Living in Peru : your everyday companion

by
Ben Jonjak

The sacred valley is so full of sights that it's almost overwhelming. There are few places on the earth with such a wealth of spectacularly preserved ancient cities; majestic mountains to view as a backdrop; and (of course) the most hospitable and friendly locals you'll find anywhere. Most tourists grossly underestimate the amount of time they need to get an adequate impression of the sacred valley (I estimate a good length of stay to be about 8 years, but even that's rushing a bit), and they end up simply sprinting from Cusco to Machu Picchu and miss out on all the rest. Trust me, if you take the time to see the other sights along the Urubamba, you won't regret it!

Once you've climbed to the top of the stairway, you'll get an excellent view of the Urubamba valley. As you walk through the area, you'll also find many truly superior examples of Inca stonework. When you have exhausted all that there is to see above the terraced stairway, you'll have two options for further exploration. One is a narrow pathway at the back of the ruins, and the other is a stone walkway that leads off across the ridge face at the ruin's front.

The stone walkway is little easier to find as it is centrally located in the center of the site. However, it can induce a sense of vertigo as it seems to hang out over a cliff face (a few tourists who were there upon my last visit took one look at the path, shook their heads, and made a quick about-face to look for some presumably more solid ground). This pathway leads out across another set of terraces that line the ridge and eventually arrives at a small house that sits beside a descending stair.  You can walk back to the site's entrance along another path that leads through a series of gravity-fed fountains which are just as spectacular as any similar fountain at Machu Picchu.

Ollantaytambo is the kind of historical site that really obliges you to stretch your legs in order to get a sense of it. It is a pleasant discovery for any visiting tourist since it is such an extensive site that seems to be simply "added on" to the tourist ticket (it could just as easily warrant its own separate entry fee). Plus, the fact that it's located right next to the premier train station to Machu Picchu (Ollantaytambo offers a much wider range of departure times), makes it a no-brainer for adding to your Cusco itinerary. Check it out, you won't be sorry!

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Ben is absolutely correct in his assesment of this magnificent ruin. It should be a must on anyones visit to Cusco and surrounding area. I've been there twice and loved my second visit even more than the first.

This is a wonderful place to visit. My wife and I went there as part of a day tour of the Sacred Valley. The tour was great and seeing all the historical sites and small towns was great. Honestly I wish I had a day (or more) to spend at each location.

Our tour guide was from Ollantaytambo and he was amazing. His knowledge and love for the area left a lasting impression on me. When I go back I will hunt him down for another tour.

Hi Hitrac,  do you remember the name of your guide and if you have it and contact information would you please post it?  I'm about to leave for the Cusco/Ollantaytambo area and would love the contact.

Thanks so much.

Claire

Claire,

His name is Adriel Vilcas ( aldrin42@hotmail.com ). Try to email him.
We had went on a tour through Americana De Turismo (in Cusco). Their information is below. You could probably ask them also.

Calle Garcilaso 265
Int. 2 Cusco
51-84-240999
51-84-241999
51-84-245999

www.americanadeturismo.net

I hope this helps

Thanks so much!