History

The Inca emperor Pachacuti conquered and ruled this part of the Sacred Valley, including Ollantaytambo.He built a fortress, agricultural terraces, an irrigation system, a ceremonial center and residences. Ollantaytambo employed several concurring uses:military, political, religious, and residential.

The archeological site, strategically located in the western Sacred Valley, is the only site in which the Incas were successful in fending off the relentless Spanish conquistadors in 1536.The Incas probably chose Ollantaytambo due to its strategic location on a mountain between two valleys. The fortress was built at the top of the mountain, enabling guards to see incoming invaders. Unfortunately, Pizarro returned in 1540 with his army of Spanish conquistadors who were this time successful in conquering Ollantaytambo.

The Village

The village is often overshadowed by the massive towering fortress ruins, but it is worthy of exploration in its own rite.The Patakancha River and canals flow through the village, adding to the charming country vibe.

It's a grid of cobblestone streets, terraces, courtyards, and markets, with a central town square called the Plaza de Armas. Once encompassing four blocks, the now smaller Inca plaza with adobe structures was built over with Spanish Colonial architecture.

There are quite a few markets in the town square. Though the stalls and storefronts are very small, it's possible to find unique, locally handmade items.

The village was once home to the Inca elite, and contains some of the oldest continuously occupied dwellings in South America, giving a glimpse into the Inca life as well as current residents. Locals still dress in the vibrantly colored traditional Peruvian attire. A walk through the old part of the town is like walking through history.

The Inca Ruins

It was raining on the morning our AdventureSmith Explorations tour had planned to climb the stone fortress called "Temple Hill," just outside the village.The good news is the rain caused most visitors (including members of our own group) to stay away.The bad news is it made the vertiginous ascent even more treacherous on the uneven slippery stones.

At the altitude of 9,160 feet, the severe height and high stone steps will have you wheezing and struggling to catch your breath in no time.Fortunately, there are several natural stopping points with stunning vistas that I took advantage of to recoup.

The construction of the Temple sector is fascinating.It's built out of large stones, cut and fit together perfectly like a puzzle, without mortar. It is accessed by a stairway that leads up a half-finished gate and a terrace with panoramic views.

Here you'll also find the Platform of the Carved Seat, thought to have been a stone thrown.Unfortunately, rope prevented me from seating myself. That, and the ever-present guards.

The Temple of the Sun was used to worship the sun, especially during the solstices. The Incas also used it as a calendar. Inside the uncompleted Sun Temple is the Wall of the Six Monoliths.Six sections, each weighing approximately 50 tons, make up the towering section of wall near the summit, which dominates the view.

Going down is equally arduous, due to the steep stone steps, especially treacherous and slick with rain.Contained within the living area at the base of the ruins is a fountain call "the Bath of the Princess."Intricate Incan carvings are featured on the stonework – the condor representing heaven, the puma representing present life, and the snake representing the underworld.

The structures at Temple Hill were never finished and eventually abandoned, although it is unknown whether that was due to internal power struggles, retreat, or the impending Spanish subjugation.

The Terraces

The Incas constructed sweeping hillside terraces throughout the Sacred Valley.The terraces at Ollantaytambo appear to be of a higher quality and constructed with more precision than some of the other terraces in the area.

In addition to their stunning visual impact clinging to the hillside, their main function was to improve agriculture in previously unusable terrain. The walls around the terraces are very high and provided protection from the wind and also allowed for absorption of the sun's rays during the day and slow release during the night. The resulting microclimate conditions enabled the Incas to grow a variety of crops, such as potatoes (Peru has 4,000 varieties), corn, and quinoa (now considered to be a super-food), that would ordinarily be native to lower altitudes. The crops were naturally irrigated by water flowing down from the mountains, which also prevented overflow and flooding of the village below.

The Storehouses

Inca storehouses called qullqas are scattered throughout the hillside.The structures were constructed of local stone and incorporated ventilation to assist with cooling to help delay deterioration of the stored crops.

The Inca Trail

Even if you don't want to take a full day to hike, or interested in extreme trekking, an easy or moderate hike along the iconic Inca Trail is a must. There are many points where you can enter, according to your fitness or time restraints.

Just outside of Ollantaytambo, we found an entry point, at a high altitude. While this might seem like a challenge, the path we chose remained steady and not much of an incline, so it was not a problem.The morning mist quickly turned to a torrential downpour, but that did nothing to diminish the ethereal beauty of the trail and the exhilaration we felt as we walked on the same path and on the same stones as the Incas in days-gone-by.

We passed through meadows nestled inside the rugged Andes, balanced on stones through running creeks, gingerly tiptoed across rickety wooden bridges, and traipsed across a pungent eucalyptus forest.

The Logistics

Ollantaytambo is the location for the train to Machu Picchu. But don't just pass through; it's worthy of a two-day stay in and of itself.

Getting around the Sacred Valley can be a challenge.  AdventureSmith Explorations offers custom-made tours to fit every tourist's physical, cultural, and gastronomic desires.your feature here...

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