Unless stated otherwise, the images or videos used in this blog post belong to Explora
The Sacred Valley is often overlooked; sometimes folded into itineraries as a region to traverse on your way to the infamous Machu Picchu or merely a place to acclimatize before a trek on the Inca Trail. Truly the cultural and natural heart of Andean Peru, the valley has so much more to offer. Discover why a stay at Explora’s newest luxury lodge may be just the reason you needed to jump start planning your trip.
Always seeking to give travelers an up-close experience of South America’s natural beauty, Explora lodges offer guests a complete luxury adventure package by blending active excursions, comfort, and cuisine with unparalleled access to extraordinary locations. Their newest luxury adventure lodge in Peru’s Valle Sagrado del Inca, Explora Sacred Valley, certainly makes the grade.
Here at Knowmad, we’re a travel company focused on private, custom trips to South America, and offer door-to-door trip planning. Our knowledge of properties and lodging options in the Sacred Valley and South America is unmatched. We help you navigate itinerary options and seasonal differences, coordinating travel for a holistic, seamless and safe experience, all at a guaranteed best value. If you’d like to plan your own custom trip to Peru and learn about other Peru luxury hotels, give us a call at 612-315-2894 or fill out the short form above to get started!
Luxury Hotel in Peru: Explora sacred valley
Nestled in the Andean highlands, Explora Sacred Valley captures the company’s adventurous spirit by putting all there is to do in the valley at travelers’ fingertips. With a literal menu of half-day and full-day hiking, biking, overland vehicle, and combination explorations available for your choosing, the number of ways to customize your stay at this spectacular luxury hotel in Peru is abundant. You can do guided explorations in small group (with other travelers staying at the lodge who wish to do that excursion that day, which can mean sometimes it will be private), or choose from Explora’s several self-guided explorations for a truly private venture into the Sacred Valley.
Like their other luxury adventure lodges in South America, Explora Sacred Valley is an all-inclusive experience. Guests receive full-board meals courtesy of the lodge’s restaurant, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner featuring delectable dishes prepared with active excursions in mind and using authentic Peruvian ingredients. For an additional cost, their spa is just a short walk across the property, and transports you effortlessly into relaxation after you’re welcomed back from your explorations.
Explora also offers two full-day Machu Picchu explorations:
- Their regular Machu Picchu excursion takes you to the Sacred Valley town of Ollantaytambo where you’ll board a train to Aguas Calientes, the town directly below Machu Picchu, and you’ll head up to the site to explore for around 3 hours before coming down and returning to the lodge in time for dinner. Explora offers this exploration on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
- The Machu Picchu – Inti Punku excursion follows the same route but starting a little later and entering the site for their afternoon permits to hike up to the Inti Punku Sun Gate, where the Incans coming from the Inca Trail would first lay eyes on Machu Picchu citadel. After the short hike up to the Sun Gate (a little over a mile up Incan steps) and taking in the majesty of the site below, you’ll head back down to discover the site with your Explora guide before making your way back to the lodge this evening. Explora offers this exploration on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
These options might be a good fit for you if you have less time for your visit to Machu Picchu or prefer to basecamp in one hotel for an extended stay. However, something to consider is that you would be squeezing the travel time to and from Machu Picchu into just one day, which may not be ideal for some.
For those that have more time to devote to Machu Picchu, we love to incorporate a several-night, all-inclusive stay at Explora Sacred Valley before continuing on to one of Knowmad’s favorite hotels in Aguas Calientes, this allows you to be closer to and spend more time at Machu Picchu. Doing your custom & private trip like this would allow you to get multiple entries into the site by having the time to utilize both morning and afternoon permits for optimal access and views. Travelers could pair something like our Classic Machu Picchu sample itinerary with Explora Sacred Valley by replacing the hotel and excursions on Days 2, 3, and 4 with a several-night stay at Explora’s luxury lodge before continuing on to Machu Picchu and Aguas Calientes for the rest of their Peru trip.
Another thing that sets Explora apart is that they offer a number of different discounts and promotions, from past traveler discounts to seasonal deals. One of the ways Knowmad loves to take advantage of Explora’s discounts is by combining two or more of Explora’s properties in your adventure to create a trip that combines several regions in South America, like this Torres del Paine + Machu Picchu trip idea.
Insider Tips:
- Continue directly to the Sacred Valley after landing in Cusco, where you’ll acclimatize more gradually at lower altitudes helping you start your trip off right.
- Explore the Sacred Valley first, whether staying at Explora’s all-inclusive adventure lodge or another accommodation in the region, and then continue on to a hotel in Aguas Calientes to allow more time at and better access to Machu Picchu.
- Ask us about Explora’s promotions and/or seasonal discounts!
Photo credit for the above three photos: Knowmad Adventures
If you’re interested in learning more about Explora Sacred Valley, or if you’d like to learn about other luxury hotels in Peru, their nuances and which is the best fit for you, give one of our Trip Specialists a call today at 612-315-2894, or email us at [email protected] to begin planning your custom adventure to Peru.
Adiós, Carmen
Carmen is an Operations Specialist at Knowmad Adventures, a company dedicated to crafting specialized custom, private trips to South America. Carmen has lived in three countries, spent some time backpacking in Europe and Central America, and studied Spanish, Italian, and Greek. She loves to explore languages, new places, and all the ways in which people can share their stories, and is excited to help travelers add to their own story with their next adventure!
