Quick Itinerary Guide: Ollantaytambo, Peru
Ollantaytambo is a small village in the Sacred Valley of Peru nestled among mountains and Inca ruins. It sits at an elevation of 9,160′ feet and is where many travelers start their Machu Picchu journey. Below you’ll find family-friendly itinerary suggestions for a trip to Ollantaytambo, Peru.
Before you dive into the guide, you may want to first read Understanding a Quick Itinerary Guide. This will provide you with details on our trip planning philosophy, why it’s a quick guide, and what resources we use to plan. It also details what we mean by family-friendly, and further explains each of the sections included in a Quick Itinerary Guide.
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Our trip details
- Length of stay: 2 days, 2 nights
- Accommodation: Intitambo Hotel – amazing views from rooftop deck
- Type of trip: family travel with kids (6 months old & 2.5 years old), part of larger round-the-world 2-month trip
- Month visited: July
- How we got in/out: fly into Cusco, car to Ollantaytambo, car back out to Cusco
- How we got around: walking
- Additional places visited on the same trip: Machu Picchu, Cusco, Lima
Itinerary Ideas for Ollantaytambo, Peru
- Wander the village
- Admire the beautiful mountains
- Explore the streets and shops – notice the narrow cobblestone streets, traditional stone doorways and buildings, and open irrigation channels
- People watch in Plaza Ollantaytambo
- Mercado San Pedro – a market for local foods and goods
- Archaeological Park Ollantaytambo – an Incan archaeological site historically used as a city, estate, fortress and more, Cusco Tourist Ticket required
- Pinkuylluna Mountain Granaries – an Incan archaeological site, steep hike and not as well maintained as the other Ollantaytambo ruins, but it’s free and offers a great view
- Moray – an Incan archaeological site with unique concentric circular terraces thought to be used for agricultural experimentation but not completely understood, about 30-40 minutes drive outside of Ollantaytambo, Cusco Tourist Ticket required
Food Ideas for Ollantaytambo, Peru
- Foods/drinks to try: quinoa soup, chicharron (fried pork belly), lomo/pollo saltado (stir-fry beef/chicken), alpaca, anticuchos (grilled meat skewers), Inca Kola (popular local soft drink)
- Inka’s Tower – traditional, casual Peruvian food, climb up to the top level for great views of the mountains and village
- Apu Veronica Restaurant – traditional, homey Peruvian restaurant, located on the 2nd floor
Top Tips for Ollantaytambo, Peru
- Take it slow as you explore Ollantaytambo to help yourself acclimate to the altitude. Ollantaytambo’s elevation is higher than Machu Picchu’s, but lower than Cusco’s so depending on where you arrived from, it can be an adjustment for your body.
- It’s best to walk everywhere in Ollantaytambo, but there are tuk-tuks for hire too if you need a lift (and cars are available too if you need to go outside the town).
- Bring layers and some cold weather accessories, even in summer the mornings and evenings can be very chilly.
- For the ruins sites, you cannot purchase separate single tickets, you need to purchase a Cusco Tourist Ticket.
- Ollantaytambo is not stroller friendly, bring a baby or toddler carrier if your little one cannot walk everywhere.
Related Reading
- A glimpse of the Sacred Valley
- Quick Itinerary Guide: Cusco, Peru
- Quick Itinerary Guide: Machu Picchu/Aguas Calientes, Peru
- Bringing a baby and toddler to Machu Picchu
- Quick Itinerary Guide: Lima, Peru
- One day in Lima
- A taste of Peru
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