Ollantaytambo: the hillside fortress, the Temple of the Sun and the Inca town still lived in
Ollantaytambo is at 2,790 m, the lowest point of all four departures, and every one of them visits it at 2:15 pm for an hour. It is a fortress-temple climbing the hillside in terraces up to the Temple of the Sun, with its six pink granite monoliths, above the only Inca town that keeps its original layout and is still lived in. The departures ending in Ollantaytambo finish here at 3:30 pm, a 15-minute walk from the station for the train to Machu Picchu. It is covered by the Tourist Ticket.
It is visited tomorrow if you book today before 8 pm, Cusco time. At 2:15 pm on all four departures.—Is there space tomorrow?
Book for tomorrow: Express US$32 · Classic US$30 · is there space? · how to book
The fortress
Temple of the Sun
The Inca town
Pinkuylluna
The square
The station
Which departure visits it, and when
| Departure | Time and duration | Entrance |
|---|---|---|
| Express · retorno a Cusco | 2:15 pm · 1 h | Tourist Ticket |
| Express · final en Ollantaytambo | 2:15 pm · 1 h · tour ends at 3:30 pm | Tourist Ticket |
| Classic · retorno a Cusco | 2:15 pm · 1 h | Tourist Ticket |
| Classic · final en Ollantaytambo | 2:15 pm · 1 h · tour ends at 3:30 pm | Tourist Ticket |
What you will see
The fortress terracesSeventeen stepped terraces climb from the park square to the religious sector; the ascent, on stone stairs, is the most demanding walk of the day after Pisac, and going all the way up is optional.
The Temple of the SunSix pink granite monoliths weighing several tons each, brought from a quarry on the other side of the river and fitted together with precise joints. The temple was never finished: the half-carved blocks are still on the path.
The Inca townNarrow streets with running water channels and blocks (canchas) with their original walls, still lived in. It is the only town in the empire that keeps the Inca layout in use.
The Pinkuylluna storehousesOpposite, on the far hillside, the qollqas or Inca storehouses where the dry wind preserved the grain; you can see them from the fortress.
This is where the train version ends
The departures ending in Ollantaytambo finish at 3:30 pm inside the archaeological park, where the guided visit ends. From the park gate, the station for the train to Machu Picchu is a 15-minute walk through the town, flat and small: time for mid-afternoon trains or to sleep in the valley. The bus heads back to Cusco with the rest of the group; there is no transfer to the station and no return included, which is why these departures cost US$1 less. How to fit it around your ticket.
Tips for the visit
- The climb up the fortress is on steps: take it slowly and bring water. At 2,790 m you feel it less than at Pisac.
- If you finish here, bring the luggage for your nights at Machu Picchu; the big suitcase stays at your hotel in Cusco.
- The town has ATMs, restaurants and guesthouses a few minutes from the park and the station.
- It is the warmest stop of the day: short sleeves and sunscreen.
Bookings for tomorrow: non-refundable; you can move the date if there is space, and we reschedule or refund if we cancel because of the weather.