Pumamarca, Archeological site in Cusco

“Life is meant for good friends and great adventures”. And what is better adventure than one that takes you to places you have never been. One of those places is  Pumamarca, an archeological site in Cusco, imperial city of the Incas.

Pumamarca possesses interesting architectural structures

Although the archeological site of Pumamarca in  Cusco is not a frequented area, it is worth a visit. Pumamarca is considered as one of the first settlements of the Incas, before they spread out through the whole Sacred Valley and Cusco. This archeological site is connected by an original Inca Trail to the living Inca town Ollantaytambo.

Where is it located?

Archeological site of Pumamarca is located to the north side of the Archeological Park of Ollantaytambo at a distance of 6.0 km. It is in the Cusco Region, Urubamba Province, Ollantaytambo District, at the confluence of the rivers Patakancha and its affluent Yuraqmayu.

On the route, we will find old house that are part of the history of Cusco.

What will we find in Pumamarca?

• Pumamarca consists of several architectural components within which we can mention qolqas to the bottom, while towards the top can show a series of enclosures of rectangular plant to two levels and some of them rustic rig. 
• Around the square, there is a room facing north that presents fine with 2 access openings rig is presented. Other rooms show evidence of plastering mud mortar. The whole sector is franked staggered by a wall morphology that in certain sectors reaches a height of 5 meters approximately.
• Pumamarca is a fortress built on a steep slope, which was built to control the entrance to the Sacred Valley of the nearby jungle. 
• A steep climb will be rewarded with a beautiful panoramic view and the knowledge that you will be visiting a place known only to a few tourists.

Beautiful landscapes along the route to Archeological site of Pumamarca.

How to get to Pumamarca?

• To get to Pumamarca, you have to take any transportation that take you to Plaza de Armas of Ollantaytambo. Here is where the adventure begins. There are cars that depart from Pavitos street in Cusco. It will take you about 2 hours to get there.
• Once in Plaza de Armas of Ollantaytambo, you will have to walk towards Patacalle street and cross the first bridge. There you have to take the wider road and walk along the river.
• You will have to walk for about 20 minutes approximately until you get to Muñaypata, a town close to Ollantaytambo.Turn left and keep walking until Media Luna terraces Archeological Center.
• Note: Don’t take the road to the terraces. Keep walking straight and follow the right zigzag pattern. This part is a little challenging, especially at first. Some physical effort may be required to complete the hike.
• The hike takes from 1 hour and a half to 2 hours approximately. You will be totally rewarded once you arrive in Pumamarca ruins.

Pumamarca has – besides terraces, inca trails – hydraulic channels

Inkayni Tips:

• Wear a hat and sunscreen
• Drink water. It’s important to keep hydrated
• Buy dried fruits
• Bring trekking poles
• Carry with you your personal documents like passports all the time.

We are Inkayni Peru Tours, a Tourist Operator highly qualified to offer the best service in Peru. Don’t hesitate to contact us through our online platforms.

“For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” – Robert Louis Stevenson