2025_26 Oosterdam, Pisac, Peru...

Today we headed to the Sacred Valley to visit Pisac, an important archaeological complex situated on a mountaintop known for its impressive terraces and Inca temples. I have been to Machu Picchu twice and this was my first time to Pisac…I was pleasantly surprised; the ruins were right up there with Machu Picchu. The Pisac Archaeological Park was an Incas royal estate, administrative center, religious site and burial site for Emperor Pachacútec in the 15th century. Today, it features impressive Inca stonework, ceremonial areas and extensive agricultural terraces. The views are stunning of the surrounding mountains and terraces of the valley below.  We drove 3.5k up from the town of Pisac to the park going from 7000 to 11,000 feet…we all did fine with high altitude. After our decent we visited the Pisac handicraft market, one of the most famous in Peru, followed by a visit to the local market and the busy town square. Lucky for us Sunday is market day. The roads in this area of Peru are some of the roughest I have experienced with speed bumps every 500 feet…surprisingly I was able to salvage some photos. On our return to the hotel, we stopped for lunch in Urubamba. On our journey to and from Pisac today we passed a number of Sacred Valley towns like Calca and Lamay famous for its Guinea pig farms and restaurants. We had a great day touring and the weather was perfect.