Maukallaqta | One of the Most Underrated Inca Ruins in Peru

Maukallaqta might be one of the most underrated and significant Inca ruins in all of Peru. There is not only one but two interesting archaeological parks right next to each other. Before the ruins of Maukallaqta, find the extraordinary cave system of Puma Orqo.

What makes these two places so special?

You could, in fact, be laying eyes upon the “birthplace” of the Incas. The mysticism that surrounds this place is as incredible as the sites themselves. Walking into Maukallaqta feels like stumbling upon a secret that few adventurers are so lucky to know about.

Maukallaqta can be reached via a one hour collectivo ride to the south of Cusco. Next, take a casual 8 mile hike past Puma Orqo, and reach the lost city. It can be a little confusing, as the archaeological park has many different spellings. Look for this sacred site to be referenced as Mauk’a Llaq’ta, Mauk’allaqta, Maukallacta, to name a few. The word has Quechua origins and literally translates to “ancient place.” With its close proximity to Cusco, Maukallaqta makes for an excellent day trip option that can be reached completely independently.

Here’s all the logistics, tips, and the cost on taking the day trip to Maukallaqta from Cusco.

Table of Contents

Disclosure: This is part of my Hikes & Adventures series, which means these treks can be strenuous and challenging. These are my experiences and I am not an expert. Please have all the proper equipment, verify the weather conditions, use professional resources, do your own research, be mindful of constantly changing trail conditions, and take into consideration your own physical abilities and/or limitations. These guides are for entertainment purposes only. Please see my full disclosure for more information here.

• Hiking Map of Puma Orqo & Maukallaqta
• How to Reach the Trailhead from Cusco
• Yaurisque Village to Puma Orqo
• Highlights of Puma Orqo
• The Trail to Maukallaqta
• Highlights of Maukallaqta
• How to Return to Cusco
• Cost of Maukallaqta Excursion from Cusco
• Maukallaqta | Magical & Underrated Inca Ruins Near Cusco

✈ Peru Travel Planning | 32 Unique & Famous Landmarks in Peru to Visit

Hiking Map of Puma Orqo & Maukallaqta

The following hiking map starts at the village of Yaurisque and ends at Maukallaqta Archaeological Park. This excursion can be a long day trip from Cusco. Plan on it taking anywhere from 8 – 12 hours.

⁉️ If downloading the map, please verify that the map is correct and follows the waypoints. Oftentimes, there are daily updates to the site, map platforms, and other external issues that may cause a bug in downloading. Be mindful that this map is solely for entertainment purposes. Always hike responsibly and respect the mountains by following a no-trace philosophy, avoid hiking alone, be conscious of the weather and personal limitations, and do not stray from the visible trail.

Quick Logistics of the Hike to Puma Orqo & Maukallaqta

Mileage distances are rounded to the nearest quarter of a mile.

• Out & Back Trail
• Round-Trip Mileage: 15.5 miles
• One-Way Mileage: 7.75 miles
• A mostly flat trail along a dirt path.
• Trail Markers:The trail mostly follows along a dirt road for cars. There are many signs along the road, so it’s hard to get lost.
  • If looking to save time and cut down on mileage, take a shared car or a collectivo to the village of San Juan de Taray. Look for the official park sign.
• Along the path there is little shade coverage.
• There are benches with shade protection at site of Puma Orqo. Maukallaqta has some shaded areas onsite.
• Estimated Time of Excursion:8 -12 hours
  • Personal Schedule: Departed the bus terminal @ 8:15 and arrived back @ 18:15

➯ Hey… don’t forget your Travel Insurance! I love SafetyWing

How to Reach the Trailhead from Cusco

Yaurisque is the gateway to the Maukallaqta trailhead. From Cusco, it’s easy to reach the site via the collectivos that run frequently directly outside the Terminal Terrestre Juan Espinoza Medrano. This terminal is found past the extremely local Huancaro Market. It’s also possible to take a public bus to the terminals is. Taxis to the bus station should cost no more than 7 PEN ($2 USD) from Cusco’s favorite neighborhood of San Blas.

Cusco city buses that drop near the Terminal | The city buses cost S/ 1 (25¢)

• Patron de San Jeronimo (Red Buses)
• Inka Express (Green and White Buses)
• Nuevo Mirador (Blue and White Buses)
• Columbia (Green Buses)

Cars to Yaurisque | Departure Location: Terminal Terrestre Juan Espinoza Medrano | Cost: 10 PEN ($2.75) | Time: 45 minutes | Collectivos depart when full | Hours: 5:00 – 19:00

Make sure to tell the driver to drop you in Yaurisque for the Maukallaqta trek!

Yaurisque Village to Puma Orqo

Cars will drop on the outskirt of the small village of Yaurisque. The walk from Yaurisque to Puma Orqo is just under 7 miles and should take around 3 hours. The walk follows along a dirt path and is mostly flat, although there are sections of gradual ascent and descent. It should be noted that Maukallaqta sits at almost 11,200 feet!

However, the trailhead officially starts in the tiny village of San Juan de Taray. Here, there is a large unmissable sign for the Archaeological Parks. Collectivos frequently pass along this road, and taking a car for this section would shave off a little more than 3 miles. Collectivos run frequently between Yaurisque to the San Juan de Taray signage and cost only a few soles.

From San Juan de Taray it’s only possible to walk to Puma Orqo and Maukallaqta, or hitch a ride on the back of a motobike.

Short Cut to Puma Orqo

When those stunning views of Puma Orqo come into sight, keep an eye open for a foot trail to the right. This dirt path leads right to the entrance of Puma Orqo and shaves off a few miles and an hour along the dusty road. Be mindful that this path goes downhill a bit and it’s a little bit of an uphill climb to the site of Puma Orqo.

This shortcut is marked on the above map!

Highlights of Puma Orqo

Even from a distance, Puma Orqo Archaeological Park is quite impressive. The site is hard to miss as it’s a massive cliff rock with crumbling ruins encircling it.

So what’s the significance?

There are two origin stories as to where the Incas came from. The first, and most commonly known, is that they rose from the depths of Lake Titicaca. The second, is that they magically emerged from the cave system of Puma Orqo. How fascinating right!? So, don’t simply walk past and skip this intriguing site.

When you first come to Puma Orqo, there are white arrows that can be followed to complete a self-guided circuit. It’s cool because you can actually crawl around and explore these peculiar rocks. There is more than one cave section and it’s possible to climb between the cliff.

One of the most impressive parts of the park are is at the top of the large cliff. There are stone chairs that resemble Cusco’s Temple of the Moon, but the real gem is the curious decapitated Puma. It’s pretty well hidden and I only knew of the stone animal once it was brought to my attention from the founder of Cusco Hike Club. After that, we were able to spot him in a few of our photos!

Onsite there is a garbage can and covered awning with a bench.

The Trail to Maukallaqta

From Puma Orqo, continue along the dirt road to reach the foot path to Maukallaqta. There is signage on where to enter the dirt trail. This section of the hike is around a mile. It will only take 30 – 45 minutes to arrive at Maukallaqta.

Highlights of Maukallaqta

Welcome to Maukallaqta! What a site. This little park packs in a big punch and could be the first city that the Incas ever built!

Walk along the entrance way. There will be a gatekeeper who will ask you to register with your passport number, but archaeological park is completely FREE! Again, find arrows to lead you through a self-guided tour of this ancient city.

Maukallaqta has old stone walkways that have Inca water canals that cut through the middle of them. The stone walls are impressive. The sacred site kind of felt similar to Huchuy Qosqo in the unforgettable Sacred Valley.

The most spectacular highlight of Maukallaqta has to be the set of three triple hinged doors. Triple hinged doors are quite rare, but usually signify a spot that was considered incredibly sacred. Here, there are 9 of these doors, creating a trifecta of fascination.

☛ Travel Tip | Want to visit more Inca Sites? 35+ Inca Ruins in Peru You Must Visit

Maukallaqta also has some magnificent and large doorways that are still standing. In front of the entire site appears to be an elaborate staircase, making it feel like a grand entrance, built for a king.

An hour or two is a significant amount of time to explore the site, as it is quite small. However, on a sunny day, it’s a delight to lay in the grass and feel the special energy of this place. That’s what’s so amazing about exploring these spots. Let your mind wander to what this ancient city was used for, because all we have is speculation wrapped in legends and myths.

Psst… Like this Hike? Don’t miss another underrated site Waqrapukara, or the “horned fortress”

How to Return to Cusco

When ready, follow the same trail back to the road. Pass by Puma Orqo and take the footpath shortcut to the road to San Juan de Taray. Now, you’ll walk slightly downhill to the archaeological park sign in the town. From here, you may wish to flag down a collectivo or hitchhike to the bus stop on the outskirts of Yaurisque. Not that the road is now a gradual and noticeable climb uphill.

Once in Yaurisque, wait on the main road to catch a frequent bus or collectivo heading back to Cusco. All of these vehicles will drop at the Terminal Terrestre Juan Espinoza Medrano where you started your day.

Keep in mind, this can be a long, but worthwhile day trip from Cusco!

Hungry Now? Here’s over 40 recommendations on where to eat in Cusco

Cost of Maukallaqta Excursion from Cusco

So, how much did it cost to independently visit Maukallaqta? Well it depends really. Using more cars and taxi will increase the price, but will save on time. This day trip is still super budget friendly!

Here’s a chart of my actual expenses for the day.

Prices on the table are rounded to the nearest 25¢

Expenses	PEN (S/)	USD ($)
Taxi Fare to Bus Terminal (Round-Trip)	S/ 14	$4
Collectivo to Yaurisque	S/ 10	$2.75
Entrance for Both Archaeological Parks	FREE	FREE
Collectivo from Yaurisque to Cusco	S/ 7	$2
Total	S/ 31	$8.75

As you can see, it’s extremely reasonable to reach Maukallaqta. If you use a collectivo from Yaurisque to San Juan de Taray, it should not cost more than 5 PEN each way. To lower expenses, hike with friends and split the taxi fares.

It’s a long day, so grab plenty of snacks, food, and fluids from one of the market in Cusco. There are a few tiendas in Yaurisque selling chips and other snacks.

Maukallaqta | Magical & Underrated Inca Ruins Near Cusco

In short, Maukallaqta is a magical, yet underrated Inca ruin that can be found close to Cusco. Those who are especially fascinated by the lesser known legends of the Inca origins will love this interesting archaeological park. Make sure to include a stop at the iconic site of Puma Orqo, which could be where the Inca’s story truly began. This hike is fairly moderate and is a free Inca site, making it the perfect budget excursion.

Have you heard of the site of Maukallaqta? Would you like to visit this magical place and the interesting site of Puma Orqo? For those of you who were so lucky did visit, what did you think of it? Was it worth a stop on a Cusco itinerary? Let me know in the comments below!

Pack This Post for Later! Pin It!

Disclaimer: There’s a chance this post contains affiliate links, and I receive a small (but grateful) portion of the sale. There’s no extra cost to you, and I only promote things that I use and love.