The Sacred Valley of the Incas, Cusco

The Urubamba Valley is also known as “El Valle Sagrado de los Incas”, or the Sacred Valley of the Incas. It is a laid back valley near Cusco with a very pleasant climate perfectly suited for farming. Ancient ruins, gentle mountain slopes and scattered farming towns define the valley. The same properties that make the valley attractive for today’s tourist were also the reason why the Inca chose this valley for their permanent settlements. The valley also served as a gateway to the jungle and was easily defendable by Ollantaytambo to the northwest and Rumicolca to the southeast. The Sacred Valley of the Incas is a valley in the Andes of Peru, close to the Inca capital of Cusco. It is fed by numerous rivers which descend through adjoining valleys and gorges, and contains numerous archaeological remains and villages. The valley was appreciated by the Incas due to its special geographical and climatic qualities. It was one of the empire's main points for the extraction of natural wealth, and the best place for maize production in Peru. The Sacred Valley is generally understood to include everything between Písac and Ollantaytambo, parallel to the Urubamba River, or Vilcanota River or Wilcamayu, as this Sacred river is called when passing through the valley.