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Ollantaytambo

Ollantaytambo is an attractive town at the end of the Sacred Valley. The paved road ends here; to continue to Aguas Calientes you must take the train. The town is built on the base of the old Inca site, and the streets and blocks of the town are the same as those of the original Inca buildings. Wandering around this part of the town gives the best example of what an Inca town must really have been like.
The Inca ruins here have some very fine terracing and some exceptional stonework. The terraces may have been used for agriculture, although it is also possible that they were purely decorative. This site is very interesting as it gives a good insight into the construction techniques of the Incas. Even though this site was never finished, the work that was in progress indicates that this was one of the Incas’ most important sites. Even in its incomplete state, the Temple of the Sun is amazing. There are six very impressive carved monoliths, among the finest in the Inca world. The site also contains many fountains.
The water for these came from a sacred lake, Yanacocha, located about 14km away. The mountain opposite the ruins is Pinkuylluna, an Apu (a sacred Inca mountain, worshipped by the people), and there are storehouses visible on the side of the mountain.
There is a small museum in Ollantaytambo, with archaeological and historical information on the area, as well as a room dedicated to local crafts and beliefs.

 Huaraz Office:

  • 27 de Noviembre 777, HUARAZ
  • +51 43 348890
  • +51 941 925 002