Many people have Peru on their travel bucket list, and when they think of the country, they think of Machu Picchu, and making the hike to this fabled city high in the Andes. It isn’t until they start looking into the voyage that they realize that the first stop they will need to make before getting there is Ollantaytambo, a small city where the roads end and the real trek begins.
There are two ways to get to Machu Picchu from this town. The more popular of the two is the train. It hugs the sacred valley, and will take people to Aquacalientes, the even smaller town that a series of paths will allow them to reach their destination. For the more adventurous traveler, Ollantaytambo is the start f the Inka Trail, the four day hike that will take them through the same sacred valley, but allow people to feel like the explorers that discovered this destination in the first place. Whether by trek or train, the town of Ollantaytambo is definitely worth a couple of days before going on to Machu Picchu.
The first thing that many people will have to do upon arriving in the area is to make the adjustment to the altitude. Back in my Colorado days, this would not have worried me much because Ollantaytambo is only 9,000 feet above sea level. But since I have moved to Lima, and live only a couple hundred feet above sea level, it took me a couple of days to fully adjust. This is also nice because Machu Picchu is about a thousand feet lower, so when I finally arrive, I should not have to worry about the adjustment at all.
Ollantaytambo is a great town to visit though. There is an old part of the city where old Inca walls have been preserved and new building have been built on top of them. They did not try to continue the aesthetic, but built with a significant difference, so people could notice the old walls, and how far the town spread.
They also have a Spanish feeling plaza that is covered with various vendors, and good Peruvian restaurants. Most of them serve simple meals, but there are a couple that stand out; Amanta and Chuncho had more traditional Peruvian fare, and the later one even brewed its own distilled liquor that they used in all of their cocktails.
The Spanish came in the way that they always did, thinking that they would easily overpower them. What they did not count on was the Inca flooding the valley causing them to retreat. During this retreat, the Inca sent down their most powerful warriors to attack the Spanish and in the process slaughtered many of them. It was a short lived victory though because the Spanish returned with four times the original forces and eventually took over the sight. Still, it was one of the few times that the Spanish suffered a defeat at the hands of the Inca.
The fortress is well-preserved today, and though it might take a couple of stops along the way up to catch your breath, it is easily accessible for most people. It also offers amazing views of the town, and the surrounding valley. It might not have the location view that Machu Picchu does, but it is a great little taster before continuing on to that historic sight.
The other side of the valley has another set of ruins that at the time of writing this entry are free to enter. They do not attract the big crowds that the fortress does, but the ruins are just as impressive. The hike up requires a little more patience because it requires some more difficult terrain, but the sign will guide people as to which way they should go to avoid creating road blocks.
I would suggest going early in the morning because the crowds are almost non-existent at that time, and it makes you feel as if you have the ruins to yourself. It is a little difficult to find the entrance because it is not a big ticket booth like the fortress has, but it is on block south of the plaza. Take the first left and walk down the cobblestone path for a bit. You know you are in the right place because there will be an Inca made aqueduct on your right hand side. If you look to the right you will see the entrance with stairs leading up the mountain on the other side.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in this small town before going on to the main event, and I never thought that an entrance town could be just as exciting as the whole reason I came out to this part of the world in the first place. It has gotten me excited about Machu Picchu by showing me what I should expect when I get out there. I hope this inspires you to take the voyage, and until next time, keep looking for those hidden gems that you know are out there.
John Collings 