After catching a colectivo from Cusco to Pisac, there are two ways to get from the village of Pisac up to the actual ruins: hiking or taking a cab. Colin wasn’t feeling that great the day we were there, so as a group, we actually did both. Colin and I killed time checking out the Pisac Market, while Tyler started the hike.
We were planning on getting lunch in the main plaza, but we found out that the whole town was out of power (which we were told happens fairly often). Most restaurants were closed down. Luckily, we had packed PBJs (snacks are always a good idea!), so we walked through the market and ate those. The Pisac Market was probably the largest we saw while in Peru, and we especially noticed all of their beautiful fabrics. Colin and I got a lesson in playing zampoñas and pan flutes, and we bought one for Tyler’s birthday present.
After a bit, we grabbed a taxi up to the top of the ruins to meet Tyler. We talked the taxi driver down from 25 Peruvian soles to 20, saving ourselves a whopping $1.60 USD. The ride cost about $6 USD total, which is a fair price for that particular area.
These were some of the largest and most impressive ruins we got to see while completing all of the sites on the boleto. We spent about an hour and a half exploring all of them before making the steep climb down.
There are intricate ceremonial baths, a large temple complex and citadel, and a complex that was likely used for housing. Of all of the ruins included on the boleto, Pisac was definitely one of the best sites – regardless of whether you make the hike, or you take the lazy way and grab a cab!
-XO Emily
The Everyday Travelers 