaytambo, taxi drivers will offer to take you on a tour to Maras and Moray. We talked to one of them to know the price but didn’t manage to bargain below 100 Soles. Taking a taxi is an alternative way to see the valley without hiking.

Hike to the Salt Ponds of Maras

When you are dropped off in Media Luna, leave the main road and take the dirt path for about 100 m. Pass a restaurant to your left, follow the road which bends to the right and cross the bridge over the river Urubamba. The site of the Maras Salt Ponds isn’t part of the Sacred Valley’s Boleto Turistico.

Therefore, you will need to pay an entrance fee of 10 soles at the wooden hut after the bridge. From here, you will be shown the trail to follow. It will be flat for the first 10 minutes but will go uphill for the remaining 30 min. If you are unsure about the route, there are people living and working here, so you can still ask for directions.

TIPS | The walk is a bit steep, but it isn’t that bad. Probably a bit more tiring because of the altitude, but remember, it is a great practice!

As you continue to walk to the main section of the site, you will find a small market where you can buy pink salt as a souvenir. It is the cheapest place we have found in Cusco, and you are sure the money goes directly to the producers. Here, you can have a break and eat your packed lunch while taking in this incredible view over the Salineras de Maras. If not, you can buy snacks in the small market.

TIPS | The good thing about doing this on your own is that you can stay as long as you wish. Keep in mind that after the Salineras, you still have a bit of a walk to the village of Maras where you will spend the night.

The “Salineras” of Maras (Salt Ponds) are used for the production of salt since pre-Incan time. Supplied by an underground salt stream, the terraced ponds are gradually filled by the water which, once evaporated, leaves a bed salt to be collected.

Each pond belongs to a local family and each has a capacity proportional to the family’s size.

Arriving from the back entrance, you will have the chance to first glance at the Salineras from a different angle. A deserted part of the Salt ponds, except for the few families working. Take your time and do not hesitate to watch the locals extracting the salt by hand from the pond.

Important update | Access to the Salt Ponds of Maras*

Since June 15th 2019, it isn’t possible to walk within the Salt Pond of Maras anymore.

The company MaraSal S.A. who owns the site has decided to close the access of the ponds to visitors because of an increase in pollution which ultimately has an impact on the quality of their product (here, the salt is harvested for consumption).

You can still access a viewpoint to see the mines as far as we are concerned, it is still possible to enter Maras through the back entrance of Media Luna as per described in this itinerary.

Note: You CAN visit the Maras Salt Ponds and see them from a unique Viewpoint. It’s just the access within the ponds that is prohibited. The entrance is still 10 soles (not included in the tourist ticket)

If you have more information about the back entrance access, please let us know in the comment section or via our contact form.

Hike to Maras Village

Leave the Salineras through the main entrance, via the car park, and take the first trail on the right side. The hike is straightforward and you shouldn’t get lost here. It is uphill for about 1 hour with incredible views of the mountains around.

Near Maras, you will need to walk along the road for 10 mins and will arrive on the main square. There, you will find a few small shops where you can buy supplies such as water and chips! Your hike for the day is over, you now need to find a place to spend the night! Well done, you made it to Maras!

Eating in the village of Maras

For dinner, the options are limited in Maras. It is a dusty sleepy village that comes into life at dusk and dawn when the farmers leave or return to/from their fields.

We found a nice local “restaurant”, more of a hole in the wall, selling fried chicken and barbecued meat with plenty of carbs on the side. A perfect way to regain strength and enter a food coma that will keep you going until morning. It is in the same street as the hostal Tika Wasi.

Maras to Moray TERRASSES

Hiking from Maras to Moray

On the morning of day two, you will need to wake up as early as possible (around 5:30 am for us…) to start hiking as the sun rises. Before going to bed the previous day, make sure to double-check the way to Moray. It shouldn’t be hard to find but it can be tricky as all the roads look like each other.

TIPS | If you don’t feel like walking, you can arrange with your hospedaje a taxi to Moray. They all know someone with a car who “knows a way” to get there and avoid paying the entrance… This isn’t really important anyway since you already have paid for your Boleto Turistico and Moray is included in it.

The route is a bit long (2hr 30min) and sometimes complicated to follow. We got lost after following the directions of a farmer telling us to cut through the field. We would recommend you to stick to the gravel path, your GPS and our map!

NOTE | You should arrive in Moray by 8 am. Don’t be surprised if nobody is there to ask for your ticket as it might be too early!

The tour buses don’t arrive until 9:30 am, nor the persons in charge of the site. By arriving this early, you will have the entire place for yourself! This is another reason why we like doing things on our own!

pss!! here is another article about What to do in Cusco when you are not hiking?

Moray, an Incan agricultural laboratory

The site of Moray is an atypical Inca ruin dugout off the ground in the shape of stair-like terraces. They look like an amphitheatre that was dug into the Earth. These 4 level bowls were once used by the Inca civilisation as an agricultural laboratory with the purpose of experimenting with different conditions to grow crops as well as different varieties of food.

Moray to Pisac RUINS

Hike and local transportation – (hitch-hiking optional)

By 9.30/10, or whenever you are tired of the dozens of tours that arrive after you, go back onto the road and walk toward Maras and the national road. If you can, do not hesitate to hitchhike a ride. Don’t forget that in Peru it is usual to give a few coins to a local driver even when you hitchhike.

If you decide to walk, follow the road or take the trail to your left until the main road (see the map for download above). Along the walk, if you are lucky, you should see farmers walking their donkeys, cows or sheep.

Once at the national road, wait for the bus heading to Urubamba (cross the road, you need to go left). Once in Urubamba you will have to change bus to reach Pisac. These 2 buses shouldn’t cost more than 5 soles, and it should take 1 hour altogether.

Where to stay – the alternative

Hiking to the Ruins of Pisac

In Pisac, cross through the artisanal market to enter the huge archaeological Inca site on foot. If you don’t want to hike all the way up (it is very steep and tiring) you can take a bus or a taxi which will drive you to the main entrance (it takes about 20 minutes).

The archaeological site of Pisac is gigantic! It is easy to get lost through the many trails that cross the terraces and temples. But this is what makes the charm of Pisac! Ask for the map of the ruins when you meet the person checking your Boleto Turistico and choose a few areas to visit, you may not have the time to go everywhere. After a quick lunch and a tour of the traditional market (that isn’t that impressive), take the local bus back to Cusco (2.50 soles). You can also hop on a colectivo for 10 soles.

TIPS | The entrance ticket is included in your Boleto Turistico.

About Pisac RUINS

The ruins of Pisac were a large complex built in the side of the mountain above the town holding the same name. It was an important checkpoint of the route crossing the Sacred Valley during the Inca empire.

Besides its military zone and a large agricultural sector, Pisac is well known for hosting one of the largest Inca cemeteries in Peru and has residential settlements surrounded by ceremonial baths. From the top of the site, the views over the little town of Pisac, the valley and the Andes Mountains are a beautiful reward.

Hiking our route in reverse – mainly downhill

One of our readers decided to hike the other way around and shared her itinerary with us. We had initially considered doing this route like most hikers in the region, however, we did it uphill to prepare for our upcoming hikes to Machu Picchu and the Rainbow Mountains. If you don’t feel like hiking up, here is what she would recommend for those who prefer hiking downhill.

• Day 1: Cusco to Pisac, Maras & Moray
  • Take the colectivo at 7-8AM from Cusco to Pisac, visit Pisac Ruins and have lunch before taking a bus (or collectivo) to Urubamba.
  • Change for a Colectivo to Maras Junction. From there you can take a taxi (20 soles) or hitchhike to Moray. Visit Moray site, and hike back to Maras to spend the night.
• Day 2: Maras Salineras & Ollantaytambo
  • Wake-up early to hike to the salineras so you arrive around 8-8:30 AM. You might have the place for yourself.
  • Continue your way down to the river and the road between Urubamba and Ollantaytambo (Media Luna).
  • Wave and get on a colectivo to Ollantaytambo. Visit the ruins, have lunch and wander in the village.
  • Go back to Cusco with a colectivo.

Alternative ways to visit the Sacred Valley

We know that not everybody will want to hike or spend the night in Maras to visit the Sacred Valley which is why we also looked at fun alternatives that are still off-the-beaten-path and give you the change to admire Cusco’s countryside from outside a crowded bus.

If you don’t want to hike or don’t have the time for our 2-day itinerary, you can join a quad bike (ATV) tour – You’ll be picked up from your accommodation in Cusco and dropped off into the Sacred Valley where you will start your ATV tour to Maras and Moray across the farmland of the Sacred Valley. That sounds like a great adventure!

You can also do this route by mountain bike if you are not comfortable with driving a quad. Ultimately, you can treat yourself with a one-day tour to visit Moray and Maras if you don’t feel like organising it yourself! It is also a good alternative if you are still trying to acclimatize yourself to the altitude.

NEXT READ | Getting to Machu Picchu, all the possibilities explained

The Boleto Turistico

For this itinerary, you will only need the Partial Boleto Turistico #3 which costs 70 soles (€18). It is valid for 2 days and for the sites of Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Moray and Chinchero. The tickets can be bought at the entrances of each site and need to be shown in each of the sites visited.

You can also buy your ticket in Cusco at COSITUC on Calle Arequipa A-2.

RELATED: A complete guide about the different types of Boleto Turistico

Where to stay in Cusco before and after the hike?

Before starting this hike, you should leave your big backpack or suitcase with all of the non-essentials you are not taking on the hike in your hostel. Most hostels should store your bags free of charge as this is the norm before doing any hike to Machu Picchu.

What to pack TO HIKE the Sacred Valley?

You can leave your big backpack in your hostel in Cusco and travel with a smaller one. You won’t need much if you spend a night in the Sacred Valley, but a couple of things might end up handy depending on the season of travel.

• In any case, we would recommend bringing the necessary for any type of weather such as fleece, wind and rain stopper, waterproof hiking shoes and anything from glove to scarf. Even if the days are warm, nights can be freezing and hats are often life-saver for those sensitive to cold.
• At this altitude, you will need to drink a lot of water so think about investing in a water bladder that can fit in your hiking backpack. To reduce plastic and purify tap water at the same time, think about reusable bottles such as LifeStraw®
• Practical items such as toilet paper, snacks and hand sanitiser should always be in your bag.
• Finally, Jenny uses the really good Backpack Lower Alpine to carry all she needs for a few days but mainly to keep her camera and lenses reachable as she hikes. It has a side pocket big enough for any DSLR and 2 lenses. In the small version of the bag she can fit her Canon 6D with the lens 24-105 L and zoom 70 – 300 mm.

cost of this 2-day self-guided hike in the Sacred Valley

The total cost of this 2-day self-guided hike is about €35 per person, tourist ticket (boleto turistico) included. Here are the details:

Transport

• Cusco to Ollantaytambo (colectivo): 10 soles (€2.60)
• Ollantaytambo to Media Luna (colectivo): 2 soles (€0.50)
• National road (corner with road to Maras) to Urubamba (local bus): 2 Soles (€0.50)
• Urubamba to Pisac (local bus): 3 soles (€0.80)
• Pisac to Cusco (local bus): 2.5 Soles (€0.65)
• Hitchhiking (Moray to national road): 2 soles (€0.50)

Entrances

• Boleto Turistico Circuit #3: 70 Soles (€18.23)
• Salineras de Maras: 10 soles (€2.60)

Accommodation

• Hospedaje in Maras – Tika Wasi: 30 soles (€7.80) for a double bed – You can also look at Casa Campo Tiobamba (avg. €15) – Qhispikay Misminay (avg. €100) – Villa de Maras (min. €88)
• Hostel in Cusco – Wild Rover (€5) – Loki (€7) and Ukukus: (€5)
• Accommodation in Ollantaytambo – Ruina View (€20)
• Accommodation in Urubamba – Eco Lodge Urubamba (€13)
• Accommodation in Pisac – Hatha Art Yoga Pisac (€11) – Bindu Guest House(€22) – La Casa del Conde (€78)

Food

• 2 bags of Popcorn: 2 soles (€0.26)
• Dinner in Maras (fried chicken): 5 soles (€1.30)
• Lunch in Pisac (BBQ pork belly): 20 soles (€5.20)
• We brought our own food for lunch on day one, as well as some snacks.

If you have any questions about this hike,
please leave us a comment below or contact-us

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