Pisac to Urubamba

Near

, the second village on the road from Pisac towards Urubamba, are warm springs, which are highly regarded locally for their medicinal properties.

, 18 km beyond Pisac at 2900 m, is a busy hub in the valley, with a plaza that is divided into two. Look out for the

sellers with their bicycles loaded with a steaming kettle and assortment of bottles, glasses and tubs. There are mineral baths at

, 8 km east of Calca. These springs are indoors, warm and will open at night for groups. They are half an hour by taxi from town. About 3 km beyond Machacancha are the Inca ruins of

.

The ruins of a small Inca town,

To the north of Urubamba and Calca, beyond the great peaks that tower above the Sacred Valley, lies the valley of

, an area famed for its traditional Quechua communities and strong weaving traditions. The mountainous territory that lies between these two valleys and, indeed, the valleys themselves offers a great deal for the ambitious trekker. The entire Urubamba range is threaded with tracks and the remains of ancient Inca trails and, as you might expect, the variety of trekking routes is almost endless. One of these options is outlined below.

The four-day trek from

(6 km west of Calca) to

(beyond Urubamba on the road to Ollantaytambo) goes via the village of Lares through ancient native forests and past some of the Cordillera Urubamba's greatest snow peaks, their waters feeding jewelled lakes and cascades below. It provides an insight into the communities that inhabit this rugged and challenging land. Halfway you can have a good soak in the hot springs at Lares. Many of the locals may offer to sell weavings or

along the route, at prices a fraction of those in Cuzco. Remember if you bargain that many of these works take weeks, or perhaps a month or more to complete, so always give a fair price; at least here all the money goes to the weavers themselves.

Lares is also a perfect example of Peru's fabulous mountain biking opportunities and it has something for everyone, suiting all levels of daring and technical ability. In two days you can freewheel from chilly mountain passes, past llamas and traditional Quechua communities, on unpaved but drivable roads, or down technical single-track routes following old Inca trails and through precipitous canyons alongside rushing mountain torrents. The area is firmly established with Cuzco agencies for trekking and cycling tours, often as an alternative, or add-on to the Inca Trail.

A few kilometres east of Urubamba, Yucay has two large, grassy plazas divided by the restored colonial church of

, with its oil paintings and fine altars. On the opposite side from Plaza Manco II is the

built for Sayri Túpac (Manco's son) when he emerged from Vilcabamba in 1558.