The Town of Ollantaytambo

James Bustamante( Travel Writer )

James Bustamante is Native to New York but born to Peruvian parents. He has been traveling throughout Latin America since early 2003 and finally made his home in Peru. James has made his way by eating and traveling through almost every country in Central and South America.

www.journeymachupicchu.com

Last Updated on February 2, 2023 by James Bustamante

Ollantaytambo is located approximately 55 miles (90 km) northwest of Cusco. The approximate driving time is 2 hours. The main reason to go to the town of Ollantaytambo is to go to the train station, board the train, head to Aguas Calientes, and hike to Machu Picchu. Many groups returning from Machu Picchu will also stop in Ollantaytambo to spend time in Sacred Valley spas.

The town has more to showcase than just the train station to Machu Picchu. Ollantaytambo is not only a town with locals, shops, stores, restaurants, and people going on their everyday lives. It is also an important archeological site in the Urubamba region.

The Story Behind Ollantaytambo

The story goes like this: The Inca Pachacutec conquered this region and decided to build a town that also served as a location for ceremonies and a place for Inca royalty.

The location wasn’t always under the rule of the Incas. It was a pre-Inca culture that originally inhabited Ollantaytambo. After the Incas arrived in the region, it was conquered and then destroyed by Pachacutec, only to be rebuilt later on and form part of the Inca Empire.

Many years later, during the Spanish conquest of Peru, Ollantaytambo served as a fort for the resistance leader, Manco Inca Yupanqui.

Ollantaytambo Basic Information

This scenic Andean town is located around 55 miles (90km) from the city of Cusco. The drive should take about 2 hours by car.

The ride to Ollantaytambo is quite lovely on its own, so remember to have your camera on hand during the car ride. The scenic views of the highland landscapes are a high point of the drive to the train station. If you are taking private transport, ask the driver to make stops to get pictures of the surrounding territory.

Ollantaytambo is a hub for travelers. It is where the train station is located and the starting point for a few tours to Machu Picchu, such as the classic four-day Inca trail. 

Ollantaytambo is located in the highlands and follows an Andean climate like Cusco.

It has a rainy season going from October to early March and a dry season that extends from Late March to Late September. Expect the early morning to be quite chilly and the afternoons to be into the ’70s for most of the year.  

Ollantaytambo also has a few secrets to share. It can stand on its own when it comes to ruins you might want to visit, so plan to stay here for at least two days. 

What Are Some of The Most Notable Aspects Of Ollantaytambo?

• The Inca ruins of Ollantaytambo, including the Temple of the Sun, the Terraces of the Ten Niches, and the Baths of the Princess
• The Ollantaytambo fortress, a large defensive structure on a hill above the town
• The colonial-era Church of San Pedro, built on top of the Inca palace
• The narrow, winding streets of the town are laid out in the traditional Inca style.
• The seasonal markets, where local farmers and artisans sell their wares
• The stunning Andes mountain scenery surrounds the town.

The Ollantaytambo Ruins

When you reach the village, the ruins are quite noticeable, so you really can’t miss them. The Ollantaytambo ruins dominate the local highland scenery once you are in town. If you want to avoid large crowds during your visit to the Ollantaytambo ruins, plan for an early morning visit. Once the large tourist buses join in on the hiking, the place can feel crowded.

The last thing you might want during this trip is to have 100 people hiking up over 200 large, steep Inca stairs. Make sure to take your time hiking through the Ollantaytambo ruins.

It is lower in elevation than Cusco, but 9,000 feet above sea level (2,700 meters) is still quite up there. If this is your first day and you want to take this hike, make sure to have a light breakfast and carry a water bottle.

Exploring Ollantaytambo

The town is relatively small, so it will be complicated for anyone to get lost. Travelers can pretty much walk from one end of the village to the other in a matter of minutes. As you can expect, walking along these cobblestone streets is almost like stepping back in time.

Take in the beautiful scenery, visit the local coffee shops, and support local businesses. Ollantaytambo is also a great place to shop for souvenirs. There are a few shops where you’ll find plenty of local pottery, scarves, alpaca sweaters, etc. Best of all, you can practice two skills in Peru, your Spanish and how to haggle correctly.

Overnight Stay in Ollantaytambo

Many travelers prefer to stay and acclimate in or near the Sacred Valley. The town of Ollantaytambo and Pisac or the Urubamba center are all good options.

Thanks to its location, Ollantaytambo is at a lower elevation than Cusco. This makes the acclimatization period much easier on the body.

It is still relatively high but definitely at a more comfortable elevation than the city of Cusco.  

There are quite a few hostels and hotels to stay in Ollantaytambo. Pricing can vary from $10 – $150/night.

It would help if you also stayed here over Cusco since the train station is located in this very town, which means no very early, a two-hour ride from the city. 

Almost everything in this Andean town is directed towards being a hub for travelers who will take the train to Aguas Calientes. The village is a focal point for tourists boarding trains to travel past the Sacred Valley before finally reaching the “cloud forest” town of Aguas Calientes.

Train From Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes

You have two options regarding train companies; both PeruRail and IncaRail have similar trains that run on similar schedules.

Whichever railway company you choose for your train ride, ensure these booked weeks in advance to avoid any availability issues.

 If a travel agency handles all your bookings as part of a Machu Picchu travel package, ensure you have received your tickets before going to the station. 

Conclusion

The ride to Aguas Calientes will be quite a beautiful one. It has been called one of the most scenic rides on earth by a handful of travel magazines, including National Geographic. After around two hours, we’ll reach the town of Aguas Calientes, where travelers can stay overnight.  

If you need more information on Ollantaytambo or have questions regarding a  Peru tour package, contact our travel advisers today. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Ollantaytambo