From the stone storehouses on Pinkuylluna, we could see the rest of our day laid out below us. The rooftops of Ollantaytambo filled the valley floor, farms stretched beyond town, and across the way, Inca terraces climbed the hillside toward the Temple of the Sun. We’d started the morning over breakfast at Apu Lodge, and we’d reach both hillsides on foot before the day was over.
A morning hike to Pinkuylluna
After a delicious breakfast at Apu Lodge, we took our time getting out the door. The trail to Pinkuylluna starts a short walk from the Plaza de Armas, at a marked gate tucked between buildings. From there, it’s a short, steep climb to the stone buildings we’d been looking up at from town.
The Inca built these storehouses, known as colcas, high on the hillside. Maize was likely among the crops stored here, though it’s difficult to say exactly what each building held. The location was part of the design. Cooler air on the hillside and openings in the walls helped ventilate the stored food. It’s the kind of detail I love learning about before a hike because it changes what I notice when I get there.
The view alone was worth the climb. We could look straight across Ollantaytambo to the terraces we’d be climbing that afternoon. Seeing the larger archaeological site from this side of the valley gave us a sense of just how much ground it covered.
Lunch in town and an afternoon at the Ollantaytambo Archaeological Site
We walked back down into town, picked one of the many restaurants for lunch, and then made our way to the main archaeological site. Just before the entrance, we passed through a colorful market where local vendors were selling their wares. Once inside, we were headed uphill again, this time on narrow stone stairs between the terraces.
Researching a destination is part of the fun for us. By the time we arrived, we already had a few places we wanted to find, starting with the Temple of the Sun. We took our time on the way up, with plenty of stops to look back over the terraces and across town to Pinkuylluna.
Beyond the Temple of the Sun to Inka Watana
From the Temple of the Sun area, we continued along the Camino Inka Watana to Inka Watana. It took a little more uphill walking, and the crowds thinned as we went. This was one of my favorite parts of the visit. We had more room to linger, and the views over the valley were fantastic.
We retraced our steps to explore more of the main terraces, then followed the stone stairs back down to the valley floor. I’m glad we saved time for the lower part of the site. After spending so much of the day looking up at terraces and stone buildings, here we could look down and follow the channels the Inca used to move water through the complex.
Both of us love learning how ancient cultures solved everyday problems, and seeing these two sites in the same day made those details easier to picture. In the morning, we were looking at how the Inca used the cool air above town to store food. By afternoon, we were tracing how they moved water below the terraces. That’s the part of Ollantaytambo I’m still thinking about.
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