Pisac

On Monday the 20th of August I took a collectivo to go to Pisac. It was the same collectivo I took a few days back to go to Tambomachay which only costs 2.50 soles. I got on the bus at 9h30 am and got to Pisac at around 10h30, for a 30km ride over the mountains. I had heard from many of Pisac and knew about the terraces and also knew that there were some ruins there. I was interested to do the whole trek on my own and not just take a tour that brings you strait up on the mountain. I read on a few website that the trek should only be about one hour to go up the mountain, but I guess they took the easy road up, because I would suggest taking your time and go the same way I did, but it will take you at least two hours to get to the main terraces (the biggest ones). Do not under estimate the climb.

When I got in the town of Pisac, I asked for my way to find the trail that went up to the terraces, and from there I could already see a few ruins on top. There is one way up from the village itself and is easy to find. The climb starts fairly easy and after you passed the first terraces at the bottom of the mountain it starts going up a little steeper. I wanted to follow the right side of the mountain going up and soon found out that it seemed to be the trail going down and was a bit of a hard one, but I did love the challenge. There are actually many trails going in many different ways. The climb was exhausting at the beginning but once I got to the first ruins that I saw from the town, it started being easier. I was not completely done yet, this was actually just the first part of what was to be seen.

 

A view down on Pisac

Almost there...

Oh no... more stairs

I kept walking along the path and has I went I saw more ruins and a few old houses that are still taken care of to show tourists how they used to look when they were still used back in the Inca time. The ruins I started crossing were getting bigger and a lot more interesting has I went. After a while of walking on top of the mountain I finally got to the main terraces where on top is the biggest town like ruin of the whole site. The terraces are huge and better seen from the top and these ruins were much bigger than I could have expected. You can look any pictures or look at google earth to give yourself an impression of what is there to see but it will never be like being there and see how imposing this site is.

Main terraces

Ruins at the top of the main terraces

I walked around here and there and figured I was due for a break. I sat down overlooking the site and had a bit of a lunch I had, just enjoying the view.

Break Time

Click on picture to see the whole ''Pisac'' album

Small video of Pisac

When I started walking back to take the trail down I crossed an old Peruvian man that asked me which road I took to climb. I said I came up on the right side from Pisac. He indicated to me to go the other way around the mountain to get back down, said that the path was easier and would take me less time to go back down. So I took the other path around the left side (from Pisac). 

I got into a canyon that went down a little trail. The climate in the canyon was exceptional, some kind of micro-climate because it was really warm of that side. The scenery was also very different. The first site had been mostly rock with some vegetation here and there, but this side was very green with all kinds of different plants. On the canyon's opposite side, there were old tombs built on the mountain side and I cannot say how they got to build and go there because I could not see any paths going that way.

A look back on the canyon I came from

The walk was indeed much more easy that going through the rocky path. More terraces on this side also. I would suggest to also take this way down if you plan on visiting Pisac. It is very interesting also, but on your way up take the time to see all the ruins you want because you will not see any on this side of the mountains. I would say that someone could easily spend 4 to 5 hours just exploring the whole site if you desire going close or in to every spot.

I took the collectivo back to Cusco and was back in Cusco by around 4 o'clock.

Almost there, Pisac in view

Back in Pisac

So I would definitely say that Pisac is also a spot that must be seen. It is also worth seeing even more that I suggested going to Sacsayhuaman. And I must say it is a good practice to hiking the Machu Pichu for the elevation is almost the same to go up the Pisac mountain then it is going to Machu Pichu from Aguas Caliente.