Travel to Ollantaitambo

ng 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 (5:30 am) the ticket office opens at 5 am.

Travelers & Trekkers 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 Maras/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 that order). Choose two sites and allow a half day for each site for relaxed viewing, transit, and meals. The last buses from Pisac to Cuzco leave around 8 pm. 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 9 pm)