Ingapirca

Tickets and tours: all the options

Entry is paid at the gate, and local guides take groups round the central area of the complex, so even independent visitors get some explanation. There is nothing to book in advance for the site itself, and no online ticket worth paying a premium for.

GetYourGuide sells day trips from Cuenca, two to three hours each way by road. The standard format is a small group tour with transport, a guide and time on site, usually with a short walk to the natural rock face known as the Inca Face. Longer days add Canar villages, the market town of Gualaceo and the silversmiths of Chordeleg, which makes a full day out but cuts time at the ruins. Lunch is sometimes included, often in a local restaurant near the site, and the entry fee may or may not be.

There are also multi-day tours that cross the Andes from Quito to Cuenca with Cotopaxi, Quilotoa or Banos on the way, using Ingapirca as one stop; and two-day packages from Cuenca with the Cajas national park. For most visitors based in Cuenca, the small-group day tour is the sensible choice, as it solves the transport and adds context. Travellers on a budget can take the direct bus and join a site guide at the gate.

A short history

The Canari people had long held this area, which they called Hatun Canar, when the Inca Tupac Yupanqui pushed into southern Ecuador in the late 15th century. Resistance was fierce, and the Inca combined force with alliances, including marriage into the Canari elite. The Temple of the Sun was built under Huayna Capac, and the complex served as a ceremonial centre and as a fortified store on the road north. After the Spanish conquest, stones were carried off for buildings in the valley. The French scientist Charles Marie de La Condamine described the ruins in 1739. Excavation and restoration in the 20th century uncovered the Canari burials and gave the site its present form.

Getting there

Cuenca is the base, with flights from Quito and Guayaquil to its Mariscal Lamar airport. From Cuenca's main bus terminal, a few direct buses a day run to Ingapirca village in about two hours; check return times on arrival, as the last bus leaves in the afternoon. Alternatively, take a bus to Canar or El Tambo on the Pan-American Highway and a taxi for the last stretch.

By car, follow the highway north from Cuenca through Azogues and turn off towards Ingapirca after El Tambo; allow about two hours. The ticket office and car park are at the entrance, a few minutes' walk from the village square. Taxis from Cuenca can be hired for the day, which is often similar in cost to a tour for two people.

Rules and what to bring

Do not climb on the walls of the Temple of the Sun or enter roped areas, and stay on the paths across the grass. Drones need permission. At this altitude the weather turns in minutes, so bring a warm layer, a waterproof jacket, sunscreen and a hat even on a bright morning. If you have just arrived from the coast, walk slowly. Toilets are at the entrance, and simple restaurants are in the village.

When to go

The best hours are the morning. Cloud often rolls in after midday, bringing wind and rain, and the temple looks best in clear light. Tours from Cuenca usually arrive in the late morning, so if you come by early bus or car you may have the first hour almost alone. Weekends and Ecuadorian holidays bring more domestic visitors.

June to September is the driest and sunniest period in the southern highlands, though the wind can be cold. From October to May showers are more frequent, the hills are green and the paths muddy. The Inca festival of Inti Raymi is celebrated here around the June solstice with music and dancing, drawing large crowds. Allow two to three hours on site, including the Inca Face walk and the museum, plus about four hours of travel from Cuenca.