Claire Dean
Claire Dean

Claire Dean

Travel in South America is a joy to behold. The rich variety of destinations, experiences, landscapes and geography fascinated me so much, that I chose to relocate here, over 20 years ago! The best thing I ever did! Allow me to share my knowledge and passion for Central and South America with you and help you plan your holiday of a lifetime!

The Via Ferrata and SkyLodge trip to the Sacred Valley

The Via Ferrata and SkyLodge trip to the Sacred Valley

3MINREAD

Written by:Claire Dean

Published: 2022-10-14

About 90 minutes north of Cusco in the shadow of the Peruvian Andes, the lush Urubamba Valley once formed the heart of the Incan empire and was an important agricultural area supplying food for the surrounding regions. Now, this approximately 100km-long valley is home to some of Peru’s most impressive ruins outside of Machu Picchu and is considered an essential day trip for visitors to Cusco.

 

In the middle of Cusco and Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley is a truly enigmatic section of Peru. Blessed with a lower elevation, warmer climate, a sprinkling of ancient archaeological sites, snow-capped peaks in the distance and traditional villages steeped in age-old customs is what you’ll experience on a Sacred Valley tour from Cusco!

SkyLodge Capsules in The Sacred Valley

Experience the Sacred Valley from New Heights:

Thousands flock to archaeological sites and historic towns like Moray and Ollantaytambo each day, but if you are seeking a totally different kind of adventure, then climbing high over the Sacred Valley is the alternative option. For an alternative way of seeing the Sacred Valley, The Via Ferrata and Zipline, offers a completely unique experience, for a condor’s view of the stunning landscapes before soaring down to the valley floor on a series of exhilarating zip lines. 

 

The Skylodge first launched in 2013 as the first-ever "suspended" hotel in the world with its gravity-defying glass capsules. These cliff-side capsules are the brainchild of an adventure company, Natura Vive, which wanted to make mountain and climbing excursions more accessible to those adventrous souls and daring travelers.  Book the Skylodge Suites on your Cusco tours now!

View from above

Thrill Seekers’ Paradise:

The Natura Vive and SkyLodge team offer a thrilling day in the mountains, and this is the single most exciting way to experience the Sacred Valley. The via Ferrata and zipline tour consists of climbing 400 meters (1,312 feet) up a mountain and taking six ziplines ranging from 150 meters (492 feet) to 700 meters (2,297 feet) long back to your starting point at the bottom of the mountain. The climber is permanently tied to a steel cable that runs through the entire route. Usually does not require any climbing rope. Metal ladders, bridges, and similar facilities are used. This helps maintain the physical difficulty of climbing and mix beginners' skills while providing access to the very high, and extreme vertical sections of a mountain, that would usually, only be accessible to experienced rock climbers.

 

 
Via Ferrata are a permanent set of metal ladders, bridges, and a steel cable that run along the length of the ladders.. You are always attached to the frame by double-hook. This mechanism provides people the opportunity to pass through magical mountain scenery and feel like a true mountain climber, even those with no climbing experience! Try it on your Cusco day trips into The Sacred Valley for a bird ' s-eye view of the scenery!

Via Ferrata

Via Ferrata

On arrival, you will be kitted out in a harness, helmet, and gloves, followed by a demonstration of the safety procedures for our climbing expedition. The via Ferrata translates to “iron way” and is essentially assisted rock climbing, using metal rungs and anchors that are drilled directly into the side of a mountain, providing climbers with a continuous line of steel cable to clip to and steps/handles to aid in the upwards journey. Aside from the occasional need to find a hand or foot hold in the rock yourself, ascending a mountain via Ferrata is far less physically demanding or technically challenging than true rock climbing. Enjoy the thrill and sensation of rock climbing without having to be an expert. After climbing for a while, you will reach an area without any rungs. This is where you use the actual mountain! Don´t worry though, the guides are scattered throughout the group to help out with any strategic holds. On arrival at the top, you are rewarded with spectacular views over the Sacred Valley. 

 

 
The ascent of about 400 meters lasts three hours, climbing gently. Safety is an important factor while you are admiring the scenery over the Vilcanota River. Don't worry though, you Will be given a standard set of harnesses, helmet, gloves, and via ferrata, provided by Natura Vive. Peru adventure tours have never been so safe!

Safety Equipment

Zipline Adventure

Once you are fully rested from the climb, you will set out on the next section of the adventure, ziplining.  You will be given thick gloves to wear over our climbing gloves so that your hands would stay safe against the metal zipline cables. Then, you will head across the mountain to the first zipline. The first zipline is a shorter one, giving the opportunity to get a good feel for the zipline before cruising down the longer ones. The next zipline is the longest and requires two people to go at once so that there would be enough weight to propel the individuals all the way across. In total, the adventure consists of six ziplines, with the final one returning you directly to the starting point. The zip-line consists of a pulley suspended on a cable mounted on an incline. It is designed to enable a user propelled by gravity to traverse from the top to the bottom of the inclined cable, by holding on or attaching to the freely moving pulley.

 

On the zipline over the Sacred Valley of The Incas, you fly over and through Andean mountains, stifling those little cries that both calm and excite at the same time. Your Peru adventure vacation will literally be off to a "flying" start!

On The Mountainside

Included Services

  • English speaking guide
  • Lunchbox
  • Equipment (harness, helmet, Ferrata cord, zip line set, and gloves).
  • Transfer to and from Cusco or The Sacred Valley

 

 The Via Ferrata is a sports route, located on a rockface, and equipped with specific climbing aids (cables, stairs, ramps, etc.) designed to facilitate your climb and optimize the safety of the climber. You are always attached to a steel lifeline by means of a double-carabiner system. They use metal ladders and suspension bridges for the ascent on this Peru adventure trip.

Sacred Valley Below

 

Book this adrenalin-filled adventure of The Via Ferrata and Zipline in the Sacred Valley with Valencia Travel here.

 

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