Cuzco and the Sacred Valley
Travel Advice for Seniors: Cuzco and the Sacred Valley
So now, we’re getting to the interesting part of Peruvian history, the story of the Incas! Cuzco was the actual capital of Incan culture and rule, and while Machu Picchu gets all of the attention and fame, it was a mere outpost!
Cuzco is in the Peruvian Andes, and you will need some altitude sickness pills to visit here. Several of our group did not bring them and suffered the consequences. Cuzco sits at just above 11,000 feet, while Machu Picchu is at about 8000 feet elevation. Also interestingly, Machu Picchu is about 60 miles away.
Cuzco is considered the oldest continuously inhabited city of the Americas, with the first structures erected about 3,000 years ago. You can still see some of the early stone architecture in the foundations of buildings from the Spanish Colonial period. We spent two days in Cuzco and crowded quite a bit into our busy itinerary through Peru.
Plaza de Armas is the central historical square and is the most logical place to begin. The Cathedral of Cuzco or Cathedral Basilica of the Virgin of the Assumption is located right on the main square. It is the main temple of the city of Cusco, and home of the archdiocese. Interestingly, the Cathedral of Cuzco was built with huge stone blocks brought from Sacsayhuaman. The church is accessible.
The lovely baroque Convent of Santo Domingo del Cuzco was built on top of the Incan Temple of the Sun, one of the most sacred in Incan culture. Built in 1534, it is said that the church and convent were built on the golden enclosure that were covered in gold leaf. Some of the old Incan artifacts are still visible in the foundations. The church is accessible.
Next up was a visit to the Sacsayhuamán or Saksaywaman ruins. These ruins are what remains of a citadel on the outskirts of the city. The site was built by the Incans in the 15th century and was a very important ceremonial center. It is also said that Sacsayhuamán was the main water channel for the Incan capital city of Cuzco. A note on this tour: Wear a comfortable pair of shoes and take a hat and have plenty of water. It was pretty hot when we visited. The ground is grassy and there are some graveled pathways making it partially accessible.
No day is complete without a stop for shopping! The San Pedro Market is a large covered building that has several shops, produce and food stalls. It did not appear to be accessible.
After lunch, we traveled through the Sacred Valley to the Ollantaytambo ruins. Historically, these ruins were one of the last strongholds of the Incas during the Spanish invasion. Here you can see the archeological features of the Temple of the Sun, the Royal House of the Sun, the Monumental Portal, the Enclosure of the 10 niches, the Ñusta baths and more. This site is not considered accessible.
Our second day in the Sacred Valley began with lunch with a local family in Misimany village. It was interesting (and thankfully not too adventurous!) to eat food prepared by the locals and listen to their stories. We bought a shawl (or table runner?) for a mere $30USD that was made by one of the ladies that lived in the village. I don’t usually like family visits because it feels intrusive and you always feel you have to buy something or participate in a dance or something, but in this case, it was nice to find some original artisans and their wares.
Following lunch, we stopped by the Moray Incan ruins. The ruins are a series of circular terraces that are carved about one hundred feet into the earth. This area is believed to be an agricultural research center set up by the Incans to test crops at different altitude and climate conditions. The area is rocky, unlevel and hilly, not recommended for accessibility.
We also stopped by the curious Maras salt evaporation ponds. The 4500 or more colorful and ancient salt pools have been there since before the Inca and are still in use today. This UNESCO World Heritage stop was notable for its history yes, but also because there were great souvenir shops on the way to the salt ponds that sold salt gathered from the ponds. A great gift for friends and for yourself! The area here is unlevel and hilly, so take walking sticks!
Where we stayed: Sonesta Posada del Inca Yucay. Somewhat accessible. Nice hotel. Breakfast included.
How we got there: About a 50-mile drive from Cuzco to Aguas Calientes. This was part of a two-week small group tour through Peru.
General Accessibility Information: See notes above.Some larger cities and areas, have major hotels, sights and some transportation that is accessible. Call in advance to verify and make specialty arrangements. See our sections on specialty apps and accessible travel for more on accessibility assistance.
