2 days
Photo: Steve FUNG, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsOllantaytambo
Cusco and the Sacred Valley
Ollantaytambo, at the western end of the Sacred Valley, is one of the few towns where people still live in Inca buildings along the original street grid. Above it, steep terraces climb to an unfinished temple of giant pink granite blocks.
It is also where most trains to Machu Picchu start, so many visitors stay a night here before an early train.
What to see
- The fortress terraces. Climb the 200 or so steps to the Temple of the Sun and its six monolith wall.
- Pinkuylluna. Inca storehouses on the hill opposite, reached by a free, steep path with great views back to the fortress.
- The old town. Wander the narrow lanes with their stone water channels, still in use.
Staying in Ollantaytambo
At 2,790 m it is a good place to sleep in your first days. Read our Sacred Valley guide for what else to see in the valley.
Where it is
Multi-day tours that visit Ollantaytambo
Every tour here includes Ollantaytambo in its itinerary. Best rated first.
2 days
4 days
5 daysLikely to sell out
2 days
7 days
4 daysCombine it with
Machu Picchu
UNESCOThe 15th century Inca citadel on a ridge above the Urubamba River, Peru's most famous sight.
Visitor guide →Moray and the Maras salt pans
Circular Inca terraces like a giant amphitheatre, and thousands of salt pools on a hillside nearby.
Visitor guide →Pisac
Sweeping Inca terraces and a hilltop citadel above a market town at the start of the Sacred Valley.
Visitor guide →Rather have a trip to Peru made just for you?
Answer a few quick questions and a local specialist will send you a free, no-obligation itinerary and price.
Ollantaytambo: questions
Is Ollantaytambo worth staying in?
Yes, especially the night before an early Machu Picchu train. It is lower than Cusco and quieter in the evenings.
How long do you need in Ollantaytambo?
Half a day for the fortress and town; a night if you are catching the train.