Tour Inca Q’eswachaka Bridge

General view

With the “Qeswachaka Cusco Bridge Tour”, you will be able to enjoy a getaway outside the city of Cusco, be in contact with Andean nature and get to know the last Inca bridge alive in the Q’ewe area. We will relive the history of the reason for the Inca bridges and we will know why this tradition of renewing it every year continues.

QUESHUACHACA, q’iswa = maguey rope or braided dry ichhu and chaka = bridge. It is a bridge made of ropes made of grass and that crosses the Apurímac river near Huinchiri, in the district of Quehue, province of Canas – Cusco. It is the last remaining Inca rope bridge.

The Qeswachaka Bridge has a length of 28.67 meters and is suspended 30 meters above the Apurímac River. It was part of the huge network of Inca roads (qhapac ñan) that led to the Inca city of Machu Picchu. Every year the local population renovates the bridge just as the Incas did hundreds of years ago.
This road network included different types of bridges, such as: log bridges, stone bridges, floating bridges, oroyas (sliders) and suspension bridges. Suspension bridges were the most used in the Incas, since they easily resisted earthquakes. They were built with ropes made of ichu (wild grass from the Andes) and could reach lengths of 60 meters.

By Inca order, suspension bridges were renovated once a year through the work of ‘minka’ (community work for the benefit of the entire population. After the Inca Empire, suspension bridges continued to be used due to their resistance to earthquakes. The best known example is the ‘Puente Qeswachaka’ in the city of Quehue (Cusco).
Although there is a modern bridge nearby, residents of the region keep the ancient tradition and skills alive by renovating the bridge annually on the second Sunday in June. Thanks to this tradition of Inca origin, it has been possible to maintain the Qeswachaka suspension bridge. This cooperative work is carried out by the communities of Huinchiri, Chaupibanda, Ccollana, Quehue and Pelcaro. The festival lasts 4 days and involves all the men and women of the towns involved.

At dawn on the first day, the ‘Paqo’ (officiant of the ceremony) celebrates the rite in favor of the ‘Apu tutelar Quinsallallawi’. The ‘icchu’ (straw) was collected and stacked in advance by members of the 4 communities. The women of the communities that have the function of weaving the first rope or ‘qheswa’ participate actively. In the afternoon the men divided into 2 groups gather on the sides of the bridges and spread the ‘queswas’ in a straight line on the road, the ropes are braided by the ‘Chakaruwac’ (Inca engineer) to build the ‘Qheswasca’ ( big braid). On the fourth day, the Chakuruwacs finish weaving the bridge that secures the last fibers and give a shout announcing the end of the hard work; It is a festival with typical dances of the region and sale of typical foods of Cusco.

HIGHLIGHTS

• → Small Volcano in Pabellones, Yanaoca
• → Inca Q’eswachaka Bridge
• → Laguna Pampamarca
• → Asnacocha Lagoon
• → Laguna Acopia
• → Pomacanchi Lagoon

Itinerary

The pick up from the hotel will be from 4:00 to 4:30 a.m., once the whole group is concentrated we will leave for the south of Cusco. Our first stop will be in Cusipata, where we will enjoy a delicious breakfast. Then we will continue with the tour passing through the district of Yanaoca in this place we will visit a somewhat tiny volcano, then we will continue our tour for 1 hour more until we reach the district of Quehue, where the famous Inca bridge of “Q’eswachaka” is located. It is made of vegetable fiber and has a length of 28.67 meters. The surprising thing is that it is rebuilt every year in June by four local communities, in this place we will have time to explore Q’eswachaka and the surrounding area, while the guide will explain the history of this Inca engineering work.

After visiting the Q’eswachaka bridge, we will continue our trip to the Mososqllaqta viewpoint, where we will appreciate the Lagunas de: Pampamarca and Asnaqocha, then we will go to another point of a viewpoint, where we will appreciate the Acopia and Pomacanchi lagoons, observing a great amount of regional flora and fauna experiencing an enriched Andean culture. At the end of the circuit of the 4 lagoons we will return to Cusipata, where we will taste a delicious lunch, after lunch we will return to Cusco. Arriving approximately between 4:30 to 5:00 p.m.

Q’eswachaca Bridge

One of the most precious gifts that the Inca has given us is this suspension bridge that lies over the Apurímac River. Made with brava straw or ichu icho, this wonder is renewed year after year through a rite performed by the communities of Winch’iri, Chaupibanda, Ccollana Quehue and Perccaro. Therefore, do not miss the opportunity to cross its 28 meters long, which will make you live the adrenaline to the fullest in this beautiful Inca construction.

A tradition that for the peasant communities of Huinchiri, Chaupibanda, Choccayhua and Qollana Quehue has survived for more than five centuries thanks to the intercession of divinity. “If we do not build a new bridge every year, we risk provoking the wrath of the Pachamama (Mother Earth in Quechua) and the Apus (tutelary forces of nature)”, “Whether we use it or not, we expose ourselves to natural catastrophes that can ruin our crops of potatoes, beans, wheat or barley, and even misfortunes such as illness or death “, says María Quispe, a 60-year-old woman who has participated in such a mission since her childhood.

Before weaving the bridge, a payment is made to the land, where the Paqo or Priest, makes a cloth altar with indigenous motifs in which he deposits coca leaves, llama fetuses and food that is offered to the Pachamama, Since, like any human being, they are hungry and it is the obligation of their “children” (residents) to satisfy them. The Paqo says that before the renovation of the bridge, the Apus, each year indicate to him what his appetite is, since his tastes evolve and we should not always pay him with the same “delicacy”, to which the Apus are also invited to implore his protection and avoid accidents during renovation.

Women stay away from rebuilding the bridge, a task reserved for men. The locals say that women attract the q’encha, a Quechua voice to designate bad luck, which can lead to divine “mishaps” during certain rituals.

Four Lagoons

The circuit of the four lagoons is located in the province of Acomayo, 107 km from the city of Cusco. It is made up of Pomacanchi, Acopia, Asnaqocha and Pampamarca. Among its attractions are the abundance of natural pastures and fish.

Small Volcano in Pabellones, Yanaoca

This small volcano of approximately 4 meters in diameter is located in the pavilion area of ​​the Tungasuca district, which draws the attention of visitors and locals due to its unique size since it is considered the smallest in the world.

Location