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When most people think of visiting Peru in South America, the main reason is often Machu Picchu, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. One often overlooked, yet spectacular area is the Sacred Valley. The valley was formed by the Urubamba River, which the Incas believed was sacred and that the flow of the water was tied to the constellations. With the river as its source, the fertile valley was a major center of agricultural production for the Incas, who grew native Andean crops such as coca, potatoes, and more inexpansive fields along terraced mountain slopes. Even today, the Sacred Valley continues to be an important agricultural area serving as the breadbasket for Cusco. There are many impressive sites and Inca ruins in around the Sacred Valley which you don’t want to miss on your travels to Peru. Highlighted below are 5 amazing experiences to have.
#1 - Visit Chinchero Market
Chinchero is a small Andean Indian village located about 30km from Cusco. It is believed to be the mythical birthplace of the rainbow. You want to make sure to add this market to your must-visit sites for a couple of reasons. The colorful Sunday market is one of the major attractions where you will see locals going about their village made up of mud brick (adobe) houses in their traditional dress. 
#2 - Ollantaytambo - The Best Preserved Inca Village
The main attraction in Ollantaytambo is the Inca fortress built on the mountain side overlooking the village. This village is the strategic entrance to the lower Urubamba Valley and the starting point of the famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. What makes Ollantaytambo so special is that it has little changed since the Inca time period. Much of the original walls remain intact as well as the impressive terraces built for farming purposes. At the top of the terraces, is the important though incomplete, Templo del Sol or Temple of the Sun. It was like a calendar for the Incas and had special significance on the 21st June, the winter solstice and the 21st December, the summer solstice. 
#3 – Sacsayhuaman
Colloquially known as Peru’s sexy woman, Sacsayhuaman (Sac-say-hua-man) is close to Cusco, just 2 km north east of the city. Sacsayhuaman is a spectacular fortress built from gigantic stones weighing between 90 to 128 tons each, assembled with astonishing precision. While not a military base, it is believed to have been the most important ceremonial center of upper Cusco. The complex includes a temple devoted to the Sun God, Inti and was used for various Inca ceremonies. Today, each year, on the 24th of June, is the reenactment festival of Inti Raymi or the Festival of the Sun. Revel in the mystery of stones, some as tall as 5m (17ft) weighing up to 350 tons. If your travel plans permit, check out the Festival of the Sun in June. 
#4 - Maras Salt Mines
Your fascination with the Inca Empire and their ingenuity will continue into Maras. Maras is home to an incredible network of ancient salt deposits, from which salt is extracted using evaporation pools since before the Incas. Warm salty water from a natural spring on the side of the mountain, is cleverly directed into hundreds of shallow terraced ponds via an intricate system of narrow channels. When full, the water is left to evaporate leaving 100 percent natural and unrefined salt in its place. One of the most amazing facts about these salt ponds, is that they follow a community and cooperation-based system, established as early as the Incas, or even earlier. To see the continuation of work that has been going on for thousands of years and a direct link to the Inca and their ancestors, Maras is worth the stop. 
#5 - Machu Picchu
No trip to the Sacred Valley would be complete without visiting Machu Picchu. This impressive Inca citadel, built in the 15th Century is attributed to the great Inca leader, Pachacutec. 
How To Make The Most of Your Trip in The Sacred Valley
Get the Boleto Turistico or Tourist Tickets
The best and most cost-effective way to visit the Sacred Valley is to buy a “boleto turistico”. Valid for 10 days, this ticket gives you entry into 16 historical sites found in the Cusco region and Sacred Valley. Tickets include: Ollantaytambo ruins, Chinchero Market and Sacsayhuaman. Buy your tickets when you arrive in Cusco at the COSITUC office on 103 Avenida del Sol in the centre of Cusco.
Pay The Additional for Maras Salt Mines
While the Maras Salt Mines are not included in the boleto turistico, they are one of the most amazing sites in the Sacred Valley. Knowing that the system used to harvest the salt is the same one that pre-dates the Inca empires is incredible and worth seeing for yourself. Get there by taxi or minivan collectivo or minivan and pay the 10 soles (approx $3.08 USD) admission fee.
Buy Your Tickets to Machu Picchu In Advance
The boleto turistico unfortunately does not include Machu Picchu. You will have to get your tickets separately, and in advance. Machu Picchu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and can only officially issue 2,500 entrance tickets each day. Plan in advance as tickets do sell out regularly. There are several options to get your entry tickets. You can buy your tickets online, or via a travel agent, though expect to pay more. Finally, you can buy your Machu Picchu entrance tickets either in Cusco or Aguas Calientes. You can pay by cash or Visa credit card, and will need your passport to complete the sale.
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