Ollantaytambo

Description:

• Known as the living Inca city, the residents of Ollantaytambo continue to live in original Incan houses and walk down Incan corridors to and from their daily grind. Flanked by ruins on either side, the town allows for one's imagination to run wild with imageries of the Incan past. The Ollantaytambo archaeological site (included in the Boleto Turistico del Cusco) presides over the town, and is unique in that it is the only location where the Incas enjoyed a victory (though momentary) over the Spanish. The site itself features a series of terraces, a breath taking (literally) walk up to the temple and funerary sector, and an intricate and awe-inspiring aqueduct system. Often overlooked by travelers on their way to Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo is a true archaeological gem within the Sacred Valley and is worth at least a day or two to explore.

  Ollantaytambo also serves as the home base of an array of outdoor activities like mountain biking, white water rafting and hiking. Most travelers catch the train to Machu Picchu out of Ollantaytambo, and the start of the renowned Inca Trail is located just downstream of the town.

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