There’s so much more to Ollantaytambo than archeology!

Most people visit Ollantaytambo’s archeological site and then take the train to Machu Picchu, without getting to see the town.

Ollantaytambo is one of the cutest and most traditional Andean towns in Peru.

I love Ollantaytambo because of how well it preserves its Inca history and architecture, how compact it is, how friendly the people are and because it has so many high quality restaurants and hotels for such a tiny town.

My favorite thing to do in Ollantaytambo is to wander the small streets that are just wide enough for a person to pass a llama. They still have the traditional Inca waterways, which rush by each doorway, carrying glacial water from the surrounding mountaintops, the same peaks that send a cold wind through town every day from about 4-6pm. Today the water channels are mostly decorative, but they used to be part of the village’s plumbing.

Here’s my top tips for what to see, and where to stay, eat and shop in Ollantaytambo!

What to see in Ollantaytambo?

As I mentioned above, everybody first goes to the archeological site. However, most people do that at the end of a long day, when the afternoon wind roaring through this narrow bit of the canyon is fiercest. I recommend arranging your schedule to visit the archeological site in the morning to avoid the wind and crowds. My blog about the Ollantaytambo archeological site has everything you need to plan that visit.

There are forty archeological sites in Ollantaytambo, according to archeologist Óscar Montúfar, who has worked in and around town for over ten years. However, besides the main archeological site, also named Ollantaytambo, the only one that’s developed for the general public is Pinkuylluna. Unlike the main archeological site, it’s free and this blog has everything you need to know to visit Pinkuylluna.

The people watching in Ollantaytambo’s plaza is fantastic.

You’ll see locals with their distinctive round hats, the men wearing waist-length ponchos and the women in layers of skirts. If you’re there during the high season from May through September, you’ll also see visitors from all over the world.

I love hanging out in the plaza. Besides the great people watching, somebody is always selling snacks and traditional drinks. Try drinking cold chicha during the day and hot emoliente at night. Chicha de jora is fermented corn and lightly alcoholic, like a strong kombucha. Chicha de quinoa is fermented quinoa, which is slightly sweet and served with cinnamon sprinkled on top. Chicha morada is unfermented purple corn and fairly sweet. Women make chicha at home and bring buckets to the plaza to sell by the glass. Emoliente is a hot drink of herbs thickened with boiled flax seeds. It’s sold from a metal cart with wheels that has a little gas stove inside to keep it hot all night.

Birding near Ollantaytambo 

Only half an hour from Ollantaytambo is the Ensifera Hummingbird Gardens. This is the best place to see hummingbirds in the Sacred Valley. Check out my Ensifera blog for everything you need to go birding and/or camping there.

Where to stay in Ollantaytambo? 

Ollantaytambo has everything from cheap hostels to fancy hotels. The town is so small that you don’t need to worry much about location. Everything is easily accessible and within 5-15 minutes of the train station. Here are a few of my favorites.

I recommend booking directly on a place’s website or using Booking.com because AirBnb takes a bigger commission from hosts, so more places in Ollantaytambo use Booking. If you use my Booking link I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Where to eat in Ollantaytambo?

I eat a lot more in Ollantaytambo than I spend the night, so I have way more recommendations here. Here’s a few of my favorites:

My favorite place for a coffee or drink is Alqo because it has a beautiful garden in the back. The restaurant has only a couple tables and is a gourmet affair that required reservations - but you can always go for a drink in the garden or bar. Don’t miss the museum and boutique - read about the Alqa museum on their website.

Where to shop in Ollantaytambo?

Every little street in town has shops with handwoven textiles made with designs that have persisted since Incan times. Women who live in isolated mountain communities bring their art to Ollantaytambo and sell to shops in town who sell to tourists. You can find everything from clothes to home décor.

There are two spots in town where sellers congregate in open markets. These markets are great for browsing and for comparing prices between sellers. If you don’t find what you’re looking for there, at least you’ll have an idea of prices for when you go to buy in a shop. Keep in mind that bargaining isn’t a big part of the culture in Peru. Depending on what you’re buying, the seller might go down a few soles but consider if those few soles mean more to you or to them.

If you want to buy quality art from a shop that guarantees a fair price to the artisans, buy at Alqa, which I mentioned above as my favorite place for a drink in a beautiful garden.

Practical tips for Ollantaytambo

Ollantaytambo train station

If you’re taking the train to Machu Picchu, your ticket departs from Poroy (near Cusco) or from Ollantaytambo. I always recommend taking the train from Ollantaytambo, so you have some time to enjoy the town before and/or after Machu Picchu.

Side note: You should pronounce both Cs in picchu, like peek-chu. In Quechua, pic-chu means mountain but pichu (pee-chu) is male anatomy. Machu means old.

At the Ollantaytambo station they will check your tickets at the gate and then again when boarding. You’ll always have an assigned seat with PeruRail or IncaRail and your ticket will tell you which carriage your seat is in.

You can buy food at the stalls that line the last hundred yards of the road. There are sandwiches and snacks you can grab on the way and meals for people who have time to kill.

You must be at the train station at least half an hour before your train departs. They are not understanding about late arrivals. PeruRail and IncaRail are a foreign-owned monopoly that knows it has a chokehold on transportation to Machu Picchu.

ATMs in Ollantaytambo

Bring all the cash you think you’ll need from Cusco. There used to be an ATM on the plaza but that whole building was torn down in August 2024 and is under construction. The photo above is the only ATM in town as of October 2024. It’s next to the Stone Grill restaurant and marked on Google Maps as Distributor BCP. There are lots of ATMs in both Cusco and Aguas Calientes, the town you take the train to for Machu Picchu.

Visit the new tourist information booth

New in September 2024 is an information booth on the main square, in front of town hall.

Get travel insurance

Travel in Peru is unpredictable and political protests close roads at some point almost every year. You’ll need travel insurance that will cover you for unexpected itinerary changes and missed flights. I use SafetyWing and if you use my link to buy SafetyWing travel insurance, I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you. This is a great way to support this website and all my free travel tips!

Do you have more questions?

Contact me to arrange a personalized travel call.