Amazon Adventures

Peru

Vilcabamba - The Last Capital of the Incas

From the time of the conquest until 1572, the remnant of the Inca civilisation inhabited the area now known as Vilcabamba, an inhospitable region of mountains and jungle between the Urubamba and Apurimac rivers. In 1539, the first capital of this region, Vitcos, was abandoned by Tito Cusi Yupanqui after the death of his father Manco Inca. He moved his people deeper into the forest where he founded a new capital which came to be known as Vilcabamba la Vieja. This last refuge was finally captured by the Spanish in 1572, when it was depopulated and abandoned. By the beginning of the 20th century, Vilcabamba's original location had been forgotten and its very existence was doubted. Hiram Bingham, the discoverer of Machu Picchu and Vitcos, made a brief visit to the site in 1911, found a few ruins among the dense vegetation and declared the site of little importance. He believed that he had already discovered the site of Vilcabamba Ia Vieja at Machu Picchu.

In 1994 another American, Gene Savoy, retraced the route taken by Bingham to Espiritu Pampa. After a detailed study of the Spanish chronicles, Savoy concluded that Machu Picchu did not match their descriptions of Vilcabamba and that Espiritu Pampa fitted them perfectly.

Today Vilcabamba remains covered by forest and shrouded in mystery. Evidence of its great Inca past is present everywhere, and adventurers are drawn irresistably to the site. It is a beautiful and peaceful place. The Inca road passes through picturesque farms along the way. The nights are cold and the days hot as we follow the great, narrow Consevidayoc valley, descending into the jungle to Espiritu Pampa to see for ourselves the places described by Bingham and Savoy.

Day 1 - Quillabamba - We leave Cusco very early by bus and arrive in Quillabamba after an eight hour journey over a dirt road. Overnight in a local hostel.

Day 2- Huancacalle / Vitcos / Yuraq Rumi - After a four hour bus journey we arrive at Huancacalle where we will make our first camp. In the afternoon we will make a short walk to a carved rock outcrop known as Yuraq Rumi.

Day 3- Vilcabamba / Qollpaqasa - Today we will begin to follow the route taken by the lost Incas, as well as pioneers like Bingham and Savoy, to Vilcabamba. This first day is a relatively easy one as we ascent to the source of the Vilcabamba river at the pass called Qollpaqasa, at 12,400ft, the highest point of our trek. The scenery here is incredibly impressive. The foothills of the Andes are covered in green vegetation and their snow capped peaks rise to more than 18,000 feet. Camp.

Day 4- Vista Alegre - From the pass we will descend through fields sown with potatoes along a paved frail following the course of the Consevidayoc river. We may hear the sounds of birds and monkeys in the lower sections of the river and we will certainly observe a great variety of fauna and flora in the cloud forest. We will camp close to Vista Alegre.

Day 5- Espiritu Pampa - The walk is an easy one today. We will follow the Consevidayoc river, arriving at Vilcabamba Ia Vieja in the afternoon where we will finally see for ourselves the place described by Bingham and Savoy.

Day 6- Espiritu Pampa - We will explore this marvelous place covered in lush vegetation, where ancient temples lie at the feet of enormous trees. As we walk further into the forest we will see several more constructions from what was once a complete city now lost in the jungle. Tito Cusi Yupanqui, the son of Ma nco Inca, lived here for many years before the Spanish arrived in 1570, and Tupac Amaru, the younger brother of Tito Cusi Yupanqui, was captured and executed here in 1572.

Day 7- Chiwangiri - Today's walk is downhill but very long. We will walk through a forest and sometimes the path will be unclear. After about seven hours we will arrive at our last campsite.

Day 8-To Quillabamba - We drive to Quillabamba which, depending on the road conditions, will take between eight and ten hours. Hotel.

Day 9- Leave for Cusco by Road - A long drive back to our hotel in Cusco, where we will arrive after six or seven hours traveling.

2007 Price: US$1583 each for 2, US$1175 each for 3, US$940 each for 4 or US$875 each for 5-6. Supplement for single tent, if requested is $108.

Dates: any day with minimum of 2 people.