Everybody photographs the terraces. Almost nobody climbs the mountain behind them — which is a shame, because Pinkuylluna is free, takes about an hour and gives you the view that makes the whole valley make sense.
The stone buildings clinging to the cliff are qollqas, Inca storehouses. Grain was hauled up here deliberately: at 3,000 m the air is colder, drier and constantly moving, and ventilation slots cut through the walls turned each building into a passive refrigerator. Maize stored this way kept for years, which is how an empire without money or a wheel fed armies on the march.
Top things to do at Pinkuylluna
Climb to the lower storehouse
Twenty-five minutes of switchbacks brings you level with the temple hill opposite — for most people this is far enough and the view is already superb.
Continue to the upper qollqas
Another twenty minutes on a rougher path reaches the higher group, where you can step inside the roofless buildings and see the ventilation channels.
Spot the face of Tunupa
From the trail, the cliff below the storehouses resolves into a bearded profile — the Andean creator figure Tunupa, or Wiracocha, depending on who is telling it.
Photograph the town grid
Looking down, the Inca street plan of Qosqo Ayllu is laid out like a diagram: fifteen rectangular blocks, each a walled compound, exactly as surveyed in the 1400s.
How to get to Pinkuylluna
- The trailhead is on Calle Lari, a five-minute walk from the plaza — look for the small signed gate between two houses.
- Opening hours are roughly 07:00 to 17:00 and a caretaker notes visitors in and out. There is no charge.
- No ticket, no guide and no permit needed — but there is also no water, no railing and no shade.
Insider tips
- Do it early. The east-facing slope is in shade until mid-morning and brutal by noon.
- The path is loose gravel and drops away sharply in places. Proper shoes matter far more here than at the main site.
- Best light for photographing the ruins opposite is late afternoon, but check the closing time before you commit.
- If the altitude is new to you, save Pinkuylluna for your second day in the valley.
Best tours & tickets for Pinkuylluna
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to see Pinkuylluna without organising a thing:
