Oscar from the El Albergue hotel met us in reception and took us out to the farm where the stones had already been heated up for the Pachamanca. The heated stones are placed in a fire pit and then the meat (chicken, lamb and pork) is placed directly on top of the stones along with potatoes and sweet potato. This is all covered with more heated rocks plus a layer of fresh herbs and fava beans from the garden.

The mound is then covered in a cotton fabric to keep the dirt out followed by a thick layer of earth. When finished the oven looks literally just like a mound of earth!

While you are waiting for the food to cook, Oscar will take you on a tour of the organic farm that provides 90% of ingredients for the Pachamanca as well as products for the Albergue restaurant. They grow many varieties including typical local plants like huacatay (black mint), inca berries and quinoa, and raise their own rabbits, ducks and sheep.

The layers of earth, fabric and rocks are removed after just twenty minutes to reveal golden, crispy, tender meat, well-cooked potatoes and beans which are immediately served on your plate. Colourful salads picked that morning along with traditional sauces including huacatay and huancaina complete the spread. Everything is perfectly set up family-style on long outdoor tables, surrounded by the stunning mountains and a great view of the Ollantaytambo ruins.

It’s definitely nice to try a traditional pachamanca when in Peru and El Albergue has the perfect set-up with a rustic dining area set in the stunning surrounds of Ollantaytambo with a great view of the ruins.

The Pachamanca is a different culinary experience and is great to try when in Peru. Food is rustic, tasty and extremely fresh, and is enjoyed in a relaxing country setting. We loved this option for a different type of lunch before heading off to Machu Picchu.

Best of Peru Travel Recommends:

• Make sure to book in advance. Minimum of two people required.

• If you’re interested in nature and organic farming allow time to have a decent visit of the farm. Oscar is very passionate about what he does and it is a pleasure to spend time with him learning about the local plants and organic farming.

More great things to do in Ollantaytambo

How to get to Ollantaytambo

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The community is known for its colourful high-quality textiles which are hand-woven primarily by the women in the community and for their traditional lifestyle. If you want to really see how local communities in most parts of the Sacred Valley live, this is a real eye-opener well off the beaten track.

The non-profit organisation Awamaki organise excellent tours to Patacancha (and the neighbouring community of Huilloc) as part of their Sustainable Tourism programme. Their Quechua Community Visits aim to share the ancient weaving tradition and Andean indigenous culture with tourists to the region. Tours start in Ollantaytambo for the picturesque one hour drive up to the Patacancha or Huilloc communities.

Awamaki work with a local women’s cooperative made up of 28 local women whom they have helped to train. The women greet you at the Awamaki weaving centre, share a little about their lives with a visit to their homes and take you through the entire weaving process. This includes the spinning of raw alpaca wool into yarn (more difficult than it looks!) on the traditional spindle or ‘phuska’, dying the fibers with natural plant dyes, an explanation of the techniques and tools used to weave the yarn into cloth and at the end you learn to weave your own bracelet. It was only by trying to weave that we fully understood the huge amount of skill and work that goes into creating each textile and were able to fully appreciate the craftsmanship  and time involved!

These traditional Andean communities speak mainly Quechua, the local indigenous language with some basic Spanish so communication is unfortunately quite limited. It would be nice to be able to chat with the women and get a deeper feel for their day to day lives but due to the language barrier communication goes through the Awamaki volunteers who run the tours.

Best of Peru Travel Recommends:

• During rainy season from December – March it can be difficult to visit the Patacancha community so check road conditions with Awamaki before you leave.

• Awamaki can also organise for your group to have a traditional pachamanca lunch with the community, comprising of chicken, potatoes and vegetables, cooked in a typical earth oven.

• There are also other great tours on offer including a dyeing immersion programme and a carving and basket making workshop. You can find more information on other Awamaki tours here. 

Click here to see more things to see & do in Ollantaytambo

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In the mid-15^th century the Inca Emperor Pachacuti conquered the town of Ollantaytambo and re-built it as a religious, political and military complex as well as a resting place for the Inca nobility.

During the Spanish conquest of Peru, Ollantaytambo served as headquarters for Manco Inca the resistance leader who retreated to Ollantaytambo following his defeat in the siege of Cusco in 1536. He then subsequently successfully defeated the Spanish in a battle at Ollantaytambo by flooding the valley below.  The Spanish led by Hernando Pizarro subsequently returned with a far greater army and eventually took control of Ollantaytambo while Manco Inca fled to the city of Vilcabamba.

The fortress is located on the western side in the area known as Aracma Ayllu and is made up of a series of imposing, terraces, temples, platforms, paths and walls and offers excellent views of the surrounding countryside, the town of Ollantaytambo itself and the Incan storehouses or ‘Qollqa’ built on the Pincuylluna mountain opposite the ruins.

How to buy the Tourist Ticket for entry into the Ollantaytambo Ruins

Best of Peru Travel Recommends:

• Try and get to the ruins early in the morning as tour groups start to arrive from about 11am and the ruins get very busy.

• With over 200 large steps to climb to reach the top, this is not for the faint of heart or for those with bad knees or backs!

Click here to see other attractions and things to do in Ollantaytambo

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It is believed that the storehouses (Qollqa in Quechua) were built in the 15^th century by Incan emperor Pachacuti to store grain produced in the surrounding agricultural terraces. The storehouses were built at high altitude to both preserve the food (more wind and cooler temperatures) and to protect their food stores in the case of attack.

This hike is a nice way to spend a few hours and get a spectacular panoramic view of Ollantaytambo. Pack a picnic and a bottle of water, find yourself a window ledge in one of the storehouses and soak up the view.

Best of Peru Travel Recommends:

• Be warned! Only attempt this hike if your knees and back are in good working order as it is a steep climb.

• To find the trail to begin this hike, walk down Lare Street away from town. About half the way down on the right hand –side you will see a narrow set of stairs where the walk begins.

To see other attractions and things to do in Ollantaytambo click here.

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Awamaki is a non-profit organisation that works with indigenous Quechua women in the Ollantaytambo district to create economic opportunities for them, improve their social well-being, and develop their technical skills.  By eliminating intermediaries, who often buy traditional textiles at a much-reduced price, the women’s cooperatives that Awamaki works with are able to improve the standard of living for their families and have a renewed sense of pride in the value of their work.

Awamaki projects range from the knitting cooperative formed in order to help women from the community of Huayroncoyocpampa devastated in the 2010 floods to re-build itself, the weaving cooperatives in Kelkanka and Patacancha and the AwaLab design initiative. The latter which combines the sewing talents of a local women’s cooperative from Rumira with the creative talents of emerging international fashion designers to create original pieces using traditional weavings.  To read more about the other community programmes run by Awamaki click here.

If you want to immerse yourself in local Andean culture sign up for one of Awamaki’s tours where you can visit the local community of Patacancha, learn about the traditional weaving process and buy beautiful weavings directly from the community.  Awamaki also offers a homestay programme where you can spend a night or two with families in Ollantaytambo getting a real feel for local life.  Want to brush up on your Spanish or try your hand at Quechua?  Click here to see the full range of tours and programmes offered by Awamaki.

Best of Peru Travel Recommends:

• The store is run on the principles of fair trade so items are more expensive than you will find in local markets.  This is because Awamaki is committed to using 100% natural fibres and dyes, and pays the women a mutually-agreed fair price for their textiles.  This is in direct comparison to any handmade textiles that you will find in most ‘artisan’ markets in Cusco and the region, which have been bought by intermediaries who pocket most of the money for themselves.

• If you want a more immersive experience where you can give something back during your time in Peru, Awamaki also offer various volunteering opportunities which you can read more about here.

Click here to see other things to do in Ollantaytambo

How to get to Ollantaytambo

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