Vilcabamba Trek - the Last Inca Refuge
In 1539, the first capital of a region near Cusco, Vitcos, was abandoned by Tito Cusi Yupanqui after the death of his father Manco Inca. He moved his people deeper into an inhospitable area of mountains and jungle between the Urubamba and Apurimac rivers where he founded a new capital which is now known as Vilcabamba the Old. This last refuge was finally captured by the Spanish in 1572. 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 old at Machu Picchu.
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 old at Machu Picchu.
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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 fit 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 irresistibly to the site. It is a beautiful and peaceful place. The Inca road passes through picturesque farms along the way.
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DAY 1: CUSCO - Huancacalle
We leave Cusco very early by bus, a seven hour journey (Cusco-Maranura paved 5 hours) (Maranura – Huancacalle over a dirt road, 2 hours). Overnight in a local hostel.
Driving travel time: Cusco–Chaullay: 192km/ 119mi (paved road) 5 hours
Chaullay – Huancacalle 50km/ 31mi. (dirt road) 2 hours
Main altitudes: Cusco 3400m/11159ft.; Huancacalle 2967m/ 9734ft.
Meals: lunch and dinner
DAY 2: Huancacalle / Vitcos / Yuraq Rumi
In the morning we will make a short walk to a carved rock outcrop known as the White Rock, then we will hike to Vitcos and return to Huancacalle to continue the trek to Qollpaqasa.
The White Rock. It was a sacred carved rock with a temple and natural spring running around the rock. The White Rock is enormous, measuring 50 feet in length. The rock is carved to mirror the mountains around it similar to the sacred rock at Machu Picchu.
Vitcos stands on the northern side of the hill, between the modern villages of Huancacalle and Pucyara, and is the principal portion of a complex that covers the entire hill and portions of the valleys to the south and east. South of the hill there is Chuqip'allta, a giant carved stone said to have been an Inca oracle, and a series of terraces that stretch along the eastern side of the hill within the valley, which are believed to have been decorative or ceremonial gardens.
The palace itself consists of two groups of buildings. The upper group is made up of eight large rooms, arranged in four pairs of two rooms back to back, all joined by a common outer wall. The common wall has doors that lead to passages between the pairs.
To the north of the upper group is a terrace wall, below which is the lower group of buildings. This group is made up of a dozen or more buildings arranged around an open courtyard. The exact number of buildings in this group is unclear, as it is in considerably worse condition than the upper group.
Trek length: Vitcos - Yuraq Rumi 7km/ 4.4mi.
Main altitudes: Yuraq Rumi 3008m/9869ft Vitcos 2958m/9705ft/ Qollpaqasa 3848m/12625ft
Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
DAY 3: Vilcabamba / Qollpaqasa
Today we will begin to follow the route taken by the last Incas, as well as pioneers like Bingham and Savoy, to Vilcabamba. This is a relatively easy day as we ascend 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 impressive. The foothills of the Andes are covered in green vegetation and snow-capped peaks rise to more than 18,000 feet.
Trek length: To Qollpaqasa 10km/ 6.2mi.
Main altitudes: Qollpaqasa 3848m/12625ft
Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAY 4: Vista Alegre
From the pass we descend through fields sown with potatoes along a paved trail 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.
Trek length: Qollpaqasa – Pampaconas - Vista Alegre 19km/ 12mi.
Main altitudes: Qollpaqasa 3848m/ 12625ft Pampaconas 3447m/ 11309ft Vista Alegre 2020m/ 6627.3ft.
Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAY 5: ESPIRITU PAMPA
The walk is an easy one today. We will follow the Consevidayoc river, arriving at Vilcabamba the Old. Vilcabamba or Espíritu Pampa was a city founded by Manco Inca in 1539 that served as the capital of the Neo-Inca State, the last refuge of the Inca Empire until it fell to the Spaniards in 1572, signaling the end of Inca resistance to Spanish rule. The city was then destroyed, rediscovered in 1911, and scholars believe it to be the fabled "Lost city of the Incas".
We will explore this marvelous place covered in lush vegetation. 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 Manco 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.
Trek length: Vista Alegre - Espíritu Pampa 21km/ 13mi.
Main altitudes: Vista Alegre 2020m/ 6627.3 ft. Espiritu Pampa 1446m/ 4744ft.
Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAY 6: TO CHIWANGIRI
Today's walk is a long descent. We will be walking through the forest and sometimes the path will be unclear. After about seven hours we will arrive at our last campsite.
Trek length: Espiritu Pampa - Chiwangiri 22km/ 14mi.
Main altitudes: Espiritu Pampa 1446m/ 4744ft. Chiwangiri 895m/ 2936ft.
Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAY 7: TO QUILLABAMBA
Today we will drive to Quillabamba which, depending on the road conditions, will take between 4 and 5 hours. In the afternoon we will start our trip back to Cusco where you will be dropped off at your hotel or the airport.
Driving travel time: Chiwangiri–Kiteni: 21km/ 13.0mi (dirty road) 1 hours
Kiteni – Quillabamba 120km/ 74.6mi. (paved road) 3 hours
Quillabamba – Cusco 214km/ 133mi. (paved road) 6 hours
Main altitudes: Chiwangiri 895m/ 2936ft–Kiteni 607m/ 1991ft. Quillabamba 1067m/ 3501ft.
Meals: breakfast and lunch
We leave Cusco very early by bus, a seven hour journey (Cusco-Maranura paved 5 hours) (Maranura – Huancacalle over a dirt road, 2 hours). Overnight in a local hostel.
Driving travel time: Cusco–Chaullay: 192km/ 119mi (paved road) 5 hours
Chaullay – Huancacalle 50km/ 31mi. (dirt road) 2 hours
Main altitudes: Cusco 3400m/11159ft.; Huancacalle 2967m/ 9734ft.
Meals: lunch and dinner
DAY 2: Huancacalle / Vitcos / Yuraq Rumi
In the morning we will make a short walk to a carved rock outcrop known as the White Rock, then we will hike to Vitcos and return to Huancacalle to continue the trek to Qollpaqasa.
The White Rock. It was a sacred carved rock with a temple and natural spring running around the rock. The White Rock is enormous, measuring 50 feet in length. The rock is carved to mirror the mountains around it similar to the sacred rock at Machu Picchu.
Vitcos stands on the northern side of the hill, between the modern villages of Huancacalle and Pucyara, and is the principal portion of a complex that covers the entire hill and portions of the valleys to the south and east. South of the hill there is Chuqip'allta, a giant carved stone said to have been an Inca oracle, and a series of terraces that stretch along the eastern side of the hill within the valley, which are believed to have been decorative or ceremonial gardens.
The palace itself consists of two groups of buildings. The upper group is made up of eight large rooms, arranged in four pairs of two rooms back to back, all joined by a common outer wall. The common wall has doors that lead to passages between the pairs.
To the north of the upper group is a terrace wall, below which is the lower group of buildings. This group is made up of a dozen or more buildings arranged around an open courtyard. The exact number of buildings in this group is unclear, as it is in considerably worse condition than the upper group.
Trek length: Vitcos - Yuraq Rumi 7km/ 4.4mi.
Main altitudes: Yuraq Rumi 3008m/9869ft Vitcos 2958m/9705ft/ Qollpaqasa 3848m/12625ft
Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
DAY 3: Vilcabamba / Qollpaqasa
Today we will begin to follow the route taken by the last Incas, as well as pioneers like Bingham and Savoy, to Vilcabamba. This is a relatively easy day as we ascend 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 impressive. The foothills of the Andes are covered in green vegetation and snow-capped peaks rise to more than 18,000 feet.
Trek length: To Qollpaqasa 10km/ 6.2mi.
Main altitudes: Qollpaqasa 3848m/12625ft
Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAY 4: Vista Alegre
From the pass we descend through fields sown with potatoes along a paved trail 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.
Trek length: Qollpaqasa – Pampaconas - Vista Alegre 19km/ 12mi.
Main altitudes: Qollpaqasa 3848m/ 12625ft Pampaconas 3447m/ 11309ft Vista Alegre 2020m/ 6627.3ft.
Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAY 5: ESPIRITU PAMPA
The walk is an easy one today. We will follow the Consevidayoc river, arriving at Vilcabamba the Old. Vilcabamba or Espíritu Pampa was a city founded by Manco Inca in 1539 that served as the capital of the Neo-Inca State, the last refuge of the Inca Empire until it fell to the Spaniards in 1572, signaling the end of Inca resistance to Spanish rule. The city was then destroyed, rediscovered in 1911, and scholars believe it to be the fabled "Lost city of the Incas".
We will explore this marvelous place covered in lush vegetation. 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 Manco 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.
Trek length: Vista Alegre - Espíritu Pampa 21km/ 13mi.
Main altitudes: Vista Alegre 2020m/ 6627.3 ft. Espiritu Pampa 1446m/ 4744ft.
Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAY 6: TO CHIWANGIRI
Today's walk is a long descent. We will be walking through the forest and sometimes the path will be unclear. After about seven hours we will arrive at our last campsite.
Trek length: Espiritu Pampa - Chiwangiri 22km/ 14mi.
Main altitudes: Espiritu Pampa 1446m/ 4744ft. Chiwangiri 895m/ 2936ft.
Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
DAY 7: TO QUILLABAMBA
Today we will drive to Quillabamba which, depending on the road conditions, will take between 4 and 5 hours. In the afternoon we will start our trip back to Cusco where you will be dropped off at your hotel or the airport.
Driving travel time: Chiwangiri–Kiteni: 21km/ 13.0mi (dirty road) 1 hours
Kiteni – Quillabamba 120km/ 74.6mi. (paved road) 3 hours
Quillabamba – Cusco 214km/ 133mi. (paved road) 6 hours
Main altitudes: Chiwangiri 895m/ 2936ft–Kiteni 607m/ 1991ft. Quillabamba 1067m/ 3501ft.
Meals: breakfast and lunch
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20222-2023 Price per person in US$: group departure (min. 2 people) = $1836. Single supp. = US$91. Private departure - with 2 people = $1909 p.p., with 3 = $1393 p.p., with 4 = $1101 p.p. Single supp. = US$91. INCLUDED:
Food
NOT INCLUDED
Tipping of our guiding staff is acceptable, at your discretion, when you feel they have gone beyond their normal job requirements and should be compensated by you for it. Tipping for guides, cooks and porters may vary, depending on the type of service, length of trip and group size. Tipping is not compulsory. |
WHAT TO BRING ON THE TRIP?
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