Ollantaytambo, in the heart of the Sacred Valley, is our favourite place in Peru.
Between 11 am and 4 pm bus loads of day trippers hit the town’s spectacular Inca ruins. In addition, there is constant tourist traffic to and from the station – Ollanta is the last stop before Macchi Picchu town 1.5 hours away. But early morning and late afternoon, it’s easy to find yourself alone in this exceptionally beautiful and historic town.
Here’s why we love it.
The altitude
Ollantaytambo (or Ollanta) sits at 2,792 metres. Cusco at 3399. Therefore we suggest heading straight down to Ollanta after arriving in Cusco for acclimatisation purposes. Use it as a base to visit the other Sacred Valley sites that you might from Cusco (Pisac, Moray, Maras, Chinchero).
Leave exploring Cusco until last when you’re used to the high altitude. We met a lot of travellers who had started their trip in Cusco (the highest point in the Sacred Valley) and had been too ill to complete or enjoy their visit to Machu Picchu.
The ruins
Ollantaytambo has 3 significant Inca ruins. Tourists often just visit the imposing “Fortress” site – part of the Cusco/Sacred Valley Boleto Turistico which can be bought at the gate. The steeply terraced ruins are stunning – they lead up to the ceremonial centre of the Temple of the Sun with six impressive monoliths – and a killer view. Down in the valley bottom are ceremonial baths, Inca water channels, terraces and some photo friendly, grazing alpacas.
For us, the most spectacular ruins are Pinkuylluna (free) a series of store houses perched on a cliff opposite the main site. It’s a steep climb, but easy if you take your time and sitting on a rock to catch your breath does comes with an amazing view.
Tip – go early morning to climb in the shade or late afternoon to catch the afternoon light. If you linger long enough you can often have the ruins to yourself.
A fifteen minute, level walk out of town brings you to Qelloraqay (free). Follow Avenue Estudiante past the football stadium and then thread through some sunflower fields until you see the isolated, terraced Inca site. It’s rare to find tourists here – just a few farmers, cattle and hummingbirds. It’s unspoilt and sublime. Anywhere other than Ollantaytambo it would be a major attraction.
The Town
Even without the archeological sites, the 15th century Incan town would be a major draw. Structured around a grid pattern and featuring many original houses with Incan doors – we suggest just wandering. The further you go from the Plaza De Armas, the more often you get a street to yourself. It’s peaceful and picture perfect. Often the only sound will be the gurgling water in small Inca canals lining several of the streets.
The Plaza de Armas is a lovely place to spend time. It’s surrounded by Spanish Colonial buildings many of which are home to cafes and restaurants over looking the square. For local, traditional and innovative Peruvian food try Chuncho.
The Mercado Turistico just outside the main ruins is also worth a visit. The stalls sell the same products as all the markets in the area, but they are cheaper than buying souvenirs in Cusco and certainly cheaper than Aguas Calientes. So if you want an alapaca beanie, buy it here.
Nature
Ollantaytambo is incredibly lush and fertile. It is filled with flowers – familiar and exotic. It is also full of birdsong. Don’t miss the delicate, hummingbirds. The best place to see them are the large, terraced gardens of Hotel Pakaritampu.
Our final three reasons to use Ollanta as your base for the Sacred Valley and access to Machu Picchu:
- It’s safe
- It’s infinitely better than the pricey, tourist trap of Aguas Calientes.
- It’s home to the best burrito we’ve ever eaten at Apu Veronica.
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