The Best Way to Get to Ollantaytambo and See the Sacred Valley

Visiting Machu Picchu? Here's how to get to Ollantaytambo without the guesswork.

If you're planning a trip to Machu Picchu, there's a good chance you'll need to get to Ollantaytambo first. It's one of the main departure points for trains to Machu Picchu, but getting there from Cusco doesn't have to be just a transfer from one place to another.

What if you could explore the Sacred Valley along the way, instead of spending a day sightseeing and then having to backtrack to Cusco?

That's exactly what we did, and it turned out to be one of the smartest decisions we made during our Peru trip.

There are several ways to get from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, including private drivers, public transportation, and organized tours. The best option depends on your budget, schedule, and how much of the Sacred Valley you want to see.

Here's a breakdown of your options, including the one we chose and why I'd recommend it if you want to make the most of your time in Peru.

Chinchero archeological site

So, what are your options?

Option 1: Private Driver or Taxi

Hiring a private driver gives you the most flexibility. You can choose your stops, spend as much time as you want at each place and create your own route.

You could visit Chinchero, Moray, the Maras Salt Mines, Urubamba and Ollantaytambo all in one day.

The downside: it can be more expensive, and you'll need a guide separately if you want someone to explain what you're actually looking at.

Option 2: Public Transportation 

If you're travelling on a budget, you can use collectivos and buses between Cusco and the towns of the Sacred Valley. It's definitely doable, but you'll need to organize transportation between each attraction yourself. And if you're trying to fit several places into one day, it can turn into a lot of figuring things out. Personally, I didn't travel all the way to Peru to spend half my day wondering which collectivo I'm supposed to take.

Option 3: Take the Train

The train is great for getting from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, but it doesn't really help if your goal is to explore the Sacred Valley first.
That's where our next option comes in.

Option 4: Take a Sacred Valley Tour That Ends in Ollantaytambo

This is what we did — and for us, it was the best option.
Instead of taking a tour that brought us all the way back to Cusco, we found one that started in Cusco and ended in Ollantaytambo.

Our route was: 

Cusco → Chinchero → Moray → Maras Salt Mines → Urubamba → Ollantaytambo

Basically, we got to explore the Sacred Valley while making our way to our next destination.

Chinchero

Our first stop was Chinchero, where we learned about traditional Andean textiles and visited the archaeological site.
And I have to say, our guides were amazing. They didn't just tell us what we were looking at, they explained the history and stories behind it, which made the whole experience so much more interesting.

Moray

Next was Moray, with its huge circular Inca terraces. It honestly looks like something from another planet. Our guide explained how the Incas used the different levels for agricultural experimentation, and suddenly those giant circles weren't just cool-looking — they actually made sense.

Maras Salt Mines

Then we headed to the Maras Salt Mines, where thousands of salt pools cover the mountainside.
Definitely one of those places where you take about 500 pictures because every angle looks different. 

Lunch in Urubamba

After all that sightseeing, we stopped in Urubamba for a buffet lunch.
It was the perfect time to sit down, eat and recharge before continuing to Ollantaytambo.

BOOK A SACRED VALLEY TOUR

Maras Salt Mines

Don't Forget Your Tourist Ticket!

As I mentioned in my Cusco Guide, you'll need the appropriate Cusco Tourist Ticket (Boleto Turístico) for several of the archaeological sites you'll visit around Cusco and the Sacred Valley.

One important thing to know when booking your tour: Most Sacred Valley tours do NOT include the entrance fees.

You usually have two options: pay for each entrance separately, or, if you're visiting several sites, you can get the Tourist Ticket, which can save you money compared with paying for each stop individually.

Since our tour included several sites covered by the ticket, we had ours with us and didn't have to worry about paying separately at every stop.

So if you're planning to do a similar itinerary, make sure you have your Tourist Ticket with you on the tour day.

👉 Read my Cusco Guide for more information about the Tourist Ticket

And, as always, check what's included in your specific tour before booking. Entrance fees can be separate even when transportation, lunch and a guide are included.

And honestly, keep your ticket somewhere safe and easy to reach. You don't want to be digging through your backpack at every entrance.

💡 Tip When Booking Your Tour:

If you want to do the same route we did, there is one very important thing to look for when booking.

Don't book just any “Sacred Valley Tour from Cusco.”
Many tours take you through the Sacred Valley and then bring you all the way back to Cusco at the end of the day.

That's not what you want if you're planning to stay in Ollantaytambo like we did.

Instead, look for a tour that specifically offers: Cusco → Sacred Valley → Ollantaytambo drop-off

And make sure the tour includes the stops you want: Chinchero, Moray, Maras Salt Mines, Urubamba/lunch and Ollantaytambo.

Also check whether entrance fees, lunch and the guided visit to Ollantaytambo are included, because what's included can vary from one tour to another.

👉 Book the Sacred Valley tour we took / Find a similar tour here

That little “Ollantaytambo drop-off” detail is important. Otherwise, you could end up touring the Sacred Valley all day, going back to Cusco... and then having to make your way all the way back to Ollantaytambo the next morning. And nobody needs that extra driving in their life. 😂

And Then We Arrived in Ollantaytambo

After lunch, we continued to Ollantaytambo, where we were dropped off and had a guided visit of the archaeological site.
Once again, having such knowledgeable guides made a huge difference. The ruins are impressive on their own, but understanding the history behind them makes you appreciate them so much more.

And here's the part I really recommend:

Stay the Night in Ollantaytambo. We didn't just get dropped off and immediately catch a train.
We stayed overnight. And I'm so glad we did.

We had time to walk around Ollantaytambo, explore the town, have dinner and finally relax after a very full day. Most importantly, we got a good night's sleep before taking the train to Aguas Calientes the next morning.

So our itinerary looked like this:

Cusco → Sacred Valley → Ollantaytambo → sleep → train to Aguas Calientes → Machu Picchu

No unnecessary backtracking. No rushing back to Cusco. And no waking up exhausted before one of the biggest days of the trip.


Casa Patacalle Bed & Breakfast Hotel
The View From Our Hotel

So, Was This the Best Way?

For us, absolutely.

If you have plenty of time and want complete flexibility, hire a private driver.

If you're traveling on a tight budget, public transportation can work.
But if you want to see several of the Sacred Valley highlights and need to get to Ollantaytambo anyway, I'd definitely look for a tour that specifically ends there instead of returning to Cusco.

You basically turn one day into two things:

Sightseeing + transportation.

For our family of three, this ended up being one of the smartest choices we made in planning Peru.
We got to see some incredible places, had fantastic guides, made our way to Ollantaytambo without backtracking, enjoyed an evening in town and woke up rested and ready for Machu Picchu.

Planning a Trip to Peru?

I have more Peru guides coming from our own trip, including our Cusco altitude experience, Sacred Valley itinerary, Machu Picchu planning, driving in Peru, Paracas & Huacachina, Iquitos and our Amazon adventure.

👉 BOOK YOUR SACRED VALLEY TOUR
👉 BOOK THE B&B HOTEL WE STAYED IN HERE 
👉 READ MY COMPLETE PERU ITINERARY 

Disclosure

Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you book or purchase through them, at no additional cost to you. I only share products, hotels and travel services that I believe may be useful to my readers. Thank you for supporting my blog and helping me continue sharing our travels!

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