The Inca Trail, that famous steep trek to Machu Picchu, is only a tiny sliver of the Inca Road System, one of the Inca Empire's finest achievements.
Tunnel on the Inca Road. Photo by maskirby
Stretching an estimated 40,000 kilometers along the length of the Inca Empire in the modern countries of Peru, Chile, Ecuador and Argentina, the Inca Road crossed a wide range of environments. Crossing mountains, rivers, deserts, beaches, rivers required bridges, tunnels, cut stairs, terraces, and fountains, not to mention roadside inns called tampu. Can you blame me? I had to build a photo essay of this fabulous engineering feat.
- Inca Road Photo Essay
- Inca Road System, more on the engineering feat
- About.com's Guide to the Inca Empire
- Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Bonnie Hamre
Comments
A map of the Inca road system would be nice. Describing the route of road is helpful but a picture (map) is worth a thousand words.
What a good idea! I’ll see what I can find out….