Ancasmarca Ruins Tour: A Hidden Inca Site Above Calca
A full day exploring the little-visited Ancasmarca ruins and the Sacred Valley towns below.
Ancasmarca receives a fraction of the visitors that Pisac or Ollantaytambo see in a single morning — which is exactly its appeal. This tour climbs above the town of Calca to reach the site’s hundreds of circular stone structures, likely used as Inca storehouses, before descending through the Unu Orqo water temple, the agricultural terraces of Yucay, and the Machu Qolqa viewpoint on the return to Cusco.
The altitude profile favors this direction of travel: Ancasmarca, the day’s highest point at roughly 3,850 m, comes first, while energy is at its peak. From there, the route descends steadily through Unu Orqo (2,926 m) and Yucay (2,857 m), both notably lower than Cusco itself, before climbing gently back up toward Machu Qolqa on the return.
| 💰 From | $39 USD per person (group of 10) |
| ⏱️ Duration | Full day (~7:30 AM–afternoon) |
| ⛰️ Altitude range | Yucay 2,857 m up to Ancasmarca ~3,850 m |
| 🚶 Physical level | Moderate — short walks, 5-35 minutes each |
| 📅 Season | April–December |
| 👥 Group size | Private, 1-10 travelers (10+, contact us) |
| 🎂 Minimum age | 5+ with a guardian over 21 |
A full day exploring one of the Sacred Valley’s least-visited archaeological sites. – Climb to Ancasmarca, hundreds of circular stone structures likely used as Inca storehouses. – Visit Unu Orqo, a water temple with a carved puma-and-serpent figure. – Walk the agricultural terraces of Yucay, still irrigated by centuries-old canals. – Finish at the Machu Qolqa viewpoint before returning to Cusco. This is the Ancasmarca Ruins Tour, start to finish.
Most Sacred Valley itineraries follow a well-worn circuit: Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero, Moray. Ancasmarca sits outside that circuit entirely, above the town of Calca, and sees only a trickle of visitors as a result — most who make the trip are drawn specifically by its scale: hundreds of circular stone structures spread across the hillside, their original purpose still debated among archaeologists.
The leading theory identifies them as qullqas, Inca storage structures for food and goods, though narrow streets, retaining walls, and staircases found at the site suggest it may also have been inhabited. From Ancasmarca, the day continues to Unu Orqo, a water temple carved with a puma head and serpent body, then descends into the Sacred Valley proper at Yucay, where centuries-old irrigation canals still run alongside Inca agricultural terraces. The day closes with a stop at the Machu Qolqa viewpoint before the return to Cusco.
The Ancasmarca Ruins Tour front-loads its elevation gain: Ancasmarca itself, the day’s highest point at roughly 3,850 m, is reached first, while energy is highest, following a 1.5-hour drive that does the climbing for you.
From there, the route steadily loses elevation — Unu Orqo at 2,926 m, then Yucay at 2,857 m — both comfortably lower than Cusco, before a gentle climb back up toward the Machu Qolqa viewpoint on the return journey.
7:30 AM — Pickup from Cusco. Private pickup from your hotel, heading into the Sacred Valley toward Calca.
Ancasmarca: Arrival in Calca, followed by the climb to the Ancasmarca complex — hundreds of circular stone structures, along with Inca trails leading toward the valleys of Amparaes and Lares.
Unu Orqo: A visit to the Unu Orqo water temple, its rock formations carved with a puma head and serpent body reflecting Inca spiritual beliefs.
Yucay Terraces: Continuing to the Andenes de Yucay, Inca agricultural terraces still irrigated by centuries-old canals.
Machu Qolqa: A stop at the Machu Qolqa viewpoint before continuing the return journey.
Return to Cusco: Private transport back to Cusco via Chinchero and Poroy.
None
Moderate
A light walks
5 to 35 minutes
Ancasmasrca 4,150m (13,615 ft)
Calca Unu Orqo: 2,926m (9,632 ft)
Machu Qolqa: 3,767m (13,615 ft)
Uncover the secrets of the Ancasmarca ruins from Calca in Cusco! With knowledgeable local guides, explore the archaeological site and surrounding area, including its stunning Yucay Inca waterways, fascinating history, and mythical stories.
A pre-Inca and Inca archaeological site above the town of Calca, in the Sacred Valley, known for its hundreds of circular stone structures.
The leading theory identifies them as qullqas, Inca storage structures for food and goods — though their exact purpose remains debated among archaeologists.
There’s no official ticket, but a voluntary contribution of around S/20 per person is customary to support the site’s maintenance.
Ancasmarca sits well outside the typical Pisac-Ollantaytambo-Chinchero-Moray circuit, which keeps it far less crowded than the Sacred Valley’s headline sites.
A water temple near Ancasmarca, with rock formations carved into the shape of a puma head with a serpent body.
Inca agricultural terraces still irrigated today by centuries-old canals, in one of the Sacred Valley’s quieter towns.
Moderate — each stop involves a short walk of 5 to 35 minutes, with no sustained hiking.
Yes — 5 and up is the recommended minimum, with a guardian over 21 for younger travelers.
It isn’t included by default, though a box lunch can be arranged if you ask ahead of time.
April through December offers the most reliable dry-season conditions.
| 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 |
Calca Ancasmarca Ruins
Ancasmarca Ruins Tour
Calca Ancasmarca Ruins
