#15| peru: ollantaytambo
This post was written in March 2019 and archived. Love the details of this entry, so will re-share here as Post #12.
Ollantaytambo is one of my top 3 favorites on this trip, with the other two being the New Seven Wonders of the World- Machu Picchu, and the adventures in the Amazon. This small town is actually my second favorite place in all of my travels so far.
We took a two hour taxi ride from Cusco, negotiated by our hotel concierge. We passed by so many small towns, and other travelers shared that we should’ve visited Urubamba along the way. We didn’t have enough time to make another side trip, and I am glad that we took our time in Ollantaytambo. Beyond the place itself, the entire vibe of slowing down, enjoying life, and being spontaneous are what made it so special. We stayed at Picaflor Tambo. Cars can only drive on the main roads to and from the town’s plaza, so we, with less grace than we’d like to admit, rolled our luggage on the cobblestones. But as soon as we got to our room, we had forgotten about everything that occurred before, and could only focus on the moment. Our balcony doors opened to the views of Pinkuylluna, and we were smitten right away.
*Picaflor Tambo said on their website, and still says, that they only accept cash. But, when we arrived, they accepted Visa and Mastercard. I’d say to go with cash in hand, but look for that option if you’d like to earn some points.
When we stepped out, we went to the Plaza de Armas for a coffee. We could instantly tell there were two markets, one for the locals and one for the tourists. On a guided-tour the next day, the guide confirmed that the locals don’t pay the listed price ;). Nonetheless, we were happy for the caffeine, and I couldn’t stop laughing when a car was blasting Justin Bieber. The car was parked up front for a few minutes, and the Mister flew all the way here but still couldn’t escape pop culture.
After coffee, we checked out some of the shops in front of the Ollantaytambo ruins, and decided that we were not going to spend the full day there (therefore didn’t want to pay the entrance fee) since we were going to Machu Picchu in two days.
Instead, we went to explore the Pinkuylluna ruins across from our hotel. To find the trail to begin this hike, walk down Lare Street away from town. About half way down (before Picaflor Tambo), on the right side you will see a narrow set of stairs where the walk begins. Not only was this free, but we were the only ones up there most of the time. One other couple came up later, but we were exploring different parts, so it still felt like this entire space was ours.
“It is believed that the storehouses (Qollqa in Quechua) were built in the 15th century by Incan emperor Pachacuti to store grain produced in the surrounding agricultural terraces. The storehouses were built at high altitude to both preserve the food (more wind and cooler temperatures) and to protect their food stores in the case of attack.” – Best of Peru
On our way down, there was a man sitting at the exit handing out brochures for guided horseback riding tours. We respected his hustling, and took a brochure. Next thing you know, with nothing else planned, we decided to go for it!
So much love for our guide, our horses, the route, the nature, and the whole experience. Our guide practiced English with us, and we practiced Spanish with him. At one point, I called him a “local” in English, and he responded with shock, thinking I was calling him “loco” in Spanish. Haha.
He knew everyone we saw along the way. Our destination led us off the path, into some trees, and out here. There are more than 3,500 types of potatoes in Peru, and our guide was proud to show us the agricultural terraces.
Fun fact: The first time I got on a horse was in Half Moon Bay, CA. The horse went rogue, broke from the group, and ran toward the ocean. My guide couldn’t catch up with us, but another rider stopped us before we went in for an unexpected swim.
Here in Ollantaytambo, we shared the road with cars. When a car was coming, we stood on the edge and waited for it to squeeze past. On our way back, a large truck strolled by and my horse suddenly freaked out! The truck was called to stop, and my horse backed up under the truck, and I was leaning forward as much as I can, in fear of going under the truck as well. The truck driver was saying, “tranquilo! tranquilo!” I wasn’t sure if he was talking to me or to the horse, haha. The guide pulled us out, and we all had a big laugh about it.
It was dark by the time we got back into town. We ate a quick meal and went back to our hotel. We had a full day the next day with Awamaki, starting at 9am in the Plaza de Armas.