Explora Valle Sagrado: Where Design Meets the Divine in Peru’s Sacred Valley
The Chilean pioneers of remote luxury go high-altitude in the Andes—and we’re absolutely here for it.
A New Chapter in the Explora Story
When Pedro Ibañez founded Explora in 1993, his mission was clear: unlock the soul of South America’s wildest places. With Explora Valle Sagrado, he’s done it again—this time nestled deep in Peru’s Sacred Valley of the Incas, just north of Cusco. Surrounded by towering peaks, ancient terraces, and the whispers of Inca legacy, it’s a lodge that feels as much a pilgrimage as a stay.
Design, Done with Reverence
As with Explora’s icons in Patagonia, Atacama, and Easter Island, design duties went to José Cruz Ovalle, Chile’s woodcraft maestro. The result? A graceful cascade of whitewashed buildings with red-tiled roofs, perched along a steep hillside as if they’ve always belonged. Gentle ramps link spaces together like terraces of thought. Inside the central pavilion, open volumes invite the valley in—housing the restaurant, bar, lounge, and reception beneath cathedral ceilings. Everything feels sculptural, intentional, calm but commanding.
History Carved in Timber and Stone
Flanking the main lodge, 50 rooms stretch along covered walkways, their interiors awash in warm wood, minimal yet deeply comforting. The pièce de résistance? A restored colonial manor house, once home to revolutionary Mateo García Pumacahua, now reimagined as a serene spa sanctuary.
DNA Hotels Verdict
Explora Valle Sagrado is the kind of place that slows time. Where design, history, and landscape speak in one voice. It’s less about ticking off Machu Picchu and more about truly inhabiting the Sacred Valley. For explorers with a soft spot for architecture, heritage, and quiet luxury—it doesn’t get more soulful than this.
