The Path of Inca Knowledge

CUSCO LAMBAYEQUE Email: [email protected] Av. Manco Cápac 515 – Wanchaq Ca. M. M. Izaga 740 Of. 207 - Chiclayo www.chaskiventura.com T: 51+ 84 233952 T: 51 +74 221282 PSMHI3 – THE PATH OF INCA KNOWLEDGE SUMMARY DURATION AND SEASON 02 Days / 01 Night LOCATION Department of Cusco ALTITUDE From 2350 to 3300 m ATTRACTIONS Archaeological and historical complexes: Archaeological complexes of Moray, Ollantaytambo, Historic Sanctuary of Machupicchu, Salt mines of Maras. Natural complexes: Local flora and fauna TYPE OF TOURISM Historical tourism TYPE OF SERVICE Private GUIDE – TOUR CONDUCTOR Spanish, English, French and other according to availability and demand DESCRIPTION During this journey, we will try to understand how the Incas understood their world; their symbolic view about construction and development of human activities and their relationship with the earth and the stars. CUSCO LAMBAYEQUE Email: [email protected] Av. Manco Cápac 515 – Wanchaq Ca. M. M. Izaga 740 Of. 207 - Chiclayo www.chaskiventura.com T: 51+ 84 233952 T: 51 +74 221282 ITINERARY Day 1:CUSCO – CHECOQ – MORAY – MARAS – OLLANTAYTAMBO Pick up at your hotel in Cusco or another point which would be agreed on. BEGINNING OF THE SERVICES Visit to Checoq - The site of Cheqoq is challenging in more than one way. You will find stairs, platforms, rectangular buildings with roofs that may be covered with thatch, or “ichu” straw and which seem to be mainly warehouses or more precisely, Inca refrigerators. Traditionally, “qolqas” Colcas or warehouses are intended primarily to maintain reserves of food in optimal conditions, outside, in cool places. Further studies show that they were put in such a way that doors or windows are oriented in the coldest direction, capturing the coolest winds or icy nights. But here, additional elements appear: first the inner leads can capture currents of fresh air, but sometimes, the air is not the only way to control the refrigeration. It seems that there is a humidity control and temperature control. A drain system is clearly identifiable at the doorway. The engineers have melted the combined effects of water and air in certain conduits to generate a real circuit in thermoregulation as the principle of a refrigerator today. The cool wind funneled through conduits affects the water temperature and vice versa, maintaining a balance also transmitted to the stone and earth, and finally to room or storage areas for food and other items to keep. Visit of the archaeological complex of Moray This is a unique archaeological complex with giant natural holes on the surface of the land that were used to build agricultural terraces or platforms with their respective irrigation canals. There is an average of 15°C of difference between the highest and the lowest part of the site, some 30 m deep. In these formations, nature has created an environment, conditions, and microclimates, which nowadays is created by the man thanks to greenhouses. Moray, thanks to its climatic conditions and other characteristics, was an important centre for the domestication, aclimatisation, and hibridisation of wild vegetable species that were modified or adapted for human consumption. It is a CUSCO LAMBAYEQUE Email: [email protected] Av. Manco Cápac 515 – Wanchaq Ca. M. M. Izaga 740 Of. 207 - Chiclayo www.chaskiventura.com T: 51+ 84 233952 T: 51 +74 221282 greenhouse prototype, or experimental biological station, rather advanced for its times. It helped the American people in the past bring to humanity 60% of the vegetable products that it consumes; it helped the Andean man consume 1500 different types of potato, 150 varieties of corn, and many other products. Visit of Maras The salt mines of Maras have existed since the pre-Incan era. They date back to time in which salt was highly valued, and rationed accordingly. Salt was very important for Peru. If it was not wealth in the strict sense, it constituted a power factor. It was a form of payment of the State, a gift, the offering in times in which the preservation of foods- meat, fish, shellfish- was practically impossible without adequate salting. This can be seen in the village of Maras where the most important inhabitants illustrated their weight in society by the opulence of the entrance ways in their houses, which still take the name of the families that built them. The salt mines are located in an unexpected and surprising place. Hundreds of retention pools of salt were erected over the sides of the mountain, hanging in a little gorge that flows over the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The salt gets to the gorge via a river that comes out to the left of the gorge. Big quantities of salt mass at the core of the mountain. According to local inhabitants, there has already been some research into the origin and volume of the salt, however, none was successful. Slowly the salt dissolves in the water which comes to the surface. CUSCO LAMBAYEQUE Email: [email protected] Av. Manco Cápac 515 – Wanchaq Ca. M. M. Izaga 740 Of. 207 - Chiclayo www.chaskiventura.com T: 51+ 84 233952 T: 51 +74 221282 Following this, the saturated water is drained through an infinite number of small canals, to pools in which centimetres of solar-heated water evaporates to let the salt deep down; the evaporation generates the star-shaped formation of the salt. The families which work with each pool spend all day bent-down with their feet soaked in the salt water. Then, with little boards, they begin to scrub the salt stuck at the bottom of the pools. They make piles which are dried before packing the salt to lift it onto a man’s back and to be carried to one of the 6 deposits where they weigh the bags. Nowadays, this work is still an exhausting task from another time that produces little money for a product that exists in quantity and is commonly imported. Lunch in Urubamba Visit of Ollantaytambo, the last living Inca village Located 80km north-east of Cusco and 40km from Machu Picchu by train, Ollantaytambo village is situated at 2792masl in Urubamba province. In Inca times, the tampus were the living quarters which could accommodate thousands of people thanks to their gigantic granaries, their very well developed road networks and astronomic observatories. They were also characterized by their proximity to Cusco being located on the Inca Empire’s main road, which allowed the travellers to have a rest while going to important places like the Machu Picchu sanctuary. Each one of this tampus or tambos owed its name to an important person in the Empire. In this way, Paucar’s tambo was Paucartambo and Ollanta’s, Ollantaytambo. This very one is quite singular thanks to its strategic location. CUSCO LAMBAYEQUE Email: [email protected] Av. Manco Cápac 515 – Wanchaq Ca. M. M. Izaga 740 Of. 207 - Chiclayo www.chaskiventura.com T: 51+ 84 233952 T: 51 +74 221282 This Inca village presents some characteristics proving that members from the upper class used to live there. In total, only Cusco and Ollantaytambo are built according to this model: whether on the highest part of the town (on the mountain side) or in the valley, the architecture is the same and differs from the others Inca architectonic complex. The residential district is composed of carved-stone walls and trapezoid-shape doors. Along the straight roads, the water flows in some perfectly designed canals. Ollantaytambo also keeps the secret of two famous legends: the first one tells that the gods’ messenger, the Tunupa, arrived in the village a long time before the Inca Empire’s creation, and that he was disguised as an old man in rags. The inhabitants and in particular, the Curaca (chief) of the village, accommodated him with all the honours. In order to thank him, Tunupa offered him the stick he walked with. According to the legend, it turned into gold when the Curaca’s son was born. This first child, who was called Manco Capac, went out of Ollantaytambo brandishing it. After sticking it in a mountain close to Cusco (Huanacauri), he decided to build the Inca Empire and to found its capital at this very place. The second legend tells that an Empire’s general fell in love with the Inca Pachacutec’s daughter and he decided to kidnap her in order to marry her. From this general’s name, Ollanta, comes the name of the town. Dinner not included Night in Ollantaytambo (possibility to take the train and spend the night in Aguas Calientes) CUSCO LAMBAYEQUE Email: [email protected] Av. Manco Cápac 515 – Wanchaq Ca. M. M. Izaga 740 Of. 207 - Chiclayo www.chaskiventura.com T: 51+ 84 233952 T: 51 +74 221282 Day 02: VISIT TO MACHUPICCHU Breakfast Train transfer to Aguas Calientes depending on the spaces. Early in the morning, we will take the buses leading to the impressive citadel of Machu Picchu, where we will be able to appreciate the sunrise. We will observe one of the World’s Seven Wonders and its architectural techniques, which are unique in Peru. Entrance to MachuPicchu The impressive and colossal citadel of Machu Picchu is one of the most important tourist attractions in Cusco. 400 years hidden by the mountains and tropical jungle, it was rediscovered in 1911 by the explorer Hiram Bingham. Machu Picchu was a cultural and astronomical observation centre, whilst also a private refuge for the Inca Pachacutec. It is made up of 2 large areas, one agricultural, and another urban one, where its temples, squares, and royal mausoleums stand out for the exquisite perfection of their construction. After our visit, we will return by bus to Aguas Calientes Lunch not included.

Load more