Inca Roads & Ancascocha Adventures Trek

Published on: 26 de August de 2019 - By: Action Peru Treks

Inca Roads or Inca pathways!

Travelers should learn more about the real meaning of the Inca roads and Ancascocha trail in the Inca Empire, So we wrote this article for them. Also we want to explain the true significant of this trekking route for the native villagers. So you can have a better idea of the Inca roads or Inca Trails in South America in pre-Columbian times. Which can help you to understand the idea of those alternative hiking trails to Machu Picchu. Many times just called as the alternative treks to Machu Picchu, or the alternative trekking routes in the Peruvian Andes.

Inca Roads System

The Incas built a stunning highly advanced network of approximately 44,000 thousand kilometers of Inca trails in South America. To connect the distant corners of this Empire, which stretched from Quito in Ecuador down to Santiago in Chile . On the eastern side to Mendoza in Argentina. Cusco was the capital city and the heart of this huge civilization. Four royal class Inca trails use to go from Cusco to cover the four regions of this great Empire. Trails going along the Andes mountain range and some of the branches arriving to the coastal places. Also covering some places into the amazon areas.

Many of those trails were already used at the pre-Inca times. Useful for the Incas and in the present days are still in good condition after to be abandon for many centuries. But the Incas use to classify those trails with different purposes. Some of the trails will be for an exclusive use of the royalty of the Inca society. Which is the case of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, best known portion of the Inca roads system. Because it use to link the main capital city of the Incas(Cusco) with the great religious Sanctuary of Machu Picchu.

But also there will be a great number of very important trails leading to the most important Inca citadels. Those trails in the present day are where the some travelers do the trekking activities with different names. As the Ancascocha trek, Lares trek, Cachicata trek, Huchuy Qosqo trek, Choquequirao trek, Ausangate trek and Salkantay trek . Those trails usually were multipurpose paths usde by the inhabitants of the Inca Empire. To get better idea of the purposes of the Inca roads system or trails take a look the information bellow.

Purposes of the Inca roads

The Inca roads were used for a variety of purposes. They not only did the roads to provide transportation for people who were traveling to different points of their large Empire. The roads many times also provided military and religious purposes for the Royalty or upper class people in the society. Ordinary people were not allowed to travel along these trails for private purposes without any official permission.

Ancascocha Hike Peru

Transportation

The Quechuas use to have 2 transportation system on the Inca roads. The first function of the roads will be for the Chaskis (runners) for relaying messages throughout the empire. The second very important function of the trails will be for use of the llamas to transport goods and supplies to the whole Inca Empire.

The Chaskis or messengers usually the fastest runners of the empire. They use to cover at least 240 kilometers per day in a relay system along the Inca trails. Some Chaskis will be waiting  in all the Inca resting places called Tambos or Tampus. They use to take the messages, news from the authorities to lightweight goods such as fish from the sea. The tambos or tampus, were used as resting places for the Chaskis to make their journeys. Tampus were housing structures located in some strategic places. To the side of the trails which use to have water, supplies and shelter for the Chaskis and some other people. But also the same structures will provide supplies for the military, heading in different directions.

On the Inca roads was very common to find llamas and alpacas traveling in different directions. Llamas and alpacas are descendant of the camels. So they are great animals for long distance trips as the Incas did it. They can carry only 40 pounds. But the Quechuas used at least a couple hundred of llamas walking in each direction. That is how they supplied with goods such a large empire In South America. Even on the steep trails on the mountains llamas are the nimble animals and they do not produce much erosion. So was possible to arrive with llamas to the sacred sites as Machu Picchu.

Trade

In the Inca society all the resources are property of the government (Inca king). To redistribute the goods needed in different parts of the empire, it will be using the roads, trails and bridges. Which also helped to the political cohesion of the vast Inca state. So the function of some people will be to transport goods into the different regions of the Inca Empire. This system was the basis for trade and redistribute throughout the different region. Because the different sections of the empire had different resources. Roads were used to send out the resources to other parts of the empire that were in need of them. So that is the reasons why the Quechuas were very happy with the rulers of the Inca Empire.

Ancascocha Trek Machu Picchu

Military

These Inca roads with military functions use to be reliable and quick routes. For communication with all the different parts of the Inca Empire, which needed personnel movement, and logistical support. The military trails will be used by the imperial soldiers, porters and llama caravans, along with the nobility and individuals on official duty. Not anybody or everybody in the Inca society will be allowed to use those Military trails, permits was required before others could walk along the roads.

The Incas built also Qolqas in order to supply the whole society and the military people. Qolqas are some kind of storage houses. With location in some strategic points along the trails, the idea in the mind of the Quechuas is always having big event of conflicts or shortages in the Inca Empire. So the primarily use of the Qolqas will be to store all the dry grains as the maize, quinoa, kiwicha, beans, dry llama meat, Dehydrated potatoes and lupines produced on the fertile farming lands, besides the army supplies and working tools. Qolqas use to be with circular shapes 15 feet high with a lot of ventilation and nice thatched roof on the top. In our Ancascocha trek is possible o see those Qolqas of the Quechuas.

Religious

Most of the inhabitants in the Inca society were spiritual people. Worshiping all the natural elements for that reason the Quechuas use to have religious sanctuaries as the Machu Picchu.  Some of those worshiping places located to the top of the tall mountains. Starting with the building of religious roads to access to the sacred spiritual centers. In many cases the upper class people of the Inca society use to make pilgrimages to the sacred places. Like the tall snow-capped mountains, spiritual centers, waqas and the temples. Those trails with flat stones are still visible. So that will be the sacred pilgrimage roads only for some authorized people in the society. A clear example about it was the trail linking Cusco and Machu Picchu. Which in the present days is very well known as the classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

Ancascocha Peru Trek

 What is the Ancascocha trek?

The actual Ancascocha trek to Machu Picchu, in the present day is definitely one of the best alternative treks, is the continuation of the world wide famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, many people hiking the famous 4 day trek to Machu Picchu, they never imagine that the beginning point of the pilgrimage Inca Trail is in Cusco, the big capital for the Incas; so  The Ancascocha trail is part of the most important religious Inca road connecting Cusco and Machu Picchu, which after the arrival of the Spaniards to the Inca Empire stopped working for many centuries.

The Ancascocha trail after to go over some mountains and valleys with dramatic geography arrives to Machu Picchu, the royalty of the Inca society would hike the entire trail for religion until 1533. So this remarkable religious sacred Inca road goes all the way from Cusco to Machu Picchu, not starting at the Sacred Valley or km 82 which is a different version of hike. This Ancascocha trail as the beginning part of the Royal class road is normally ignore by the hikers of the Classic Inca Trail.

Ancascocha route

The Ancascocha trail as part of the Inca Roads system still has original parts visible in some sections. That is why some people call it as the hidden Inca Trail. This Inca road is offer as a hiking option for 7 day trek combining the Ancascocha trek and the classic Inca Trail. A great expedition to Machu Picchu almost as the one Incas use to have centuries ago.

The actual Ancascocha trail is just a regular path for the Andean people, descendants of the Quechuas from the area. Who have the privilege of using those Inca roads as part of their daily life activity (cattle and farming). Also to transport goods to different communities around, where the locals are self-subsistence.

The Ancascocha trek to Machu Picchu in comparison with other alternative treks, is very isolated, clean, quiet, remote and very scenic. You will only see a few groups of travelers hiking around. The Ancascocha trail to Machu Picchu also has variations depending on the number of days you want to hike or the valley you start the trek. By now Ancascocha Trek to Machu Picchu is one of the best alternative treks to Inca Trail. Top Peru Trips invites you to take the Ancascocha to Machu Picchu and explore this unique paradise.