Documental de Machu Picchu, Cusco y el Valle Sagrado | La Vida Sagrada del Perú

Documental de Machu Picchu, Cusco y el Valle Sagrado | La Vida Sagrada del Perú

In the heart of the Peruvian Andes lies a land
guarded by the Apus, the sacred mountain spirits. Here, stone and sky unite in silence, and rivers carve out stories older
than memory itself. To walk these lands is to enter
a world where rituals give life, and where each path whispers a secret to those who listen. The Sacred Valley of Peru But the spirit of the Sacred Valley isn’t just in the stone
nor in the mountains. It lives in the hands of its people,
in the colors taken from plants and earth, in threads woven
with patience and memory. Each gesture, each creation,
is an offering as sacred as the rituals that nourish the earth. Here I have a root called “sach’a taqsana”. Sacha is the root. Taqsana is used for washing. It’s an Inca shampoo. This root, we get it by walking two to three hours toward the hills of Anta and Quilca. I’m going to use the
strainer to filter it. There you can see the natural foam. It has no odor, doesn’t pollute
the environment, doesn’t harm the hands, all natural, right? Here I have this sheep’s wool, that since it was born
has never been bathed. Now it’s going to have its first bath. It’s really dirty and greasy. Let’s give it one or two more washes. It’s getting cleaner, whiter. And then we’ll let it
dry under the sun so we can then move on to the next
process, which is spinning. Its name in Quechua. The “pushka,” right? If it breaks on us, there won’t be any problem. The splice will be perfect,
with no knots. Knots prevent us from
being able to work, from being able to make
any kind of garment, right? So we can move on to the next step,
which is dyeing. Here we use different plants, mosses, or even an insect, right? Here I have an insect,
a parasite called cochineal. Better known as mother-in-law’s tongue,
because it’s long and spiny, right? We’re going to sacrifice it. We’re going to obtain the first tone. I’m going to use lemon juice to set and change the tone. Okay, I’m going to use alum stone to change
and set another tone. Here you can see the next tone, right? And to obtain the green color, we use what is called chilca. For the purple color, purple corn, corn for chicha morada, the cob or husk for purple shades. For the blue color, we use three plants, the “kimsa k’uchu,” which is the three corners, the “anqas,” and the Mote Mote. That’s how we get the first shade. I’m going to use Maras salt. This gives a darker color; we boil it for one to two hours, depending on how we want it, and obtain all these color tones, right? After dyeing the wool with natural dyes,
the threads are woven into patterns and each design you see holds a meaning. For example, the S in the middle is the
“Kuti kuti, wata kutin” the beginning and the return of the year. The two rhombuses, the two eyes of the puma, the zigzag, the mountains, the Apus that surround us, the two circles, the two largest lagoons
here in Chinchero, Huaypo and Piuray. Huaypo represents
the male, Piuray the female. The Andean duality, the Inca marriage. For centuries,
these threads have carried more than just color. Each pattern is a story,
each fabric a memory of the Andes. The knowledge passes from mothers to daughters,
intact through generations. In Chinchero and beyond, textiles are more than just sustenance,
they are living history that sustains families and keeps alive the spirit of the valley. But the story of these lands cannot be told without its heart. All roads led to Cusco,
the navel of the Inca world. From here, power, faith, and tradition flowed to every town and field. Its walls still
hold the memory of an empire, and its streets still
resonate with the language of the Andes. In ancient times, the Incas
always made offerings to the Apus. That’s what they called it; Cusco has always been considered
the navel of Peru. It’s always been the navel. So they always made
that call to the Apus, right? Before offering anything,
or before eating anything, or before harvesting,
they always made a t’inka, as they say, right? To the Apus, and only then could they
drink or partake. With so much culture and tradition in daily life, the people of Cusco know their heritage must be protected. In the rush of the 21st century, it’s easy to forget rituals and languages, but here they endure. Even the youngest learn Quechua in school, keeping alive not just a language, but the very voice of the Andes. In schools, especially, even in universities still, they keep teaching Quechua because it’s more important to speak Quechua. But even though it’s difficult to write and difficult to speak, we have to do everything possible to speak it. And of course, when you teach us. And of course, let’s do something, right? The little we can and speak, because now we mostly dominate Spanish, which is the second language, right? Although Quechua remains alive in Cusco today, it was once the voice of an empire. Orders, prayers, and songs that united the Andes flowed through these words, and over the city. The strength of that empire
still stands in the walls of Sacsayhuamán. Now, the term Sacsayhuamán, apparently sounds Quechua. If we speak it, Sacsa-Waman, Sacsa means full,
satiated, or satisfied. Because when we are full and speak in Quechua,
we say “Sacsa Cayani”. And the word “Waman” comes from the term
Falcon, Condor, or Hawk. But this term very likely would have been
misinterpreted. From the word “Saq-Sa-Uman” Saq-sa, which means quarry and Uman, which in its Quechua term
means head. Since we are at the head of the Puma
City of Cusco. But Sacsayhuamán wasn’t just
the symbolic head of the Puma city. It was also an engineering
masterpiece with canals and drainage systems
to guide the rain. It protected the mountain, the walls,
and the lives of those who lived below. If we observe
the area of Sacsayhuamán, there has been a drainage system
in its construction. And since the boundaries of Cusco
were large canals, the idea was to use drainage systems
and level studies to channel
all the rainwater towards the edges
and thus protect the mountain, its structures
and the lives of the inhabitants. Back then, it was a society
that was totally advanced for its time, struggling against
the natural elements, but utilizing what
nature provided. Seeing that the axis of the construction
has been built from east to west with its 16 trapezoidal doorways,
very large in size. These would have been used
in order to study the different movements of the Moon
and the Sun, very similar to what the Mesopotamians did
when they used the ziggurats. Why were they used? To study planets, the movements of celestial bodies,
the movement of the Sun, the movement of the Moon, in such a way
that the Incas already identified a lunar cycle that corresponded to 28 days multiplied by 13 months,
giving them 364 days. But since they also studied an additional
winter solstice, plus that day, the Andean year, known as Wata,
was completed. In such a way that the Incas must also
have managed the 13 months just as
other civilizations in the world did. The Incas carved mountains into monuments and aligned stones
with the sun and the stars. But their vision wasn’t just for the heavens. It was for life itself. Founding villages, cultivating the land,
sustaining their people. In Ollantaytambo,
that vision still lives. Here, the Inca streets and terraces are not ruins,
but part of daily life. We have to maintain our customs. I look to our ancestors… our Incas, who created so many things, and we value them by always preserving what they left us, keeping our living culture alive, from the first of August
to the end of August. That payment to the Earth
we utilize in this place which belongs to the Incas. So it’s always good to give an offering
to the Earth, an offering for the Apus. So we who also care for
Mother Earth, we also need, she gives us life, and there we also give her a small offering
once in a while. So it’s not just anyone
can do it, it’s not. You have to know how to do it, it has its prayers,
it has its thoughts that you need to know. It’s something a young girl can’t do,
a friend can’t do. So you have to be born like that,
like it’s done here. By what point do you have to pay it? You have to blow on it here. Who’s looking after us?
And any moment, it’s not, it’s not easy. I always need, thank God,
and how many times I’ve learned from my mom, also some things always, or I ask for things to be sacred, religiously. For which I am going to prepare a k’intu
(three coca leaves) to call upon our Apus because our Apus are like our
mother, like our father, they are protecting us as well. Likewise our Apus, and so the coca, so that the family, so that we
are united, not separated, at any moment
there may be some difficulty, something, in that also all united
so that we can help each other among ourselves in harmony. And with this k’intu, I’m going to call upon the Apus, so that they grant us permission to do this. I offer this to our Pachamama, Mother Earth, God of the high mountains, God of the yellow lake, God of the Cusco viewpoint, God Takuyuq, God Alankoma, God of the mountain of the dead, Grant us permission for everything. Here we’re going to place the coca of k’intu. In this k’intu, I’m also going to call upon the Apus
so they grant us health, So that no illness afflicts us, for that purpose I’m going to call upon them with this k’intu. Our Pachamama is just like us. That’s why I’ve already told them that we’re
going to give her the products that we work with, so that she, our Pachamama,
our Mother Earth, consumes the products that we work with. Quinoa. Peas, Moraya. Potato, Oca. And here we have corn. And here, wheat. Here we have sweets and lentils. It’s ready now.
Our offering is prepared for our Pachamama. Now it’s all ready. So, this is what
we’re going to offer to our Pachamama. Earth, for which they will also
kneel down to pass with with this offering
for the delivery to our Pachamama, Earth. Throughout the Sacred Valley, each community preserves its own way
of speaking with the earth. In Huilloc, rituals
are interwoven into daily life, offerings made by families guided by elders with coca leaves, corn, and chicha. High in the mountains
live the Q’ero people, often called
the last descendants of the Incas. More isolated than Huilloc, they have preserved traditions with less external influence. Their shamans, the paqos, are mediators between the people, the Apus and Pachamama.
Though the gestures may change, the words, the rhythm, the offerings,
the essence remains the same: gratitude, reciprocity,
and balance with the living earth. Apu of the high mountains Apu Machu Picchu. Apu Mama Simona Now he will bless us, he will help us greatly in the name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We put it right on top here. Like this, like this. Heal us, bless us, lift us up, support us from the left side, right side, May abundance be blessed In their work, in their path Now these great gods receive us, help us, and give us much strength. Here we are, princess of the left, princess of the right. Now you are here, on this August 23rd, now support us, Lift us up well so that we can offer to Mother Earth, bless us, help us, come to us. But always, we perform the ceremony. But… there, now several. That’s how several people work, but it’s not the same. In another area. People work differently, differently. If we… if we, with sacred mountains, like that, like here, if they don’t comply, we ourselves… And sign, because we take great care of
this work of Pachamama, this is male and female, because of our condor feather. Health, travels, and work, much energy. Always take care of your condor feather, tell it where our journey is, like condors fly. Come to us, bless us, help us, give us strength, bless us. Now with this condor feather, help us, fill us with strength from the left side, from the right side, may it be blessed, may the blessing arrive, may it arrive. May there be blossoming within you, now may greatness come into your path, now like this flower, may your heart shine, come! Now, thus your soul returns to your body, come! Now you have passed this test of help, that’s all! This ‘agüita,’ always naturally, I prepare it myself,
this ‘agüita.’ 24 varieties of natural herbs. There are always considerations, many enemies
there are always in our own house. There are many discussions
always, and it never fails. With this ‘agüita’ now we cleanse everything, everything. Three claps. It smells strong. These offerings to Pachamama, have been made for centuries. Ceremonies that were once performed in every Inca temple and fortress. Rituals of gratitude that continue to this day. And to delve
deeper into the heart of the Empire, we follow the train tracks
toward a more tropical landscape, where the Andes descend into green valleys
and the path leads to the hidden city of Machu Picchu. I was born here in Machu Picchu, I am a son of Machu Picchu. So, precisely for that reason, I’ve been exploring, investigating, seeking to care for my environment, right? I have that ancestral philosophy of life that our ancestors had. So, the idea is to work, to live in community, and living in community implies having that profound respect for life, right? For nature. The location is truly unique,
in Machu Picchu, we’re surrounded by… by beautiful flora and fauna, which, precisely,
every time one gets to know it, one falls more in love,
grows more fond of it. So, we have
significant diversity. Machu Picchu was built in the 15th century under the reign of the Inca Pachacútec,
hidden high among the clouds. It served as a royal residence and ceremonial center, a place where power, religion,
and astronomy converged. Its exact purpose… is still debated,
but every stone speaks of Inca mastery in shaping both mountain and meaning. The location, as you can see,
is a highly energetic point. I believe that’s been a primary factor
for our ancestors to be able to create this marvel. They didn’t, the conditions they created
weren’t in just any place. It had to be a highly
energetic point. Surely that would allow them to connect
with other life forms as well. So I imagine that’s why they’ve done it,
it would be important to continue investigating, finding out is what we are doing
through research. We seek to find out, to know, but there in the part of the “Llaqta”,
it would be important to continue advancing with the topic of investigation so that we can
learn more about all of that in detail. The stones of Machu Picchu
tell the story of an empire’s genius. Walls fitted together with such precision that they have withstood
centuries of wind and rain. And that mastery still
lives on, carried by the few who continue
the ancient craft. In Aguas Calientes… one of the last sculptors preserves the tradition, creating pieces inspired by Inca beauty. My father was one of the first artisans
here in Machu Picchu. He dedicated himself to carving
serpentine, which is only found in… In this area, right? But I always wanted to be different, and I started carving granite. With that granite, you can make bigger pieces. I consider myself a sculptor, and well, now I’m also venturing into what is crafts. Mostly with serpentine stone, which is used to make small pieces, right? I think I’m the last one making granite sculptures. And the truth is, it’s a bit sad that this type of work will be lost with me, you know? In Aguas Calientes,
the sculptor breathes new life into stone, an echo of Inca skill,
whose walls still stand strong in these mountains. But the stone
was just a pillar of their world, equally vital was the earth
and the corn that sprouted from it. Corn wasn’t just food, it was ritual, festival, and the foundation of Andean life. To see how it’s going today. We’re traveling to Urquillos,
near Urubamba, where farmers still cultivate the fields as their ancestors did,
only in a more modern way. Traditionally, it’s the flagship crop,
let’s say of Cusco, the white corn. Giant white corn in Cusco is the flagship crop
of the department of Cusco. And obviously, of the Sacred Valley. So it’s the most representative
product of Cusco. It dates back to the time of the Incas. They were already cultivating corn
with a name called “Paracaysara.” Paracaysara, which translated means corn,
more or less like very white corn. And they were probably cultivating it
since the year 1000, right? More or less. My father was a… A good farmer, my maternal grandmother… My paternal grandfather
also had some land. My maternal grandmother too. So, well, we learned
to cultivate corn from a very young age
and obviously we went to university, we were studying, but we saw that
it’s something very interesting and it’s more living in this area and doing something beautiful
is very, very satisfying. Today, work begins almost the same as always, a cycle measured not in weeks, but in seasons, from the first planting
to the final harvest. In the Sacred Valley, corn follows the same rhythm year after year. From the day the corn is planted,
the vegetative period lasts almost nine months,
and after nine months it has to be harvested. We can expect
the harvest to take 15 to 20 days. After that, to harvest it, I mean,
to take it to a drying facility. Then, exposing it to the cold
and the sun, the Andean sun, after 45 to 60 days,
it’s ready for shelling. Therefore, we already have more
than two additional months to the nine, and after
that comes the decision-making process. So the corn cultivation process
is exactly a full year, a whole year of work
for a single harvest. But here, corn is more than just a crop, it’s the foundation of life in the Sacred Valley. For centuries, it has nourished the Andes,
and its role in health and survival remains just as essential. Today, colorful corn
has a higher protein content. The Incas, for example,
based their diet on corn and tubers,
which is why they didn’t suffer from anemia. Nowadays,
our children suffer from anemia, so we’re not eating well. Instead, the Incas based their diet on grains, especially corn (maize), Andean tubers, and other cereals, right? That was their staple food. Nowadays, we’re not eating as much of these products that have a higher percentage of protein. The Sacred Valley once boasted dozens of
native corn varieties. Today, in Urquillos, more than 27 survive. Each one is a reminder of how deeply corn remains woven into daily life. Corn is very important in this area. There isn’t an alternative product to corn because it’s used almost 100%— hardly anything is wasted. For example, even its hairs
are used in mate, it’s anti-inflammatory,
and also used to make chicha, so some of the chicha
also helps with prostate issues. So, sometimes
we don’t nourish ourselves, right? Now the corncob, I mean when it’s shelled. The corncob remains, and it’s also
used as fuel. Now, the spoiled corn is also used for concentrate for dairy animals
and also for pigs. It’s also given to chickens. The white corn is peeled and used. In soups, in the mote broth. Now also, when it’s tender and peeled, and a soup is prepared
that’s called Joyolao. Now the yellow corn is also prepared. Juylao, right? So, basically, corn is used in most Andean families, that’s why it’s so important, nothing is wasted. In these Andean lands, each harvest, each ritual, each thread and stone
is part of a living memory. The Apus watch from above,
the river carves its course, and the people continue the work
of their ancestors in fields, markets, and ceremonies
giving thanks to the earth. What attracts people to the Sacred Valley nowadays
is the climate it has. Many people, due to Cusco’s altitude,
prefer to come down to the Sacred Valley because it’s lower
and not as cold as the city. So, besides that,
the river it has alongside it, the Urubamba River, makes it enchanting, right? The Sacred Valley itself. That’s how we talk between Urubamba and Pisac. It’s a very, very peaceful place,
where one can rest or meditate or walk freely
without any danger. It’s not just a place of history,
but a sanctuary. A valley where silence is a companion,
where the river’s voice joins the wind, and where past and present
walk together. The Sacred Valley
is the place where the Incas used to live. It’s known as
the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Which extends from
Ollantaytambo to Pisac, irrigated by the Urubamba River, right? So, in this entire area
is where the Incas lived in ancient times. That is the Sacred Valley. These sacred lands… …once the heart of an empire, Today, a landscape of traditions
that endure. Its people remind us that culture
is not only kept in ruins or museums, but in daily life,
in the food they grow, the languages they speak,
and the rituals that honor the earth. To walk here
is to see that the Andes are not just mountains, they are memory, spirit, and home.

La Vida Sagrada del Perú es un documental que sumerge al espectador en el corazón de los Andes peruanos. Desde la grandeza de Cusco y las fortalezas incas de Sacsayhuamán, hasta los rituales ancestrales del Valle Sagrado y la ciudad perdida de Machu Picchu, esta película revela la profunda conexión entre la tierra, sus Apus y la gente que mantiene vivas sus tradiciones. Acompáñanos en un viaje que explora la historia, la espiritualidad y la vida cotidiana en una de las culturas más fascinantes del mundo.

Capítulos

00:00 Introducción
01:00 Teñido y tejidos en Chinchero
05:30 Cusco, el ombligo del mundo inca
07:15 Sacsayhuamán
10:17 Ollantaytambo: vida en una ciudad inca viva
12:11 Ritual a la Pachamama en Huilloc
15:32 Los Q’ero y la tradición de los paqos
19:48 Aguas Calientes: el pueblo de Machu Picchu
21:02 Machu Picchu: la ciudad escondida entre las nubes
22:20 El último escultor en Aguas Calientes
23:33 La producción de maíz andino
26:04 El maíz, alimento sagrado de los Andes
28:05 El Valle Sagrado
29:50 Conclusión

🎬 Dirigido, filmado y editado por: Kevin van Geffen
🤝 Coproducción y segunda cámara: Sandra Fumagalli
📩 Contacto para colaboraciones: info@mainstreamtravel.io

📝 Subtítulos en español: Alex Garcia
📝 Subtítulos en inglés: Kevin van Geffen

👥 Personas en el documental (en orden de aparición)

🧶 Chinchero – Tejido y tintes naturales
– Anair Estefi Mescco Choqque – Tejedora y tintorera tradicional
– Zenayda Hancco – Tejedora y tintorera tradicional

👗 Cusco – Testimonio de la tradición
– Luz Marina – Portadora de vestimenta y cultura cusqueña

🏛️ Saqsayhuamán – Historia y guía cultural
– David Rodas Ttito – Guía turístico especializado
Reservas: +51 995393501

🏔️ Ollantaytambo – Comunidad viva de Huilloc
– Isaac Riquelme Mamani – Miembro de la Comunidad de Huilloc

🌿 Huilloc – Ritual a la Pachamama y los Apus
– Damiana Usca Machacca – Guía espiritual y ritualista andina
– Juana Usca Machacca – Guía espiritual y ritualista andina

🔮 Q’ero – Sabiduría ancestral
– Leonardo Apaza – Paqo (chamán Q’ero)

🦋 Aguas Calientes – Conservación y naturaleza
– Leonardo Serrano – Fundador del Mariposario de Machu Picchu
– Contacto: +51 986 430 761
– Contacto: mariposariodemachupicchu@gmail.com
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariposariodemachupicchu/

🪨 Aguas Calientes – Escultura en piedra
– Ciro Sarmiento Choque – Maestro escultor, Hatun Rumiyoc Escultores
– Contacto: +51 949359305
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ciro.sarmiento.choque.2025/

🌽 Urquillos – Agricultura ancestral
– Marco Olivares – Agricultor de maíz andino
– Kevin Olivares – Agricultor de maíz andino

🌽 Museo del Maíz – Preservación del patrimonio agrícola
– Amadeo Lopez – Responsable del Museo del Maíz de Urquillos
– Agradecimiento especial a: Zoraida Lopez
– Contacto: +51 914519909
– Ubicación Museo: https://maps.app.goo.gl/iw2uQ4aBzF297q7e9

🌄 Valle Sagrado – Reflexión cultural
Juan Carlos Suca Uscca – Guía cultural y director de Inka Transfers Tours
– Reservas: +51 951250327
– Sitio: https://inkatransferstours.com/
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inkatransfer

🙏 Agradecimientos Especiales

– Mariano Wilkas Roccas

– Samuel Huamán – Transporte en mototaxi/auto, Urubamba
– Reservas: +51 961368320

– William Tacuri – Guía de tours en Ollantaytambo
– Reservas (WhatsApp): +51 962725012

Alquiler de departamentos en Cusco
– Melisa Serrano
– Contacto: +51 968359107
– Airbnb Cusco: https://www.airbnb.mx/rooms/1477098812764264601?viralityEntryPoint=1&s=76

Alquiler de departamentos en Ollantaytambo
– Luisa Choccllo Leon
– Milagros Mamani Choccllo
– Contacto: +51 955 567 818
– Airbnb Ollantaytambo: https://www.airbnb.com/l/CIOaeI07
– Airbnb Ollantaytambo: https://www.airbnb.com/l/ZymmaWup

– Latente Specialty Coffee (Ollantaytambo) – Café de especialidad
– Ubicación: https://maps.app.goo.gl/rGjLG5ywAThw4f918

– Libertad Villena Escobedo – Municipalidad de Machu Picchu Pueblo

👉 No olvides ver nuestro popular documental sobre el café colombiano: El Oro Negro de Colombia

#DocumentalPerú #MachuPicchu #ViajesCulturales