The last Inca bridge called Queswachaca is one of the few Inca traditions that have been preserved in Peru in a unique and original way since the empire was established more than 600 years ago.

Watch this video to learn what the travel itinerary is like, as well as what you will be able to see when you arrive at the last Inca bridge:

1. How to get to the last Inca bridge Queswachaka?

Queswachaka is located 3 hours and 45 minutes away from the city of Cusco. To get here, you need to hire the services of a travel agency or rent a vehicle and drive using maps as a guide.

2. Location:

Queswachaka is located south of the city of Cusco, in the district of Quehue, province of Canas, department of Cusco, at 3,700 meters above sea level, built over the Apurímac River.

3. Travel itinerary:

We pick you up early in the morning from your hotel in private transportation at around 4:00 a.m. After that, following a 1 hour and 20 minute journey, we will have a delicious buffet breakfast in the town of Cusipata to recharge our energy.

Afterward, we will travel for another 2 hours and 30 minutes, passing through very picturesque small towns along the route before arriving at the last Inca bridge, Queswachaka.

This tour is very easy to do since you only walk 100 meters, so if you are traveling with children or are an older adult, there will be no problem in taking this trip.

At around 9:00 a.m., after the explanation and photo session with our guide, we will be crossing the last bridge of the Incas. This bridge is 28 meters long and 1.5 meters wide in total, and can withstand a maximum load of 350 kg, approximately 5 people crossing the bridge at the same time.

To cross this bridge, we will do so individually, thus contributing to the preservation of the site.

After an exciting experience full of adrenaline and history, we will return to our private transportation to continue the journey toward the circuit of the 4 Pomacanchi lagoons, where we will also be able to take spectacular photos and admire the beautiful landscapes that the Andes offer.

At around 1:30 p.m., we will be back at the restaurant to enjoy a delicious buffet lunch of typical Cusco food.

Finally, at around 5:30 p.m., we will be returning to the hotel.

4. A little about the tradition and why this bridge continues to be built

In the year 1410 AD, the first emperor of the Incas and ninth ruler, Pachacuteq, was in the middle of a military expansion campaign. He encountered major logistical challenges involving supplies and the transportation of weapons, which led him and his most sophisticated engineers to build a series of bridges, roads, and warehouses in order to make it easier for the Incas to carry out their various conquests.

4.1. Ancient tradition:

The last Inca bridge, Queswachaka, is renewed annually by the communities of Huinchiri, Chaupibanda, Ccollana Quehue, and Choccayhua, which live around it, a tradition that has been maintained since the time when Emperor Pachacuteq first ordered its construction.

The way these communities work together is through an ancient Inca economic system called Minka, which means reciprocal help between communities, where ancestral traditions such as sharing food, drinks, and music come together while the bridge is renewed over approximately 4 days, which is the time the renewal process takes. The bridge is usually renewed on June 1st of each year, a date that coincides with the dry season and when the river flow is low.

Currently, the government of Peru, through the Ministry of Culture, promotes this tradition and finances advertising campaigns, as well as providing financial support to the communities responsible for renewing the last Inca bridge, a celebration that takes place year after year.

4.2. Construction materials of Queswachaka:

The Incas used only two materials: straw or ichu, as it is locally known in Quechua, the language of the area, and a little wood and stone for the different ties.

The straw that the locals collect from the surrounding area is braided multiple times until it forms a strand thick enough to support the weight of the people who are going to cross this bridge.

In the same way, at each end of the canyon there are stone towers where the main supports rest, serving as anchors for the ropes, which are about 20 cm in diameter. There are 4 in total that form the base, plus another 2 along the sides as railings, all of them covered with thinner ropes so that crossing is simple and safe.

5. Let’s plan this trip:

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