Getting There

By Train -- Ollantaytambo lies midway on the Cusco-Machu Picchu train route. All trains traveling to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu) from Cusco stop first at Ollantaytambo. Trains depart Cusco from Estación San Pedro, Calle Cascaparo s/n (tel. 084/221-352 or 084/221-313), and arrive in Ollantaytambo 90 minutes later. The train station in Ollantaytambo is a long 15-minute walk from the main square. The Backpacker shuttle ($48 round-trip) departs Ollantaytambo at 9:25am and arrives at Machu Picchu at 11am; it makes the return at 5pm and arrives in Ollanta at 6pm. Travelers can also hop the Vistadome that originates in either Urubamba or Cusco and makes stops in Ollantaytambo on the way to Machu Picchu.

By Bus -- There are a couple direct buses daily to Ollantaytambo from Cusco, but it's frequently easier to change buses at the terminal in Urubamba. Buses drop passengers at the Plaza de Armas in the old town, about a kilometer ( 1/2 mile) from the ruins. The train is much more expensive option from Cusco.

From Ollantaytambo, buses for Cusco depart from Avenida Estación, the main street leading away from the rail terminal. For Urubamba, colectivos depart from the Plaza de Armas.

By Taxi -- Taxis between Ollantaytambo and Cusco generally charge S/70 ($20) each way.

Visitor Information

You're better off getting information on the Sacred Valley before leaving Cusco, either at the helpful main Tourist Information Office (tel. 084/263-176) or at Cusco's branch of the South American Explorers Club (tel. 084/245-484). In Ollantaytambo, try the CATCO museum, located off Calle Principal (no phone), for assistance.

Your best bet for exchanging cash in Ollantaytambo is in small shops. If you need medical assistance, go to Centro de Salud, Calle Principal (tel. 084/204-090). The post office is located on the Plaza de Armas.

When Not to Go -- The Inca ruins at Ollantaytambo are typically overrun with tourists doing the bus tour of the Sacred Valley on Sunday afternoons, typical market day. The ruins are so special and so enjoyably serene on other days that if you can't get there early in the morning on Sunday, it's worthwhile visiting another day, if you can.

Sacred Valley Festivals -- The traditional Andean villages of the Sacred Valley are some of the finest spots in Peru to witness vibrant local festivals celebrated with music, dance, and processions. Among the highlights are Christmas, Día de los Reyes Magos (Three Kings Day, Jan 6), Ollanta-Raymi (celebrated in Ollantaytambo the week after its big brother, Cusco's Inti Raymi, during the last week of June), and Chinchero's Virgen Natividad (Sept 8), the most important annual fiesta in that village. The Fiesta de las Cruces (Festival of the Crosses, May 2-3) is celebrated across the highlands with enthusiastic dancing and the decoration of large crosses. Pisac celebrates a particularly lively version of the Virgen del Carmen festival held in Paucartambo (July 16).