Rainy or Sunny – It's Always Charming in the Sacred Valley
February in Cusco – that month of rainy days and sunlight appearing in transitory moments. This time we came to the Sacred Valley with that idea in mind. Having written a few blogs for our clients about the positive things of visiting Cusco during rainy season, we wanted to experience it ourselves. This is what we found:
The Sacred Valley is always magical
El Albergue, Ollantaytambo
Since the morning we’ve been gifted with a burst of light. We visited El Albergue in Ollantaytambo and strolled around the farm finding clear skies, brilliant light and farmers working on a routinary Friday afternoon. Unlike peak season, Ollantaytambo was serene, with a small concentration of tourist flow. It was pleasant to sit and people watch, see only a few travelers and simply be amazed by the calmness of the setting. When you want to unwind, the fewer the people, the better.
Muddy hiking vs just relaxing
Staying in a cozy and pleasing property makes a difference. The Sacred Valley has an array of fine lodging – from five star hotels to charming homes and hostels. Getting better deals at handpicked hotels from one of the world's best destinations is something you should take advantage of during the rainy season in Cusco.
During the off-season you may find some hotel rates drop. Urubamba Higuspucro is a spacious and charming home owned by a collector of fine Peruvian crafts who can offer great prices at this time of the year. It’s the ideal retreat for families and friends.
Other hotels set promotional pricing rates and offer repeat-visit discounts and deals on their stays outside of the high season.
Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba is one of the hotels that keeps its standard rates all year long, but the setting is captivating any time of year. From las casitas (private cabins) you can see how the rain and clouds have created beautiful green landscapes. Choose to stay inside your cozy casita or take in the beautiful landscape through walls of windows while you relax in the main salon.
Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba
Time to try new things
You can get pleasure from rainy evenings and connect with locals all throughout the season in Cusco. We did a little research and prepared a list of alternatives to experience along the Sacred Valley, such as a stop at Cervecería del Valle. This small, well-respected craft brewery supports its surrounding community and highlights its magical location next to the Andean peaks.
Stopping by the Destilería Andina was another amusing experience. The place itself was wonderful – an area filled with infinite jars and bottles containing all kinds of distillations and potions. Joaquin Randall, who’s in charge of the El Albergue hotel and one of the founders of the Destilería, gave us a brief lesson about distillation, cañazo, and compuestos. Before leaving we tried a few of their invigorating spirits and experiments.
If you’re planning a trip to Cusco, you’ll probably read January through mid-March is the wettest/muddiest time of year. Most articles won’t recommend you traveling during this period, “unless you love morning and afternoon showers”, they’ll say…
Truth is, it’s the start of February and we’ve been exploring the Sacred Valley for a couple of days now. We’ve only had one rainy morning and a whole sunny day. It rains all night, so it’s muddy in the morning, but again, there’s nothing nicer than sleeping to the sound of pouring rain. All we can say is we love rain and the magnetizing Andean peaks are as enchanting and extraordinary as always.