Incan ruins can be found all over Peru but especially in and around the city of Cusco. The city of Cusco was at one point the capital of the Incan empire. You can see Incan walls and ruins just by walking around but if you venture out a little bit, there are several other archeological sites worth checking out and learning about. One of those worth seeing is the Puka Pukara ruins.
This was my second time to Cusco, so this time we decided to tour some other Cusco ruins in the area since we had the time. (My first visit was a shorter stop on the way to Machu Picchu.) You can see the main ruins all in an afternoon depending on how you want to explore.
How to Get There
The Puka Pukara ruins are located about 5-6 miles north of Cusco on the road to Pisac. From the city center, it’s about a 20 minute drive up the road.
On your own: If you have any desire to hike there, it’ll take you just under two hours from the city center to get there. Otherwise, you can take a bus or taxi quite easily. There are public buses with a direct line to Tambomachay and Puka Pukara that cost a couple soles.
With a Tour: If you’ve booked a tour, you won’t have to worry about the logistics of where to go. You’ll have a private driver and a bus.
Address: G28Q+J5R, Cusco 08000
Tickets:
If you’ve booked a tour, the cost of visiting may or may not be included in your tour. Even if it isn’t, you can do a tour for about $35, which is worth getting a driver and a knowledgeable guide. But if you want to visit on your own, your best option is to buy a Cusco Tourist Ticket. If you plan on seeing many museums and tourist spots in Cusco, you can opt for the full ticket. If not, you can buy a partial ticket for Circuit I that includes Puka Pukara.
- Full Ticket: S/130 ($35) includes 16 tourist sites in Cusco and can be used over 10 days.
- Partial Ticket – Circuit I: S/70 ($19) includes Sacsayhuaman, Q’enqo, Tambomachay and Puka Pukara.
Tickets can be purchased in town at the COSITUC office at 103 Avenida del Sol or at the DIRCETUR Tourist office on Calle Mantas. OR the easiest option is to just purchase them on site at any of the entrances. I’d make sure to have cash on hand.
Hours: I went in the afternoon on a tour so I can’t be certain, but roughly 8-9:00am-5-5:30pm (check when you buy a ticket!)
About Puka Pukara
Puka Pukara translates to “Red Fortress” in Quechua. It likely got the name from the rocks used in the building process which (at one point) turned a red hue at sunset.
Despite its name, there’s no hard evidence that proves it was ever a fortress or military site. However, there are a few indicators that have pointed in that direction–the first being its location on higher ground overlooking the valley. The structural layout also resembles that of an Incan fortress.
Even when the structure was built remains a mystery. Some believe it was built later on, during the time of Pachacutec, who was the 9th ruler of the Incan empire. But hastily building a fortress during this time doesn’t quite make sense either since that was near the height of the Incan empire.
Another curiosity is the construction itself. It’s assumed to have been hastily constructed because of the differences in other Incan architecture. The stones here are more randomly shaped and placed, which is uncharacteristic of the usual precision and skilled craftsmanship of the Incas.
Visiting Puka Pukara
Admittedly, the fortress is not the most impressive ruin to see. The majority of what you’ll see are the walls, terraces and stairs with grassy areas in between. There are a few doorways and windows to peek through but I wouldn’t say it’s the most exciting to explore.
What does make it more exciting is the location. It gives you a great view of the mountains and valley below. It had started to rain a bit before we arrived and we lucked out with a full rainbow sitting right over the ruins. The end of the rainbow ended in the valley so we had a great view and it made it that much more exciting to take pictures.
It doesn’t take much time to walk around and explore, so it’s a pretty quick visit.
What’s Nearby
- Tambomachay – Located across the street about a 10-min walk from Puka Pukara. You’ll see terraced walls and a water source.
- Sacsayhuaman – Large Incan ruins just outside of Cusco that consist of terraced walls, rock slides, doors and enclosures.
PIN IT FOR LATER
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