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When planning a trip to Peru you will probably put a trip to the Sacred Valley on your itinerary. While touring through the many miles of the ruins left behind by the Inca civilization, you may want to keep Ollantaytambo in mind. Here is where you will find the remains of one of the best built towns by the Incas. It is a well fortressed town that was able to hold back the attacks from the Spanish invasion, supported by the cleverly made structures which kept the invaders out. If these walls could speak, you would hear the victory cries of a battle well done. The Ollantaytambo fortress was so well constructed that its walls still stand strong today. It is known to have sheltered Manco Inca and his forces after being defeated by Francisco Pizarro and his men during the Spanish invasion of Sacsayhuanman. Ollantaytambo fortress was built with the original intent of a place of worship, as well as a location for studying astronomy. Among the ruins that are most captivating are the rising terrace walls which served as an integral means of defense. The Inca troops fought unrelentingly against the Spanish forces, and Ollantaytambo is hailed as the only city that was able to resist the attacks from the invaders of their little kingdom. Among the ruins of this town is the Temple of Ten Niches with its unusual pink rocks. The Temple of the Sun also has some unique, Inca carvings that are worth checking out. To complete the tour you could descend to the bottom of the ruins to the Banos de la nusta (Princess Baths), where you will find the carved Inca face on one of the cliffs.

For those who are interested in a little adventure along the way, there are river rafting excursions that can be picked up in Ollantaytambo or Pisac. The white water trips are filled with excitement and are a refreshing interlude to a hot summer day. There are trekking tours available as well. If time is short you can stop by Ollantaytambo on your way to Machu Picchu by train. The train will stop at different towns along the way if you just want a brief tour, or you can spend the night at one of the hostels, and pick up the train the next morning.