Ollantaytambo – Limatambo

After Machu Picchu I had a rest day in Ollantaytambo. The village is also beautiful, and there are more Inca ruins nearby. But I didn't visit more ruins, but only had some walks, and rested.

In the evening I cooked a gigantic dinner – quinoa burgers, pasta with a vegetable sauce, and a salad. I couldn't eat everything, and so I had lots of stuff left over for the next day.
 
On the next day I left Ollantaytambo to go to Anta, on the road from Cusco to Abancay, but pretty close to Cusco. At first I had to return to Urubamba, where I left the valley – quite some climb but with a beautiful view of Urubamba and the valley.

I climbed and climbed, until I got to a village where the road to Anta turned off, via the Laguna Huanypo. The road did have a tarmac surface, but it was more than 10km shorter than the road via Chinchero, and it was in a good state. And so I took it, and after a few hundred meters I got to the lake.

After the lake the road went downhill into a valley, and a short while later I arrived to Izcuchaca, the main village of Anta, on the road from Cusco to Abancay. I found accommodation near the terminal, and rested for some time. There isn't much to do in Izcuchaca – there are some simple restaurants (which don't have vegetarian food), some shops, and not much more. Luckily I had the leftover food from Ollantaytambo – enough for a good dinner.

Today I left quite early, for the trip to Limatambo. I knew that there was a climb of 400m, and then a descend up to Limatambo. At first the road ascended only a little, but after a few kilometres began the real climb. I went up to the top, with impressive views of the two valleys.

In the end the road went downhill for 30km – a descend from 3729m down to about 2500m – more than 1200m. Unfortunately, I will need to climb up again before I get to Abancay, up to almost 4000m...

In Limatambo I easily found accommodation (coming from Anta after the petrol station left, and then on the left side). I took a shower (cold water!), and went to look for a restaurant, but without success. Yes, there are restaurants that serve a set lunch, but all with meat. In the end I bought some vegetables and made myself a nice salad, and ate in the hostal. In the afternoon I wrote some stuff for my blog, and rested a little more.