Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu itself was far off the beaten path and served as a royal estate populated by the ruling Inca and several hundred servants. It required regular infusions of goods and services from Cuzco and other parts of the empire. This is evidenced by the fact that there are no large government storage facilities at the site. A 1997 study concluded that the site's argicultural potential would not have been sufficient to support residents, even on a seasonal basis.
Effect of the conquest
It is not completely known the true extent of the road network, as the Spaniards, post conquest, either dug up the road completely in some areas, or allowed it to deteriorate and fall into ruin under iron horse hooves, or the metal wheels of their ox-carts
Patrimony in peril
Today, only 25% percent of this route is still visible, the rest having been destroyed by the construction of modern infrastructure. It is not only studded with archeological marvels, including those of Ingapirca in Ecuador, Cusco in Peru, Tiwanaku in Bolivia and Quilmes in Argentina, it also includes hundreds of major and minor sites. It passes through a plethora of eco-regions, 4 of global importance, and includes such endangered fauna as the vicuña, spectacled Andean bear and the condor. But more than that, it is a road that connects a multitude of Andean villages whose customs and traditions are still practiced and which holds the potential to revitalize and strengthen a common identity.
Different organizations such as UNESCO and IUCN have been working to protect this ancient route, in collaboration with the governments and communities of the 6 countries through which the Great Inca Road passes.
The objective of UNESCO is to assist the countries that share this common heritage in a pioneering project: the preparation of a unique candidature to inscribe the Qhapaq Ñan as a World Heritage Site.
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A complete network of interconnecting roads linked Cusco to its provinces and other kingdoms and the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu was part of that system. Today it has become the most famous and popular trek in South America due to the variety of attractions it offers. The trail route lies within the Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary, which was created by the government in 1981 to protect the natural beauty and the archaeological sites of this extraordinary area. This spectacular trail runs from high mountains down to cloud forest, passing through a number of diverse ecological zones filled with an enormous variety of plants and bird life. The route is also studded with archaeological sites which lead the visitor to the lost city of the Incas; Machu Picchu.