Inca road system

Welcome to the windswept highlands of southern Peru. I am your guide, a professor of Andean archaeology, and it is my profound privilege to introduce you to one of the greatest engineering achievements in human history. …

Welcome to the first major physical challenge of our journey along this remarkable artery of the Kapak Nan. As you stand before this towering sequence of stone paved ascents, take a moment to feel the profound shift in the…

As we carefully traverse this narrow, sweeping shelf, I want you to direct your attention to the massive retaining walls anchoring our path to the sheer cliff face. If you look over the edge, you will see a jaw dropping abyss…

We have now arrived at one of the most astonishing, and frankly intimidating, features of the road system. Before us lies a dark, narrow passageway bored directly through the solid rock of the mountain peak. …

Emerging from the tunnel, the landscape opens up into a small, sheltered plateau. Here, we find the sprawling stone foundations of an ancient structure known as a tambo. …

Just a short walk from the main tambo complex, we arrive at a small, isolated stone outpost perched right on the edge of the trail. This modest structure was the domain of the Chaskis, the elite corps of highly trained runners…

We now step out onto a natural stone promontory that juts out dangerously over a spectacular, plunging gorge. Please step carefully toward the edge and look across the massive chasm to the far side. …

We have finally reached the summit of our trail section, an alpine pass sitting at a breathtaking altitude of over four thousand meters above sea level. Take a moment to catch your breath. …

As we conclude our journey along this magnificent stretch of the Kapak Nan, let us pause to reflect on the profound mysteries that still shroud this ancient network. We have walked in the footsteps of the Chaski runners, marveled…