Ingapirca

Ingapirca is the most significant set of Inca ruins in Ecuador – but that’s not saying too much. However it is definitely worth checking out.

After Mexico and Guatemala I think that most overlanders are completely “ruined out” – I know we were. But there’s been a good gap since then and we thought we were ready for some more ruins.

At Ingapirca a guide is required but the good news is that the guide is included in the admission price. The other piece of good news is that the guides spoke good English too.

It took about an hour to go around the site, the highlight of which is the green-stoned central temple which was designed in such a way as to be perfectly aligned with the sunset and sunrise on Midsummer’s day. A lot of the walls have been destroyed as from colonial times stones have been taken to build other buildings in the area.

There is also a small museum, some souvenir stalls (Sarah assures me that the Alpaca socks are extremely toasty) and a looped walk you can do around the back of the site which takes in one or two carved rocks, a rock painting of the sun and the profile of a man’s face in the cliff wall (a natural formation).  Not fantastic sites but a pleasant walk through the surrounding countryside.

The car park outside the ruins made a good overnight stop.