On the trail of the Incas

Cusco was the religious and administrative capital of the Inca Empire in ancient Peru between 1400 and 1534. Their Empire extended throughout South America, including regions of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. After a few days in Cusco,where we camp right next to one of the most fascinating Inca ruins , Sacsayhuaman . This archaeological complex has an area of 3,000 hectares and has the most beautiful walls. Even though the largest of the stones weigh over 300 tons, they are fitted perfectly. While there are no good ways to carbon date these structures , there are some indications that a pre incan culture built these structures. Carbon dating works only for organic materials found arround the structures and is highly inacurate. The famous example is ,that you loose your Iphone in a leather pouch at the 2000 year old coloseum in Rome. The Archeologists finding it 1000 years later would assume that the Coloseum builder made the Iphone.
The walls of the most famous Inca city , Machupicchu , look much less sophisticated. After a challenging 5 day hike following ,whats called the high Inca trail, over the 4600meter high Salkantay pass, we reach Machupicchu. Our guide points out that , while most other sites are ruines ,destroyed by the Spaniards, Machupicchu is not. It was arguably only discovered in 1911 ,but never found by the spanish conquerors.Read more