Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba is a gateway to Peru’s bountiful Sacred Valley

The Urubamba River curves through Peru’s Sacred Valley, eddying and splashing toward Machu Picchu. Tourists seem to follow its momentum. They touch down in Cusco and hurtle through the Sacred Valley to get to that Inca citadel in the sky. Beyond a token stop at an alpaca farm or a weaving workshop, the valley rarely gets more than a passing night’s stay. Anywhere else, this fertile land of quinoa, sweet potato, and purple corn would be the main attraction. Here, ignored by most tourists, Quechua farmers tend their crops amid Inca ruins, 16th-century Spanish churches, and mountains said to embody the spirits of ancestors.

Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba offers guided hikes around the Sacred Valley

Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba, a National Geographic Unique Lodge, celebrates this often overlooked region. Lodge owners Jose Koechlin and Denise Guislain-Koechlin combined Inca-inspired masonry with Spanish colonial architecture, commissioned locals to weave textiles, and worked with area farmers to plant a 10-acre organic garden filled with native species such as golden berries and tree tomatoes. Guests go biking in the valley; learn to make chicha, or corn beer, on site; or follow a naturalist on a lantern-lit hike. And on their return to the lodge, Alfredo Quispetupa concocts a glorious pisco sour at the hacienda bar as the sun sets on the Andes.

Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba offers 36 rooms and suites with panoramic views. Naturalists provide information on lodge conservation projects, including Inkaterra Asociacion, which helps protect the biodiversity and local communities of the Peruvian Andes.

Peruvian Andes

The glorious Choco: Just an hour from Quitos urban core, lies a land of birds, bears and astounding biodiversity…

The cloud forests that drape the rolling mountainsides to the northwest of Quito’s Metropolitan District hold record-breaking biological diversity. An enigmatic world covered in mist where thousands of tree, plant and orchid species abound and unfathomable bird variety thrives. Many municipal, state-run reserves and private conservation projects harbor excellent opportunities for adventures in nature, and a range of accommodation options for all budgets.

 World of Birds

Quito is one of the most megadiverse cities on our planet in terms of bird species: a world bird capital, home to an unparalleled variety. Countless bird-lovers have turned Ecuador’s capital into one of the highest-ranking bucket-list destinations in the world.

 Bear Necessittes

Andean Spectacled Bear

The Andean Spectacled Bear, the only South American bear, is one of the Quito region’s most emblematic creatures. It’s amazing to think that over 45 bears live in the wild just 2 hours from the city. The city’s Andean Bear Conservation Program aims to consolidate a corridor for bears, through research, monitoring, education, communication and sustainable management.

Although elusive, several conservation projects exist that allow visitors the opportunity to spot bears in the wild, or at least see them through the images captured by dozens of camera traps.

The “Lost City of the Inca” is one of the most spectacular archeological sites in the world. Perched high on a saddle between two peaks, surrounded by thick jungle and often shrouded in cloud, it is almost invisible from below. A compact site of just 5 sq miles (13 sq km), it was built in 1460 by the Incan ruler Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui. Although frequently referred to as a city, it was more of a royal retreat for the Inca aristocracy. About 1,000 people inhabited the area and they were completely self-sufficient, being surrounded by agricultural terraces and watered by natural springs. Even at the time, few people outside the closed Inca community were aware of Machu Picchu’s existence.

INCA ARCHITECTURE

The people who built Machu Picchu possessed incredibly advanced construction skills. Some of the building blocks weigh more than 50 tons, yet they are meticulously designed and fit together so exactly that the thinnest knife cannot be inserted between the mortarless joints. The ruins are roughly divided into two areas: the agricultural sector, consisting of terraces for cultivation; and the urban sector, with structures of varying size, canals, and steps. The design of the site reveals the creativity of the builders. The enormous walls, delicate terracing, and steep ramps could almost have been sculpted out of the rock by the elements.

HIRAM BINGHAM

The discovery of this major Incan site in 1911 was one of the most significant archeological finds of the 20th century. American explorer Hiram Bingham had set out to find Vilcabamba, the legendary last refuge of the defeated Inca empire, but instead he came across Machu Picchu. It took Bingham and his team several years to clear the thick vegetation that had covered the ruins. Underneath were houses, temples, canals, and thousands of steps and terraces. What made the discovery so exciting was the fact that the Spanish conquistadors had not found and plundered the site, and that it was also untouched by treasure hunters.

INCA CULTURE

The Inca founded their capital, Cusco, in the 13th century and began a period of conquest. By the early 16th century, the Inca empire reached from Chile to Colombia and controlled around 12 million people. This well-organized civilization had a sophisticated economy and a road network of 20,000 miles (32,200 km). They ruled with fierce military might and had a strict social hierarchy, yet they also learned from the cultures they conquered. The Inca worshiped the natural world, seeing the Sun as the ultimate giver of life and their leader as its direct descendant. Mountain peaks, home of the spirits, were used for human sacrifice. Celestial events were monitored so they knew when to plant and harvest crops, and when to hold religious ceremonies.

Sacred Plaza

With huge windows, the Temple of the Three Windows adjoins the Sacred Plaza, along with the Main Temple, which contains an almost flawlessly constructed wall.

Llama at Machu Picchu

The Inca used llamas as pack animals and they were also a source of wool, leather hides, and meat.

Intihuatana

This sundial, the size of a grand piano, was extremely sacred and one of the most important features of the whole site. Winter solstice festivals took place here.

Sacred Rock

This large rock is believed to have been used by the Inca for their sacrificial rituals.

Preserved Brick Work

The Inca are admired today for their stone constructions, although it is not known how they man aged to make the blocks fit so closely together.

Urban Sector

Comprising the residential and industrial areas, this is located in the lower section of the site.

Temple of the Sun

The only circular building on the site, this temple contains two windows positioned precisely to catch the first rays of the winter and summer solstices.

View of Machu Picchu

Made up of around 200 buildings and connected by more than 100 stairways, the ruined palaces, temples, and residences were built around large central squares.

TRAINS TO MACHU PICCHU

There are regular trains from Poroy and Ollantaytambo, near Cusco, to Aguas Calientes, the closest town to Machu Picchu. The scenic journey takes 3 hours. From Aguas Calientes, a local bus zigzags up a steep, narrow dirt track to the Inca site.

THE INCA TRAIL

The legendary Inca Trail climbs and descends a number of steep valleys and crosses three mountain passes of more than 12,000 ft (3,658 m). The breathtaking scenery includes snow-capped mountains, dense cloud forest, and delicate flowers. Cobblestones laid by the Inca, as well as the tunnel s that th ey constructed, can still be seen. It takes about f our or five days be fore hikers are rewarded with the unforgettable sight of Machu Picchu through the Sun gate (lntipunku).

KEY DATES

c. 1200: The Inca found their capital at Cusco, Peru, and begin their far-reaching expansion.
1460: Machu Picchu is built, 7,970 ft (2,430 m) above sea level.
Mid-1500s: Machu Picchu is abandoned, possibly due to evil war over succession.
1911: The site is uncovered by US explorer Hiram Bingham.
1983: Machu Picchu is declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

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