Chasing Inca Legends: A lost city tale

Picture a time when stories of a lost empire sparked epic quests. In the 1500s, Garcilaso de la Vega, born in Cuzco to a Spanish conquistador and an Inca noblewoman, wrote his Royal Commentaries of the Incas. His vivid accounts of Inca splendor-terraced fields, sun temples, and a defiant stand against Spanish invaders-described Vilcabamba, the last stronghold where Manco Inca resisted the conquest. Those words, blending Inca oral traditions with a chronicler's flair, lit a fire under Hiram Bingham, a Yale historian hungry for discovery. In 1911, Garcilaso's tales of this hidden city inspired Bingham to travel to Peru's Andes in pursuit of Vilcabamba's mystery. 

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Bingham didn't set out to find Machu Picchu—it was a stroke of luck. Trekking through the Vilcabamba valley, battling bugs and altitude, he was searching for the Inca rebel capital. A local farmer, Melchor Arteaga, tipped him off about ruins high on a ridge. Guided by a young boy, Bingham climbed through jungle and mist, and there it was: Machu Picchu, 68 miles (110 kilometers) from Cusco, a breathtaking city of polished stone terraces and temples, untouched by Spanish hands. In his book "The Lost City of the Incas," he describes his initial awe, thinking this might be Vilcabamba. Its pristine state—no signs of battle or looting—made him reconsider, suggesting it was a sacred retreat or royal estate. Reaching Machu Picchu today is an adventure: the 26-mile (42 km) Inca Trail takes four days, hiking 6 to 8 hours daily through misty passes to this UNESCO World Heritage site, a global treasure for its architectural genius.

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Bingham's quest didn't stop there. In 1909 and 1911, he explored Choquequirao, located 90 miles (145 km) from Cusco, a stunning Inca site that rivals Machu Picchu. Perched on a vertiginous ridge, it boasted sprawling terraces, ceremonial plazas, and unique white granite stones carved with llama designs—a detail Bingham noted with fascination in his writings. He described its isolation, reachable only by a grueling trek, and its sophisticated layout, with aqueducts and agricultural zones suggesting a major regional hub. Bingham briefly thought Choquequirao might be Vilcabamba, given its fortified position, but its proximity to Spanish-controlled Cusco, about a 4- to 5-hour drive to the Cachora trailhead, followed by an 18-mile (29 km), 4- to 5-day round-trip hike with steep descents and ascents, lacked the battle scars of a rebel stronghold. He concluded it was likely a ceremonial or administrative center, its remoteness preserving its secrets.

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The real Vilcabamba eluded Bingham, but in the 1960s, explorer Gene Savoy cracked the case. Deep in the Vilcabamba region's jungle, 124 miles (200 km) from Cusco, he uncovered Espíritu Pampa, a site that screamed defiance. 

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Unlike Machu Picchu's polished beauty, Espíritu Pampa had over 100 rough structures-houses, storehouses, a central plaza—showing hasty construction and destruction. Savoy found charred remains, Inca pottery, and Spanish iron nails, evidence of the 1572 assault that ended with Tupac Amaru's capture. Its lowland, jungle-choked setting, reached after a 6- to 7-hour drive to Huancacalle and a 31-mile (50 km) 3- to 5-day hike, matched Garcilaso's descriptions of a hidden rebel base. Local Quechua tales and Spanish chronicles confirmed it: this was Vilcabamba, where the Incas fought to their last.

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The Andes are calling, and you can answer with Andean Adventure. Hike the iconic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, a 26-mile (42 km) ancient path leading to a World Heritage marvel in four awe-inspiring days. Or challenge yourself on the 18-mile (29 km) trek to Choquequirao, a 4-to-5-day journey through steep canyons to uncover its hidden grandeur. Like Bingham and Savoy, let Garcilaso's stories fuel your spirit of exploration. With Andean Adventure, grab your boots, embrace the unknown, and discover the Inca world—because the thrill of uncovering history never fades.