The views in Urubamba are spectacular from any part of the city. We could not pass up the chance to climb one of those mountains and check out the view from up high.
The Monument of the Cross hike (aka Mirador de Tananmarka) is a moderate hike in Urubamba, and it is one of the best views in the city. The hike takes about 45 minutes. It was a 2 hour round trip for me from the center of Urubamba (you will want to hang out for a while once you make it to the top).
I did the hike solo while Michael was in Kansas and the kids were at school. Michael wanted to do the hike when he got back, so I went again with him. Locating the start of the hike is not easy. I searched online and found a blog with a “guide” to the hike, but it was not clear, and I got lost.
This is my guide to the hike. Hopefully, it is clear and helpful to anyone looking to do the hike.
How to Get There.
The start of the Tantanmarka trail is walking distance from the town of Urubamba. To get to the trailhead, take Avenue Mariscal Castilla north (away from the river). You walk along the road until you get to the Urubamba cemetery and the Palacio de Huayna Capac. You will see the entrance to the cemetery on your right, but you will turn left and travel down Calle Rodriguez.
Travel about halfway down Calle Rodriguez until you see a building on the right with the words Mariano painted in blue on the wall. Across from the wall is a small sign that says Tantanmarka. This is not the start of the trail, but you take the dirt path between the wall and the sign. Follow the path for a couple of minutes (it winds a bit, but it is a clear path) until you dead end at a blue door.
Turn right at the blue door. It is another couple of minutes following the path along the waterway. You will pass farms and houses along the way. The path will open up, and you have to go left across the waterway to stay on the path (there is a sign for Tantanmarka so you know you are on the right path). This part was tricky, but when I went, someone was walking by at the same time and showed me the path. You will see a house on a hill, and the trail veers up the hill past the house.
It is another few minutes of walking along a dirt path before you reach the trailhead on the left. From the trailhead, you cannot get lost. The trail zigzags up the mountain until you reach the top.
The hike is steep. I was winded for a lot of the hike (Urubamba is at about 9,000 feet in elevation). It is worth it. You can stop as much as you want along the way. There is a bench about halfway up the mountain to rest and enjoy the view.
Once you reach the top, there is a bench at the top of the mountain next to the cross. Going back down the mountain is quicker, but your legs may feel tired. Be sure to enjoy the view on the way down.
Also, when we went, the cross was broken. They fixed it the day after Michael and I hiked to the top. We were woken up at 4:30 am by police lights and a marching band. Dozens of people were walking up the street behind a large truck carrying new beams for the cross. They carried the beams up the mountain and put a new cross up just in time for Easter.
The Mirador de Tantanmarka hike is challenging, but worth it. Being at the top of the mountain feels like being on top of the world.
