Ollantaytambo is one of our favourite towns in the sacred valley and is one of the best surviving examples of living inca architecture in peru. Top destinations top blog posts how to get to machu picchu guide on how to get to machu picchu. Our guide told us the hill was supposed to be in the shape of a llama. This roundtrip walk, which takes 46 hours to the quarries and a few more to reach the sun gate, begins at the inca bridge near ollantaytambo and along the banks of the rio urubamba. Hostels in ollantaytambo top rated hostels 2020 hostelworld. The area has hotels, restaurants and horses and mountain bikes for hire. Walking in inca footsteps in perus sacred valley bbc. It is located at an altitude of 2,792 meters 9,160 feet above sea level, ollantaytambo lies in an area the inca people once called the sacred valley and this marvel of architecture once served as both a temple and a fortress, mainstream historians claim ollantaytambo was built. This is where the incas retreated after the spanish took cusco. See all 3 chocomuseo ollantaytambo tours on tripadvisor. Ollantaytambo has some of the oldest continuouslyoccupied buildings in south america.
Exploring the ollantaytambo ruins in sacred valley peru the. At more than 3,000 years old, cusco is one of the oldest cities in south america. It has the distinction of being the only place in peru where, in 1536, the inca repelled the spanish army. Perus sacred valley of the incas stretches between cusco, once the capital of the inca empire, and the legendary 15thcentury city of machu picchu. Dating back to the reign of 15thcentury emperor pachacuti who conquered the region, the town of ollantaytambo contains some of perus bestpreserved inca ruins strategically located in the. Machupicchu or machupicchu pueblo, also known as aguas calientes, is a location in peru situated in the cusco region, urubamba province. We will confirm them individually, and if necessary, proceed to full returns. History of ollantaytambo ruins in the 15 th century inca pachacutec conquered and began to rebuild the town of ollantaytambo, constructing terraces for farming and an irrigation system. Today the ollantaytambo ruins are a popular stop on the inca trail and a visit to the village and ruins is often included in organised guided treks of the route. It is located at an altitude of 2,792 meters 9,160 feet above sea level in the district of ollantaytambo, province of urubamba, cusco region. Machu picchu is a 30minute car drive and ollantaytambo train station is only 0. Ollantaytambobuilt with advanced ancient technology from the.
What to see in the archaeological site of ollantaytambo. Aug 30, 2016 ollantaytambo is a little incan town located in the heart of the sacred valley. The town is pronounced oyyahntietahmbo but everyone calls it ollanta for short. If you dont book a flexible rate, you may not be entitled to a refund. The huge, steep terraces that guard ollantaytambo s spectacular inca ruins mark one of the few places where the spanish conquistadors lost a.
Sitting beside the beautiful patakancha river, ollantaytambo once served as a capital for the leader of the countrys resistance against the conquistadors, mano inca. Three great day hikes in ollantaytambo, peru hachette. May 31, 2015 mike gasparovic is an independent travel writer based in lima, peru. The main attraction of the town is the ollantaytambo fortress. Discover the route from ollantaytambo to machu picchu. Ollantaytambo itself is a great little town, which can be reached by bus from urubamba or cusco. See all 249 archaeological park ollantaytambo tickets and tours on tripadvisor. All of them include private bathrooms with showers. Visiting the ollantaytambo ruins, peru self arranged. Inca architecture and construction at ollantaytambo first. When there, you will be able to admire the unbelievable construction.
At the time of the spanish conquest of peru, it served as a stronghold for manco inca yupanqui, lea. Protzens invaluable book about the incredible stone temples and fortress at ollantaytambo represents many years of careful research. Uncover the secrets of the ollantaytambo ruins with. Close before machu picchu, at the far end of the sacred valley of the incas hides a precious gem only a few tourists to peru have on their radar. Bbc travel walking in inca footsteps in perus sacred valley.
It is located at an altitude of 2,792 m 9,160 ft above sea level in the district of ollantaytambo, province of urubamba, cusco region. The sacred valley of the incas is the urubamba valley, a 12mile area in peru that was inhabited by the incas until the spanish conquest in the 16 th century. Ollantaytambo is an inca archaeological site in southern peru some 60 kilometers northwest of the city of cuzco. This large 15 th century inca fortress is one of perus best wellpreserved ruins. He has written for fodors, peru this week, and a host of online websites, in addition to creating two book length guides for expats new to his adopted hometown. The huge, steep terraces that guard ollantaytambos spectacular inca. Nowadays the ollantaytambo ruins and town are an important and popular tourist attraction in the sacred valley. It is located where the patacancha river flows into the vilcanota urubamba river. It follows a fairly wellpreserved inca trail to cachicata, the stone quarry 700900 meters above the valley floor that is visible from the ollantaytambo sun temple. Volunteer opportunities and ngos in ollantaytambo hachette.
Carlos loved sharing his knowledge about the town and the history of peru, and his mom always had a smile on her face and made nice breakfasts. During the spanish conquest in peru, manco inca yupanqui, the leader of the inca resistance, used it as a fortress. Archaeological park ollantaytambo can be crowded, so we recommend booking etickets ahead of time to secure your spot. A branch leading from ollantaytambo to the malaga mountain pass 4,200masl, goes through towns such as picturesque huilloc, home to the renowned wayruros porters. Visit the chocomuseo to discover perus history of harvesting cocoa and join a chocolatecrafting workshop. Chocomuseo ollantaytambo 2020 all you need to know.
Check out our pick of the best restaurants in ollantaytambo. In the language of the quechua, the name comes from ollanta, a wellknown inca general, and the word tambo, a spanish derivation of the quechua word tampu, or city. A writer for many national magazines, including gq, mens journal, and new york, he lives near new york city with his wife and children. I wrote it as a guide for travelers to peru, and for other people interested in learning about the inca, and the conquest by the spanish. At the time of the spanish invasion and conquest of peru ollantaytambo served as the last stronghold for inca manco yupanqui, leader of the inca resistance at the time. Insiders guide to the best restaurants in ollantaytambo peru. They are knowledgeable about incan history, culture, and language because they still live it everyday. Dominated by two massive inca ruins, the quaint village of ollantaytambo, also called ollanta, is the best surviving example of inca city planning, with narrow cobblestone streets that have been continuously inhabited since the th century. The archaeological site of ollantaytambo in the sacred valley. Ollantaytambo is a marvel of engineering and architecture, it is a fortress, and complex city and many questions have been raised throughout history regarding the construction of this ancient site. Receive your ticket via email, and reach your destination with no hassle. Ollantaytambo was an important gateway city to machu picchu even 600 years ago.
Mar 19, 2017 exploring the ollantaytambo ruins at the far end of the sacred valley of the incas. It details the travel experience of an american who spends a great deal of time in ollantaytambo which i also did. Ollantaytambo, peru the amazing fortress of the incas. With panoramic views of ollantaytambo sanctuary, iskay is built on original inca terraces. Aug 19, 2017 during our stay in the sacred valley of peru, our second trip was to see the remarkable inca ruins at ollantaytambo. Ollantaytambo has beautiful inca lithic structures. Book your tickets online for the top things to do in ollantaytambo, peru on tripadvisor. What to do in cusco we wait for you in the chocomuseo free entrance, chocolate workshop, cooking classes, truffle workshop, workshops for children. Because it was the scene of hard battles between rebellious incas and spanish in 1537, many of its buildings are damaged or destroyed. Ollantaytambo is a town and an inca archaeological site in southern peru some 72 kilometres 45 mi by road northwest of the city of cusco. In ollantaytambo, culture and history are deeply combined, producing the admiration of the people who visit it. Ollantaytambo ruins ollantaytambo, peru atlas obscura.
Ollantaytambos history the city was most probably built by inca ruler pachacuti pachacutec between 1439 and 1471 ad. If your going to travel to peru which i did when i read the book then this is an awesome book for you. During the inca empire, ollantaytambo was the royal estate of emperor pachacuti who conquered the region, built the town and a ceremonial center. Explore ollantaytambo holidays and discover the best time and places to visit. Ollantaytambo ruins cusco ollantaytambo information. Even so, the site still conserves the magic and history of many centuries ago. Exploring the ollantaytambo ruins in sacred valley peru. We recommend booking an option with free cancellation in case your travel plans change. Dating back to the reign of 15thcentury emperor pachacuti who conquered the region, the town of ollantaytambo contains some of peru s bestpreserved inca ruins strategically located in. Ollantaytambo is some 70 kilometers away from cusco, where most travelers probably start out their adventure through peru. The 10 best things to do in ollantaytambo updated 2020. Visiting the ollantaytambo ruins, peru self arranged journeys.
Ollantaytambo is a nice place to stay while on a peru tour. Today one of the most asked questions probably is in regard to the incredible sized blocks of stone that were used in the construction. Both fortress and temple, these spectacular inca ruins rise above ollantaytambo, making a splendid halfday trip. If you decide to tour the city of ollantaytambo on your trip to machu picchu, you will enjoy not only green and beautiful landscapes but also the daily life of the inhabitants of this ancient human settlement. Chocomuseo in ollantaytambo cusco things to do in cusco. Walking in inca footsteps in peru s sacred valley encompassing what was the fertile homeland of the inca empire, the transcendent region often overlooked en route to machu picchu is. Three great day hikes in ollantaytambo, peru hachette book.
Passengers using the perurail vistadome and perurail expedition bimodal services board a private bus at wanchaq station, 5 minutes away from cuscos historic center, and arrive to ollantaytambo station. Ollantaytambo was the estate of the emperor pachacuti who built the ceremonial center and the town. We recommend booking chocomuseo ollantaytambo tours ahead of time to secure your spot. Nov 11, 2016 join me and travis as we arrive in ollantaytambo peru and explore the town and the inca ruins. It is concise and to the point, with many maps and photos. For bookings made on or after april 6, 2020, be sure to consider the risk of the coronavirus covid19 and associated government measures. Welcome to ollantaytambo dominated by two massive inca ruins, the quaint village of ollantaytambo, also called ollanta, is the best surviving example of inca city planning, with narrow cobblestone streets that have been continuously inhabited since the th century. Ollantaytambo is a town and inca archaeological site located in southern peru, about 90 km northwest of the city of cusco, you can arrive by bus from the city of cusco in an hour and a half.
Ollantaytambo is a town and an inca archaeological site in southern peru some 72 km by road northwest of the city of cusco. As the sacred valley is both a tourists favorite and a wellsettled area in peru, you really got plenty of options to get from cusco to ollantaytambo. Making your own chocolates 120 g with milk or dark chocolate and more than 15 different flavorings. Due to restrictions implemented by the country, we will not be able to attend all reservations. Ollantaytambo is the northwesternmost place still included in the sacred valley. Ullantaytampu is a town and an inca archaeological site in southern peru some 72 km 45 mi by road northwest of the city of cusco. Once a stronghold of inca resistance to spanish colonization, its remarkably wellpreserved. It is located at an altitude of 2,792 m above sea level in the district of ollantaytambo, province of urubamba, cusco region. There are several ngos in ollantaytambo worth contacting if youre looking for volunteer and homestay opportunities.
Ollantaytambo is a town and an inca archaeological site in southern peru some 60 kilometers northwest of the city of cusco. Enjoy the sacred valley of peru from ollantaytambo to cusco avoiding the crowd. Mark adams is the author of the acclaimed history mr. Many groups meet up here before setting off on the inka trail, and it is also one of the main places for boarding the train to machu. Perurail train from cusco to machu picchu, puno and. It was named for ollantay, the inca general who expanded the frontiers of tawantinsuyo as far noth as colombia and as far south as argentina during the reign of the inca pachacutec. The fortress was originally built to bring local tribes under inca control, however the inca were soon facing a new threat in the form of the conquistadors, who attacked the fortress in 1536 but were repulsed. Ollantaytambo is about an hour by bus from cusco airport. Ngo of the same name that administers a weaving project with quechua.
Best places to stay in ollantaytambo, peru the hotel guru. From here, passengers board the train and head to their final destination. In maras, around a 30minute drive away, check out the striking sight of tiered incanera salt pools stretching as far as the eye can see. Ollantaytambo is an ancient inca fortress and modern village located approximately 60 miles north of the city of cuzco, which now contains a series of impressive inca ruins. These huge terraces make up what is called the fortress or temple hill. Discover what peru has to offer and how to make the most of your time here. America, which the washington post named a best book of 2009, and the new york times bestsellers meet me in atlantis and turn right at machu picchu. Interestingly, higher than machu picchu, but lower than cuzco. Today tourists pass through this town either by rail or road to the. However, the author is probably wrong in attributing the peruvian stone work to the incas. His chief interests are the history and culture of the spanishspeaking world. During the inca empire, ollantaytambo was the royal estate of emperor pachacuti, who conquered the region, and built the town and a ceremonial center. At the time of the spanish conquest of peru it served as a stronghold for manco inca yupanqui, leader of the inca resistance.
Hostal iskay has comfortable rooms with views of ollantaytambo or the garden. Ollantaytambo was a strategic military, agricultural and religious place to manage and control the sacred valley of the incas, this follows from the constructions that were presumed agricultural reservoirs and for military use as walls and watchtowers probably to protect against jungle ethnicities. During our stay in the sacred valley of peru, our second trip was to see the remarkable inca ruins at ollantaytambo. Based in ollantaytambo, awamaki calle convencion sn, across from the temple, founded by american kennedy leavens, is a peruvian ngo partnered with a u.
Sacred valley tour from ollantaytambo to cusco highlights. This large 15 th century inca fortress is one of peru s best wellpreserved ruins. It is the closest access point to the historical site of machu picchu which is 6 kilometres 3. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Ollantaytambo is a great base for a number of excellent hikes, treks, and community visits in the area. Sacred valley tour from ollantaytambo to cusco peru local. Like mount shasta, there are various versions for how the name ollantaytambo originated. If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund. If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund.
Ollantaytambo ruins ollantaytambo, peru attractions. This site features as one of our top tourist attractions of peru. Information on how to get to ollantaytambo and the best hotels, restaurants and things to see and do. Ollantaytambo travel guide ollantaytambo sacred valley. The people in the province are mainly indigenous citizens of quechua descent. Best ollantaytambo, peru sacred valley hotel specials. Many travelers visit ollantaytambo because its the beginning of the inca trail to machu picchu, but dont rush throughthe ruins are fascinating. Quechua is the language which the majority of the population 51. It is located at an altitude of 2,792 meters 9,160 ft above sea level in the district of ollantaytambo, province of urubamba, cusco region. Ollantaytambobuilt with advanced ancient technology from.
Ollantaytambo called by locals ollanta is a small town of cobblestone streets and buildings built on foundations of inca stonework, in the sacred valley of the incas near cusco in the southern sierra region of peru. Many travellers visit ollantaytambo because its the beginning of the inca trail to machu picchu, but dont rush throughthe ruins are. As the inca civilisation developed in the th century, it became the centre of an empire, which in the 15th and 16th centuries would expand to include much of western south america. Choose the best route for you and reserve your seat easily. Book your bus, train, ferry, shuttle, van from machu picchu to ollantaytambo. We think that it is this blend of new and old that make ollantaytambo, and kb tambo hotel and tours, your best choice to plan your onceinalifetime vacation to peru. Admission is via the boleto turistico tourist card, valid for 10 days and for 16 other sites across the region.
Built by emperor pachacuti in the th century, it is famous for its many houses and elaborate food growing and. The general asked for the hand of the emperors daughter, a request pachacutec. Find and book deals on the best hostels in ollantaytambo, peru. When i had altitude sickness they brought me tea, and helped me arrange for a taxi to take us around the valley. Despite its small size, ollantaytambo has some nice restaurants and cafes where you can grab a relaxed bite to eat or have a good coffee. We were lucky enough to spend a few nights in this charming town with so much history during our peru trip and loved it.
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