Machu Picchu

The Sacred Valley of Peru

Ruins, Ruins and More Ruins

Just outside of Cusco, Peru lies the Sacred Valley, which
was the traditional homeland of the Inca Empire. I
definitely got my inner archaeology geek on as we
visited eight different ruins, all different from each
other in form and function.


Sacsayhuamán - Located just above Cusco, it served as
a fortress, with some stones weighing over 70 tons!


Q'enqo - Servied as a sacred sanctuary to fertility


Q'enqo


Puka Pukara - Used as a road control, administrative center, military
headquarters and food warehouse


Puka Pukara


Tambomachay - A resort for Inca royalty that included baths


Tambomachay


Chinchero - A farming center with large terraces


Moray - a huge number of circular concentric farming terraces, each
with it's own microclimate!


Moray


Ollantaytambo - An example of Pre-Columbian urban planning, is
one of the few places the Incas defeated the Spanish Conquistadors


Ollantaytamo


Pisac - A huge amount of farming terraces. We took a several
hour long hike through these ruins that kicked our butts at
over 11,000 feet in elevation.


Pisac


Pisac

People of Cusco