Adventure & Tradition: Discovering The Hidden Gems Of The Sacred Valley

It is very easy to understand the reasons for such an idea to come up when thinking about a new destination in terms of tourism, as everything that can attract tourists to this place can be found there, including natural views, local food, craft beer, cultural heritage, and a distinctive culture. Tens of thousands of tourists visit this country each year, trying to get acquainted with all of these things. Nevertheless, most people fail to understand that in order to see all those features, they should visit Peru at least once, forgetting the real essence of the country. Instead, it would be better to go and explore the Sacred Valley, full of secrets and mysteries.

The Sacred Valley has two main features that deserve to be highlighted. On the one hand, due to various historical and cultural landmarks together with natural beauty, the Sacred Valley seems to be an appealing location to spend one’s vacation. Exploring the Sacred Valley could be regarded as an important element of one’s holiday, allowing them to benefit from their stay here. The trip through different villages, markets, and paths is likely to leave pleasant memories. It will also be possible to rest in local pubs or cafes, consuming some Andean beer.

Exploring The Mystery Of The Huchuy Qosqo Ruins

One of the things about visiting Peru is the fact that it makes you feel like you’re an explorer looking for some lost city, and there’s a better option than a tour sacred valley Peru. Especially Huchuy Qosqo, which means “Little Cusco” in the local language. Travel is half the fun; you cannot simply board a train or a vehicle to reach there – no, not here, where you will have to walk along mountain trails or take a horse ride. These ruins stand at great heights above the town of Lamay with breathtaking views overlooking the entire valley. 

It is worth mentioning that not many people visit this place, and the reason is its location, which is remote, and thus, there are fewer tourists here. Coming to the history of the place, it was originally built as a royal residence of the Inca emperor Viracocha. In terms of the architecture of this site, it is unique as it uses both stones and mud bricks for construction. In addition to this, it has amazing engineering; the Incas used water channels that still function perfectly. These channels provide fresh water from mountain lakes to the ruins.

Try Chicha De Jora

Yet another amazing place, one that has not received the attention it should be receiving, is the Chicha de Jora. This is a centuries-old beer made from corn, which provides a very refreshing pause for anyone taking the time to hike the Sacred Valley. As you search for someone who can give you some of this beer, keep an eye out for a house with a pole coming out of the entrance door, accompanied by either a red bag or a flower hanging off the pole.

This will mean that the host is ready to serve you. The whole process is fairly interesting to watch, as the locals first soak yellow corn till it sprouts. They then boil it and let it ferment for days on end in clay pots before serving it. It is definitely a different kind of brew, and unlike anything one could find from the craft breweries today or even among the German beer culture. Those who are after a slightly less pungent flavor can try the frutillada, a strawberry-based version that has a pink hue and frothy nature.

The Waterfall Of Arin And The Local Flavors

When you are going to Calca, you may go and walk up to the Arin Waterfall, a beautiful waterfall, which no tour guide or book will write anything about. You will not go far to visit the waterfall, and the path to the waterfall goes through small farms and gardens. As you walk on, you can see that the air is chilly, and that you can hear the water falling down the high on the rock. The flowers and green moss surrounding it make the waterfall more attractive. Once at the waterfall, the time to head back to the town is here… Now, you should be hungry, and you should eat some Peruvian food. In fact, for the last couple of years, foodies have been drawn to the Sacred Valley. 

There are many great places where you could eat in Peru, but nothing beats the experience of having dinner in the local market. Alternatively, you may try some cuy, quinoa soup, or corn seasoned with cheese. It must be emphasized that this variety of corn is not one of those varieties of corn found in other places; instead, it has large kernels. On the other hand, if you wish to enjoy some Western drinks, there are some fantastic craft breweries in the valley that make use of local products like mountain honey or Andean herbs to concoct some delicious beer.

Where The Journey Lingers

It seems like the discovery of the Sacred Valley revolves around just Machu Picchu, but it could not be more wrong. In reality, it requires spending a couple of days carrying out research work, touring the historic sites, capturing magic photographs, finding places with hidden waterfalls, and savoring the food there. There are special qualities about this place, and whoever decides to come over and discover the secrets will definitely be impacted.

One cannot find the true magic in the places where thousands of tourists gather and where the atmosphere is filled with noise. In most cases, the magic can be found on a quiet road where a person stops to have lunch or after spending a whole day outside, drinking a local beer, which was stored in frost for some time, so one can see frost and the foam on top of it. Remember that when organizing the trip, one must allocate enough time to explore the unexpected places of the region.