Sacred Valley

Cusco and Machu Picchu is Peru's major tourist region and one of the world's most powerful cultural destinations. Located in the south-eastern Andes at dizzying altitudes (Cusco 3,400 m, Sacred Valley 2,800 m, Machu Picchu 2,430 m), it concentrates the bulk of the Inca Empire (1438-1533) heritage — historical imperial capital, lost citadel rediscovered in 1911, major archaeological sites over 100 km around the former centre of Tahuantinsuyu.

The region subdivides into three complementary hubs. Cusco (the base city, 3,400 m, 450,000 inhabitants) is the former Inca capital that became baroque capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru (1533-1821). Its historic centre (UNESCO 1983) layers cyclopean Inca walls (Coricancha, Sacsayhuamán, Hatunrumiyoc) and Spanish colonial architecture (cathedral, monasteries, Plaza de Armas). It's the trip's logistical base and a fascinating site in its own right (minimum 2-3 nights). The Sacred Valley of the Incas (stretches 60 km along the Urubamba River, altitude 2,800-3,000 m) shelters the major sites of Pisac (market and agricultural terraces), Ollantaytambo (Inca fortress and still-inhabited Inca village, train departure point), Maras-Moray (millennial pink salt pans and circular agricultural amphitheatre), Chinchero (traditional textiles). 2-3 nights in the valley allow gentler altitude acclimatization than Cusco. Machu Picchu (2,430 m, 110 km from Cusco) is the experience's apex — Inca citadel built in 1450 by Emperor Pachacutec, abandoned after Spanish conquest, rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911. Accessible only by train from Ollantaytambo + bus from Aguas Calientes, or by the mythical 4-day Inca Trail (limited to 500 trekkers/day, permits to book 6 months ahead).

The pitch is clear: it's Peru's absolute must-see, justifying on its own a 7-10 day trip. The region requires strict logistics (Machu Picchu booking, PeruRail train, Aguas Calientes or Sacred Valley hotels), altitude acclimatization (1-2 days at Cusco without effort before any trek) and a substantial budget (Machu Picchu entry USD 50-60, train €75-500/person, Inca Trail USD 600-900/person). But the experience is unmatched.