Offbeat Adventures in Cusco and Peru's Sacred Valley: Escape the Crowds
Cusco and Peru's Sacred Valley are world-renowned destinations, featuring iconic Inca ruins and epic hikes that draw global travelers to experience a bucket-list wonder.
Though crowds are part of the appeal, you can sidestep the usual routes with these curated offbeat adventures in this Peruvian hotspot.
Find Serenity at Piuray Lagoon
After packed excursions from Cusco to hikes and historic sites, recharge at Piuray Outdoor Center. Just a short drive away, this high-altitude haven amid terraced hills offers tranquil waters at Laguna de Piuray to melt away vacation stress.
Partnering with lakeside communities, the center provides paddleboarding, camping, hiking, kayaking, yoga, and more. Relax at their open-air lakeside spot with cooking classes, picnics, and lunches highlighting local flavors.
Committed to sustainability, they ban outside sunscreen to protect the pristine waters (eco-friendly options provided), and offer free workshops for locals.
Connect with Cusco's Vibrant Art Scene
Beyond historic sites and adventures, Cusco boasts a thriving artist community. Art Trail Community (ATC), founded by Berenice Diaz Vargas and Tammya Reynoso Arcos, links visitors with traditional and contemporary art via tours and workshops. It operates in Lima and partners internationally in Moldova and the US.
Experiences include colonial glass ceramics, Cusqueñan jewelry, embroidery, and street photography in Cusco and Ollantaytambo. Enjoy theater, dance, and music with Grupo Duarte. Diaz's Legends in Process workshop with ceramist Julio Gutiérrez lets you craft and paint traditional toritos (ceramic bulls) and caballitos (horses) to take home.
Challenge Yourself at Skylodge
Skylodge's transparent pods, suspended 400 feet above the Sacred Valley, have captured imaginations online. Fully booked? Try Nature Vive's via ferrata climbs up sheer rock faces and ziplines over the valley, or a lunch ascent to a dining pod for a gourmet three-course meal featuring seared alpaca before zipping down. Thrilling for adrenaline seekers, safe for all.
Embrace Community Tourism in Urubamba
While major sites thrive, rural areas like Urubamba gain through Agroturismo Chichubamba. Learn chicha brewing at the local bar, paint pottery with lunch, explore beekeeping, chocolate making, textiles, or countryside walks.
Peru welcomed 4.4 million visitors in 2018, 1.2 million to Machu Picchu. Amid overtourism efforts, travelers must prioritize sustainability: support grassroots groups, local businesses, and fair worker conditions on trails like the Inca Trail.
Bailey Freeman visited the Sacred Valley with support from Exodus Travels. Lonely Planet contributors do not accept freebies for positive coverage.
