Living The Experience

Ollantaytambo

From Cusco the trip to Ollantaytambo lasts 2 ½ hours heading west. The town was built at 2.800 masl and is divided into “canchas” (blocks), each one with its only entrance – a stone doorway. The canchas lead to the central Plaza, behind which are the houses. Above it all is the Temple area that offered protection from invaders, together with other fortifications. Ollantaytambo is the only Incan complex that could afford to resist the Spanish conquerors. Unfortunately some time after the first attempt to invade the complex, Spaniards returned with four times their former contingent and Ollanta fell into their hands… When it happened, the complex wasn’t ready yet. From Ollantaytambo the group followed to Chincheros.