BT – Ollantaytambo

After lunch at one of the tourist restaurants that cater for these sorts of tours (this one had an amazing garden as well as an extensive variety of food) we made our way to Ollantaytambo (S 13°15.4′, W 72°16′). Here, many parts of the town still retain the original Incan buildings, but the main ruins that the tourists come to visit are associated with the hills and terraces rising from the valley floor.

As at Pisaq there was extensive terracing, resulting in lots of steps to climb (I think I’m getting acclimatised to the altitude, but uphills have always been my nemesis). This site also had a sun temple with some impressive stonework made from massive stones.

On the opposite side of the valley (see also the very first photo in this blog entry) we could see storehouses perched up on impossible mountainsides. The conditions were better for grain storage in these higher locations, but delivery and retrieval must have been a pain.

Again, we had a good orientation talk at the beginning and then we were allowed time to explore. We made our way up to the part that was a military post, and then headed around the cliff path, which was a little “airy”.

The path made its way around to another set of terraces. Here we saw some costumed Peruvians processing along some of the paths, and blowing traditional conch shells.

Back down on the valley floor, we also saw some of the ritual fountains, and later, as we made our way through the old town back to our bus, we saw examples of the water channels running through the streets.

Poor Ollantaytambo was designed for agriculture and Incan living, and not a 21st century tourist influx. The road/highway that runs through the town is narrow and has had to be designated a one-way street since there is no way it can fit cars — let alone buses — running in both directions. Limited parking means that buses end up parking on the side of the road as well and so getting out of town involves a slow confined traffic jam and a detour down to the river on a rough road, before you can rejoin the main road where it is wide enough for two lanes.