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 PSMHI7 - TÚPAC AMARU’S LAND SUMMARY DURATION AND SEASON 03 Days / 02 Nights LOCATION Department of Cusco ATTRACTIONS Archaeological and historical complexes: Numerous historical attractions related to Túpac Amaru, Archaeological complexes of Raqchi and Waqra Pukara, Q’eswachaka Bridge, Colonial temples of Langui and Huaro, Zangarará, Surimana Living Culture: Gastronomy, Dances and Music, Culture and Customs of Raqchi community, trout breeding, ceramic handcraft, Andean handcraft technology Natural complexes: the four lagoons road and Langui-layo lagoon, Local flora and fauna, Chíaraje Pampa, Yanaorcco Mount, Tucallana lookout TYPE OF TOURISM Historical tourism/ Adventure tourism/ Ethno-tourism TYPE OF SERVICE Private GUIDE – TOUR CONDUCTOR Spanish, English, French and other according to availability and demand CONCEPT 1776: Before France and Great Britain’s competition, the Spanish crown decided to divide the viceroyalty of Peru and to create a new one with Buenos Aires as capital: the plata Vice-royalty (“silver”). Until then, South America’s most important trading road was the axis Buenos Aires, Santiago del Estero, Tucuman, Salta, Potosi, Chuquisaca (La Paz), Cusco, Abancay until Callao harbour, the only one allowed to export the vice-kingdom’s products. One of the biggest muleteers of the viceroyalty of Peru was the lord of Tungasuca, Pampamarca and Surimana, José Gabriel Condorcanqui, who was nicknamed Túpac Amaru II, because he was the last Inca Túpac Amaru I’s direct heir (this one was imprisoned in 1547). He owned more than 700 horses and muleteers to trade between the cities of Quito and Buenos Aires. Angry with the infinite abuses towards the indigenous people and the last political evolutions that affected his own business, he decided to rise up against the Viceroyalty of Peru’s authorities. His rebellion made them trembling so much that less than 40 years later, it inspired Bolivar and San Martin. Tupac Amaru’s rebellion is the last big indigenous uprising of the colony and the first big shout 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 of the emancipation. This route was designed in order to understand the Independence precursor’s incredible history. This man united Peru, Bolivia and Argentina in a same territory, writing the history that still can be read in each village of the route to Callao harbour. We will be able to understand how the south-American Independence occurred while enjoying the incredible beauty of the Andes. ITINERARY Day 01: CUSCO - SURIMANA Pick up at your hotel BEGINNING OF THE SERVICES Early departure to go and visit the complex of Waqrapukara. Once we pass through Urcos town, we will arrive at Chuquicahuana and ascend the site until seeing Pomacanchi lagoon that we will bypass to reach the archaeological site. WAQRAPUKARA Erected on beautiful canyons and a solitary and desolated impressive rocky platform, the site owns a unique panorama due to its peculiar location. It proves that the Incas didn’t only settle in the pampa or in the mountain but that they also lived in the inhospitable and isolated places of their Empire. The site possessed two, three o until four-doorjamb niches which illustrates the importance of the site and its sacred meaning. To get to it, we will have a 2h30 ascent walk and pass the village of Wayki. 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 Visit of Zangarará, the place where Túpac Amaru won its greatest battle. On the shores of the first lagoon, we will meet up with Samuel Cuchillo, an Andean hand-craft inventor and engineer who will teach us how to use water, the environment and domestic technologies to create electric energy, have hot water and breed Amazonian fishes in altitude. Then, we will go on and bypass the three other big lagoons Acopía, Asmacocha and Pampamarca before descending to the Apurimac canyon’s beautiful village, the place where Túpac Amaru was born and baptized. Since 2006, this canyon is classified as the deepest in the world. Dinner Night (camping) Day 02: Q’ESWACHAKA – CHIARAJE – LANGUI - RAQCHI Breakfast Then, we will ascent again headed for Pampamarca lagoon and visit the villages of Mosoqllaqta and Pampamarca, the place where Micaela Bastidas, Tupac Amaru’s wife and battlefield companion was born, before descending towards the Inca bridge of Q’eswachaka. INKA BRIDGE OF Q'ESWACHAKA Located in Canas province, Q’eswachaka is a suspension bridge strictly reserved to pedestrians. This bridge, obvious proof of the Incas’ architectural genius, allows crossing the huge Apurimac river. Despite the years, it remained intact. It is protected and reconstructed each year; this represents a hard work that requires about 1000 people from Winchir and Perccaro, creates a huge social meeting between the two communities. The reconstruction is achieved thanks to a local participation system called “mink’a” or collective work that exists since the Inca period. 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 After crossing the bridge, we will carry on towards the old Langui district. We will go up to the legendary site of Chiaraje while admiring the incredible variety of the local Andean flora. CHÍARAJE PAMPA Each year, at 4700masl, the pacific inhabitants of Checcas, Langui and Layo communities realize an impressive ritual confrontation. The young warriors fight in the fog or during hailstorms, armed with sheep-wool fronds, leather whips and dressed with flowered vests. The winners of this war game (“Pucllay” in quechua) are those who manage to repel the enemy and conquer all the land. There, we will have lunch (lunch box) while enjoying a wonderful 360 degrees panorama upon the lagoons, valleys and surrounding glaciers. We will be able to see the Ausangate peak (6400m) and Yanaorcco peak, the place where Túpac Amaru took refuge and was captured. LANGUI AND LANGUI-LAYO LAGOON The majestic lagoon is the biggest of Cusco region and one of the largest in South Peru. Located 168km from Cusco and at 3969m high, it gathers Langui and Layo territories. Maximum length 16 040m, maximum width 4890m, area 58 137m2 and depth 232m. The littoral doesn’t have much vegetation except some spread shrubs and totora reeds. The local fauna is made of suches, chiñichallhua, trouts, carachis, pejerrey (local species). Among the birds living in the lagoon, we can notice many gulls, deer ducks and huallatas (Andean goose). 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 We will then bypass Langui - Layo lagoon where the Layo battle took place when Tupac Amaru’s son was defeated. We will also be able to observe Yanaorcco Peak where Túpac Amaru II took refuge for a long time without the Spaniards being able to find him. Then, we will visit Langui’s colonial temple where Tupas Amaru was kept prisoner before being transferred to Cusco. Built in the XVIIth century, the temple only has one nave and upon the pediment, we can notice several arcades. The place shelters wonderful paintings and gold- covered altars. Before going down towards Raqchi, we will visit a trout breeding farm in order to understand how this fish is bred. RAQCHI On our arrival at Raqchi, we will settle into the houses of our host families which are part of the Association “Inca Roots”. We will study how these houses have been built from volcanic rock, using a construction style which is unique both in Peru and the world. We will then have a free afternoon to discover the community and after dinner, the Association will offer us a musical and dance show before going to sleep in their houses. 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 03: RAQCHI, THE VOLCANO’S POTTERS After a delicious breakfast, we will continue with a visit of the complex of Wiracocha temple, its enormous COLCAS (Inca deposits), their ceremonial springs and priest’s quarter. This complex was built in the 15th century by the Inca Pachacuteq, in honour of Wiracocha, whose power appeared during the eruption of the volcano Khimsashata, according to the legend. Afterwards, we will have the opportunity to visit a ceramics workshop in which we will observe Andean techniques of ceramic manufacture, while each one of us will try his hand at their own ceramic and chat with the Raqchi people about their culture and customs. We will then begin our ascent to the TUCALLANA LOOKOUT, from where we will be able to admire the beauty of the Vilcanota valley, and a unique panorama of the archaeological complex and farming community. We will then, have a farewell lunch in the Raqchi complex with all the members of the Association, before leaving the community. HUARO CHURCH Huaro’s beautiful church owns one of the Andes’ most wonderful frescos and shelters, as well as some rare artefacts that were hidden before Tupac Amaru’s rebellion. Return to Cusco END OF THE SERVICES CUSCO LAMBAYEQUE Email: [email protected] Av. Manco Cápac 515 – Wanchaq Ca.