The Sacred Valley is a beautiful peaceful valley located around 32 Kilometers (20 Miles) from Cusco, which stretches all the way to Machu Picchu in the far west. Important Inca ruins are located in the Sacred Valley including the Tipon, Pisac, Ollantaytambo Moray and Chincheros.Although The Sacred Valley is accessible as a day trip from Cusco, many visitors nowadays are opting to take advantage of the serenity and location of the Valley as the base for their stay in Peru.

Ollantaytambo is a small Andean village located at the western end of the valley, before the valley dramatically narrows before heading on to the famous Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. Here you will find one of the last strong holds of the Incan Empire, with a towering fortress set into the mountain side.

A closer inspection of the ruins at Ollantaytambo shows that there were really some incredible feats of construction achieved there, and that the quality of the stonework used in the construction is that of a very important and Sacred Place.

The mystical ruins stretch as far as the eye can see up to the top of the mountain, and include other small ruins dotted around the adjacent mountains. Two sets of large Inca stairs entice you to climb higher to the summit where the view is spectacular, and an overall appreciation of the ruins and Ollantaytambo and the Sacred Valley can be obtained.

From the top of the ruins you will also see an impressive carving or representation of the mythological figure of one of Viracocha. Viracocha, the pilgrim preacher of knowledge, the master knower of time, and described as a person with superhuman power, a tall man, with short hair, dressed like a priest or an astronomer with tunic and a bonnet.

In the rock face of 'Cerro Pinkuylluna' is the 140 meter high figure of Viracocha. The angry looking formation of his face is made up of indentations that form the eyes and mouth, whilst a protruding carved rock denotes the nose. Inca ruins built on top of the face are also considered to represent a crown on his head. Artist impressions of the rock face also include a heavy beard and a large sack upon his shoulders.

As notability of the area has increased over the last few years, increased levels of tourism have also led to new hotel developments in nearby villages such as Urubamba and Yucay. Luxury rustic hotels with huge sweeping colourful gardens are plentiful and make a trip to Ollantaytambo extremely enjoyable.

Ollantaytambo really is one of the most magical and interesting places in the Sacred Valley and is a must see for all visitors to Peru. Make sure you include this on your next Peru vacation.

Paul P. Jones
Managing Director
Totally Latin America S.A
www.totallylatinamerica.com