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The Inca trail

The Incas of ancient Peru developed one of the most extensive road networks in South America, the El Camino Inca. It covered 22,500km, connecting the furthest reaches of the country, and crossed the Andes at least 5,000m high at points. These trails were mostly used by people who walked, sometimes along with their llamas, for the Incas did not make use of the wheel, and didn’t have horses till their introduction by the Spanish much later on. Most trails converged on the centre of the empire, Cuzco, making it very easy for the Spanish to find when they did arrive.

Such trails were used for transporting goods and by runners who carried messages, either written down or memorised and relayed by word of mouth. The route had inns called tambos spaced at equal distance along the way, providing people with food, shelter and military supplies.

Today, the most popular one for tourists to hike is the Capaq Nan trail, from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu. Hundreds of thousands of tourists walk this 3-4 day route every year, accompanied by guides. Concerns about erosion to the trail from over use have led the Peruvian government to apply a limit of 500 tourists a day, and regulate the number of tour operators licensed to take you on such hikes. Book well in advance to guarantee your place, and remember that the trail is closed every February for cleaning. Although you might have to jostle for space, Machu Picchu is still a world treasure.