Inca Bridge
during the Incas time, a large extensive network of roads existed known as the
‘Qhapac Ñan’ or ‘Inca highway’. Many of those roads needed bridges to cross
various canyons and rivers and the Inca came up with an intricate process of a
designed bridge build technique to construct hanging bridges to cross these
points. Qeswachaka is the ONLY known original bridge left to be built across in
the ways that the Incas did. It takes a lot of hard-work and 4 communities have
to graft together over 4 days to enable the annual process to be re-born again.
Further to that, just by visiting the area of where Queshuachaca is
constructed, there is the opportunity to meet the people descendants of the
original Inca bridge builders and to absorb the customs, traditions, clothing
and native music that it conserves.
We leave
early heading towards the town of Pomacanchi (107 km south of Cusco),
continuing our route, we will arrive at the area known as "Cuatro
Lagunas" (Pomacanchi, Acopia, Asnaccocha and Pampamarca). These lagoons
harbor a great variety of wildlife such as Parihuanas and Andean ducks. In the
middle of this natural and beautiful place we will share a breakfast with a
breath-taking view.
Arriving in
Quehue, we go to the houses where the families welcome us.
As soon as
we have settled, we take a short 10 minute walk on foot to a place where we
will see how the families of different communities contribute with the ropes.
Part of the ropes are produce with vegetable fibers, an ancestral obligation
that has been passed down from generation to generation. It is the men of the
community who begin to twist the main ropes in two divided points, a process
that takes until the afternoon of the same day.
After a nice breakfast offered by the homestay family, we go with the families to the place where we can be involved together with the families to make small ropes that will be used to weave the bridge handrails, At midday we will have a picnic lunch. Afterwards, we can appreciate how the community folks begin to stretch-out the main ropes and also initiate the cutting of the old bridge to throw it into the river, but before launching the first rope there will be Andean Shaman from the area who performs a Ceremony as a request and thanks to Mother Earth so that the work concludes without mishaps.
Also worth nothing is that it is considered a strength of the Andean man who, without payment, does volunteer work to demonstrate his culture left by the ancestors until the afternoon arrives.
A day of admiration and at the same time to be part of it.
After breakfast we go to be part of the main construction of this masterpiece, where we will participate helping the community to tie the ropes so that later the Andean Architects can execute towards the final construction of the bridge, to conclude with the help of the community folks that year after year this masterpiece is made. Then once concluded, the authorities of different institutions make the corresponding inaugurations. From this moment thousands of spectators begin to pass the new bridge. After having enjoyed this masterpiece, it is time to return to the City of Cusco
Prices and Discounts
A mínimum group size would be 2 persons. The bigger the group, the lower our cost per person: please, find our prices and discounts below!