peru-8-cuzco-sacred-valley

238
GREENHOUSE
For a stint of serious relaxation, stay at this recommended country inn (%984-770-
130; www.thegreenhouseperu.com; Km 60.2 Carretera Pisac–Ollantaytambo, Huarán; s/d/tr
S165/210/335; iW), replete with dogs lounging on their pillows and hammocks in the
lush garden. Large rooms are well-appointed and afford complete privacy. The social
area is an open living-dining room with a glass wall on the garden. As green as its name,
it features solar panels, composting and recycling, uses recycled river water for gardening
and offers guests water refills. Gabriel and Bryan play the ultimate hosts: recommending
local hikes, turning off the internet during daytime hours to increase your
unplugged time, and creating fabulous family dinners (S45) that gather guests around
a common table.
Cuzco & the Sacred Valley T S U H I R G E U H B S T A AC S M & R B E A AC D T VA I V L I T L I E Y S
and food options, and make excellent bases
for leisurely exploration of the safe, scenic
Sacred Valley and its many intriguing side
valleys.
A visit to the community of Patabamba
offers a fascinating participative demonstration
of the weaving process, all the way
from picking the plants to making dyes,
to shearing sheep and setting up a loom –
with explanations of the meanings of colors
and patterns. There are also excellent trekking
options. Campsites and homestays are
available with advance notice. Prices vary
wildly, depending on group size and transport
needed. Both Journey Experience
(%084-60-1203; www.thejoex.com) and Chaski
Ventura (%23-3952; www.chaskiventura.com;
Manco Cápac 517; overnight with 3 meals S156 per
person) offer visits.
In Huarán, adventure tour operator Munaycha
(%984-770-381; www.munaycha.com;
Km 60.2 Carretera Pisac–Ollantaytambo, Huarán)
comes highly recommended. Among other
trips, it guides Lares treks, as well as more
local options, and a variety of mountain
bike trips. We have heard rave reviews about
trek-bike combinations to Huaipo Lake near
Chinchero.
Buses running between Pisac and Urubamba
pass regularly.
Urubamba
%084 / POP 2700 / ELEV 2870M
A busy and unadorned urban center, Urubamba
is a transport hub surrounded by bucolic
foothills and snowy peaks. The advantages
of its lower altitude and relative proximity
to Machu Picchu make it popular with
both high-end hotels and package tours.
While there is little of historical interest,
nice countryside and great weather make it
a convenient base from which to explore the
extraordinary salt flats of Salinas and the
terracing of Moray.
Since Urubamba is quite spread out, the
mode of transport of choice are mototaxis
(three-wheeled motorcycle rickshaw taxis).
The Plaza de Armas is five blocks east and
four blocks north of the terminal, bounded
by Calle Comercio and Jirón Grau.
1 Sights & Activities
Many outdoor activities that are organized
from Cuzco (see p210) take place near here,
including horseback riding, rock climbing,
mountain biking, paragliding and hot-air
balloon trips.
Perol Chico
HORSE RIDING
(%984-62-4475; www.perolchico.com; overnight
packages from US$510) This place is run by
Dutch-Peruvian Eduard van Brunschot
Vega, with an excellent ranch outside Urubamba
with Peruvian paso horses. Eduard
organizes horseback-riding tours that last
up to two weeks. An overnight in the Sacred
Valley with rides to Salinas, Maras and Moray
includes all meals and luxury accommodations.
Advance bookings are required.
Cusco for You
HORSE RIDING
(%79-5301, 987-841-000; www.cuscoforyou.com;
day trip US$165) Highly recommended for
horseback-riding and trekking trips from
one to eight days long. Horseback riding
day trips go to Moray and Salinas. Ask about
special rates for families and groups.
4 Sleeping
A new hub of luxury hotels, Urubamaba has
surprisingly few mid-to-low end offerings.
Most hotels are lined up along the highway,
west of town and the bus terminal, on the
way to Ollantaytambo.