- 4 Day/ 3 Night
- Cusco - Machupicchu
Horseback riding in Ollantaytambo is the best way to reach the Sun Gate (Inti Punku of Cachiccata), an Inca gateway high above the Sacred Valley. On this Sun Gate tour by horse, you’ll ride with a local guide past ancient Inca quarries and tombs, with views of the Veronica glacier along the way.
We are a local team from the community of Cachiccata, the very ground where the trail to Inti Punku begins. Nobody knows this route better than the families who have lived alongside it for generations, and that connection shapes every ride we lead: small groups, an unhurried pace, and deep respect for the mountain we call home.
Inti Punku, or “Sun Gate,” sits high above the Cachiccata quarry, where the Inca cut the stones used to build the Ollantaytambo fortress. Its stone doorway faces the rising sun and is believed to have held ceremonial meaning for the Inca. Riding here today means following a path used for centuries. It’s not just a viewpoint, but a place still meaningful to the communities who live around it.
Reaching the Inti Punku of Cachiccata is possible either way, but each option offers a different experience:
Sacred Valley horseback riding lets you cover more ground without exhausting your legs before Machu Picchu. It’s a smart way to acclimatize for the Classic Inca Trail or the Salkantay Trek if either is still ahead of you.
This isn’t just a ride to a viewpoint. The trail itself is an open-air museum:
Our guide explains the purpose behind each site, so the ride becomes a lesson in Inca engineering and belief as much as an adventure.
| Departure point | Price per person | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Ollantaytambo | $120 USD | Horse, local expert guide, Organig Box Lunch |
| Cusco (round trip) | $150 USD | Transportation Cusco–Ollantaytambo–Cusco, lunch |
The Cusco option runs nearly a full day door-to-door, so transport and lunch are built into the price — you won’t need to plan a thing beyond showing up.
Ollantaytambo sits at a lower altitude than Cusco and is the last town before Machu Picchu on the way in from the Sacred Valley. Staying here for a night or two is a smart move if you’re building up to a longer trek — it gives your body a gentler altitude transition and puts you right at the trailhead for this tour. Read more about the horseback riding routes around Ollantaytambo or the town’s Inca fortress on UNESCO’s overview of the Sacred Valley.
Your briefing takes place according to where you’re staying — in Cusco or already in Ollantaytambo — and covers everything you need to know before setting out: gear, timing, and what to expect on the ascent. For official background on the archaeological sites you’ll pass, the Peruvian Ministry of Culture’s page on Machu Picchu is a useful reference. Book the Sun Gate Tour by Horse →
Want to reach the Sun Gate on foot instead? Our 2-day Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu follows the original Inca path through Wiñay Wayna to Inti Punku.Early in the morning, we’ll pick you up directly from your hotel in Cusco or Ollantaytambo to begin this unforgettable adventure. From Cusco, our private transport takes us through the Sacred Valley to the picturesque town of Ollantaytambo, then continues to the historic Inca Bridge, where we cross the Urubamba River — a striking entrance into the heart of the valley.
Our well-trained horses will be waiting for us there. After preparing our daypacks for the day ahead, we set off along ancient trails that wind through the mountains, following the same paths the Inca once used to reach the majestic Inti Punku — the Sun Gate, a sacred archaeological gateway to the Inca world.
Trip facts
| Low elevation | 2,792 m / 9,160 ft |
| High elevation | 3,886 m / 12,749 ft |
| Distance | 9 km / 3.3 mi |
| Ascent | 4 hours (horseback) |
| Descent | 3 hours (horseback + ~35 min on foot) |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
