Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [214]
La Alhambra (20-1200; buffet US$18; 11:30am-3:30pm) This novoandina buffet place 2km west of town is the place to be if you’re hungry. Set amid charming gardens where pet alpacas roam, it serves up a dazzling array of cuzqueño dishes, stylishly done. Saving room for dessert, though difficult, is worthwhile – the sauco (Andean blackberry) cheesecake deserves your stomach space.
Shopping
Internationally known local potter Pablo Seminario creates original work with a pre-conquest influence. His workshop, Seminario Cerámicas (20-1002; www.ceramicaseminario.com; Berriozabal 405; 8am-7pm) – actually a small factory – is open to the public and offers a well-organized tour through the entire ceramics process.
Getting There & Away
Urubamba serves as the valley’s principal transportation hub. Every 15 minutes buses leave the terminal on the main highway about 1km west of town for Cuzco (S3.50, two hours) via Pisac (S2, one hour) or Chinchero (S2.50, 50 minutes). Buses (S1.20, 30 minutes) and colectivos (S2.50, 30 minutes) to Ollantaytambo leave often from the bus terminal.
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SALINAS
This is one of the most spectacular sights in the whole Cuzco area. Thousands of salt pans have been used for salt extraction since Inca times. A hot spring at the top of the valley discharges a small stream of heavily salt-laden water, which is diverted into salt pans and evaporated to produce a salt used for cattle licks. It all sounds very pedestrian but the overall effect is beautiful and surreal.
To get here, cross the Río Urubamba over the bridge in Tarabamba, about 4km down the valley from Urubamba, turn right and follow a footpath along the south bank to a small cemetery, where you turn left and climb up a valley to the salt pans (admission S5; 9am-4:30pm) of Salinas. It’s about a 500m uphill hike. A rough dirt road that can be navigated by taxi enters Salinas from above, giving spectacular views. Tour groups visit via this route most days. A taxi from Urubamba to visit Salinas and the nearby Moray costs around S80. You can also walk or bike here from Maras.
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CHINCHERO
084 / pop 900 / elev 3762m
Known to the Incas as the birthplace of the rainbow, this typical Andean village combines Inca ruins with a colonial church, some wonderful mountain views and a colorful Sunday market. Entry to the historic precinct, where the ruins, the church and the museum are all found, requires a boleto turístico.
Sights & Activities
The colonial church (8am-5:30pm) is built on Inca foundations and its interior, decked out in merry floral and religious designs, is well worth seeing.
The most extensive Inca ruins here consist of terracing. If you start walking away from the village through the terraces on the right-hand side of the valley, you’ll also find various rocks carved into seats and staircases.
The small archaeological museum (8am-5pm Tue-Sun) opposite the church, which houses a small collection of unlabeled local archaeological finds – heavy on broken pots – is not worth the extra S7 admission.
On the opposite side of the valley, a clear trail climbs upward before heading north and down to the Río Urubamba valley about four hours away. At the river, the trail turns left and continues to a bridge at Wayllabamba, where you can cross. From here, the Sacred Valley road will take you to Calca (turn right, about 13km) or Urubamba (turn left, about 9km). You can flag down any passing bus until midafternoon, or continue walking to Yucay, where the trail officially ends. Here there is a colonial