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The road system constructed by the Inca Empire in the Andes Mountains is one of the marvels of antiquity. The main north-south thoroughfare, the Great Inca Highland Road, runs approximately 4,300 miles from southern Colombia to central Chile. Known as la Gran Ruta Inca in Spanish and Capaq Nan in Quechua, it negotiates the Andean highlands at altitudes from 3,000 to 13,500 feet and can be up to 15 meters wide.
The Gran Ruta Inca passes through villages occupied by indigenous people living in extreme poverty. For these people, the Gran Ruta Inca holds out hope as one of the few resources with the potential for sustainable economic development, mainly through community-based tourism. Crooked Trails has been invited by the Mountain Institute to participate in a new project entitled the Inca Nani. For nine days we will trek the Gran Ruta Inca from Huari to Huanaco Pampa working with local Quechua communities, helping them develop sustainable tourism programs that aid in the protection of the ancient road. This is a unique opportunity to get to know the amazing people who inhabit these high mountain landscapes. You will be inspired by their resilience and their determination to maintain their cultural identity as they negotiate their relationship with the global economy.
Following our trek, we will spend four days in the southern desert relaxing at a country lodge, whitewater rafting the Majes river, and exploring pre-Incan tombs and petroglyphs. We also visit the Sacred Valley of the Incas, with a full day to explore the spectacular ruins at Machu Picchu.
Return to Peru |
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La Gran Ruta Inca
Program length: 19 days
Dates:
17 Jul to 04 Aug, 2009
Grade: Difficult
Price: $2,995 plus airfare
Sample Itinerary (PDF)
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for La Gran Ruta! |
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Highlights!
The Great Highland Inca Trail
Festival of the Sun
Huascaran National park
Discovering Ancient Cultures
Rafting the Majes River
Trekking to Machu Picchu
Working in a Quechua
Commune
Weaving with Inca Artisans |
