Missed out on Machu Picchu’s iconic sun gate? Ollantaytambo has one of the few Inti Punkus (meaning Sun Gate in Quechua) in all of Peru! The hike to the gate makes the journey almost as enjoyable as the destination. On your right, you’ll walk aside the best view of Ollantaytambo (second to that at StarDome ofc) that the Valley has to offer. Along the mountain, you’ll explore a series of Inka vestiges that connect you to the gate, ranging from miradors to ruins to quarries. There’s no shortage of things to see on this hike and it all ends at almost 4000m (13,000 ft) with the Sun Gate itself framing one of the most powerful mountains in the Sacred Valley, Apu Veronica.

Sun gate significance

• Inti punku in quechua
• Most critical entrance/fortress to an archaeological site
• Only elite passed thru
• Dedicated to worship of the sun god (inti)
• Gate is set up so it interacts with the sun according to its yearly patterns
  • further complementing Inca insight into astronomical patterns
• From what we know of the Inti Punku in Machu Picchu, sun gates held various cultural and astronomical significance for the Inkas. Reserved for the elites, a sun gate provided an entrance to a sacred city, a viewpoint for protection, and a place of worship to the sun god (Inti). The Inkas built these gates so that they would interact with the sun according to its yearly patterns, which further complements the astronomical intelligence (pun intended) we see patterned throughout Peru.

Sun gate frames snow capped mountains, including Apu Veronica

Trek Details

• Trek on Inca quarry trail: Mirador descanso, inca quarries, llactallactayoc (large rock), ruins
• Full day hike or drive part way up the mtn to get a head start
• ~11.9-17.7 km round trip
• Peak of trek at 12756 ft
• Option to take a horse
• Moderate to difficult hike