Acclimatization Hike in the Sacred Valley (Chinchero)

Our private tour kicks off with a pickup from the hotel in Cusco (elevation: 3,399 meters / 11,152 feet) at either 8:00 AM or 1:00 PM, which is great for flexibility. From there, our private van heads towards the small, high-altitude village of Chinchero (elevation: 3,762 meters / 12,343 feet).

This is our first stop, and it’s steeped in history. I’m excited to see the colonial adobe church, which dates back to the early 17th century. What’s incredible is that it was built right on the foundations of an Inca palace or temple. It’s said that the great Inca ruler Tupac Yupanqui might have even used Chinchero as a personal country retreat. What a place for a holiday home!

Next, we’ll head to the small town of Maras (elevation: 3,380 meters / 11,089 feet) to see its characteristic stone buildings before moving on to the main event for me: Salineras. The Maras Salt Mines, at a lower elevation of around 3,200 meters (10,500 ft), are simply surreal. I can’t wait to see the landscape of over 1,000 small ponds cascading down the mountainside. I find the process fascinating—these pre-Inca pools are fed by a natural, salt-rich spring. As the water evaporates, local families harvest the salt crystals using the same traditional tools and ancient techniques they have for hundreds of years. It’s a living museum.

Our final stop is Moray (elevation: 3,450 m/11,318 ft). This place is pure genius. It’s an experimental agricultural site built like a stunning amphitheater. The terraces, which were carved even before the Incas took over the valley, create different microclimates on each level. This allowed the Incas to cultivate an extraordinary variety of crops—over 250 types!—at an altitude where they wouldn’t normally grow. It’s a testament to their advanced knowledge.

After getting my history fix, we’ll head back to our hotel in Cusco, arriving around 1:00 p.m. (if we took the morning slot). It sounds like the perfect, condensed cultural deep-dive.