UJ 23 BEST OF THE BEST 2019

CUSCO: THE INCA EMPIRE
Sacred Valley , the
heart of the Empire
History, Culture and Archaeology
8 hours AM Daily
In the Inca Empire, everything had a reason for being.
The cities were built in their chosen place for one reason,
the buildings faced in a particular direction for another,
and almost everything had a common denominator: its
connection with the natural world.
The Sacred Valley is nourished by the waters of the Urubamba
river, which was the earthly parallel of the Milky Way.
Because of its moderate altitude and mild temperatures, it
was possible to grow several vital crops to the Inca Empire,
such as coca leaves and maize. Beyond the cultivated fields,
the main religious and military centres are placed along the
valley, and we can appreciate them even today as examples
of the Inca’s astonishing building work.
LimaTours
Chinchero is one of the most traditional towns of the valley.
Its colonial church is integrated with what was once an Inca
palace. The inhabitants keep up the ancient Inca ways, such
as their traditional dress, and weaving techniques for which
they have become famous. It is this culture, that can be seen
throughout the valley, that is displayed in the Living Museum
of Yucay, where you will also learn about other aspects
such as working with gold and the breeding of the Andean
camelids.
Ollantaytambo is a gem. The village remains just as it
was built, laid out according to Inca town planning. The
impressive fortress raises the mountainside, where it stood
as a military and religious focal point in the heart of the
valley. The beautiful view from the top, the same that the
Inca enjoyed five hundred years ago, gives us some idea of
why this area was so special.
@MatthewSchueller
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