A Living Cultural Journey in the Sacred Valley of the Incas
Most Sacred Valley bus tours rush past dozens of villages only to stop at commercial souvenir warehouses. We created this private journey for travelers who want both: the breathtaking stonework of the Inca Empire and a genuine, unscripted connection with the Quechua families who keep Andean traditions alive today.
Your day starts with a private pick-up from your hotel in Cusco or the Sacred Valley. Before the big tour buses arrive, we ascend to the cliffside agricultural terraces and ceremonial temples of Pisac (Pisaq), followed by a stroll through its colorful cobblestone market down in the valley.
From Pisac, our private vehicle climbs a scenic mountain road to 3,800 meters (12,467 ft) into the farming and weaving village of Amaru. Welcomed with floral garlands and steaming cups of wild muña (Andean mint) tea, you will walk through their medicinal plant garden to gather leaves, flowers, and cochineal for natural wool dyeing. After learning how to spin alpaca wool and weave on a traditional backstrap loom, you will sit down with your host family for a wholesome lunch cooked from their own fields of native potatoes, quinoa, and corn—before descending to explore the mighty fortress and living Inca streets of Ollantaytambo.
- Private door-to-door SUV/Van (flexible train drop-off)
- Hands-on natural dyeing & weaving in Amaru
- Home-cooked Andean farm-to-table lunch
- Official Boleto Turístico entrance tickets included
- Guided visits to Pisac & Ollantaytambo ruins
- Dedicated English-speaking cultural guide
Complete Hour-by-Hour Sacred Valley Itinerary
From Pisac’s Inca Terraces to High-Altitude Weavers in Amaru
Elevation Range: 2,792 m (Ollantaytambo) to 3,800 m / 12,467 ft (Amaru Village)
1. Pisac Traditional Market & Inca Citadel (3,300 m / 10,826 ft)
Your private guide and driver pick you up at your hotel at 8:00 AM for a scenic drive across the Urubamba gorge into the Sacred Valley. Arriving early in Pisac (Pisaq), we drive up to the monumental archaeological complex perched high above the valley floor. You will walk along sweeping curved agricultural terraces, ancient water channels, and the finely carved volcanic stones of the Temple of the Sun while overlooking the pre-Columbian cliffside cemetery of Tantana Marka.
Descending into Pisac town, we take time to wander through its lively artisan and produce market—a great spot to admire silverwork, ceramics, and taste warm empanadas baked in wood-fired clay ovens.
2. Ancestral Weaving & Farm-to-Table Lunch in Amaru (3,800 m / 12,467 ft)
Leaving the tourist trail completely behind, we ascend into the high-altitude Quechua community of Amaru, framed by glacial peaks and patchwork potato fields. Community members welcome you into their courtyard with hot herbal tea and take you on a short walk through their ethnobotanical garden to harvest dye plants like ch'illca (for vibrant greens), qolle flowers (for deep yellows), purple corn, and cochineal insects mixed with lime juice for brilliant reds and purples.
You will watch—and try your hand at—shearing, washing wool with native sacsara root detergent, spinning yarn on a pushka drop spindle, boiling natural dye pots fixed with volcanic qollpa mineral stone, and weaving sacred Andean iconography on a backstrap loom. Afterward, we gather to enjoy a comforting, freshly prepared lunch featuring native Andean potatoes, hearty quinoa soup, fresh cheese, and herbal infusions.
3. The Living Inca Town & Fortress of Ollantaytambo (2,792 m / 9,160 ft)
After bidding farewell to our friends in Amaru, we drive along the Urubamba River to Ollantaytambo, the only continuously inhabited town in Peru that still preserves its original Inca street grid, trapezoidal doorways, and stone water channels.
With the afternoon sun illuminating the stonework (and after the morning crowds have left), we climb the monumental terraces of the Ollantaytambo Fortress to stand before the six colossal pink granite monoliths of the Temple of the Sun—where Manco Inca famously defeated the Spanish conquistadors in 1537. At the end of the visit, your private driver will drop you off at your hotel in Cusco (~6:00 PM), your Sacred Valley hotel, or directly at the Ollantaytambo train station if you are boarding an evening train to Machu Picchu.
All-Inclusive Private Tour Pricing
Enjoy total privacy, unhurried time with the artisans of Amaru, and zero hidden ticket fees on the road.
- 100% Private Vehicle & Professional Driver
- Dedicated English-Speaking Cultural Guide
- Direct Fair-Trade Contribution to Amaru Families
- Official Boleto Turístico (Pisac & Ollantaytambo)
- Traditional Andean Farm-to-Table Lunch
What’s Included & Tour Logistics
What's Included
- Door-to-door pick-up and flexible drop-off (Cusco hotel, Sacred Valley hotel, or Ollantaytambo Train Station).
- Private, spacious tourist vehicle and professional driver for the entire day (luggage storage included).
- Licensed private English-speaking guide specialized in Andean textile traditions and Inca history.
- Complete hands-on plant harvesting, natural dyeing, and backstrap weaving workshop in the Amaru Indigenous Community.
- Official Cusco Tourist Ticket (Boleto Turístico Parcial Circuito III) covering Pisac and Ollantaytambo archaeological sites.
- Freshly prepared traditional farm-to-table lunch in Amaru (vegetarian, vegan & gluten-free friendly).
- First-aid kit, portable oxygen tank in the vehicle, and 24/7 WhatsApp assistance.
Not Included
- Optional handwoven textiles or souvenirs purchased directly from the artisans in Amaru or Pisac Market.
- Extra snacks, bottled water, or alcoholic beverages.
- Voluntary gratuities for your guide and driver.
- Personal travel and medical insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we be dropped off at the Ollantaytambo train station for Machu Picchu?
Yes! Because this is a 100% private tour, we can store your suitcases securely in our private vehicle all day while we visit Pisac and Amaru, and drop you off directly at the Ollantaytambo train station around 4:30 PM – 5:00 PM so you can board an afternoon/evening train to Aguas Calientes. Alternatively, we can drive you back to your hotel in Cusco or the Sacred Valley.
How high is the Amaru community and will I feel the altitude?
While the Sacred Valley floor in Ollantaytambo sits at a mild 2,792 m (9,160 ft), the village of Amaru is located high on the mountainside above Pisac at 3,800 m (12,467 ft). Fortunately, the activities in Amaru—harvesting dye plants, watching the dyeing pots, weaving, and eating lunch—are relaxed and require very little physical exertion. Upon arrival, the community serves warm muña (Andean mint) tea, which naturally aids digestion and altitude comfort.
Are the Cusco Tourist Ticket (Boleto Turístico) and lunch really included?
Yes, 100%. Many agencies advertise a base price and then ask you to bring 70 PEN (~$20 USD) per person in cash at the entrance gate for the Boleto Turístico. Our $229 USD rate includes your official Boleto Turístico for Pisac and Ollantaytambo, the community fee for our hosts in Amaru, and your full farm-to-table lunch.
Should I bring cash if I want to buy textiles in Amaru?
Yes. After the weaving workshop, the women of Amaru share the table runners, belts (chumpis), and shawls they have woven by hand using natural dyes. There is zero sales pressure, and 100% of every purchase stays directly with the family who crafted it. Because card terminals do not always have cell signal at 3,800 meters, we recommend bringing Peruvian Soles (PEN) in cash if you wish to purchase a textile.
