Urubamba, Sacred Valley

Explora Valle Sagrado

★★★★★

Explora is a Chilean company known for remote, design-led lodges in Patagonia, the Atacama and Easter Island, built around a simple idea: you come to explore, and the lodge provides everything you need to do it, from guides and vehicles to meals and drinks. Its Sacred Valley lodge applies the formula to the heart of the Urubamba valley, near Urubamba town, set among the corn fields of a former hacienda with the mountains rising on both sides. The architecture is low and contemporary, with wood, stone and big windows that frame the valley, and rooms are calm and spacious, with views of the fields and peaks. The core of a stay is the program of explorations: each evening, guests sit down with the guides to choose the next day's outing from a menu of hikes, bike rides and visits that range from easy half days to demanding full-day treks across high passes. These include the circular terraces of Moray and the salt pans of Maras, about forty-five minutes from the lodge, which the company describes as one of the few places in the world where naturally pink salt is extracted; the ruins of Pisac and Ollantaytambo; walks to remote communities and Inca trails above the valley; and trips to Machu Picchu. Meals are included and draw on Andean produce, much of it from the valley, and the spa, with pools inspired by Inca baths, is the place to recover after long days at altitude. Rates are all-inclusive and high, and minimum stays apply; the value lies in having expert guides and logistics handled, so you can spend your time walking, biking and learning about the valley.

Who it suits: active travelers who want to hike and bike rather than sit on a tour bus, couples and families with older children who want everything organized, and anyone who wants to use the valley as a base for acclimatization before Machu Picchu or the Inca Trail. It is less suited to travelers who want nightlife, restaurant hopping or a town on the doorstep; the lodge is a self-contained world, and part of the pleasure is the peace of the fields at night under the stars.

Location math: the lodge is in the central Sacred Valley near Urubamba, about an hour and a half from Cusco airport by road, depending on traffic. Ollantaytambo and its train station for Machu Picchu are around half an hour away, Pisac a little more in the other direction, and Moray and Maras about forty-five minutes up on the plateau. The valley floor is several hundred meters lower than Cusco, which makes the lodge a gentle first stop on arrival.

Practical notes: book well ahead for the dry season from May to September; the rainy season from November brings green fields, afternoon showers and good availability, and the guides adapt routes to the weather. Check the current minimum stay and what is included in the all-inclusive rate, particularly for Machu Picchu excursions, which require advance tickets. Bring layers for cold mornings and evenings, sun protection for the high-altitude hikes, and broken-in walking shoes.