Excursions

Adventure & Action

Excursions from Ingapirca

Everything you can explore from Posada Ingapirca.

The Ingapirca Archaeological Complex

The most important excursion in the area begins steps from your room. The Ingapirca Archaeological Complex is Ecuador most significant pre-Columbian site, where Cañari and Inca civilizations fused into a unique architectural legacy: the Temple of the Sun, the only oval-plan Inca temple in all of South America. Setting out from Posada Ingapirca means arriving first, before the tour groups, and experiencing the site in peace.

The Face of the Inca

A short walk from the Temple of the Sun, the Incas chose this spot because they believed the Face of the Inca would watch over and protect them — a rock that nature sculpted with astonishing precision. From Posada Ingapirca you can walk there directly, no transport needed. A perfect afternoon excursion, when the Andean sun falls sideways and the rock comes alive.

Culebrillas Lagoon

For those seeking highland trekking, Culebrillas Lagoon is the most spectacular excursion in the area. Sitting above 4,000 meters in the Cañar páramo, its still waters reflect the Andean sky, ringed by frailejones. Along the way you will find traces of the Qhapaq Ñan, the Inca Trail that once connected the great centers of the Tahuantinsuyo.

The Inti Raymi

If your visit falls in June, you will witness the most powerful cultural event in the region. The Inti Raymi, a sacred festival honoring Taita Inti — the Father Sun — is celebrated around the Archaeological Complex with folk dances, Andean music, and food fairs. Ingapirca is 90 km from Cuenca, roughly 1.5 hours by car.

The El Tambo Train Station

Twenty-five minutes from Posada Ingapirca, in El Tambo canton, the Old Train Station is one of the most moving historical excursions in the province of Cañar. Its adobe walls and republican-era architecture tell the story of a time of progress and movement across the Ecuadorian highlands.