In the District of Quehua, in Cusco, suspended over the Apurímac River, is the last Inca bridge: the Q’eswachaka Bridge. This bridge is recognized by UNESCO as Cultural Heritage of Humanity, since it is the only bridge that has lasted for more than 500 years in almost original condition.
Q’eswachaka, in Quechua means “rope bridge” because it is made of vegetable fiber, being a work of Inca engineering that has been maintained for so many years thanks to the annual maintenance of the surrounding communities: Huinchiri, Chaupibanda, Qollana Quehue and Chocayhua. These communities make maintenance a beautiful 4-day ritual, which is now a cultural tradition worth seeing.
In the first days of June, the bridge is renovated where the locals carry out traditional techniques and ceremonies in honor of the high Andean culture. The tradition begins with the offering to the Pachamama (Mother Tiera), where a paqo, or Andean priest, offers coca leaves and different products and food asking for the protection of the Pachamama. The paqo will only be able to leave the place when the work is passable.
Then, the members of all the participating communities
begin by collecting the main material “qoya ichu”, a type of straw very abundant in the area. After the collenting, the Andean woman is in charge of weaving thick braids that the men will later use to assemble the new bridge from end to end. On the third day, the elaboration of the new bridge is concluded and the work is inaugurated with music and typical dances.
On the fourth and final day, the inhabitants organize a spectacular festival to celebrate the re-launching of the Q ‘eswachaka bridge and the magnificent teamwork between the communities.
The reconstruction of this bridge implies a great physical effort due to its measures of 28 meters long and 1.20 meters wide, but the locals have tried to transmit the techniques and rituals from generation to generation to keep alive the culture and tradition of the last Inca bridge in the world.
The bridge is located more than 4 hours from Cusco, can be visited on the same day before or after knowing the Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain.
Are you ready to walk the last Inca bridge in the world? Contact us at Eric Adventures.
