PATHS SYSTEM IN SOUTH AMERICA
There are over 60,000 kilometers of Inca Trail in South America…..

Beautiful Inca Trail – Paths System in South America

One of the wonders of the world that we can compare is the Inca Trail (Paths) made by the Incas. The Inca Trail was used to connect communities, villages, towns, and cities. To speak of this real road made by the Incas is not only to talk about 42 kilometers or 4 days of trekking to Machu Picchu but it is about more than 60,000 kilometers that until today was found in more than 6 South American countries (Colombia , Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile).

The Inca Trail  is to talk about paths that linked different towns and cities to help communicate with one another. Communication was a key element to help the empires maintain interaction, this was a fundamental piece for how they developed in such a short time but at greater speeds than other empires such as: Egyptians, Chinese, Greeks, Aztecs, or Mayans. Now from then to now the best treasure that is still maintained is wisdom. Wisdom is passed down from generation to generation and the Inca Trail facilitated the transfer of information from one site to another.

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Now the Inca Trail was not not only used as a way of communication amongst the Incas, but these trails also helped them to stay connected during natural disasters. In addition, the Inca Trail was also used by the king during his travels as he moved from one place to another. The king traveled to verify his land and to see how the expansion of the land was going.

The Inca road is paved in some cases and in others it is simply marked to be able to know in which direction the path was going. All this was always in function to the resources that can be found around but also in function to the geography of the site .

In addition, the paths were also paved to be able to conserve the communication systems amongst the villages. By having the paths paved it also helped to prevent the trails from becoming fully covered by vegetation in places such as the jungle. In other places, such as the desert or hills, where vegetation was not common the paved trails simply helped to prevent the Incas from getting lost.

The Inca Trail is a famous hiking route in South America that leads to Machu Picchu, an ancient Incan citadel located in the Andes Mountains of Peru. The trail is divided into four main sections, known as the “Four Paths” system.

The first path is called the “Qhapaq Ñan” and it is the longest of the four paths. It stretches for over 30,000 km through the Andes Mountains and was used by the Incas for trade, communication, and military purposes. The path passes through several different ecological zones including cloud forest, high Andean plain, and alpine tundra.

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The second path is called the “Inka Road” and it is shorter than the Qhapaq Ñan. It connects the Inca capital of Cusco to Machu Picchu and passes through several important Inca sites including the city of Ollantaytambo and the Inca ruins of Patallacta.

The third path is called the “Royal Road” and was used primarily by the Inca nobility and elite. It runs parallel to the Qhapaq Ñan and the Inka Road and was used for religious and ceremonial purposes.

The fourth path is called the “Sacred Path” and it is the shortest of the four paths. It leads directly to Machu Picchu and was used by the Inca priests and elite for spiritual and ceremonial purposes.

Overall, these four different paths of the Inca Trail offer a unique opportunity to explore the history and culture of the Inca civilization, as well as the beautiful and varied landscapes of the Andes Mountains. However, it is important to be aware that the trail is physically demanding and requires a good level of fitness and preparation.

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