Ancient City · Andean · Peru
Pumamarca
Pumamarca is an Inca site of terraces, storehouses and stone enclosures on a ridge above the Patacancha valley, north of Ollantaytambo in Peru's Sacred Valley. It stands at the meeting of the Patacancha and Yuracmayo rivers, guarding the route into the valley. Few people visit, and most come on foot, on a half-day hike through farming villages.
Photo: Maxanier, CC BY-SA 3.0
Pumamarca tickets: which one for you
Our pick for each kind of visit, with live dates and prices from GetYourGuide. Free cancellation on most.
Best for: Active walkers staying in the valley
A guided full-day walk from Urubamba that climbs to the ruins and then descends to Ollantaytambo, so you see both sites with a guide who knows the path.
- A hike with lunch included: Cusco sacred valley pumamarca trek with lunch A guided trek with transport from Cusco or the Sacred Valley and a meal on the way, sparing you the logistics of taxis and timings on a remote trail.
Tickets and tours: all the options
Pumamarca is not part of the Cusco tourist ticket that covers Ollantaytambo, Pisac and Moray, and it has no ticket office. A caretaker from the local community sometimes asks for a small fee at the entrance, so carry some soles in small notes. There are no guided tours on site and no information panels, which makes a guide useful if you want to understand what you are seeing.
On GetYourGuide two kinds of product are sold, both guided hikes. One is a full-day walk starting in Urubamba that climbs to Pumamarca and then follows the trail down to Ollantaytambo, where you finish at the town and its fortress. The other is a trek with transport from Cusco or the Sacred Valley and lunch included. Both normally include a guide and transport to the trailhead; check whether entrance to the Ollantaytambo fortress, which needs the Cusco tourist ticket, is part of the price.
Independent visits are easy for fit walkers: take a taxi from Ollantaytambo up the Patacancha road to the nearest village and walk the last stretch, then hike back down to town. For a first visit to the Sacred Valley, the guided full-day walk is the sensible option, because the trail is not always signposted and a guide handles the transport.
What to see at Pumamarca
The trail from Ollantaytambo
The classic approach climbs out of Ollantaytambo along the Patacancha valley, past potato fields, eucalyptus groves and small farming villages where people still wear traditional red woven clothes. The path is steep in places and takes about three hours uphill. Turn round often: the views back towards the snow peaks above the Sacred Valley are among the best of the day.
Agricultural terraces
As you approach the site, broad Inca terraces step down the hillside below the ruins. Some are still farmed by local families, a reminder that the land has been worked continuously for centuries. Their stone retaining walls are built in fieldstone rather than the fine polished masonry of Ollantaytambo, typical of practical Inca rural sites.
2 tickets and tours for Pumamarca
Live dates and prices from GetYourGuide. Free cancellation on most tickets.
Walled enclosures
At the top of the ridge, the main complex is a group of rectangular stone buildings arranged around small courtyards, with doorways and wall niches in the Inca trapezoidal shape. Some walls stand to roof height. The compact layout and the high, defensible position suggest it served both as a control point on the route into the valley and as a residence.
Storehouses
On the slopes around the enclosures stand rows of storehouses, called qolqa, where the Incas kept maize, potatoes and other produce. Built on cool, windy ground to keep food dry, they show how the state supplied soldiers and workers in the valley. Look for their regular spacing and the small ventilation openings in the walls.
View over the river confluence
From the edge of the site you look down on the meeting of the Patacancha and Yuracmayo rivers, which explains the choice of the ridge: it overlooks both valleys and the paths along them. It is a good place to rest and eat before the descent, and on clear mornings snow peaks of the Urubamba range show above the valley.
A short history
Pumamarca, whose name means puma village in Quechua, was built by the Incas, probably in the 15th century as they consolidated their hold on the Sacred Valley and the routes to the eastern lowlands. It is usually interpreted as a fortified outpost and storage centre guarding the Patacancha valley, which leads from Ollantaytambo towards the Amazon slopes. Its terraces fed the local population, and the storehouses held produce for the Inca state. The site was abandoned after the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. It has had little excavation or restoration compared with Ollantaytambo, and much of the stonework survives as the Incas left it, though partly overgrown.
Getting there
Cusco airport has daily flights from Lima. From Cusco, shared minibuses and colectivos run to Urubamba and Ollantaytambo, about two hours, and Ollantaytambo is also the station for trains to Machu Picchu. From Ollantaytambo, you can hike all the way, about three hours uphill along the Patacancha valley, or take a taxi up the road towards Patacancha for about 30 minutes and get off near the village below the ruins, from where it is a walk of 30 to 45 minutes. Agree with the driver whether to wait or meet you later. Many people take a taxi up and walk down, which takes about two hours. There is no car park, just space by the road.
Rules and what to bring
The site sits at high altitude, so spend at least two days in the valley or Cusco before hiking, drink plenty of water and walk slowly. Do not climb on walls or move stones, and respect the fields and animals of the villages along the trail. Bring water, snacks, sun cream, a hat, a rain jacket and good boots, as there are no shops or toilets at the ruins. Ask before photographing local people, and carry small notes for the fee.
When to go
Start early. Mornings in the Andes are usually clearer and cooler, while afternoon clouds and rain often build up, especially in the wet season, and the sun at this altitude is strong by midday. Leaving Ollantaytambo by 8 am gives time to reach the site, rest and walk down before mid-afternoon.
The dry season from May to September is the best time, with sunny days and cold nights; June and July are the busiest months in the Sacred Valley overall, though Pumamarca rarely sees more than a handful of walkers. The rainy season from November to March makes the trail muddy and slippery, with frequent downpours, but the valley is very green. April and October are good compromises. Allow half a day with a taxi one way, or most of a day if you walk both ways.
Combine it with
Ollantaytambo's Inca fortress and terraced temple hill, covered by the Cusco tourist ticket, is at the foot of the trail. The village of Patacancha further up the valley is known for weaving. Ollantaytambo is also the station for trains to Machu Picchu, about one and a half hours away, and Moray and the Maras salt pans are about an hour's drive.
At a glance
| Hours | Daylight hours; the caretaker is usually present from morning to late afternoon |
|---|---|
| Closed | Open daily |
| Entry fee | Small fee in soles may be collected on site |
| Time needed | half a day with the hike |
| Best time | Start the walk early in the morning; May to September for the dry season |
| Booking | No ticket booking; guided hikes from Urubamba or Cusco need booking |
| Access | Steep, rough mountain paths at high altitude; uneven terraces and steps; not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs |
| Getting there | Taxi up the Patacancha road from Ollantaytambo, about 30 minutes, or a hike of about 3 hours |
| Civilisation | Andean |
| Checked | October 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
When is Pumamarca open?
Daylight hours; the caretaker is usually present from morning to late afternoon. Open daily.
How much is the entry fee for Pumamarca?
Entry fee: Small fee in soles may be collected on site.
How long do you need at Pumamarca?
Allow half a day with the hike for Pumamarca.
Do I need to book Pumamarca in advance?
No ticket booking; guided hikes from Urubamba or Cusco need booking.
Can I book a ticket or tour for Pumamarca online?
Yes. GetYourGuide lists 2 tickets and tours for Pumamarca, with live dates and prices and free cancellation on most of them.
When is the best time to visit Pumamarca?
Start the walk early in the morning; May to September for the dry season.
How do I get to Pumamarca?
Taxi up the Patacancha road from Ollantaytambo, about 30 minutes, or a hike of about 3 hours.
Is Pumamarca accessible, and what is the terrain like?
Steep, rough mountain paths at high altitude; uneven terraces and steps; not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs.
Is Pumamarca worth visiting?
Worth it for a quiet Inca ruin reached on a scenic half-day hike far from the Sacred Valley crowds. Skip or shorten it if you are not acclimatised to the altitude or only have time for the main Inca sites with official tickets.