Monthly Archives: September 2019

Waqrapukara – Peru’s Most Breathtaking Ruins?

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Yesterday I finally made what was probably my toughest day trek ever to what is perhaps the most incredible site in all of Peru — Waqrapukara. I’d heard so much about the site and everyone in the group I hiked with agreed that it was far more than we’d imagined. The consensus among all of us was there simply are no words to describe what we saw.

I usually don’t take tours, but sometimes they are necessary — especially when traveling somewhere I’ve never been before. Going with a group of like-minded travelers who are willing to put forth a tremendous effort to visit a place that is far, far off the beaten path makes it even better.

Because Waqrapukara is so remote, we left very early (3:45 am) in the morning for the long 3½-hour ride to the south. We stopped and had a decent traditional breakfast along the way before continuing up into the mountains on a tiny, winding dirt road.

[Be sure to click on the individual photos to see each full size. I think this set really deserves to be seen large!]


Finally, we reached the starting point of the trek and took off really not knowing what lay in store for us in the coming hours. I’m usually pretty hard on guides, but Rolando, was excellent. Though he tended to explain more than I needed, he shared enough and kept the group informed when necessary as well as being a good leader for a very diverse group.

Eight people made up our little squad including one Peruvian from Lima, an couple from Italy, three Mexicans from Guadalajara, and myself. Cloudy skies and a cold wind didn’t portend a lovely day, but we were certainly in for a pleasant surprise as the day wore on.


It became quite clear that this was not a normal hike. We passed through some of the most remote country I have ever seen. The expansive views of the mountains and valleys surrounding us were absolutely gorgeous.

Sparse barely begins to convey the scenery as every direction was a mix of large stones which had rolled down from the mountains above and Andean grass and tiny white cacti which made up almost all of the vegetation at this altitude.

We had started hiking at an altitude of well over 14,000 feet (4200m) and for the next three hours went up and down the mountains through valley after valley with only an occasional small herd of cows or horses to accentuate the barren expanse.


Finally, after hiking for nearly two hours, we came around a bend in the trail and got our first glimpse of Waqrapukara. Even from several kilometers away, it still was imposing as it dominated the view of the Rio Apurimac canyon far off in the distance.


You can see from the photo above that we were still far from the ruins with a long downhill walk ahead. As we continued downhill, we saw even more scenery as the clouds began to break and blue skies appeared overhead.


I was especially fascinated with an abandoned ranch community that once was a lovely spot for a group of campesinos likely engaged in raising llamas and alpacas. The stone corrals and the adobe buildings were starting to fade, but it was easy to imagine what life must have been like in such a remote place.

The trail took us the valley until finally, after three hours of hiking challenging terrain, we reached the base of the ruins. I was the first to arrive followed by the rest of the group who trickled in little by little.

Above us lay one of — and maybe THE — most impressive ruins that I’ve ever visited. The sheer domination that Waqrapukara holds over the valleys surrounding it on three sides in such a awe-inspiring location left us all speechless.


It became the “joke” of our group that we just kept saying “wow!” over and over because we quickly ran out of words to describe what we saw. After awhile, we all agreed that no words could really describe Waqrapukara. It really was that indescribable.


Once you climb up into the ruins themselves, you discover that it is actually quite small. I didn’t take as many photos of the upper section as I probably should have.

I just wasn’t all that impressed with the upper ruins. It would have helped if I could find out a little more about the origins of Waqrapukara. Rolando said it was a pre-Inca site built by the Canchi peoples of the region and later occupied by the Incas as part of their expansion out from Cusco across the Americas.

I tend to discount almost everything I am told about pre-Columbian sites as there was no written language to preserve the historical record. I’m still looking for academic research on the site which is proving to be difficult to find.


Part of the reason was my eyes were constantly drawn to the breathtaking vistas that spread out before us. Waqrapukara was definitely built in place of immense beauty! It is possible to walk behind the main section, though caution is heavily recommended as the cliffs fall away for hundreds of feet and, in most places, there are no ropes to keep you away from the edge.

It doesn’t really matter as you don’t have to walk to the edge to look down into the deep canyon below — perhaps twice as deep as the canyon below Machu Picchu.


Finally it was time to start back. The while tie I had been looking back up the valley and thinking how difficult the climb up would be. Thank goodness I didn’t realize that what I could see in the high distance wasn’t even close to the top!

This was the view of our return hike that kept haunting me while we explored Waqrapukara. Little did I know that the distant ridge wasn’t even close to the top!


The first hour and a half of the hike back was easily the toughest I’ve ever done. Despite being in pretty good shape, I quickly fell far behind everyone except for one of the Mexican girls who was having a really hard time dealing with the distance and the altitude. I was barely keeping ahead of her as I saw the rest of the group disappear ahead of me.

The steep uphill sections were taking a tremendous toll on my legs and I found myself breathing so hard that I was seriously worried.

We literally climbed almost non-stop up the valley for an hour and a half before we reached a section where the trail leveled off a bit. Interestingly, all the way up I had been thinking of my days as a distance runner and was feeling a bit of embarrassment. The fact that I was twice the age of the others didn’t make any difference.

Something happened, though, we I reached that stretch of relatively easy climbing. I found something that can only be described as a “second wind” and my pace picked up considerably.

Little by little I closed the gap on the rest of the group until I finally caught up and then, when they stopped for a break, continued one. It was amazing how much better I felt and how I was able to keep up a brisk pace for the next couple of hours until I reached the starting point 10-15 minutes ahead of everyone else.

It honestly wasn’t my intention to race or get to the finish far ahead of the others. Part of my motivation was that the sun was starting to sink and it was cooling off quickly, but I’ll admit that there was a bit of satisfaction that this old man was able to out hike all the younger crowd.

Despite being as exhausted as I’ve been since the last time I ran a marathon (after not running for a year!), after a rest, I took off back down the trail to check on the girl who was having such a hard time. (I had to hike a long way before I met up with her and Rolando. She ended up finishing nearly two hours later.)

The drive back to Cusco seemed to take forever. We were all zombies with no energy left. It didn’t help that, instead of taking us back to our pick up locations, we were left at a central spot meaning I had another 15 minute uphill walk to get home!

While a tremendous challenge to reach, Waqrapukara was more than worth it. I won’t attempt to describe just how amazing a place that it is, but suffice to say that any visitor to Cusco should seriously consider making the effort. You’ll be glad you did!



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Photo Gallery – Symbiotic Construction of Machu Picchu

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I’ve been to Machu Picchu more than 15 times this year alone — most of those outside the current busy tourist season. Ever time I find myself taking more photos of places where the Incas actually integrated the mountain itself into their construction.

In modern times, we tend to destroy then built on top of what’s left. The Incas had a completely different approach that was founded on their reverence for nature instead of today’s desire to dominate and take from nature instead of sharing life with it.

I’m not going to get into Inca cosmology or mysticism regarding nature, but suffice it to say that I am fascinated with how they integrated nature into their construction.

This photo gallery is a series of pics showing only a small sample of the many examples of the symbiosis of nature and Inca architecture.

[While there’s no particular order or arrangement to these, be sure to click on the individual photos to see them larger!]

The large stone at the opposite end of this room was apparently a ceremonially platform.
Wish I could remember where this was taken! There are a surprising number of caves scattered throughout Machu Picchu.
This large stone near the main entrance could have been easily been cut away to make more room for the main passageway, but instead it was left intact.
Another large stone that was utilized to form one wall beside the staircase.
This large stone fills the corner of one room.
Large stones are frequently left in their original natural position to make up a portion of walls.
Here’s another example of natural stones left in place to form walls.
It was very common for Inca engineers to utilize existing stone as the foundation for structures built above.

A number of stones throughout Machu Picchu are carved into the shape of arrows pointing the way to certain important points of interest to the Incas. How many can you find?

I found the stone on the left after climbing up on it to get a better view. I have not been able to determine where it is pointing , but was deliberately carved.

The stone on the right also points in a direction that is not so obvious. I have not checked it’s alignment on a map — maybe next time — but it may be pointing south toward Ausangate. Interestingly, on the winter solstice (June 21), it’s shadow points in a completely different direction towards the distant ruins of Llactapata which obviously had an important relationship to Machu Picchu.

While this stone points south, it’s shadow points directly across the valley to Llactapata.
Most people believe that the first structure upon entering the site from the Inca Trail trek, the Inti Punku (Sun Gate) opens up to Machu Picchu, but all of the doors open directly to San Miguel mountain on the other side of the valley from MP. This stone was carved into an arrow also pointing directly at the distant mountain.
Existing stones make up the foundation for the Temple of the Sun (also known as El Torreon).
Below the temple of the Sun is a fantastic cave that apparently was of major importance to the Incas. While it closed off to tourists now, the carved stone steps at the entrance is easily viewed.

The one photo that almost every tourist misses is the main entrance to Machu Picchu shown above. Everyone takes photos from above while standing in the doorway, but what they miss is the view that the Incas intended — the sight of Huayna Picchu aligned perfectly behind the door and the main entrance passage.

I don’t believe that Inca engineers built anything without a purpose. Their sense of integration with the not only the geology of their surroundings, but also the geography, is unmatched and worthy of further study. It is amazing how everything was integrated with precision and planning that tourists never know.

People who come to Machu Picchu are understandably awed at the beauty of the architecture and it’s fantastic location high on top of a jungle mountain, but what they see only touches the surface of what Machu Picchu really is.



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Hiking an Inca Road from Chinchero to the Sacred Valley

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A couple of weeks ago I had a great time making a hike I’ve been putting off for a long time. We took the old Inca route from Chinchero down through the canyon to the village of Urquillos in the Sacred Valley.

I usually don’t go with tour groups, but every once in awhile I go with the school groups sponsored by Mundo Antiguo (which is Cusco’s best Spanish school, by the way!) The guide was my friend Dorian who was a teacher at the school but now is working as a commercial artist in Cusco. He grew up in the area and knows it well. He’s shown me some really interesting places and I’ve learned a lot from him.

As usual, our group was a veritable United Nations gathering with hikers from The Netherlands (Tessa and Stijn), Germany (Julian and Peter), Peru (Dorian), and the US (myself). One of the highlight of my hikes is interacting and making friends with people from all over the world!

We all hopped on colectivos at the usual spot near Calle Belen. Since I was the “local” guy, I let the others fill up one car to have a little more space while I got on a different one with other Peruvians. I always like riding with local people and making friends on the short 45-minute ride to Chinchero.

Once there, we walked to Plaza where everyone took one last break and got a little breakfast of choclo con queso (corn with gigantic kernels and cheese), then headed off to the trailhead behind the market area.

The hike begins by passing below the terraces of the Chinchero ruins which were probably built by the inca Tupac Yupanqui. The ruins are pretty impressive, but the best part soon came as we made our way past the ruins as the trail continued into the canyon.

The first part of the trail is reconstructed well, but don’t expect it to be this way all the way down!

We turned off on a smaller trail to the right and hiked along the steep side of the canyon for several hundred meters before coming upon a really beautiful waterfall. Of course, this time of the year there wasn’t much water coming down as it’s the dry season.

We spent a little time there while everyone took selfies then headed back down the trail and joined up with the main trail. Frankly, the trail the rest of the way down is rather boring until we finally reached Urquillos at the bottom of the canyon. The trail is often hard to follow, though you can’t get lost by continually moving downhill.

I’m looking forward to going back to seeing this waterfall during the rainy season when it must be quite spectacular.

The views were nice looking into the valley below, but most of the time there wasn’t much to see except eucalyptus trees which, of course, block much of the view of the canyon.

This probably isn’t a surprise for those who know me, but the hikes better be breathtaking for me to be impressed. (Fortunately, almost every hike in the region fits that description!)

While beautiful, I enjoyed getting down to Urquillos and walking through the village. Urquillos has a small population, but it is a very large place due to the fact that it is thin and stretches all the way to the highway that runs between Urubamba and Pisac.


Unfortunately, we didn’t see many people. I wondered if many were simply working in the fields on Saturday morning. I always like chatting with people as we walk by.

While a nice morning walk, I doubt I’ll make this hike again except to see the waterfall when it is flowing more.



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Find Yourself Alone in Ccorca’s Tecsecocha Canyon

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It seems every time I visit a new place, I am awed by what I see and what I experience. Tecsecocha Canyon was no exception and provided a solitary hike through a beautiful canyon complete with ancient rock paintings and tombs still holding the bones of the interred.

I’ve been wanting to explore the region west of Cusco for a long time and, after hearing so much from my local friends about the small town of Ccorca, I decided to make the trip yesterday morning.

Catching a ride to Ccorca is a little tougher than most because you must go a long way above central Cusco to catch a shared taxi or a colectivo. I prefer to walk for the exercise, but lots of buses will take your there. The location is on Av Antonio Lorena next to the Repsol gas station almost across from the large religious statue.


A shared taxi costs 4 soles ($1.20 USD). Unlike taxis I’ve taken to other places, the emphasis is on shared. The tiny little cars will put 4 people in the back seat so that you are jammed in like sardines. On my return ride, we had 8 people (!) in the little clown car including two riding in the hatchback area. (Next time I will seriously consider paying for an extra person just so we can have a little more room.)

Right now the ride up can be a little uncomfortable. There is a lot of construction on the road causing some serious delays. What should have been about a 35-40 minute ride to Ccorca turned into a hot, hour-long torturous strip crammed inside an overcrowded coffin that felt as if it would break down at any moment. Because of the tremendous amounts of dirt and dust, we couldn’t even roll down the windows.

I almost hopped out once after sitting in a long line of trucks and cars for nearly 15 minutes, but once you get past the construction that ends at the city of Santiago’s trash dump, the scenery becomes absolutely fabulous and absolutely worth it

The taxi climbs to around 4000m ( over 13,000′) in altitude before descending towards Ccorca. The treeless mountains provide incredible vistas that are no different from what they where when Incas traveled along the main Inca road to the coast that still exists today.

Along the way, you’ll see signs that say Qhapaq Ñan. This is the name of the Inca road system that once covered thousands of kilometers across most of the Andes and if you look closely to where they point, you’ll actually see large stretches of the road which still exist today.

The (free) entrance to Tecsecocha site.

When you get close to Ccorca, look for the entrance to Tecsecocha. It’ll likely appear in front as it’s on a left hand turn in the road. Tell the driver “baja aqui” which means you want to get off here.

Simply follow the stone paved path up the canyon for a short distance until you cross a bridge. At this point, follow the sign pointing right that will lead you to the cave painting and the tombs.

The ancient rock paintings obviously show some sort of camelid — horses were introduced by the Spanish — such as llamas or alpacas. As with paleolithic paintings around the world, their significance is unknown. Perhaps some ancient artist was bragging about a recent hunt that provided food for his family. Or maybe a hungry family was showing their God(s) what they needed to survive.

Of interest are the tombs that still survive complete with bones of those interred centuries ago. For some this will be a little macabre, but I found it a reminder of how everyone will end up no matter how much wealth or power they have while alive.

I hiked farther up the canyon and, while it was interesting, I wouldn’t recommend it. There simply isn’t much there to see.

Returning along the path, I made sure to stay on the right side of the stream (which was almost dry during the winter months). The stone path follows along the majestic towering walls as it lead me down the canyon.

I’ve not seen geology like here before in the Cusco area. Combined with the fact that I was completely alone, it was easy to imagine myself traveling back in time to experience it just as it was when Paleolithic peoples lived here centuries before.

With only the sounds of birds and the wind rustling through the trees, I slowly made my way down crossing over several bridges and passing several more tomb sites along the way.

If you decide to make this climb, let me know what it’s like, but don’t expect me to ever do it!

At one point, there is a trail that seems to climb straight up a cleft in the canyon wall to an old bridge high above that apparently has seen better days. If you want to see what it looks like from above, you’ll have to go yourself because I am never going to make that climb!

I was very surprised to come upon a lovely little park area at the end of the trail. Obviously the town of Ccorca has spent a lot effort on providing some really cool recreation areas. (There is even another large recreation area under construction right now.)

I’m sure this beautiful little park is a very popular place on Sunday afternoons.

A small lake (that understandably could use some water in the current dry season) was at the center, but the best part must be the waterfall coming down from the cliffs above during the rainy summer months.

The park is a great place to relax. There are restrooms available and it’s as pretty a place as you’ll see in the area.

I definitively want to return in the summer to see the waterfall.

Follow the path down to the main road, then head up to the left to return to the main plaza area where you can catch a ride back to Cusco.

Traveling to and from Ccorca is probably the only situation where I might recommend hiring a taxi — especially if you are traveling with others. Of course, crowding into a tight, cramped taxi is a great way to interact with local people, but don’t be surprised if you find they are speaking Quechua with each other.

One thing I am going to do in the future is get out even earlier and walk along the Qhapaq Ñan road to Ccorca. In many places, it has been reconstructed, but in many places it passes through the mountains not much different from what you’d expect from a centuries-old road built to connect Cusco with other parts of the greatest empire that ever existed in the Americas.

You can still follow the road for many kilometers all the way to Ccorca’s Plaza de Armas for an experience that must be fantastic even today.

You never know who’ll you meet when walking through along remote mountain paths in the Andes.

The paths through the mountain canyons provide solitude that is not so easily found along the “Gringo trail” of the tourist sites that are always packed with people coming and going through Cusco and the surrounding region.

I will definitely be returning to Ccorca and Tecsecocha soon. I imagine there’s a lot more to be seen in the area, too, even if only exploring the vast expanse of mountain trails and villages that extend into the distance.




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Choqana — Ancient Fort or Inca Tambo?

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Yesterday I went back to the Inca ruins of Choqana just outside of Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley to see if I could get a better idea of its original purpose.

I was accompanied this time by my friends Stijn (from The Netherlands) and Judy (from Florida) for a great day of hiking on spectacular day. Hiking is always more fun when I get to share it with fantastic people!

We started at the impressive Ñaupa Iglesia site above the small town of Pachar and hiked along the Inca Road from Pachar to Ollantaytambo that I wrote about a couple of weeks ago here: Hiking THE Inca Trail for Free in the Sacred Valley.

Peter Frost, author of Exploring Cusco, says it was a fort, but he doesn’t explain why he thinks so. The first time I visited the site two weeks ago I only explored a couple of room, but yesterday I was able to walk through most of the small complex that provides a dominant view up and down the Urubamba Valley.

After walking through all the complex, I am convinced that it was not a fort at all. Despite the imposing outside walls just above the river, there is nothing else that leads me to believe there was anything about it’s position or construction that made it a good a defensive fort.

Choqana, though a small ruin complex, holds an impressive spot above the Rio Urubamba.

As you approach along the dirt road from the south which generally follows the original Inca road connecting Cusco to Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu, the walls rising above are certainly quite imposing, but their position on the steep mountainside made it almost necessary for to build high. Indeed, much of the lower foundation is actually the mountain itself with Inca stonework beginning quite higher as shown in the photos below.

The site itself is actually quite small, though on the approach there is a significant set of agricultural terraces. It’s necessary to climb up to the few rooms. A couple of buildings originally had two flotheroors, but few of the rooms had more than window or two. (If you’re just staying the night, you really don’t want windows where cold drafts can creep in.)

Because of it’s small size, it couldn’t hold more than a handful of soldiers necessary to defend against even a small invading force.

Even more important is that it simply in the wrong place. Choqana sits above the river along a major Inca road, but anyone wishing to attach from farther up the valley would simply travel on the other side of the river where farm land made for a simple, easy approach to Ollantaytambo.

Also, because the Incas controlled all of the Urubamba Valley from Ollantaytambo to Pisac, there simply be no need. Those cultures they had difficulty with lay north and east of the Ollantaytambo and would approach from those two directions.

Almost all of the small rooms had a large number of typical trapezoidal niches where ceremonial artifacts were kept. Would a very small military fort have almost every wall include a large number of ceremonial and/or religious components? That just doesn’t make much sense since soldiers were distinctly separate from the “priest” class.

Of perhaps even more importance are the existence of two carved stones (below) that appear to be small ceremonial platforms. In a very small defensive fort, I wonder if Inca builders would have gone to the trouble of creating two separate ceremonial platforms. These were generally reserved for more important, religious sites.

While the walls — especially those from the south approach, are very thick — they are not particularly useful for defensive purposes. Incas generally preferred close quarters, hand-to-hand warfare with handheld weapons. The windows didn’t even provide a decent view of the surrounding countryside which would be needed for a defensive position.

Frankly, for all of the reasons described, I can see no reason to believe that Choqana was a fort. Nothing about it except its initial appearance supports that.

What it does seem to me — and this is based simply on my readings of those who have spent their careers studying the Inca culture — is that Choqana was some kind of tambo, or stopping place along this very important Inca road.

Because of the large number of ceremonial niches and platforms, my first thought yesterday was that it was perhaps even a stopping place for the Inca leader himself on his way to Ollantaytambo or Machu Picchu.

Much has been written about this famous “Inca Trail” having a number of ceremonial/religious stopping points along the way from Cusco to Machu Picchu. (I like to compare them to CHristian “Stations of the Cross”.) Being less than an hours’ walk to the Inca town of Ollantaytambo, this would make a convenient stopping place along the way.

The small number of rooms could conveniently house those who maintained the site — perhaps priests and workers who lived in Ollantaytambo, but needed a place to spend the night or escape from the weather when necessary.

(Interestingly, Andean peoples still use utilize this practice of having small shelters all over the mountains to spend short periods of time when working planting or harvesting crops of working with livestock like sheep or llamas.)

I’d love hear what others think. So much of ancient culture is still shrouded in mystery, but they were brilliant engineers and they were able to shape the largest civilization in the Americas within a very, very short period of time not because they were warlike, but because they had a purpose for almost everything they did.

They built things for a purpose and in certain places for a reason. They were logical and highly educated about the world around them. I think the ruins of Choqana are an example of just this kind of brilliance they exhibited all over the region.

Choqana is an easy 30-40 minute walk from Ollantaytambo for anyone interested in visiting. There are ruins even higher above and a trail that leads up and over the mountainside that I want to explore soon.


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Llaullipata – Rarely Visited Ruins a Short Hike Above Cusco

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Yesterday I was bored after just a day (!) without hiking, so I decided to visit Llaullipata — a quiet spot along the Rio Chacán hidden in a canyon surrounded by towering eucalyptus trees.

The first part of the hike is not an easy one if you come up from the Plaza de Armas. My Fitbit watch says it’s the equivalent of over 100 floors of climbing, but you can take a taxi for a handful of soles and save all the hard work by going to the Cusco Planetarium.

Across the road from the north entrance of Sacsayhuaman is this little road which goes to the Planetarium. Just follow it to the Hacienda Llaullipata.

Follow along the stone paved road until you get to the hacienda Llaullipata which was once home to an Inca princess Yupanqui who married the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro.

Continue down the dirt road past the Hacienda Llaullipata. It’s possible there will be a cable across the road, but don’t worry — you are free to go around it and continue on.

The walk along the road is a nice break from the hustle and bustle of Cusco just a short distance below. You’ll likely hear the sounds of city life coming up the valley, but once you get amongst the towering eucalyptus trees those sounds will likely fade away.

Yesterday was a breezy day so the trees were swaying up high in the wind. The sounds of the eucalyptus — which are not native, but were brought from Australia in the early 20th century — can be soothing, but often disconcerting, too.

I love to hike through this grove of euacalyptus trees. They dampen the sounds of the city below and are so soothing as they sway in teh wind on a breezy day.

I’ve never heard so many different sounds coming from one type of tree on a windy day. I’ve heard them sound like birds and other times they sound like horns. Generally the creaking of the trunks rising straight into the sky makes you think they’re all about to break and come crashing down up your head, but I promise you’ll be safe!

Keep your eye out for wildlife, too. One time I spotted a tiny deer grazing along the trail. He was so small compared to deer I’m used to seeing in Texas and was seemed little concerned about my presence.

The hike to the ruins only takes about 30-40 minutes with very little climbing or descending until you reach the stream, but you should be aware of one potential danger along the way.

When you see this home on the left side of the trail, watch out am aggressive 3-legged dog who might come of the brush.


About half way there you will notice a home on the right side of the trail. I’ve never seen him, but in the past a 3-legged dog we’ve nicknamed “Tripod” lives here and has been known to attack passing hikers.

I’ve been up this trail almost ten times and never seen him, but I know of others who have and one young woman was actually bitten when he rushed out of the grass and got her from behind before she could react.

For this reason, I always carry a stick when passing by and I tend to be quiet so I can hear him coming. (Sorry, I can’t tell you where my sticks are hidden near the start of the hike. I’ll need them next time I’m up there!)

When you get to the canyon itself, all you need to do is go downhill to the left once you reach the rock piles and you’ll see the ruins very soon. Be careful when going downhill as the eucalyptus leaves can make the trail as slippery as loose rock. There are numerous paths and they’ll all get you there.

Keep your eyes open and you’ll soon see the large stones that make up the Llaullipata site. It’s remoteness makes it a very unique place in the area to visit. It’s likely you won’t see another person there, though occasionally local teens visit on the weekends to drink or smoke or make out.

This is what you’ll see when you first come upon the Llaullipata stones alongside the river bed in the Rio Chacán canyon.

The purpose of the stones are likely related to water, but, like most Inca sites, the actual purpose is not known. They are carved in a myraid of ways that look like seats, but were probably ceremonial platforms of some kind.

This was obviously an important site as indicated by the quality of the stonework. Water and sun were the two most important resources to the Incas because, without them, there was no life. Large stones were especially revered and their presence near water gave them even greater importance.

The Llaullipata site is on the Rio Chacán which joins with the Rio Saphi a little farther down the canyon which was one of two rivers that flowed through Cusco.

[Little known fact: the Rio Saphi still flows next to Cuscos Plaza de Armas, but it is now underground! It is channeled below far up the canyon from the Plaza and emerges far to the south.]

The most interesting carving is on the “back side” of the main stone where a large step pyramid has been carved into the rock alongside the stream. This is a favorite spot for those wanting a unique photo of themselves!

The unusual pyramid shape carved into the rock should not be missed.

You can go a little farther down stream (about 50 meters) to find another massive rock and some Inca stonework, but it does have the carvings that the first stones have.

Even without a taxi ride up, this is a short, relatively easy hike to little known Inca ruins just a short distance from the center of Cusco that is a good combination with a visit to the well-known ruins of Sacsayhuaman.




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