Ollantaytambo is best known as the place where you catch the train to Machu Picchu, after a taxi or bus ride from Cusco. Most travelers don’t spend any time here, but it’s well worth spending a night or two here if you have the time. We decided to spend a couple of nights here, which allowed us to do Machu Picchu as a day trip, avoiding the need to spend a night in Aguas Calientes, the tourist trap town at the base of the mountain famous for expensive food and mediocre accommodation.

Ollantaytambo Inca Ruins

The main attraction in Ollantaytambo is the Inca ruins. These impressive terraces are the site of a rare victory by the Incas over the Spanish. However, this victory was short-lived, and soon after this battle the Spanish returned in more force and took the site.

We headed to the ruins first thing after breakfast, but the sun was already bright and warm. After paying our entrance fee, we consulted a helpful map to plan our visit. We took a picture of it on a cellphone so we could consult it as we proceeded through the site (there’s the helpful travel tip for this blog post).

Although Ollantaytambo lies at a lower altitude than Cusco (another good reason to spend some time here rather than basing yourself in Cusco the whole time you’re in the region) it did take a serious effort to climb the large terraces.

Once we made it to the top, we could see some of the interesting detail of the structures that once stood here.

The site was actually used by pre-Incan residents, although it’s hard to visualize exactly how, given the state of the pre-Inca area.

We waited our turn to take the obligatory photo in a classic Inca doorway.

Sacred Valley Views

The strenuous climb up the terraces rewarded us with some spectacular views of the Sacred Valley, and across the town of Ollantaytambo. On the mountainside opposite we saw Inca grain silos. You can walk up to these and visit them up close, but we decided to be content with this long-distance view.

We also caught a glimpse of a snow-packed peak further into the valley.

Temple of the Sun

The map promised we would be able to visit the Temple of the Sun at the top of the terraces. It turns out that this temple was never completed, so it’s more like the Construction Site of the Sun.

There is a wall with some interesting features that gives a hint as to how impressive the Temple of the Sun would have been if it was completed.

The Descent

What goes up must come down, so after exploring the site for a while we were ready to begin our descent. Although it wasn’t as hard as the climb up, we did have to tread carefully on the way down over the uneven rock steps.

We came down a different route to the way we had climbed the terraces. Reaching ground level we passed through a ceremonial area with various water features.

On our way out of the site we saw a llama relaxing in the sunshine. We’re not sure why he wasn’t up on the terraces like the ones we saw at Machu Picchu. Maybe he was on a break.

Other Things to Do in Ollantaytambo

After our visit to the Inca ruins, we stopped in at the Choco Museo. The Ollantaytambo branch is smaller than others in Peru, e.g. Cusco, and is more of a store and cafe than a museum. There is some interesting information about chocolate production, and they are generous with free samples, so it’s worth a stop. We enjoyed some chocolate beverages which helped us recover from our climb up and down the terraces.

Later in the day we took a walk through town to see a viewpoint back down the Sacred Valley. We found the viewpoint pretty underwhelming compared to what we had seen from the Inca ruins, and the light wasn’t good for photographs. At least it got us out of our hotel for an afternoon walk before dinner.

The other main activity in Ollantaytambo is climbing to the ruins on the mountainside opposite the official Inca ruins site. This has the advantage of being free, but due to a lack of time and energy we decided not to check them out.

There is a small Plaza de Armas which you will inevitably come across looking for food or other necessities. Unfortunately, it isn’t as impressive as others we saw in Peru, even in towns smaller than Ollantaytambo.

Where to Eat in Ollantaytambo

There are quite a few restaurants in town, but no particular stand-outs. When the weather is cold, as it was when we were there, a good option is to head to one of the town’s pizzerias where the wood-fired oven is located in the dining room.

Where to Stay in Ollantaytambo

We stayed at Peru Quechua’s Lodge Ollantaytambo, and were very happy with it. It was one of the nicest places we stayed in Peru, with lovely hosts and a good breakfast. It’s a little bit of a walk from the center of town, but this means it’s nice and quiet.

There are quite a few other options in town, mostly small guest houses in the cobblestoned back streets.

Wherever you stay in Ollantaytambo, it’s definitely worth considering as a base to see Machu Picchu. You could also base yourself here to see other Sacred Valley sites. It’s a much more peaceful alternative to the hustle and bustle of Cusco. Don’t forget to build a day into your itinerary to see the Inca ruins, and enjoy wandering the mostly quiet streets of this historic town.