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Via ferrata Sacred Valley -valle Sagrado-

The only Peruvian via ferrata is located in a privileged spot between Machu Picchu and the foot of the Andes: the Sacred valley -valle Sagrado-.

K2PeruVia ferrataFor beginnersChild Friendly50 €

Location

PacharUrubambaCuscoPeru Technical description Via ferrata builders

• Natura Vive
• Year: 2009
• (51) 084-793019
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How to get there

The guides will pick you up at the hotel if you pay for the trip in Cuzco. There’s an hour’s drive from Cuzco to the outskirts of Ollantaytambo, opposite the village of Pachar.

Getting closer

The approach section is almost non-existent. There are 50 metres from the parking lot and the guides’ shed to the crag with the drop-down ladder that marks the beginning of the route.

The route

The Sacred valley via ferrata was installed as a tourist attraction, close to Ollantaytambo village. It’s a sporty K2 level itinerary, somewhat exposed, especially its 20 meter-long Nepalese bridge. This unique Peruvian route ascends 300 metres from the river Urubamba, which is one of the natural accesses to the sacred temple of Machu Picchu.

The route is private and therefore not free. It's managed by the company Natura Vive, and the entrance fee is around 50 euros per person; 60 if you want to use the zipline on your way back. The trip includes all the gear you need to do the ferrata, a light meal, and the company of the guides all the way through. You cannot do this via ferrata on your own.

Entrance point to the Sacred valley via ferrata

This activity is good for other reasons besides the route itself: it allows you to get to know Valle Sagrado from another perspective.If you don’t know the area it can be a good introduction to the many highlights nearby, like Moray and the Maras saltworks, the market of Písac, the Templo del Sol, Ollantaytambo, etc.

From the route we’ll be able to spot -from a bird’s eye view- the popular train that goes up to Machu Picchu. We’ll also see a bit of the Andes mountain range and above all, the wide fields with the popular giant corn crops and the precious quinoa. All along the way, we’ll see a wide variety of the flora growing on the walls of the mountain: orchids, cacti and other native plant varieties.

Orchids

Crossing the Nepalese bridge

Regarding its level of difficulty, the route is very easy and it has been designed considering all publics, including children from age 7. If your group happens to be large or inexperienced, the trip can get quite long (between 3 and 5 hours). Despite that and the rain, which is common in summertime (January, February, March and April), our guides, Alfredo and Daniel, cheered us up the whole time and we had fun. The ziplines add to the enjoyment of the experience as well.

Starting point of the first zipline -maybe the most spectacular-

For unique experience lovers with money to spare, Natura Vive offers the possibility of sleeping at the top of the via ferrata (600€ per night). They have a few habitable capsules, Skylodge Adventure Suites, where you can stay for a vertiginous night in the moonlight.

And a side note for those that love equipped paths. In the Aguas Calientes area/Machu Picchu there are two possible ones you can visit: the ascent to Wayna Picchu (booking is a must) and the nearby hill cerro Putucusi (free access -shut in 2018 due to the equipment being in poor condition)

Skylodge hotel capsules

Diagram of the Valle Sagrado via ferrata

The way back

» A 100 metre long rappel installation that you can opt for, with the help of guides.
» A downhill path that combines 7 ziplines, the shortest being 125 metres long. Their end point is next to the parking lot. It has an extra fee (+ 10 € approx.) and it must be booked in advance.

Bibliography

Foto Croquis: Panoramio | User Quechan13 Natura Vive (empresa equipadora)

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