Written by:Claire Dean
Published: 14-10-2022
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.
SkyLodge Capsules in The Sacred Valley
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.
View from above
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
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.
Safety Equipment
Zipline
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 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
Sacred Valley Below
Book this adrenalin-filled adventure of The Via Ferrata and Zipline in the Sacred Valley with Valencia Travel here.
