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11 Must-Visit Sites & Things to Do in the Sacred Valley
11 Must-Visit Sites & Things to Do in the Sacred Valley
Just an hour’s drive from Cusco, the Sacred Valley of the Incas in Peru is named after its importance to the Inca, whose ruined citadels and former agricultural terraces are dotted along the valley’s course.
It’s an awe-inspiring place to visit, flanked by serrated mountains and lush with corn that grows beside the Río Urubamba that flows right along the valley floor. For any visitor to Cusco, the Sacred Valley of the Incas is an unmissable spot on your trip to Peru.
Avoid just passing through on the way to the epic Inca fortress of Machu Picchu and instead spend a few days exploring one of Peru’s largest and most dynamic artisan markets, pre-Colombian salt mines and even one-of-a-kind hotels installed high up on the valley sides. Join us as we rundown the eleven Must Visit Sites and best things to do in the Sacred Valley.
Spoiler: yes, AMAUTA Spanish School offers Spanish classes at this amazing location (see #11)!
The 5 Best Peru Hiking Adventures For Your Bucket List
The 5 Best Peru Hiking Adventures For Your Bucket List
With the ridge of the Andes Mountains slicing the length of the country and 6,000m mountains that make the most adventurous drool, Peru is a trekker’s paradise. Some of the best Peru hiking options are easily accessed either from Cusco or by a bus journey from Lima, so strap on your hiking boots and get ready to hit the trail!
1. The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Cusco
Easily the most famous of all trekking in Peru, the Inca Trail that leads you directly to Machu Picchu is a classic hike, combining history and sublime landscapes with the chance to end your journey the exact same way the Inca would: at this former estate for Inca royalty.
There are several Inca trekking routes in Peru that go to Machu Picchu, however, the classic Inca route is a four or five-day 43km hike that winds up into the mountains beyond the Sacred
Valley, summiting three high-altitude passes before terminating at the ruins for sunrise on the final day.
This definitely ranks among the best hiking in Peru and the experience of travelling in the footsteps of this former civilization is one you won’t forget in a hurry. (more…)
The best 5 Cusco Applications
The Best 5 Cusco Applications
In this article, we will recommend you the Best 5 Cusco Applications you will want to use while living in Peru. Or when preparing your trip to Peru. Because once registered for your Spanish course in Cusco you will start preparing yourself for your adventure and Spanish immersion experience in Peru.
Obviously this will involve a lot of reading about Cusco and about Peru. There are many, many good blogs and articles online to be found.
For instance, here is a good link about what to pack for your trip to Peru.
Or this one with important cultural tips you need to know.
And if you are interested in the culture of Cusco, there is this interesting Cusco culture blog.
But of course there are great apps too, that wil be very usefull before and during your stay in Cusco. Here is a list with The best 5 Cusco Applications that will make your phone your personal assistant before and during your stay in Cusco. These applications will make your packing easier, but also the Spanish learning process, your stay in Cusco and maybe further travel. And the best part? They are for free!
Best places for Dinner in Cusco
Best places for Dinner in Cusco
After four weeks of living in Cusco – I’m taking Spanish lessons in Peru here at the AMAUTA Spanish School – it becomes hard to find some new nice places to go to for dinner. In contrast, when you are a new bee, it seems to be hard to make a choice between all the good and nice restaurants around. There are some really comfortable and good-quality restaurants in Cusco with affordable prices I can recommend.
Restaurant INDIGO
I think many travelers and Spanish students in Cusco agree that “Indigo” is always the right choice. Located close to AMAUTA and to the Plaza de Armas, right next to the club “Liberty”, INDIGO
offers a menu with a huge range of Peruvian and Asian cuisine. You should really try the Indigo Sandwich with Avocado! But- it’s not only the food that makes the “Indigo” to what it is. After dinner, for those who like, you can order a dhisha for only 25 Soles and choose your favorite drink of the Happy Hour (2 for 1). You can also asked for games at the bar, like yenga.
11 Incredible Cheap Ways to Study Abroad in Peru
11 Incredible Cheap Ways to Study Abroad in Peru
All your fellow students are going on a semester abroad to learn Spanish. But you think that you can´t afford to do the same. How sad! All of them will come back with great experiences, fluent in Spanish, with amazing new friends, having explored Peru.. ..but not you. ):
Don’t they say that intercultural experiences while studying abroad are priceless? But to you, it seems that the price for a Spanish Immersion Program Abroad is too high……
The truth is, there are some easy tricks to avoid spending a fortune and still travel abroad to Peru to learn Spanish!
Here are 11 Cheap Ways to study abroad in Peru and Learn Spanish in Cusco even though you think you cannot afford it….. Keep on reading and discover these 11 Incredible Cheap Ways to Study Abroad in Peru.
New Spanish & Travel Program in Cusco: Explore Peru
New Spanish & Travel Program in Cusco: Explore Peru
Cusco and Peru offer so many opportunities that you do not want to choose! You want it all! If you are looking for a unique Spanish Course, check this. You can now explore the city of Cusco and inmserse yourself in Peruvian culture, learn Spanish in Cusco, travel in Peru, know the Peruvian Jungle, do an amazing trek to Machu Picchu and be a volunteer in Peru! All in one, very affordable program: our new Spanish & Travel Program in Cusco: Explore Peru.
8 Fun things to do in Cusco (that aren’t Inca Ruins)
8 Fun things to do in Cusco (that aren’t Inca Ruins)
Cusco is full of Inca ruins – but there is so much more! And if you live in Cusco for a while to learn Spanish in Peru or for your volunteer work in Cusco, you definitely want more. Continue to read this blog and learn about 8 Fun Things to Do in Cusco while learning Spanish in Cusco. Do you know more? Please post at the end of this blog.
6 reasons to consider Peru for your Gap Year
6 reasons to consider Peru for your Gap Year
Did you just finish high school and are you uncertain about what to do next? Do you need a break from studying and want to explore the world?
If so, find out why Peru is the Perfect Destination for your Gap Year!
- Peru has it all!
Peru is a diverse country with many different climates and environments. Go trekking in the Andean mountains or rafting, or quad riding; go surfing and swimming at the coast, go sandboarding in dessert or go for a ride in a sand buggy and explore Peru’s wildlife in the rainforest. Peru has it all!
Travel Kit for Spanish Students in Peru
Are you coming to Cusco to learn Spanish in Peru? Great! We are looking forward to seeing you! If you are now preparing your trip to Peru and you are thinking about whether or not to pack a certain item, here is this very useful list for you: the essential items for the AMAUTA Spanish Student and in Cusco!
- Take a handy Spanish Dictionary with you! In our nowadays digital times, you might not think about it as there are so many apps to quickly translate a missing word…but what if you are without internet in another country? Better to take an analog backup!
- There are two things to point out concerning your accommodation at the AMAUTA residency or your host family: in any case – please take some towels! You will not need bed sheets or cushions neither at the host family or at the AMAUTA student residence – but towels are not provided!
Seven questions I continue to ask myself since arriving in Cusco
Every since I arrived in Cusco for my Spanish Immersion Program in Peru, there are some questions that keep coming up and some thoughts that I continue to ask myself since arriving in Cusco. Do you want to know which ones?
Read my story!
- Why do I feel like I am always going uphill?
Cusco, the ancient centre of the Incan Empire, is located in the Andes mountain range at an altitude of roughly 3,500 m above sea-level. Its location close to the “Sacred Valley of the Incas” complements its mystic character of the capital and the crucial point for Inca culture. For me, Cusco´s importance in the high points of the Incan culture was why I just had to travel there. (more…)
