Pisac Peru

If you are traveling through the famed Peruvian Sacred Valley, then it behooves you to make a stop in the small town of Pisac. As if a stunning Andes Mountains setting weren't enough, the Pisac ruins present some of the most impressive around. Together with those at Machu Picchu and the fortress of Ollantaytambo, the Pisac ruins give insight to the Inca's advanced masonry skills. The Pisac markets are also a good reason to make a stop here, particularly the handcraft market of Pisac, where you can find some unique and authentic souvenirs. You can take a bus from Cusco to Pisac Peru, which takes about 45 minutes, or you can go by way of colectivo or taxi. If you are interested in renting a taxi for the whole day to take you from Cusco to Pisac, the cost is well under $100, and you have the benefit of your own personal chauffeur of sorts. From Pisac, you can take a bus to one of the nearby towns, such as Urubamba, Yucay and Ollantaytambo.

The Pisac ruins remain somewhat mysterious as to what their absolute purpose was, but it seems likely that they were part of a settlement along a vital Inca road. With the Amazon rainforest to the east of the mountains, it is generally understood that Pisac provided a connecting point of sorts between the highlands and the jungle. The Pisac ruins are relatively large, and they remain in pretty good shape all things considered. Extensive terracing marks the Pisac ruins, which are set among patterned fields. Steps and aqueducts carved from stone round out the complex, and the surviving Sun Temple is a most impressive structure. As you explore the Pisac ruins, you will find that the views of the mountains and valleys are simply breathtaking. You can gain access to the Pisac ruins with the "boleto turistico", which can be purchased in town or in Cusco. If you are in good shape, you might consider getting to the ruins by foot along the hillside path.

Machu Picchu was built without mortar, without wheels, and without iron tools — yet its stones fit so precisely that a knife blade cannot pass between them. Peru has been humbling visitors ever since.