Alternative Ollantaytambo Tour: Hidden Inca Sites
Beyond the main ruins: Ñaupa Iglesia, Qellorakay, and Pumamarca, Ollantaytambo’s hidden Inca sites.
Most visitors to Ollantaytambo see only the main terraced fortress, but the surrounding area holds several remarkable Inca sites that most tours skip entirely. The Alternative Ollantaytambo Tour takes you to the Ñaupa Iglesia cave temple, the Qellorakay terrace system, the Pumamarca Inca fortress, and the Pata Pata agricultural terraces — all within the same valley, but far from the crowds.
This is the budget-friendly version of an Ollantaytambo day trip: transport and guiding are included, but you pay entrance tickets separately.
Kondor Path Tours runs this tour entirely; we are a locally owned, government-licensed operator headquartered in Cusco—no booking agents or middlemen involved.
Want the classic Sacred Valley circuit (Moray, Chinchero, Maras) instead? See our Sacred Valley from Ollantaytambo tour.
| 🥾 Duration | Full day (round-trip from Cusco) |
| ⛰️ Max altitude | 3,390 m / 11,122 ft — Pumamarca |
| 🎫 Entrance tickets | NOT included — paid separately (BTG ticket or partial ticket) |
| 💪 Difficulty | Easy |
| 📅 Season | Year-round |
| 👥 Group size | 1–10 travelers (11+ contact us) |
| 🔞 Minimum age | 5+ years |
| 💲 Price | Scalable from $39 USD per person (groups of 1–10) |
Start your Alternative Ollantaytambo Tour journey — 1 day of real adventure. – Ñaupa Iglesia — a natural cave where the Incas built a temple around a water source. – Qellorakay ruins — an Inca terrace system on both sides of the Urubamba River. – Ollantaytambo’s megalithic “tired stones” — giant carved blocks moved from the Cachicata quarry. – Pumamarca — an Inca military bastion that once guarded the Sacred Valley’s entrance from the Pantiacolla. That’s the Alternative Ollantaytambo Tour, in a nutshell.
The Alternative Ollantaytambo Tour goes beyond the main archaeological park to explore the sites that surround it — a natural cave temple, ancient terrace systems, and an Inca fortress that once guarded the entrance to the Sacred Valley from the Amazon lowlands. Like the Chinchero Sacred Valley Tour, this is the budget-friendly version: transport and guiding included, entrance tickets paid separately.
| Feature | Alternative Ollantaytambo Tour | Sacred Valley from Ollantaytambo |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Hidden sites around Ollantaytambo | Moray, Chinchero, Maras |
| Ideal for | Travelers who’ve already seen the main fortress | First Sacred Valley visit while based in Ollantaytambo |
| Entrance tickets | Not included | Varies |
This full-day tour goes beyond Ollantaytambo’s main archaeological park to visit the sites most travelers never see: the Ñaupa Iglesia cave temple, the Qellorakay terrace system, and the Pumamarca Inca fortress, which once guarded the Sacred Valley’s approach from the Amazon lowlands. It’s built for travelers who’ve already seen the classic Ollantaytambo ruins and want a deeper, quieter look at the surrounding valley.
The day’s highest point, Pumamarca, sits at 3,390 m — a modest elevation compared to the region’s high passes — and involves a series of short walks (5 to 35 minutes each) between sites rather than sustained climbing. Because the tour operates as a series of easy stops rather than a continuous trek and stays close to the Sacred Valley’s already moderate elevation, minimal altitude adjustment is needed beyond the standard time spent acclimatizing in Cusco before any Sacred Valley excursion.
Your guide picks you up from your hotel at 07:30 AM. The drive heads through the Sacred Valley via Izcuchaca to the Valley of Pachar, where the first stop is the Ñaupa Iglesia — a natural cave where the Incas built a temple around a water source, its font carved with the stepped design of the Inca cross, surrounded by an Inca terrace system.
From there, the tour continues to the Qellorakay platforms on the outskirts of Ollantaytambo, walking along both sides of the Urubamba River, with views of ancient control houses built into the cliffs of Pinkuylluna Mountain. The route then passes several megalithic “tired stones” — giant carved blocks moved from the Cachicata quarry, some of which never reached their intended destination at the Temple of the Sun.
Your guide leads you through the sacred temples of Ollantaytambo’s main sectors — the Sun, the Moon, the Condor, the ten-niched wall, and the three ceremonial fountains — before continuing to the Inca military bastion of Pumamarca (3,390 m), which once guarded the Sacred Valley’s approach from the Amazon lowlands. The day concludes with a visit to the Pata Pata terraces, an entire mountainside shaped for Inca agriculture.
Day 1 stats
None
Moderate
A light walks
5 to 35 minutes
Ñaupa Iglesia: 2,800m (9,186 ft)
Ollantaytambo: 2,851m (9,353 ft)
Puma Marca: 3,390m (11,122 ft)
Looking for something different in duration or pace? Compare it with our Sacred Valley from Ollantaytambo.
No optional add-ons apply here beyond the entrance tickets already covered under “What’s Not Included.”
Private transport, a professional guide, and a full day visiting Ñaupa Iglesia, Qellorakay, the main Ollantaytambo sectors, Pumamarca, and Pata Pata. Entrance tickets are not included.
Yes. The Cusco Tourist Ticket (BTG) — 130 soles (~$45 USD), valid 10 days — covers Ollantaytambo and other Sacred Valley sites. A partial ticket (70 soles, ~$25 USD) is available if you only plan to visit a few sites.
A natural cave near Ollantaytambo where the Incas built a temple around a water source, with a font carved in the shape of the Inca cross — surrounded by its own Inca terrace system.
An Inca military bastion that controlled access to the Sacred Valley from the Pantiacolla and Amparaes jungle lowlands, featuring plazas, houses, temples, storehouses, and defensive structures.
This tour focuses on the sites around Ollantaytambo — Ñaupa Iglesia, Qellorakay, Pumamarca, and Pata Pata — rather than just the main fortress, making it ideal for travelers who’ve already visited Ollantaytambo’s central park or want a deeper, less-crowded experience.
Rated Easy — a series of short walks (5 to 35 minutes each) between sites, suitable for most fitness levels.
Ollantaytambo sits at 2,792 m (9,160 ft). The highest point on this tour, Pumamarca, reaches 3,390 m (11,122 ft).
The recommended minimum age is 5 years old.
This tour operates year-round.
Built initially as a royal estate by the Inca emperor Pachacuti in the 15th century, Ollantaytambo later served as a stronghold for Inca resistance against the Spanish. It’s also one of the few continuously inhabited Inca towns in Peru.
Yes — ask us about combining this tour with Moray, Chinchero, or Maras on a custom itinerary.
Transparent, scalable group pricing. All prices include transport, guide, and driver. Entrance tickets and lunch are paid separately
| Persons | Price (p/p) | |
| 1 | $ 269.00 USD | |
| 2 | $ 149.00 USD | |
| 3 | $ 107.00 USD | |
| 4 | $ 83.00 USD | |
| 5 | $ 70.00 USD | |
| 6 | $ 60.00 USD | |
| 7 | $ 53.00 USD | |
| 8 | $ 48.00 USD | |
| 9 | $ 44.00 USD | |
| 10 | $ 39.00 USD |
