Review: Explora Valle Sagrado, Sacred Valley (Peru)

Wednesday newsletters always feature a hotel or flight review.

Last summer, I enjoyed a terrific holiday in Peru. You can read my trip reports here:

Review: KLM (old) Business Class Boeing 777 from Amsterdam to Lima
Review: Central, world’s best restaurant 2023, Lima
Review: Cirqa Hotel, Arequipa
Review: Puqio Hotel, Colca Canyon
Review: Titilaka Hotel, Lake Titicaca
Review: Titicaca Luxury Train, from Puno to Cusco
Review: Explora Valle Sagrado, Sacred Valley (today)
Review: Rio Sagrado, a Belmond Hotel, Sacred Valley
Review: Hiram Bingham, a Belmond Train, from Cusco to Machu Picchu
Review: Sanctuary Lodge, a Belmond Hotel, Machu Picchu
Review: Inca trail to Machu Picchu
Review: Fausto Hotel, Lima
Review: KLM (new) Business Class Boeing 777 from Lima to Amsterdam

Today: Explora Valle Sagrada (Peru)

Hotel website: Explora Valle Sagrada
Location: Google maps
Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso

Located halfway between Cuzco and Machu Picchu, Explora Valle Sagrado was designed as a headquarters from which to explore a remote and spectacular destination. More than 30 explorations immerse guests in the colonial history of Cuzco and the architectural magnificence of the Inca in Machu Picchu, isolated villages, archaeological sites, and the Andean Pampas and mountains. Public spaces and rooms, with their humble stylishness, pay homage to the ancient cornfields and peaks outside. Walkways lead to a colonial mansion housing the spa and pool, and don´t miss the new gastronomic experience. The lodge is managed by Explora, South America’s best luxury hotel brand.

Have you ever stayed at Explora Valle Sagrada? If so, what was your experience? Leave a comment.

In this review (more info and photos below my YouTube video):

Pros & things I like
Cons & things to know
My verdict
Tips for future guests & save money
Best time to visit
How to get there
Photos

PROS & THINGS I LIKE

Nestled within the awe-inspiring Valle Sagrado, Explora Sacred Valley is a gateway to discovering the extraordinary wonders of Machu Picchu, an ancient city ingeniously nestled amidst the mountains. But the enchanting Sacred Valley – a fertile valley irrigated by the Urubamba River – is a destination in its own, offering an array of unique attractions: from the mesmerizing Maras Salt Ponds, boasting around 3,000 natural salt pools, to the enigmatic Moray, a site presumed to be a testing ground for diverse agricultural methods and microclimate observation. The Sacred Valley of the Incas is between the towns of Pisac and Ollantaytambo, about 1 hour from Cusco and at a lower altitude, making it the perfect starting point to acclimatize your body to the altitude, and to explore Cusco, Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley itself.

Explora Sacred Valley enjoys a remote setting in one of the most isolated spots of the Sacred Valley, close to Urquillos village. The lodge is surrounded by mountains that were once the home of the Inca Empire and the view of the surrounding rugged landscape – especially from the lobby’s outdoor terrace – is truly spectacular. The lodge overlooks a corn, quinoa and kiwicha plantation which provides work and food for the nearby village of Urquillos and is immersed, therefore, in the slow-paced life of its inhabitants. The lodge is conveniently located to explore the Inca Empire and the wonders of the Sacred Valley, but it’s off the main tourist route and removed from the valley’s busy tourist hotspots, meaning that guests can enjoy intimate seclusion and serene tranquilty here amidst the Peruvian Andes.

José Cruz Ovalle, winner of Chile’s National Architecture Award in 2012, is behind the design of Explora Sacred Valley. The hotel structure comprises five two-story pavilions which form a meandering line through the resort grounds, reflecting the lay of the landscape and Incan engineering. All low-lying pavilions are connected through a series of overhead bridges and ascending & descending walkways. The hotel’s understated design honors Peru’s traditional hacienda architecture, with wide verandas, tiled roofs walls and wooden boardwalks which blend unobtrusively into the landscape. Although the hotel is a newly built structure, the construction team recovered worn-out Inca platforms, dug up ancient walls with more than 500 years of history, and coated the hotel walls in the traditional way with adobe and Jahuacollay hawthorn, all adding to a sense of place.

On the inside, Explora Sacred Valley’s main lodge features a light, bright, and airy interior, styled with blonde wood and earthy tones. Located at the center of the hotel, the pavilion houses the dining room, a stylish bar and two lounge areas with fireplaces on the ground floor, as well as the reception area, a boutique and a meeting room on the first floor. The atrium’s high vaulted ceiling is supported by columns built with the trunks of trees brought from the general contractor’s own land in Peru’s Amazon rain forest. The main lodge is concepted as a social zone, where guests can meet other guests before or after dinner, and it’s also the place where guests meet the guides to discuss their activities for the following day.

Explora Sacred Valley features 50 rooms, which are spread over four pavilions (two on each side of the main lodge). Every room has a lovely view over the surrounding cornfields and impressive mountains that once sheltered the most important Pre-Columbian civilization. There are 44 standard rooms and 6 suites, with a choice between a king size bed or a twin bed (connecting rooms and handicap rooms are available). Wood panelling and vaulted ceilings add cozy touches to the room decor, making them great places to unwind after exploring the destination during the day. Also, custom touches are everywhere, from alpaca blankets on the beds to the love seats and armchairs upholstered in pale blue wool. All bespoke furnishings inside the rooms were made by local artisans.

Located a short 5-min stroll through a cornfield from Explora Sacred Valley’s main lodge is Pumacahua Bath House, an example of the area’s rich ancestral and cultural heritage. This large colonial house was built in the 17th century and belonged to one of Peru’s Independence heroes, the Inca Mateo Pumacahua. Only open to hotel guests, the house is used as a spa, with a large outdoor swimming pool, two outdoor Jacuzzis, two massage rooms, and indoor wellness facilities such as a sauna, steam bath, and lounge area. Inside the spa, guests can admire century-old colonial frescos, which were painstakingly restored by experts under supervision of the Peruvian Institute of Archaeology. The building also features a large courtyard which is sometimes used for traditional Peruvian barbeques.

Explora Sacred Valley offers a unique culinary experience developed by the renowned Peruvian chef Virgilio Martínez, owner of Central restaurant, recognized as the best restaurant in the world in 2023 according to World’s Best. Considered a member of the Peruvian chefs movement and trained organically, Martinez is a leading promoter of his country’s cuisine worldwide. Inspired by the great biodiversity of the Sacred Valley, its history, and the culture of the people who live there, he developed a unique menu that reveals the magic of the place in every bite. With natural and organic preparations, the menu brings local crops directly to the table of Explora’s guests, both at the hotel and during explorations. All dishes are accompanied by a unique selection of wines and beverages.

All excursions at Explora Valle Sagrado are committed to providing travelers with the less traveled but most rewarding experiences in the Sacred Valley (where the legacy of the Incas remains strong), away from the madding crowd of traditional tourism without missing any of the destination’s most rewarding landscapes and cultural hubs alike. Most guides of the lodge are locals and come from families where millennial traditions have been maintained to this day, making them the best people to accompany you to explore this magical place. Part of the in-depth exploration that the lodge want to transmit to its guests is for them to get to know the guides through culture and contact with communities. That is why the lodge offers visits to the village of Pisac, which has a colorful crafts market, and the community of Huayllafara in the Lamay Valley during the Ayni exploration.

The Sacred Valley lodge is managed by Explora,one of the most luxurious hotel brands in South America. Explora is a collection of lodges focused on deep exploration of remote regions in South America, such as Atacama desert, Chilean Patagonia (Torres del Paine park), Argentinian Patagonia (El Chalten) and Chile’s Easter Island. Explora’s lodges are designed to offer comfort while connecting guests to some of the continent’s most awe-inspiring landscapes. Each property emphasizes sustainable practices and provides guided explorations, allowing travelers to immerse themselves in the natural and cultural richness of the area. Most of Explora’s programs are full board–packages include meals and a broad range of outdoor adventures.

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

Explora Valle Sagrado offers two type of rates – the bed & breakfast rate and an all-inclusive rate – and it may be confusing at first which type of rate you should book. The all-inclusive rate includes truly everything: all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), alcoholic drinks, non-alcoholic beverages, transfers to/from Cusco (at preset schedules) and all excursions (except for day trips to Machu Picchu). The bed & breakfast rate only gives you an accommodation and daily breakfast (buffet + à la carte), and I believe the lodge introduced this rate to compete with the other hotels in the Sacred Valley (which all offer bed & breakfast rates). However, as the name Explora Valle Sagrado suggests, the ‘explorations’ at the lodge are the main thing and truly set the hotel apart from all the other lodges in the area. From trekking in local Inca towns to hiking in the high Andes – and of course Machu Picchu – the guides experience and attention are second to none. So I thoroughly recommend booking the all-inclusive package.

If you book the all-inclusive package at Explore Valle Sagrado, all your excursions will be included, except for the day trip to Machu Picchu. The latter excursion has an additional cost of $400 USD for adults and $350 USD for children (up to 11 years) and needs to be confirmed with Explora’s booking team at least 50 days before the visit. Also keep in mind that a day trip to Machu Picchu from the lodge takes a lot of travel time. Between the car ride from the lodge to Ollantaytambo train station, the train ride to Aguas Calientes and the bus ride to the legendary citadel at the end, it’s at least 4 hours each way (and that excludes waiting lines for the busses). If you instead stay in Agua Calientes (or if you really want to splurge, at the Belmond property at the entrance to Machu Picchu), you could visit Machu Picchu early morning (before all the crowds arrive by train) or late afternoon, and break up the travel.

Altitude is a concern in the Sacred Valley as some of Explora’s hikes go above 4,500 meters (15,000 ft). The guides of the lodge help guests to acclimate to the high altitude with some easier activities in the beginning of their stay with more difficult (but also far more rewarding) hikes at the end, always taking into consideration the physical condition of each guest. The guides of the lodge are absolutely very careful about the possibility of altitude sickness, and don’t allow hikes in the higher altitude ecosystems in the beginning of each stay. While I totally understand that this is the correct policy to follow for guests that flew in from sea level, I do feel that exceptions should be made for guests that have been traveling already for some time in Peru’s high altitude environment (which is often the case when you visit Arequipa, the Colca Canyon, Lake Titicaca and Cusco prior to the Sacred Valley).

The swimming pool and spa are located in a separate building (Pumacahua Bath House), about 500 m (1,600 ft) from the main lodge. This may discourages some guests of using the facilities, especially after a day of strenuous hikes. However, the beautiful stroll towards the Pumacahua Bath House is part of the wellness experience because the trail enhances disconnection and it also offers great views. As you leave the main building behind, walking over one of the hacienda’s four Inca platforms, the remains of the Inca legacy gain increasing strength. Also, massages can be requested to the room if you don’t feel liek walking over to Pumacahua Bath House.

MY VERDICT

Location: 9/10
Design: 8/10
Pool: 9/10
Rooms: 8/10
Food: 10/10
Breakfast: 9/10
Spa: 9/10
Service: 9/10
Wow factor: 9/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall experience: 9/10 – exceptional

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

Save money: get complimentary VIP perks at Explora Valle Sagrado when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, early check-in, late check-out, daily breakfast and $100 USD resort credit).

Save money: read here my tips for getting the best deal at a luxury hotel like Explora Valle Sagrado (and/or receive many free perks).

Read my tips for preparing your trip in time.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

The best time to visit the Sacred Valley is during the dry season, which runs from May to mid-October. During this time, the weather is sunny and dry, and you can enjoy clear skies, warm weather and beautiful views of the Andes Mountains during the day (with cold nights). The dry season is the peak tourist season in the Sacred Valley, so be prepared for more crowds and higher prices.

The rainy season in the Sacred Valley runs from mid-October to April. While the rain can make the landscape lush, green, and beautiful, it can also make hiking and exploring more difficult (with often obscured views at Machu Picchu). Landslides, disrupted train schedules, flight delays and road closures can also occur during rainy spells, which can disrupt your travel plans.

HOW TO GET THERE

Explora Valle Sagrado is a 90 min drive from Cusco and a 45 min drive from Ollantaytambo, where you can catch the train to Machu Picchu. The lodge can arrange transfers (they are included in the rate when you book the full experience program).