Day 9 - in the Sacred Valley


The Sacred Valley is just beautiful as you can see from the pictures. We had an early start to avoid the crowds.  Our trip today took us up high above the valley and down to the valley floor.

First stop up on the hill side was an utterly improbable sight; hundreds of salt pans terraced into the steep slope and we were some of the first people there.  We walked right in amongst the pans as our guide Julio explained that the water came from underground springs and that the site is managed by a co-operative of families who sell 3 grades of salt to local people and as far away as Japan.  We bought a small pack to recharge our salt mill.


Our next stop was the amazing terraces at Moray.  Our guide believed the version of their construction that they are in 3 meteor craters and that the Inca people built them to
provide micro climates in which to grow different types of crops.  Whatever they were for they are very impressive.

And then it was on to Ollantaytambo, to see the Inca ruins there, which defended the top part of the valley at the narrow point. We climbed to the top to see the huge stones, put together as an altar but probably not complete as there are 6 not 7, the usual Inca significant number. Then there was the more tricky problem of coming down the very long stairway as Glynis is not a fan of heights, but we got there in the end.




Then it was back towards our hotel for lunch and a lazy afternoon on our balcony watching the world go by, before attempting the complicated job of packing for Machu Picchu and a move to Cusco  tomorrow night.

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