The Inca highway of Ecuador constitutes a rewarding trek for any reasonably fit trekker, young or old, capable of walking 10 to 15 miles per day. Being just under 30 miles long, the trek is easily done as 2-nights, 3-day trek. The trailhead is at Achupallas, a small town about 10 miles east of Alausi on the main Ecuador highway #35.

Alausi is east of Guayaquil, north of Cuenca, south of Quito. From either city you can reach Alausi by road, from Quito also by train with fine views of the Andes to the east. The ideal access is from Cuenca, the capital of the southern highlands, and also the main access point for the excellent Cajas National Park (Parque Nacional Cajas.) From Alausi take local transport to Achupallas.

Starting from Achupallas you will be trekking south, first along Cadrul river, slowly gaining elevation, with beautiful panorama of Cerro Mapahuina (14,325 ft) to the east. First night’s camp is best made at Laguna Las Tres Cruces at elevation of just below 13,000 feet.

The next day the trail ascends to Tres Cruses Pass, the trek’s highest point at 14,275 feet. Beyond the pass the trail follows the ridge of Chuchilla Tres Cruces, continuing gently downhill to Laguna Culebrillas where you can camp for the second night.

From Laguna Culebrillas the trail brings you back into populated area with farms and small villages of San Jose and El Rodeo. Ingapirca, the terminus and highlight of the trek, lies further on.

The trail passes along noticeably paved sections of Inca road, including a few stepped sections, several minor ruins of Inca structures, most notable of which is the site of Peredones on a hill overlooking the Culebrillas lake.

Once in Ingapirca visit the Inca site, hailed archeologically as the most important Inca site in Ecuador. Dating from the mid 15th century the site is located atop a rocky outcrop at over 10,000 feet above sea level. The ruins are dominated by an oval structure in the core of the settlement, the Adoratorio, a devotional structure built by the Incas to Inti, the Sun god and the ancestor of the Incas, hence the Sun temple.

From Ingapirca you can take a local transport to El Tambo or Canar on the main north-south highway and from there connect to Cuenca or back to Quito.