For Travel + Leisure. Peru’s Sacred Valley is often overlooked by travellers on their way to Machu Picchu. But here, Incan archaeology and UNESCO World Heritage sites bump up against glacial lakes and alpine meadows. Alpacas and llamas are tended by herding families in bright-red woven skirts. The fertility of this land was considered Pachamama’s greatest gift; the beans, corn, potatoes, quinoa and amaranth helped build an empire.