Horseback Riding Tour to Inti Punku from Ollantaytambo

Horseback Riding Tour to Inti Punku from Ollantaytambo

Enjoy seeing the Sacred Valley of the Incas from the saddle of a horse during this 8-hour equestrian adventure with a small group of no more than 15. Beginning at Ollantaytambo, ride along the ancient Inca trails to reach the archaeological site of Inti Punku, the “Sun Gate.” Along the way, you'll stop to explore traditional communities and lesser-known (a.k.a. not crowded) Inca sites as you learn about the culture and history of Peru. A box lunch and a professional, English-speaking guide are included.

After hotel pickup, you'll start your horseback riding tour at around 8am. Start with a ride to Inti Punku, an astronomy outlook built by the Incas that also served as a watch post for the access routes to Machu Picchu from the Amazon jungle. As your horses climb the steep mountain up to the lookout, pass by several lesser-visited archeological sites, none of which have any entrance fees.

See the workshop at Las Canterras, ("the quarries"), where the Incas mined and shaped the massive stones used to build the sacred fortress of Ollantaytambo. After visiting this site, (and possibly getting a glimpse of some Incan mummies), continue upward to Inti Punku. Observe the ancient viewpoints to four different routes across the mountains towards Machu Picchu, and learn about how astronomy was used to mark the passing of time and celebrate important events. While you won't have a direct view of Machu Picchu itself (it's just behind the massive, sacred glacier of Wakay Willka), you can almost feel the power the ancient citadel emits.

Once you've finished exploring Ini Punku with your small group, hop back in the saddle for the trip back. Arrive back at your Ollanataytambo hotel about 8 hours after you started.