EnTrip

From Wikitravel

Plaza de Armas at night

Cuzco from Sacsayhuamán

Cuzco (also "Cusco", or "Qosqo" in Quechua), located in the Southern Sierras is a fascinating city that was the capital of the Incan Empire. Cuzco is a Unesco World Heritage Site and is one of Peru's most visited cities as it is the largest and most comfortable city from which tourists can begin visits to Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and other Incan sites in the region.

Understand

Alley in Cuzco

Cusco is a beautiful city with well preserved colonial architecture, evidence of a rich and complex history. The city itself represents the center of indigenous Quechua culture in the Andes, and by merely walking the streets one sees the layers of history. Spanish colonial buildings erected directly atop Inca walls line the square, while the modern tourist nightlife flourishes in their midst.

The city is surrounded by a number of ruins, the most impressive being Sacsayhuaman, the site of the 1536 battle in which dozens of Pizarro's men charged uphill to battle the forces of the Inca.

Nowadays, Cuzco is known for its indigenous population--often seen on the streets in traditional clothing--and its substantial tourist-fueled night life.

More information on Cuzco is available from the official Tourist Office:

• Directur, Portal Blankets 117 (close to the Plaza de Armas), 222032.

Get in

By plane

The airport is at the edge of the city (taxi ride). There are daily internal flights to and from Lima, Arequipa and small jungle airstrips in the Amazon basin. The closest main international airport is Lima. The cheapest one way flights to Lima cost around USD 70. Frequently, bad weather conditions can cause flights to be cancelled, often up to two days on end. If you are flying straight into Cuzco, beware of altitude sickness for the first couple of days. Drink mate de coca (coca tea), the local remedy for this. Many hotels and hostels provide it to guests upon arrival. Also be sure to rest, most guidebooks and locals suggest minimal activity during your first day in the city. Altitude sickness (soroche) tends to sneak up on you and its symptoms may not be apparent at first.

Note that the market rate for a taxi from the airport to the Plaza de Armas is 3 - 5 soles, not 30 or more as they may try to charge you.

By bus

The Terminal Terrestre is about a 20 minute walk down the Av. Sol. You can also take a taxi for a few soles.

Buses are plentiful from other Peruvian cities like Lima (about 24 hours), Puno (6-8 hours), Arequipa (10 hours, 20 soles), Nazca (14-16 hours) etc, but are quite long and slow, although the views can compensate. The main roads are quite good, but some can be bad, making trips take longer than expected.

Also, make sure your bus has a bathroom or that it stops for bathroom breaks every couple of hours before you buy tickets. There are Puno-Cuzco buses that have neither, and that can mean a VERY long 6-8 hours.

• Expreso Los Chankas, Pje Cáceres 150. As far as we could tell, the only place to offer direct service from Ayacucho to Cusco. 55 Soles each for a 22-hour ride on a semi-cama bus. Buses at 6:30am and 7pm. Buses are soooo cool!!

By rail

Cuzco is connected to Machu Picchu and Puno by rail. Rail service was recently discontinued to Arequipa. This service is operated by PeruRail[1].

Get around

The centre of Cuzco is small enough to walk around, although you will probably need to catch a bus or taxi to the bus station, Sacsayhuamán or airport. Beware about walking around at night alone and/or drunk, robberies have often been reported.

Taxis are very common in Cuzco. Officially they cost 2-4 soles depending on distance. Call Alo Cuzco Taxis http://www.alocusco.com Often many drivers are not locals. Beware when using taxis at night; robberies have been reported in collusion with taxi cab drivers, at certain times radio taxis may be the safest option. The driver might also try to extort a hefty sum of money (15 soles) for a short ride if you don't haggle before - which is likely if you're just arriving at night at the bus terminal and want to avoid the hoards of touts. Just pay 5 soles and leave it at that.

If you are staying in Cuzco for a long time, the Kombis are a cheap and reliable form of transportation. These are the Volkswagen vans and small buses with names like Imperial, Batman, or Zorro. It costs about 60 centimos to ride them. If you are unsure if a certain combi will take you where you want to go, just ask. They will call out the stops as they go and if you want to get off, you just yell "Baja!", as in, "I want to get off!" They run until 10 pm. But if you are a fan of lots of personal space, this may not be the best option for you, as they tend to be quite full. Carry your backpack in front of you.

For large groups, a tourist bus can be very convenient to get to places like Pisac and Ollantaytambo. Check with one of the many local travel agencies.

• Cuzco by Bus Green Toad Bus (Travel Peru and Bolivia by Bus), [2]. Ride the Toad! Travel your own way on Peru's only hop on hop off bus. We offer you greater freedom and flexibility as you backpack around Peru and Bolivia. The Green Toad Bus is a door-to-door service to the best hostels in the land, giving you the freedom to choose your own accommodation and food options, helping to cut costs as you travel. Choose to jump off in Cusco to do the Inca Trail, or Lake Titicaca to explore the culture on the islands, then simply jump on again to continue your exploration of magical Peru and Bolivia. The Green Toad Bus is designed for travelers who want choice as they travel, the only choice you don't have is having fun along the way. [3]  edit

See

Museums and galleries

• Museo Municipal de Arte Contemporáneo, located in the Municipal Palace at Plaza Regocijo. Has exhibitions of contemporary art. Admission with the boleto turistico
• Museo Historico Regional, located in the home of the Inca historian Garcilaso de la Vega. Many paintings from the 17th and 18h century.
• Museo del Sitio del Qoricancha, Av Sol. With information about the different pre-Columbian cultures and fragments of ceramics and textiles of the Inca culture. A very small museum, the showcase room includes three mummies and skulls modified by the Incas with holes or sloped foreheads. Allow an hour to an hour and a half. English explanations are present but lacking.
• Museo de Arte Popular, located in the basement of the OFEC office. Displays a collection of popular art.
• Galleries; the stunning scenery of the Cuzco area are often very well depicted by local artists. It is possible to find cheap prints that are of surprisingly good quality if you're prepared to shop around.
• Santa Catalina Convent, also a collection of religious art. Admission with the boleto turistico.
• La Merced Monastery, one of the most spectacular monasteries in the city. Has a decent museum with a spectacular 1.3m high solid gold monstrance, a church, and the convent itself which is one of the best architectural edifices in the city. One block away from Plaza de Armas on Admission is 6 soles.
• Qoricancha, a 16th century Dominican convent built on top of an older Inca palace. The site is worth several hours of your time, and is one of the best in Cuzco, containing both Catholic and Inca heritage with stunning views of the surrounding area. Located 4 blocks from Plaza de Armas on Av. El Sol. Admission 10 soles.

Historic

• The walls of the city are Incan walls, particularly near the Plaza de Armas.
• Monumento Pachacuteq, down Av. Sol, is a statue of the Inca warrior King Pachacuteq. The statue is placed on a cylindrical base and the total monument is over 22 metres high. The cylindrical base can be climbed, but views are disappointing because the monument is located at a lower part of town. Admission with the boleto turistico. ya

Do

• Walk around the Plaza de Armas; the square has churches, shops, restaurants and bars backing on to it and is a great place to spend an afternoon. The historical center of Cusco is beautiful, but you will have to deal with all the street vendors and hawkers of cheap paintings and other souvernirs. They are everywhere in and around the Plaza de Armas. They spoil somewhat the experience.

• Check out the Plaza de San Francisco, which is a few blocks north of the center, and is a great place to visit one of Cusco's many great coffee shops.

• Play Sapo, a traditional bar game played in chicharias all over Peru. The game involves throwing small coins, called fichas, at a table with a bronze sapo (toad) attached. You get points for making it into holes on the table, and a ton of points for making it into the sapo's mouth. Best played while drinking chicha (corn beer, traditionally fermented with saliva) at a local dive. Ask old men to show you the correct throwing form, as it's difficult to master.

• Talk to local store owners, curators, waitresses and bartenders. They typically know a little English if your Spanish is not good, and are generally happy to share interesting information about the city not found in guidebooks. This is also a great way to find the best places to try cuy, alpaca, and chicha.

• Once you are accustomed to the altitude, go for a jog! This is a very humbling experience, as the hills and thin air prove a challenge to even those in great shape. It's also a good way to explore. Head east or south of the plaza for the safest places. If you're a woman out exercising, you may get a few cat calls, as this is common in much of Latin America.

• Check the best tours in Cusco[4].

Plaza de Armas

Don't

• Rush - Cuzco is an amazing city you need more than two days to see the city alone. This is not even mentioning side full day trips to Machu Picchu or to the Sacred Valley.

• Water Rafting - Although the water is of dubious health value, the trips offered are very tame and certainly don't offer tourists good value for money. Cuzco, full of Incan history, has much more to offer than this and one would be well advised not to bother with it.

• There are a number of beggars in the streets of Cuzco, most of them children. They will tell you the money is for schooling. Giving to beggars is a moral decision each individual can make. If you don't want them to follow you around, a stern 'no' will suffice. Please see the article on Begging.

Learn

• Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Classes in Quechua, the native language of the Andes, are taught (in spanish) at El Centro Bartolome de las Casas which is located on Tullumayo street, close to Limacpampas. They also have a library.
• or you may take classes in the Academia Mayor de la Lengua Quechua,[5].
• Centro Tinku, Calle Nueva Baja Nº 560, Tel: 51 84 249737 Email: info@centrotinku.com, [6]. A cultural center in a renovated colonial house, offers intensive Quechua and Spanish, homestay, study trips and volunteer activities.

Work

• A great program for students is ProPeru, part of the NGO ProWorld Service Corps. They do sustainable community development work such as building kindergartens, irrigation systems, and fish farms in rural communities in the Sacred Valley They offer semester programs, internship programs, and short-term group programs, all ranging from a few weeks to a few months. Programs include living with a host family, sightseeing, spanish classes and other coursework.

• For the adventurous, communities in the Sacred Valley often welcome volunteers to teach English or provide other skills to community members.

• In the city, there are many opportunities to work with street children. The most notable is called Bruce Peru. Also there are opportunities to volunteer at one of the cities' orphanages.

Buy

If you want cheap cheap touristy stuff, go to one of the two Saturday and Sunday morning markets in Juliaca (about 5 hours away by bus), Puno (about 6 hours away by bus). They are about 1/3 the price of Cuzco.

If you don't want to go so far away, but still want touristy stuff, go to the Artisan Market at the intersection of la Avenida del Sol and Tullumayo. It's the big red building near the fountain.

Also, Pisac, a town outside Cuzco, has a very big market. It is about 30 minutes from Cuzco by bus. The bus station is on Tullumayo street a couple blocks from Limacpampas. The fare is very cheap, and you can see the Incan ruins at Pisac.

Also in Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu prices can be the double of what they are in Cuzco.

The further away you get from the main square, they cheaper things become, although there is a mini-mart next to the big church in the main square that is cheaper than in my hotel, then there is the San-Pedro market where bread is s/0.10 and a glass of combination juices is s/1.50 and they give you 2-4 refills. Don´t go too far from the main square at night though, it can be dangerous.

If you travel to the "Sacred Valley" (Valle Sagrado, including the towns/ruins of Chinchero, Ollantaytambo and Pisac), there is lots of touristy stuff to buy, you can barter, but the prices won´t go down much.

There is another market called Centro Comercial El Molino, Urbanizacion Ttio, you have to take a taxi and it costs s/2 to get there. In this market you can buy heaps of illegal merchandise, DVDs, CDs etc. A good quality copy DVD is s/4, or you can by 5 VCDs for s/10.

The indigenous women at El Centro Bartolome de Las Casas have a store in which they sell homemade handicrafts and weavings. You can often watch them work, though they often don't speak Spanish, and rarely speak a word of English. It's located a few blocks from the plaza on Avenida Tullumayu.

Alpaca sweaters are not like they used to be. The only good ones are in upmarket shops.

Eat

"El Balcon" offers a soup, main course, and desert (no drink) for s/10 which is about $3.33. If you're looking for good quality food for not a lot of money, this is the place to go.

Lomo Saltado, a popular dish

The Cuzco area has some extremely good international food with tasty options for all budgets. Best pizza ever at the end of the Av. Cultura. There's no need going to the expensive restaurants (which often only serve foreign food anyway), go to the restaurants that serve local food. Be sure to try an alpaca steak (don't forget a llama/alpaca is normally kept and used for it's wool - so only old animals will be slaughtered. But cuy (guinea pig) is the absolute traditional holiday food of the region. A must when visiting a market is to enjoy, in the cold season, "once frozen" / cooked potatoes.

• If you are looking for traditional Peruvian food try lomo saltado (beef tips with tomatoes, onions, and spices, over a bed of french fries and rice), aji de gallina(chicken in a very good yellow sauce with olives and hard-boiled eggs), or Papa Rellena (stuffed potato with beef, olives, hard-boiled egg, vegetables, and spices)
• Also, try eating at a Chifa. This is the Peruvian version of Chinese food. The neighborhood of Wanchaq has many Chifa restaurants.
• Try Inca Kola, a bubble gum/tutti-frutti flavored soda. This drink outsells Coca-Cola in Peru; (though it's actually a subsidiary of the Coca-Cola company). Also, Chicha Morada is a Peruvian specialty. It's a spiced drink made out of purple corn.
• The soups are amazing. Try Sopa de Zapallo (a type of pumpkin soup)

• Inka Grill, on the Plaza de Armas, is a good restaurant. Well known and frequented by tourists but not a trap. I had a very good meal there, with good service, and a nice selection of wine. Good place to try Cuy (guinnea pig), though it is a bit pricey (60 soles) here, and some people have reported mud butt after eating it, it is tastily done and served without the head so eating doesn´t remind you of your pet hamster. Try the apetizer tiradito de trucha. Alpaca also on the menu if you must try it.

• there is a restaurant with modern decor one street over from the Plaza de Armas calle something like Don (something) y Don (something). Prices are high for Cusco and not worth it. I ate there and regretted it.

"Cuy" the regional specialty, roasted Guinea Pig

Food quality on the whole is good in Cuzco; hygiene can however be rather lacking in places. Be wary of food like burgers - although cheap, this is not a local speciality.

• El Empridore has two restaurants within the city, both are very reasonably priced. They have a 13 page menu with all sorts of foods from around the world. Try the pisco sour tall, its the best in the city.

• There are huge and cheap breakfasts at Yaku Mama at the end of the Gringo Alley.
• The sister restaurant Yaku Mama Grill on Plaza de Armas has some really good dinners, and a cheerful English-speaking waitress called Yolanda, but is a bit short on the alpacas.
• Jack's Cafe by the South American Explorers clubhouse at Choquechaca 188 (on the corner) serves fantastic food. Also probably the best coffee in Cusco.
• The absolute place though is MAMA Amerika (former Mama Africa) which actually is everything on 3 levels: snack, cafe (rooftop), restaurant (with a good cheap menu), 2 discos, the latest movies on DVD. Some of the decorations and paintings are by the owner/artist.

• The Cross Keys Pub looking onto the central square is a pub serving European food to tourists.
• Kukuly, Nuaynapata 318, is a cozy place with friendly prices also attracting locals, ran by a Swiss guy. Daily menu for 4 soles.
• If you want some late night food after clubbing go for Los Angelos a very good fast food type restaurant close to Ukuku's near the Plaza de Armas
• "2 Nations" on Huaynapata, not too far and not too close to the Plaza de Armas, is a very new restaurant opened up by an Australian named Matt. The food is excellent (coming from a very large, multi ethnic menu, with an amazing cook to boot), and the service is not just service; chances are you´ll find yourself chatting with Matt himself for half the night. This place is a certainly one of the best restaurants in Cusco, and it will definitely be in all the next travel books. Great prices too!
• If the delicious Peruvian food does not agree with your stomach, and you need a break, there is a restaurant called Jack's(thought by most to be the best restaurant in Cusco) which serves a variety of delicious close-to-home foods in large portions. This is the best place to get a big breakfast complete with eggs, bacon, avocado, toast. You name it... and they probably have it. It's located on Tullumayu street close to the top of the hill. Also, right outside of Jack's is an empanada stand which has the best rocoto (a spicy salsa that goes well on the cheese or meat-stuffed pastries.
• If you are not brave enough to try the empanadas on the street, stop by Meli Melo's near Limacpampa and order an empanada or a Bolivian saltena.
• And remember, that if you get sick, go to the nearest pharmacy and ask for Ciproflaxin or Cipro. If you can't remember that, just tell them, "Estoy enferma/o. Duele el estomago." and 90% of Cuzco pharmacists will give you Cipro.
• Another good piece advice if you get sick is to call a doctor; pharmacists shouldn't be trusted to make an evaluation of an illness and its cure. There is a clinic called "Hampi Land" on Choquechaka street just a few blocks away from the Plaza de Armas, and about one block away from "Jack's". It is also prudent to buy some sort of medical insurance before traveling.
• If you are looking for fresh fruits and vegetables, go to one of the open air markets. A good one is called Molino 2. This is close to the airport, so you might need to take a taxi.
• If you are looking for grocery stores there are only 2 in the city. The biggest one is called La Mega and is close to the Plaza de Tupac Amaru. The other is called Gato's Market and is located in the Plaza de Armas by Mama America. You can find uncommon foods such as sliced bread, milk not in a can or powder, and peanut butter at both.
• I'd like to dispute the claim that there are only 2 grocery stores in the entire city; there are 320,000 people in Cusco, imagine the chaos if they had only two grocery stores!!! Walking from the Plaza de Armas up Plateros street there are at least two grocery stores within the first block, and the same goes for Procuradores street. You'll see several grocery stores if you take the trouble to walk around.
• Victor Victoria on Calle Tsesequocha, just off Calle Tigre, is fantastic! Super friendly service. Great salad bar buffet included in all main dishes. Gorgeous garlic trout with rice or potatoes for 10 soles (including the salad bar buffet and lovely fresh bread). Great value breakfasts. HUGE glasses of freshly squeezed juice for 3.50 soles. Also they have a proper espresso machine for good coffee in the morning! Go there once and you´ll keep goin back, I promise :)
• Govindas vegetarian restaurant near Plaza de Armas. Not great. You pay 6 soles for a lousy glass of orange juice mixed with water. Food is just ok, pretty overpriced. There has to be better options for vegetarians in Cusco!
• Moni Cafe Restaurant, San Agustin 311, has been getting rave reviews for its vegetarian take on Peruvian food since 2001, great stuff!
• Cicciolinia's, Calle Triunfo 393 (at the end of the alley by the 12-sided stone), is a _very_ tasty place to go for breakfast!
• If you want something truly more local (and very cheap) and are willing to take risks of not the best methods of cleaning dishes. Head over to "el mercado", Its a roofed market where they sell delicious local bread, herbs, juices, souvenirs, DVDs, etc., But at the end of the market, there are the food stands, where they serve local food. For 2 soles you can get soup, an entree, and juice. El Mercado is located in front of the train station, all the locals know where the train station and el mercado is. This is where the local workers go for their meals, not exactly a tourist place, but they are friendly towards tourists anyway.
• El Fogon, Plateros 365 (Just off of Plaza de Armas, top floor), ☎ 233596. Nothing fancy but great cheap food: for 10 Soles (about US$3.50) get a meal deal that includes a plate from the salad bar, a selection of soup, a selection of main dish, a dessert and a beverage. Or splurge with their more expensive menu offer for 20 Soles. Very tasty Peruvian food.  edit

Drink

There are many clubs and pubs in cuzco, and there are always people handing out flyers around the Plaza de Armas. These usually include free drinks. The clubs are almost always busy, even during the week, do not have cover charges, and most are open until 3 at the earliest and 5 at the latest. The "hot-spots" change nightly; ask around and you will quickly find the crowds of travellers.

• Mama America, this is a popular place in Cuzco, a lot of people, good music, good atmosphere and free salsa lessons. Salsa starts at about 9 and goes until about 11. If you really want to learn some moves, dance with Carlos, Miguel, or Checo, who work there. It also plays host to the legendary 'crew' - lively lot of Lima ladies whose exploits with gringo males have reached mythical levels.
• If you want to get away from the tourist crowd for a while and dance the night away with the locals, head to Caos on la Avenida de la Cultura next to the post office. It's a huge very nice club with a great mix of music and exotic drinks.
• If you want to find a place with more locals in the Plaza de Armas, try El Muki, located across the street from Mama America. It has a unique cave-like interior and is one of the city's oldest discos.
• Mythology is another disco that offers salsa. If you want to learn Rueda Cubana, this is the place to go. Classes usually start around 9 and private lessons can be arranged with Cesar, the dance instructor. Mythology also offers a unique decor of gods and goddesses and has the cleanest restrooms of all of the nightclubs, by far.
• If you want to dance meringue and salsa all night, head to Garabato's which features a live salsa and meringue band most nights. This is where the salsa crowd goes after 10 or 11 when the other clubs stop playing salsa.
• If you are looking for live music head to Ukuku's. Features local and travelling artists that play a variety of different types of music including salsa, meringue, criolla, and afro-peruvian. Also the free drink tickets here is the pisco sour. There are great decorative masks in the walls and a huge wooden woman statue with butterfly wings, that´s awesome.
• Mama Africa is a popular club among tourists which plays a good mix of music and is always full. Just expect to wake up the next day with a bad hangover and awful memories of dancing to ABBA and the BeeGees.
• If you want some very cheap drinks before you go out dancing try Blue Moon on Tullumayo street. It's a small bar with a local crowd.
• If you want to chill with the hippy crowd go to the neighborhood of San Blas near the Plaza de Armas. There's a very chill restaurant/lounge called Los Perros (Tecsecocha 436) that offers delicious ethnic food and comfortable couches. If you want to hear a great percussion group, a great place to go is the Blue Martini. There is also a hookah lounge closeby.
• The Tea Room New to Cuzco is another chill place choc full of wall, furniture, and sculpture art, not to mention creative cocktails and funky chilled out music. Bring a group to chill and converse and enjoy their creative tea mixes and pastries. Or, free wi-fi. Avenida Santa Teresa 364, 2nd floor. 12pm-12am.
• Norton Rats is sort of a biker bar on the southeast side of the Plaza de Armas. They have pool and darts and a pretty cool atmosphere.
• Cusco has two Irish pubs. Paddy Flaherty's is at Triunfo 124 next to the cathedral, and serves a very good burger. The bathroom is questionable. Rosie O'Grady's is a block from the Plaza de Armas and is located at Santa Catalina Ancha 360. You can watch soccer or baseball on the big screen, and the staff is very friendly.
• Uptown is another good club on the square. They will show movies in the afternoon on the projector for your group if you ask (and buy drinks). They have salsa lessons 9-11 at night, then hip hop and techno dancing until morning. Relatively small, but crowded and hoppin.
• The best place for live music in the city is Angelitos in San Blas, good mix of locals and gringos and always good music. Wednesdays and Saturdays are reggae nights.

Sleep

• San Blas - the area 4 blocks up the hill from the Plaza de Armas - where many new hospedajes/hostales have opened.

Hostels

• Hogar Clinica San Juan de Dios, Avenida Manzanares 264 (Urbanizacion Manuel Prado), +51 84 240 135, [7]. Private and double rooms and windows that look onto the majestic backdrop of Cusco that is a mountain range. Great service and daily egg breakfast made to your liking. This non-profit hostel forward's its earnings to the children's hospital right next door. Enjoy your stay as well as make a charitable contribution!

• Hospedaje Estrellita, Avenida Tullumayo 445. Shared double rooms surround a large concrete courtyard. There is a kitchen with a sociable commonroom with cable TV. A night cost 15 soles and includes a small breakfast. It's popular with gringos.

• LOKI Backpackers Hostel, Cuesta Santa Ana #601, Centro Historico, ph: +51 (0) 84 243705 (email:[8]), [9]. A new hostel set up by 4 backpackers in a 450 year old Peruvian national monument. Dorms from $6. Excellent evening menus served for ~$3, busy bar on weekend evenings, generally noisy place to stay, but loads of fun. Hot water with pressure in generally shared showers. If you like European-style hostels and want to meet young, hip travelers this is the place to be. Highly recommended. Note that it is far enough from Plaza de Armas (and uphill) that you will want to take a taxi for 2 or 3 soles. The taxi driver may not know it by name, so give them the address. Make sure they drive down Cuesta Santa Ana rather than trying to drop you off at the top or the bottom of the hill, as it is a bit of a hike with your bags.

• The WalkOn Inn , Calle Suecia 504, ph: +51 (0) 84 235065 (email:[10]), [11], has very beautiful rooms with private or shared bathroom and two small dorms. Prices go up from $8. The place has a nice patio with a fireplace, it's completely clean and there is another sitting room with tv and cable and a computer with free internet on which to burn your own CD's or DVD's. WiFi freely available, laundry service at hand and good yet affordable brekkies. All of this at 2 blocks from the main square, close to the centre of 'fiesta' yet far enough not to be disturbed by it. Pressurized hot water available around the clock.

• Casa Arco Iris , Calle Arco Iris 535, Barrio San Cristobal, ph: +51 (0) 84 247526. Set in a centuries old building, the friendly owners have only being running Casa Arco Iris since early 2006, so it is still a bit empty, making it very calm and quiet. Rooms from $4.

• Rimacpampa Hostal Close to the plaza, [12]. Amazingly hot showers, with good water pressure (Hard to come by in Peru). TV and good food also.

• HOME SWEET HOME -EL MIRADOR [13]. Located at the charming area of Cusco , with full of small bars,restaurants and cafes.The view from the Hotel is AMAZING.Tv cable ,FREE INTERNET AND wi fi in all the house, REAL HOT SHOWERS and towels available,and warm bed available. Also you can use the kitchen. Only 6 blocks from the Main Square.

Asociacion San marcos A-3.San Blas -Cusco Tf:0051 84 231235

• Hostal "Sweet Daybreak" at Mirador de San Blas [14] This hostal offers you one of the best panoramic views in town. It's a special place where you can relish the magic and magnetism of Cusco´s landscapes and culture, where people build friendships and interchange different ideas and cultures. The hostal offers showers with hot gas-heated water 24/24h, cable TV, wireless internet, laundry, cafeteria, free tourist information, a lovely rustic garden, dormitories, private rooms with or without bathroom, lovely people,... all a traveller is looking for. A comfortable and safe stay. 'Direction': Calle Pasñapakana 133, a 2 minutes walk from the Plazoleta San Blas, 4 blocks from the Plaza de Armas (Main Square)/ www.hostalsweetdaybreak.com [15]/ Tel: 0051(0)84 225776

Budget

• Hospedaje Corona Real, Av Huascar 226, 808111. Quiet and cheap option about 15 minutes walk from the city center. Rooms are spacious and have private bathroom and local television and cost 15 soles pppn.

• Amaru Hostal I, Cuesta San Blas 541. Quiet and cheap option about 3 blocks from the Plaza de Armas. Rooms are decent sized; Rooms have private or shared bath facilities and television. Rooms cost between $18 USD to $55 USD per room depending on type of bed(s), occupancy and season. website: http://www.cusco.net/amaru/ email: amaruhostal@speedy.com.pe

• Amaru Hostal II, Chihuampata 642. Quiet and cheap option about 2-3 blocks from the Plaza de Armas. Rooms cost between $28 USD to $48 USD per room depending on type of bed(s), occupancy and season. website: http://www.amaruhostal.com email: amaruhostal2@speedy.com.pe

Mid-range

• Hostal Familiar, Calle Saphi 661, three blocks from Plaza de Armas. Singles go for $8.00 @ night with private bathroom + hot water.

• Hotel El Balcon, 222 Tambo de Montero, a short distance from Plaza de Armas, awesome interior design, delicious breakfast and moderate prices. From Plaza de Armas, follow Plateros a block and a half or so. The hotel is in a lane up the hill. About half a block up, look for the door on the right. The sign is above the door, so you may not see it unless you walk on the opposite side of the lane.

• Hoteles Garcilaso, Calle Garcilaso 233-285. There are two of them on the same block. Good location on the block between the Plaza San Francisco and the other small plaza that is one block from the Plaza de Armas. I stayed here in a double for $75 dollars a night (I paid too much). It is a good option but you should not pay what I paid (haggling hotel rooms should be your default). It is worth more like $30-45 per night. As in a lot of places, the inside rooms are the way to go because they are quiet at night. Tel 51-84/ 233031, 233501, 227951, 222425. www.hotelesgarcilaso.com

• Orquidea Real, Calle Alabado 520, (email:[16]) [17] The colonial building has original Inca walls and exposed wood beams, and the rustic accommodations are simply decorated in a cozy mountain lodge aesthetic. All rooms are oriented toward Cuzco below, offering panoramic views.

• Gran Hostal Machu Picchu, Calle Quera 282, ph: +51 (0) 84 23 1111.

• Hostal Rumi Punku, Calle Choquechaca 339. Hostal Rumi Punku is an attractive hotel in old Cusco. Rumi Punku means "stone door" in Quechua: the entrance to the hotel leads through an ancient stone door, obviously of Inca design. The doorway is all that has survived of an Inca palace: today the door is considered a historic construction by the city of Cusco.

• Casa San Blas Boutique Inn, Tucoyeros 566. The hotel is situated in San Blas, which has been the historic artisan's quarter of Cusco since Inca times, and lies just two and a half blocks from the main square. It is a neighborhood of narrow, picturesque cobbled streets and whitewashed colonial-era houses, with red-tiled roofs and wooden balconies. Ultra-friendly staff and affordable, charming rooms.

Splurge

• The Garden House Hotel, Tel +51-(0)84-271117 (email: [18]), [19]. A fabulous family-run boutique hotel set in the largest private garden in Cusco. Beautifully decorated, modern (WiFi etc), and just the perfect place to stay if you want to have a genuinely non-touristy experience (in one of the most touristy cities in the world).
• Hotel Royal Inka I or II, [20] Located right in front of the Plaza Regocijo, about 150 meters from la Plaza de Armas. Royal Inka I is a renovated house while Royal Inka II is more modern with a spa (jacuzzi and steam room). There is a great breakfast.
• Hotel Monasterio, Calle Palacios 136, Plazoleta Nazarenas, ph: +51 (0) 84 24 1777, (email: [21]), [22]. Housed in a former monastery, the Hotel Monasterio is a beautiful hotel that is steeped in history. The rooms are former monks' cells, but they are far from monastic. By far the most expensive place to stay Cuzco. If you are looking for luxury in Cuzco, this is the place to find it. (avoid rooms 414 through 419, which are near a noisy generator)
• Hotel Marqueses Calle Garcilaso N° 256, ph: (+51 84) 264249(email: [23]), [24]. The official hotel of SAS travel. The hotel personnel are outstanding and the rooms are more then comfortable. The hotel is centurally located in the heart of the tourist district, only two blocks from the Plaza des Armas.

Stay Safe

• Drugs - Drug law enforcement is very severe in Peru - that is, years in prison and no pleasure. Consider that many "long resident tourists" are part of the scene. It is already a felony that you "consider to maybe accept" an offer to buy. Keep this in mind, but know that locals have been seen smoking pot in the streets of Huanchacho, Ayacucho and other places.

• Although Cuzco is, in general, relatively safe, as in any urban area, muggings and petty thefts do occur. Use common sense and you should be fine. Don't wander alone away from the Plaza de Armas late at night. Don't flaunt your valuables around. Be conscious of what is going on around you. For example, be wary if you are approached by people trying to sell you stuff in the streets and try to strike up a long conversation. It's possible that they are distracting you while someone else is pickpocketing you. Only take taxis that are well marked, and if you are taking a taxi alone at night, write down the number and call a friend (or pretend to call a friend if you don't have a phone) saying, so the driver can hear, that you are coming home in taxi #... Also, try not to set yourself apart as a clueless tourist by wearing expensive or flashy clothing or revealing clothing in a particularly conservative region of Peru (the locals do not wear shorts and tank-tops around).

• Watch for the feral dogs that hit the streets at night, rummaging through trash. Peruvians love dogs, and most of the time the animals are friendly. Just use common sense and project confidence and you shouldn't be bothered. Just in case, make sure you get a rabies shot before entering the country.

Get out

Amazing Inca walls at Sacsayhuamán

• Visit The Four Archaeological Ruins Nearby. The closest and largest of these ruins is the amazing Inca Sacsayhuamán (sometimes called Saqsaywaman and pronounced "Sexy Woman") ruins high above Cuzco. It is a steep climb from the Plaza de Armas up Plateros street which changes to Saphi. Look for the long staircase on the right, follow the paved curvy road up to the next cobblestone pedestrian path and follow this climb past the first closed control point to the second control. No need to take a cab if you can handle it. But, be careful, as robberies have been reported in mornings and evenings. There is a charge to explore the ruins at the second control or present your the boleto turistico. Those on a budget can get a sense of the ruins without paying by walking up the hill and up to the entrance. You can then walk to the adjacent hill with the big Jesus on it and look down on the city. However, the sheer size of the stones that were moved and the importance of the battle there make it worth entrance fee. Read up on the battle beforehand as the guides don't discuss it. Also, a view of the circular base of the former tower as shown in many of the photos is not possible due to the protective ropes. Go earlier in the morning as later visits are disrupted by whistles from guards telling unobservant tourists to get off the ruins.

The Second site up the road from Sacsayhuamán is Qenko or Q'enqo. Take the cumbi shared busses up the hill for one sole or take a walk of about one half to one kilometer up a gradual incline to visit the site. Its name means "Zig-Zag" in Quecha, and probably refers to the Zig-Zag channels carved into a rock. Explore the pass through cave and view the altar on which llamas were sacrificed. The large erect stone shown on the boleto turistico is a solar calendar. On each side of the stone is a square wall two stones high. Each stone is representative of a number of days, the total is the total days in the year. Opposite the stone are the familiar windows in which mummies and human remains were discovered. Accessible with the boleto turistico

Pukapukara means red fort and is named after the red hue of the hillsides nearby. The third site along the route, even heartier walkers will find the walk a bit long and a bit steep despite the paved and well traveled road. However, the views along the walk are great and small mud brick bars are intermittent between the sites. Hire a taxi or take a cumbi shared bus up from Qenko for one sole to save time and energy. A larger site than Q'engo, the guides have more to say about this site. It was likely a checkpoint or military control. Offerings of coca leaves amongst other things were received here. Accessible with the boleto turistico

Tambomachay is the farthest ruin on the route from Cuzco. It is a small site with an ornamental fountain whose source is unknown as reportedly archaeologists lack the tools necessary to determine the source without damaging the site. Likely it is an underground spring. In several Incan sites such as Ollentaytambo water sources were covered or underground to protect the water supply from poisoning. Accessible with the boleto turistico. Bathrooms are free with the Boleto. Take a cumbi all the way back to plaza de las armas in Cuzco for one sole.

Hitting all four sites in one day: If interested, pay/negotiate for a guide at the second control at Sacsayhuamán to tour you through all four sites. Ask the guard at the ticket control which guides have been through the government training. Expect between 60 and 80 soles depending upon the season which is about 15 to 20 soles per site. Allow 4 to 5 hours for the trip when taking the Cumbis shared busses. Pack a snack although water is available along the way. Bathrooms (clean and well maintained) are only available at the final site Tambomachay. A boleto turisitico is recommended as control points exist at three of the four sites and are carefully monitored.

• Pisac - Visit the colorful market and climb up to the expansive ruins to the religious site and cemetery behind. Twenty miles from Cuzco. Accessible with the boleto turistico.

• Ollantaytambo - visit the religous center that during the spanish conquest doubled as a fortress. A great place to visit on the return from Machu Picchu or an alternative if you don't want to visit Machu Picchu. Great place to stay too. Forty eight miles from Cuzco. Accessible with the boleto turistico.

• Moray (Peru) - Visit the agricultural lab of the incas. Several cocentric circles up to 150 meters deep caused temperature changes of between 2-4 degrees celcius. Seeds were developed here and spread throughout the empire. Forty two miles from Cuzco. Accessible with the boleto turistico.

• Tipon - Visit the farming terraces, water channels and long staircases believed to be a part of the Incan royal estate. Here sits the largest hydraulic system built by the incas (much of it still functioning) as well as an Incan cemetary. Fourteen miles from Cuzco. Accessible with the boleto turistico.

• Lake Titicaca PeruRail [25] connects Cuzco to Juliaca and Puno ($19 Tourist/Backpacker class, $130 Andean Explorer class, both one-way), and the journey is one of the most spectacular rail journeys in the world, passing both through amazing scenery and the middle of small towns. The journey should take 10 hours, but there are often delays. The 'scenic stop' included at La Raya is a bit of a waste of time, though it's included anyway. *Forget the Train, take the bus! There are several buses that travel to Lake Titicaca, which are compareably priced, and takes less time. They also stop at 5 or 6 interesting spots along the trip, including the "Sistine Chapel of South America"

Machu Picchu

• Machu Picchu - the atmospheric ruin perched below the Andes and above the jungle. For the best experience, walk there on the Inca Trail, which is certainly worth the exercise! There are numerous tour companies which organise such trips, costing $365-450 USD with all travel costs. As of April 2008, a one-way trip on PeruRail [26] costs $71.00 for Vistadome class, and $58.00 Backpacker class. This journey takes about 4 hours if travelling the whole way, but most people coming back from Machu Picchu get off at Poroy and take a connecting bus to Cuzco. This saves a about 45 minutes, as after this stop, the train does switchbacks to get down the hill to the train station in Cuzco.

• Choquequirao - Those that weren't able or didn't know to book the Machu Picchu trek three months in advance can visit this site which is described by some to be as impressive as the Machu Picchu site but without the crowds. The site is only accessible by a four day trek.

• Puno - Visiting Lake Titicaca is the perfect way to complete a journey to the Southern Andes. It is possible to travel from Cusco taking a direct 30 minutes flight, traveling by train or by road, which allows stopping at various interesting sites on the route such as Andahuaylillas, Piquillacta, Tipon, Huaro, Raqchi or Lampa as well as witnessing stunning landscapes.

There are several smaller bus terminals in Cuzco that travel to other destinations around the Sacred Valley of the Incas:

• Av. Grau 525 -- Cuzco - Chinchero - Urubamba.
• Calle Puputi 208 --- Cuzco - Pisac - Yucay - Urubamba.
• Av. Tullumayo 207 --- Cuzco - Pisac - Calca.
• Av. De La Cultura 1320 --- Cuzco - Urcos ( Tipon - Piquillacta - Andahuaylilas).

From Wikitravel

Postcard Perfect : Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu [1] is the site of the ruins of an ancient Inca city. It is near Cuzco, in Peru, and was discovered in the early 20th century. This is one of the most spectacular sets of ruins in the world; a visit to Peru would not be complete without seeing it.

Understand

These remarkable ruins were only rediscovered (by the English-speaking world) in 1911 by the American archaeologist Hiram Bingham. Perched dramatically 1000 ft above the Urubamba river, Machu Picchu is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is also the end point of the most popular hike in South America, the Inca Trail.

The story of Machu Picchu is quite a remarkable one; it is still unknown exactly what the site was in terms of its place in Inca life. Current researchers tend to believe that Machu Picchu was a country resort for elite Incans. At any given time, there were not more than 750 people living at Machu Picchu, with far less than that during the rainy season. One thing that is clear is that it was a remarkably well hidden place, and well protected. Located far up in the mountains of Peru, visitors had to travel up long valleys littered with Inca check points and watch towers. Remarkably, the Spanish conquistadors missed the site, and Bingham only located the site by chance. On a wet day in 1911, he traveled up the slopes with a few companions from his expedition. On meeting local peasants, they told him about ancient ruins that covered the area. To Bingham's amazement, he had found the lost Inca city of Machu Picchu.

Get in

Visiting Machu Picchu isn't cheap. As of March 2009, the entrance fee is 124.00 soles; students with an ISIC pay 61 soles. With the train ticket to Machu Picchu Pueblo, also formerly known as Aguas Calientes and a night's accommodation it easily adds up to US$100.

Visitors to Machu Picchu leave from Cuzco. From there, a visitor has the following options to reach Machu Picchu:

• Train: The most common way is to take the train to Machu Picchu in the morning, explore the ruins for a few hours and return to Cusco in the afternoon. The train terminates at Puente Ruinas station, where buses take tourists up the mountain to Machu Picchu. The Machu Picchu station is located at Aguas Calientes; this is not the station used by tourists on a day trip.

• On foot: Hiking the Inca Trail is an alternative to get in and a great way to arrive as you first see the city through the Sun Gate (instead of arriving from beneath on the bus). Both the four-day and two-day hikes are controlled by the government. Travelers should be fit enough to walk for days and sleep in tents. A hiker can also follow the train tracks all the way to Machu Picchu. There is only one track leading out of the Machu Picchu train station in Cusco, so its quite simple. It takes about four days, and you only have to pay the entrance fee.

• Bus: From Machu Picchu pueblo Aguas Calientes a traveler can take one of the frequent buses to the ruins (US$7 each way). It is also possible to walk the distance, about 2 hours (8 km).

• Helicopter: Helicopter flights direct into Machu Picchu stopped in the 1970s due to concerns about harm to the ruins. However, a helicopter service from Cusco to Aguas Calientes is available.

• Machupicchu By Car, daily departure by van from Cusco to Machupicchu. At $130 per person ($110 student), this 2-day/1-night package is a great deal if you consider that a round-trip Backpacker train ticket alone costs $96. The package includes the round-trip; one night at their own hostal (private bathrooms) in Aguas Calientes; one lunch, one dinner, one breakfast; entrance fee to Machupicchu; guided tour; round-trip train ride Hidro-Aguas Calientes. Note that the package does not include the $7 bus fare (each way) from Aguas Calientes to Machupicchu, allowing you to choose to either purchase one way, round-trip, or walk it all.

Get around

Big backpacks are not allowed, but there is a luggage storage at the entrance for Inca Trailers and small backpacks are allowed. Once inside, parts of the park are only accessible by foot. Some require a great deal of walking.

See

Take the time to walk around the site; there are many places to see and explore. Although it is not necessary, taking a guided tour does provide a deeper insight into the ancient city, its uses, and information on the geography of it. Also, be sure to wake up early to miss the thousands of people that visit the site each day, or stay till closing time. The first buses start running at 5:40am, which will give you an hour or two in the pleasant light of dawn but before the full force of the sun begins hammering the mountainside. (If you plan to stay past 10am, sunblock is requisite.)

• Temple of the Sun - Near the summit of the main city, the stonework on the temple is incredible. Look closely and you will see that there are a variety of stone walls throughout the city. Most are rough stones held together with mud, the common stone walls found throughout the world. But many buildings or parts of buildings are done with the more distinctive and impressive closely-fit stonework. The temple is the absolute pinnacle of this technology. Observe it from the side, descending the stone staircase in the main plaza.
• Intihuatana
• Temple of the Three Windows
• Main Temple
• Condor - The tour guides will try to tell you that this was a temple, but look closely: between the wings of the condor is a chamber with grooves cut in the stone to secure manacles, a walkway behind where a torturer may walk to whip the prisoner's backs, and a scary looking pit to let the blood of prisoners drain. Clearly the condor was a symbol of cruel justice, but a santized version is told for the benefit of middle-aged tourists and their children.

The following sights involve some legwork:

Sun Gate

Walk back up the Inca trail away from the site and up the hill to the Sun Gate (or Inti Punku); from here you can see back down each valley offering excellent views. It's a gentle walk (probably 45 mins tops round trip) and well worth it. If you stay in Aguas Callientes, it is possible to get here early enough to catch the sunrise from here.

Waynapicchu

Walk up Waynapicchu (in Spanish Huayna Picchu); this is the "second" hill seen in the many photos. Its a steep but short walk offering very impressive views over the site. Well worth the effort! Waynapicchu also has ruins atop its peak.

As of November 2006, visitors are no longer accepted after 1 p.m. to start the trail, and all visitors must be out by 4:00p.m. Only 400 visitors are allowed to enter this trail each day. Buses begin leaving for Machu Picchu at 5:30. A line forms early at the checkpoint to the trail. At 7:00 400 ticket numbers are issued and the first of batch of 200 hikers is slowly released. The second group of 200 can start any time between 10:00 and 11:00. On busy tourist days, the limit will be reached by 7 or 8. It is recommended that you go straight here first thing. You will be required to sign in; remember your number (or the time you signed in) so that you can find yourself in the book to sign out again.

The climb is steep and at times exposed, and takes about 1 hour each way. Some portions are slippery and steel cables (a via ferrata) provide some support. Decent footwear is important. There is an extremely narrow passage near the summit (a cave). Two cautionary notes: The hike is somewhat strenuous and not advised for visitors who are elderly, pregnant or have heart/lung conditions. Also, the steep stairs and cliffs you must walk along at the summit can be terrifying for those who are afraid of heights.

• If you have some time at hand, or long for a sparkle of solitude, you can also walk to the Moon Temple (Templo de la Luna) and the Great Cave (Gran Caverne). It's a long walk and adventurous hike involving several ladders. Some may find that the sites aren't really rewarding, but unexpected wildlife can be seen (wild spectacled bears have been reported). This hike is also quite interesting because partway through you leave behind the mountain terrain and enter a more conventional forest. The caves can be reached either by hiking down the trail from the peak of Waynapicchu (which includes some semi-harrowing but fun near-vertical descents) or by the split from the main Waynapicchu trail (look for the sign that says Gran Carvern). Remember that it is much easier to descend from Waynapicchu than to ascend from these temples. Be sure to bring plenty of water and snacks for this long hike. The hike from the summit to the caves and back to the checkpoint takes about two more hours.

Do

Buy

In Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu, prices can be double of what they are in Cuzco.

Eat

It's officially not allowed to bring food into the archeological site. But if you're planning to stay the whole day, bring some snacks or sandwiches and plenty of water (just be sure not to litter). Your ticket will tell you that you cannot bring food or water bottles into the site, although many people do take them anyway. Buying them at the site is expensive, and plastic bottles are not offered (glass only). Purchase food and plenty of water and bring it with you.

The concession stand near the entrance of the site is pitiful in its offerings and gets very busy at lunchtime. Once in the site, it's not possible to buy food or drinks.

There is a cafeteria near the site, where the locals who work there eat. Ask one of them and if you're lucky, you'll be rewarded with a cheap, filling, and unique alternative to the expensive tourist snack-stand.

• Tinkuy Buffet Restaurant, Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, +51 84 21 1039/38, [2]. 11:30am-3:00pm. Casual lunch buffet with nice picture windows. Expensive: About $33 for buffet lunch, approximately four times that of area restaurants.

• Tampu Restaurant Bar (Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge guests only). 5:30am-9:00am, Noon-3:00pm, 6:30pm-9:30pm. Expensive, but it's at the ruins site.

Better food choices can be found by taking one of the regular buses to Aguas Calientes (the small town on the train stop to Cuzco) where there are numerous restaurants. These restaurants are not up to the standards of those in Cuzco or Lima, but are generally satisfactory. They tend to be moderately high priced. Some guidebooks report an unusually high incidence of food poisoning in the area, possibly attributable to the fairly common power outages (with loss of refrigeration). Cooked pizza and bottled beer or soft drinks are safe bets, salads and Pisco sours (made with raw egg whites) are best avoided here.

Drink

Sleep

Rather than returning from the ruins the same day, a traveller can stay overnight near the ruins. There are many hotels at nearby Aguas Calientes, but only one hotel at Machu Picchu itself.

Machu Picchu is not a regular town, but a protected sanctuary where new construction is not allowed. That is why all of the places to sleep, with a single exception, are in nearby Aguas Calientes. This lively town offers a wide assortment of lodging options with choices that range from no-frills hostels for backpackers, to very sophisticated hotels. It is recommended to do a thorough hotel research before committing.

• The only hotel in Machu Picchu is the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, +51 84 21 1039/38, [3] [4]. Guests of this hotel can visit the ruins with the same schedule of travellers who sleep in Aguas Calientes, but can enjoy the magnificent isolation of the sanctuary. The hotel also allows guests to cut out all transfer times from the citadel to their accommodation, allowing for a longer, more relaxing time at Machu Picchu.

Stay safe

d

Get out

From Wikitravel

Ollantaytambo (called by locals Ollanta) is a town in the Sacred Valley of the Incas near Cuzco in the Southern Sierra region of Peru. This is where the Incas retreated after the Spanish took Cuzco. Much of the town is laid out in the same way as it was in Inca times.

Get in

By bus

There are frequent buses to and from Urubamba (2 soles); further connection can be made to Cuzco there (3 soles). At 3:50pm, 4:40pm and 5:20pm there are direct buses leaving from Av Grau 525 in Cuzco (5 soles).

By rail

Two types of trains arrive at the station. The first is locals only that is heavily monitored to ensure no tourists ride it. There are hefty fines if caught on the locals' train. The second is the tourist train which runs Cusco/Ollantaytambo/Aguas Calientes. If you are doing the Inca Trail, you will want to get on the train to Aguas Calientes and get off when the train stops mid-route.

There are three types of tourist trains. Ordered by descending price, they are the Hiram Bingham, Vistadome, and Backpacker trains.

If you purchase a ticket from Cusco to Aguas Calientes, you cannot get of at Ollantaytambo for a few hours and then use the same ticket from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes. If you want to spend time in Ollantaytambo, it is more cost effective to take a bus to Urubamba from Cusco and then a connecting bus to Ollantaytambo.

After Trekking to Machu Picchu

Many guide services include a train ride from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo or all the way to Cuzco as a part of the guided services. In the former situation, trekkers are expected to pay for their own bus from Ollantaytambo to Cuzco and are informed of this in advance. Taking the bus from Ollantaytambo to Cuzco as opposed to the trains full route saves a half hour to an hour. Inquire with your tour operator in advance as to which tickets they purchase. Tickets purchased by the guide services to Ollantaytambo can be changed at the station the day of or the day before depending upon seat availability. Change fees can range from 0-$20 depending upon the class of train that is being changed to. Arrive at least 45 minutes early as there may be a line, for the earliest trains (5:30am) the ticket office opens at 5am.

Additional note: Travelers & Trekkers can can make excellent use of the obligatory return trip to Cuzco by staying the night in Aguas Calientes after visiting Machu Picchu and visiting the Ollantaytambo ruins, the salt mines near Urubamba, the Incan agricultural lab of Moray, or the ruins above Pisac the next day (all of which are along the route back to Cuzco in route order). Choose two sites and allow a half day for each site for relaxed viewing, transit, and meals. The last busses from Pisac to Cuzco leave around 8pm. Be aware of your belongings on busses after dark. Or, stay in Pisac and backtrack to any of the sites the next day. Inquire at Ulrike´s cafe in Pisac for lodging recommendations (open until 9pm).

Get around

Walking or cycling is the best idea. Three wheeled moto-taxis and regular taxis are available at the train station but are not necessary. The walk from the train station to the main plaza is approximately a quarter mile. It can be broken up by various restaurants that line the way even after the busiest sections. It is a two minute walk from the main plaza to the ruins.

See

• Take a stroll through the town. There are still several houses dating back from Incan time.
• Ruins of Ollantaytambo - ruins of largely religous significance, they doubled as the the last and largest defensive structures near the plains below where the Incas defeated the Spaniards in battle [1]. Admission with boleto turistico (can be purchased at entrance to ruins). Local guides can be hired in the market area below the ruins (20 soles). Or, do it yourself by purchasing the book most of the guides use, ¨Cuzco and the sacred valley of the Incas¨(salazar and salazar) which has an extensive section on Ollantaytambo. The book can be purchased in the market below the ruins (50 soles) or in advance in Cuzco (35 soles). Neither the guides nor the guidebook discuss the battles, for information on this research on your own in advance. Tour´s focus largely on the unique architectural significance of the suns´rays on the carved face of the canyon wall and on the temple walls, the still functioning fountains, and the large stone operating table.
• Museo CATCCO [2] is the town museum, cultural and informational center for the town. Visit the nearby museum store for high quality fair trade textiles from nearby Quechua communities.

Do

Look for houses with red plastic bags hanging outside on posts. These houses are where locals go to drink Chicha, a local brew made out of corn. It is a great way to experience the local flavor, provided that you speak enough spanish to communicate with the other Chicha drinkers. It is advisable that you look for a place that serves things other than Chicha, as some people find the taste unpleasant. It should probably be mentioned that this is because Chicha is made by people chewing the corn and then allowing the saliva-corn mixture to ferment.

• KB Tambo[3], a hostel, restaurant, mountain bike, and adventure tour office rents mountain bikes by the day and arranges tours. If you're lucky, KB himself will lead the tour; if you get this opportunity you should jump on it, and be advised you're likely in for some serious adventure.

• The Chet, an Ollantaytambo exclusive! Ask any local or long-time visitor for details.

Buy

There are several shops, mainly Inca souvenir types. A market plaza for tourists sits at the entrance to the ruins, small shops up the hill from the plaza may carry the same items and be more willing to negotiate. On the way from the ruins to the plaza, look to your right before the bridge for the CATCCO fair trade shop. Emphasis is on woven goods, a selection of books, and friendly english speaking staff can be found.

Eat

There are several restaurants in Ollantaytambo:

• Cafe Mayu[4] is located on the Ollantaytambo train station where you can grab a very good espresso or cappuccino as well as chocolate chip cookies and brownies. You can browse their menu for great breakfast and lunch options.

• El Albergue Restaurant[5] within the El Albergue B&B this new restaurant has a first rate open kitchen where you can see your alpaca and trout dinners being prepared. Menu options include homemade fettuccine, sandwiches and great breakfast. In the evening white table cloths are spread, candles are lit, and the restaurant becomes a first rate dining experience.

• Kusicoyllor Restaurant Cafe offers novo andine & international cuisine,provide a good an unique view to the ruins, a candelite atmosphere for the dinner,Kusicoyllor restaurant is most common know to have the best coffee in Cusco.Located just near de Ollantaytambo fortress. Phone 204114

• Hearts Cafe [6], is on the main square of Ollantaytambo with views across the plaza onto the Inca temple-fortress. Profits go to children's projects in the Sacred Valley. Pleasant pavement dining, quality coffee, book exchange, and plenty of magazines.

• KB Tambo[7], a hostel, restaurant, mountain bike, and adventure tour office, has very excellent food by Chef Alejo, a Chilean native who has lived in Ollanta for 15 years. KB Tambo is located just down the hill towards the ruins from the Main Plaza. www.kbperu.com

Drink

There are several bars around the Main Plaza.

Hang out at El Ganso with very down-to-earth owner "Acha".

Sleep

Hostels

• KB Tambo,+011(51 84)-204091 [8]. Recently newly reconstructed with private baths in every room, pleasant courtyard garden and awesome rooftop deck with ruins views. English speaking owner - "KB" (very dynamic and interesting guy) - also rents mountain bikes by the day or will arrange a tour. Most excellent restaurant with food by Chef Alejo. KB Tambo is located at the top of Ave Ferrocarril, the road from the railway station, at the intersection of the main road through town (Calle Ventidero). Rates $10-$28 per person.
• Hotel Munay T'ika, - This hostal has been under recent renovations. It is just up the road from the railway station, not too far from Pakaritampu. It is an inexpensive but clean hostal that also provides breakfast of breads, jams, eggs, banana pancakes, coffee and tea in the mornings (approximately $30/night).

Budget

• Hostal Las Orquideas, +011 (51 84)-204032 Ave Ferrocarril. Small rooms around courtyard with shared bath. Often used by tour groups. Upper floor has view of ruins. Rates $20-$40.

Mid-Range

• Hostal Sauce, Calle Ventiderio 248, +011(51-84)-204044, Fax: +011(51-84)-204048,[9] Located at the top of the road to the train station and Calle Ventiderio (the main road through town). Just off the main square, centrally located, some rooms have views of the Ollantaytambo ruins, breakfast included, no restaurant. Rates $88-$145.
• El Albergue Ollantaytambo , Ollantaytambo Train Station platform, Telefax: +011 (51-84)204014 [10]. A lovely bed & breakfast with hot showers, beautiful gardens and friendly staff. The dining room offers home style cooking and great breakfast. The proprietor, Wendy Weeks, has been living in Peru for 30 years. Affordable prices, excellent food, English spoken. Don’t forget to take the sauna included in price of room. Knowledgeable staff offers great orientation and arrangements for day hikes, tours and activities. Hammocks in the back a great addition if you choose to just hang out. Rates $58 -$74. DURING PEAK SEASON (MAY 1ST – AUGUST 31) MINIMUM STAY OF TWO NIGHTS IS REQUIRED, discounted December-March.

Splurge

• Hotel Pakaritampu,+011(+51-84)-204020 [11] Located about halfway down Ave Ferrocarril between the main square and the railway station. Recently constructed modern rooms. Beautiful garden. Restaurant and bar. Business Center. Rates $127-$276.

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