Carved by the Urubamba River, a huge Valley stretches out in the middle of the Peruvian highlands, in the Andes. Over the ages inhabited by huge empires and greedy invaders, the mysticism of the Cusco Region still manages to grasp many tourists. As the mind-blowing home to the Inca civilization, the Cusco Region is high on the list of many travelers and backpackers. Not only because of the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu. Incredible panoramic sceneries and tons of ancient Inca sites and ruins. Add to this the spiritual retreat centers and rural jungle and mountain farmers. It is no wonder so many different types of travelers find their way to Cusco. Discover here what all the hype is about.

The Chanapata were the first civilization to cultivate the Sacred Valley, by the Spanish colonists called Valley of Yucay, around 800 BC. After, in 500 AD the Qotacalla settled here, to be replaced by the Kilke civilization around 900 AD. Finally, the Incan Empire took over in 1420. The Valley has always been an attractive territory, rich in fertile soil and vegetation. Obviously the Urubamba River providing as a freshwater source is to thank for that. Even today agriculture is thriving in the region. Also, some native farmers still use old Inca farms to harvest, like for example the agricultural terraces at Pisac.

Throughout the 100km ranging valley you can find many very popular, mind-boggling hiking routes, of which most lead to the ultimate destination of any kind of traveler, Machu Picchu. These routes, when followed, guide you over high altitude passes and through wildlife packed valleys. They make you feel as if you were traveling many hundreds of years ago yourself. Be warned though, due to the steep mountain paths, high altitude, and local weather conditions these trails are not for the faint of heart. We advise everyone who is thinking of walking these astonishing Machu Picchu trails to consider own fitness first.