Vilcabamba - Last Capital of The Incas - Trekking, Peru

From the time of the Conquest until 1572, the remnants of the Inca civilization inhabited what is
now the zone of Vilcabamba – a region of mountains and jungles between The Urubamba and
Apurimac rivers. In 1539, TITO CUSI YUPANQUI abandoned the first capital of this region at
Vitcos after his father MANCO INCA’s death in favor of a more secure site deeper in the jungle.
This new capital, called Vilcabamba (in chronicles Vilcabamba the Old), was finally taken and
sacked by the Spanish in 1572, depopulated, and left to the jungle.

By the turn of this century, its location was forgotten and its existence was open to question. So
far as is known, the first non-Indian to visit the site, now called Espiritu Pampa (Plain of Ghosts)
was Hiram Bingham, the American discoverer of Machu Picchu and Vitcos. He paid a brief visit in
1911, found few ruins due to the thick vegetation, and declared the site unimportant. He
believed that at Machu Picchu, the Old Vilcabamba had finally been found.

In 1994, Gene Savoy, another American, retraced Bingham's route to Espiritu Pampa on the
theory that Bingham must have overlooked something there. Careful study of the Spanish
records of the fall of Vilcabamba had led Savoy to reject Bingham's thesis since Machu Picchu
failed almost totally to conform with the Spaniards' descriptions of the city and its site. Espiritu
Pampa fit the latter perfectly, if only substantial ruins could be found there.

Today the essence of Vilcabamba remains unchanged. A strange mixture of quiet beauty and
shrouded mystery everywhere, the countryside is strewn with evidence of the once powerful
Inca. How much more lies hidden amongst the misty crags or smothered in the dark forest, no
one knows. This simple fact continues to attract the adventurous as irresistibly as gold once
lured the Conquistadors.

DAY 1 : C U Z C O / O L L A N T A Y T A M B O / Q U I L L A B A M B A . - Morning departure from

Cuzco for an 8 hour drive following a dusty road from Ollantaytambo to Quillabamba. Stops are
made along the way and overnight in a simple guesthouse.(B,L,D)

D A Y 2 : Q U I L L A B A M B A / H U A N C A C A L L E V I T C O S / Y U R A Q R U M I . - Continue on a
4 hour drive to Huancacalle village where camp is set. In the afternoon, a short hike to reach
Yuraq Rumi shrine, a big carved boulder discovered by Bingham in 1911. It was at his site that
Manco Inca and Tito Cusi Yupanqui used to carry out religious ceremonies. Also visit Vitcos ruins.
(B,L,D).

DAY 3: YURAQ RUMI/VILCABAMBA QOLLPAQASA P A S S . - Today hike will follow

the trail of the last Incas of Vilcabamba, Bingham, Savoy and other pioneers. This moderate day
of hiking takes you to the head of the Vilcabamba river and the Qollpaqasa pass at 12,400 ft.
(the highest point in our trip). Here is the Andean countryside is incredibly beautiful – lush and
green with snow visible on the glaciers above 18,000 ft. Camp tonight. (B,L,D).
D A Y 4 : T O V I S T A A L E G R E . - From the pass an easy trail takes you through potato
fields all the way down to the Consevidayoq river. Along the way you will see evidence of the
Inca in the trails, stone footpaths and fences. As you enter the cloudforest birds and an
occasional monkey chattering high above will accompany you. Camp near Vista Alegre. (B,L,D)

DAY 5: VISTA ALEGRE/ESPÍRITU PAMPA.-

Today is an easy walk along the Consevidayoj river, arriving at Vilcabamba the Old late in the
afternoon. Along with your guide take your first exploration of the various sites described by
Hiram Bingham and Gene Savoy. (B,L,D).

D A Y 6 : E S P Í R I T U P A M P A .- Explore this marvelous place exploring the many Inca

buildings almost completely covered with vines and lush tropical growth, temples and old
palaces all beneath a green canopy of tall trees a hundred feet overhead. As far as you can
explore you will see that there are many more buildings, a complete city lost in the forest for
hundred of years. In this lost city Tito Cusi Yupanqui, the son of Manco Inca, had lived for
several years after the Spanish conquest around 1570; the whole area was considered by the
catholic church as the “University of the Idolatry”, and in fact Vilcabamba was the last capital of
the last Incas, and it was here that Tupac Amaru, the youngest brother of Tito Cusi Yupanqui,
was captured and murder on 1572.

D A Y 7 : C H I W A N G I R I . - Six to seven hours of hiking across varied terrain, arriving at the

last camp in the late afternoon. (B,L,D).

D A Y 8 : Q U I L L A B A M B A . - Depart today for ten long hours by truck on the dusty road to
the tropical town of Quillabamba, where a shower welcomes trekkers to the hotel and stories of
adventures may be shared. Overnight Hotel in Quillabamba. (B,L,D)

D A Y 9 : Q U I L L A B A M B A / C U S C O .- Depart on a seven hour bus trip back to Cusco with a

hotel drop off.

The countryside is incredibly beautiful and peaceful. The Inca trail passes wonderful and
picturesque little farms scattered along the route. In this country of cold nights and hot days,
follow the large and narrow valley of Consevidayoj (confluence with several side canyons) and
go down into the jungle visiting Espíritu Pampa or Vilcabamba the Old and see for yourself the
various sites as described by Bingham and more especially, Savoy.

VILCABAMBA TREK, 8D/7N

Itinerary.-

DAY 1. CUSCO - CHAULLAY - WANKAKALLI .- We pick you up from your hotel in order to
direct us in private bus until Wankakalli, passing for the locations of Ollantaytambo, the
Malaga mountain pass (4,200 m.s.n.m.), entering toward the valley of Huyro and Maranura.
Then from the location of Chaullay we went toward Wankakalli to where we arrive in the
afternoon; camp. Lunch/ Dinner

DAY 2. WANKAKALLI - VITCUS - ÑUSTA HISP´ANAN - QOLLPAQ'ASA.- We undertake the

walk toward the archaeological center of Rosaspata or Vitcos, From the domain of the hill
Pucyura, as well as from the snowy Pumasillo peak, we could appreciated Ñusta Hisp'anan
stone, In both places we enjoy a panoramic view of the landscape. Then we went toward
Qollpaq'asa camp. Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner

DAY 3. QOLLPAQ'ASA - UTUTO .- We went toward the zone of Maukachaka. We continued

passing by Pampaconas, going down toward Ututo where we will camp, we will have the
opportunity of fishing. Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner .

DAY 4. UTUTO - VISTA ALEGRE .- The journey is down hill, after one hour we appreciate
vegetation of cloud forest, whose climate is template-hot and we will appreciate the
Pampaconas river, we will eat lunch on the river shore, after a rest, the walk is continued
until we arrive to the place called Vista Alegre (Happy View), where we will camp.

Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner

DAY 5. VISTA ALEGRE – CONCEVIDAYOC.- After the breakfast, we entered to the valley of
Vilcabamba, quite warm, we arrive to Q'asa Cross, a favorite place, where we will
appreciate abundant flora and fauna, for example the Cockerel of the Rocks, arriving to
Tunkimayu, in order to direct us toward Concebidayoc. Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
DAY 6. CONCEBIDAYOC- ESPIRITU PAMPA-CHONTABAMBA.- We went to the East, toward
the Pampaconas river, that will drive us to Espiritu Pampa, also considerate like natural
vantage point, you will appreciate the portion of the plateu which are formed by the triangle
between the Pampaconas river, Chomtabamba and the base of the mountain of the
archaeological group of Espiritu Pampa. We will appreciate inca andenes, the famous
Rumichaca an inka stone bridge. After of a guided visit, we continued until Chotabamba
camp. Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner

DAY 7. CHONTABAMBA- CHIWANKIRI .- It constitute our last day of walk, the climate is
tropical and humid in the valley of Espiritu pampas, where we could appreciate a lust flora
and fauna, we arrive to Chiwankiri, place of our seventh camp. Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner

DAY 8. CHIWANKIRI - KITENI - CUSCO .- Our journey of this day is by aterrestrial road, in a
bustoward the city of Kiteni, we travel the Malaga valley, passing by Amparaes, Calca.
Finally we arrive to the city of Cusco. Breakfast/ Lunch

* Campsites are subject to change according to our guide's criteria and the evolution of the group.