Ollantaytambo

Day 136 (November 11, 2018) – Ollantaytambo, Perú

On our way back from Machu Picchu we spent a couple nights in Ollantaytambo, within the Sacred Valley of the Incas. This is where many people depart the train from Machu Picchu and grab a bus or van back to Cusco, but we had heard it was an interesting town to spend some time in so decided to stay a couple nights.

Incan stonework right in the center of town.

We arrived late at night by train after our long day of walking around Machu Picchu and checked into the surprisingly nice Hostal Chaska Wasi. Despite the late hour we both took showers and then went to bed. This was our first proper hot shower and first real bed since we had left on our hike nine days prior. This was a significant step in starting to feel normal again, but we were still stuck with the same few clothes we had brought with us on the hike.

Around the center of town of Ollantaytambo.

Ollantaytambo turned out to be a very interesting city. There is a significant set of Inca ruins just a couple minute walk from the center of town, which we visited the next morning. We took the walk around the ruins very casually, giving our feet their first real rest in a while. There were Incan terraces, stonework, fountains, and waterways. The view of the town and valley from the top of the ruins was impressive and worth the visit.

There are Incan ruins only a five minute walk from town.

Exploring the ruins.

The town itself is quite interesting too because most building foundations are of Incan construction. Just walking around the city felt like you were still in a set of ruins, but rather than being abandoned where alive with little coffee shops and restaurants. The restaurants were a bit hit or miss, but it was nice to not be eating camping food for a change.

Looking down from the ruins at Ollantaytambo and the Sacred Valley.

The next day we woke up and grabbed a shared van back to Cusco. It ended up being the best shuttle ride yet of our trip. The van was super comfortable, the ride was picturesque, and for most of the trip we were only sharing the car with the driver and some luggage in the back. Sometimes it’s the small things that can make a big difference. Ollantaytambo ended up being a very worthwhile visit and I’m glad we spent some time there.

We were feeling refreshed, but we still had to make it back to Cusco to finally get some clean clothes.