Camino del Inca


A well-preserved Inca road runs from Jauja to Tarma. The most spectacular section is from Tingopaccha (30 minutes from Jauja by taxi) to Inkapatakuna (30 minutes from Tarma), a scenic but tough all-day hike.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Laguna de Paca

9.02 MILES

This small lakeside resort offers restaurants, rowboats and fishing. A boat ride around the lake will cost S5 to S10 per passenger (depending on how many…

2. Iglesia Matriz de Santa Fe

11.93 MILES

This cathedral on the main Plaza de Armas in Jauja is nice to look at, with finely carved wooden altars inside.

3. Tarmatambo

12.21 MILES

The best known of the myriad archaeological ruins near Tarma, this was the capital of the Taruma culture and later a major Inca administrative center. The…

4. Cathedral

15.61 MILES

The town’s cathedral is modern (1965), and it contains the remains of Tarma’s most famous son, Peruvian president Manuel Odría (1897–1974). He organized…

5. Astronomical Observatory

15.76 MILES

A small astronomical observatory above Hospedaje Central takes advantage of Tarma's high-elevation location, where the clear nights of June, July and…

6. Reserva Nor Yauyos-Cochas

15.96 MILES

A huge, iconic Andean smorgasbord of glimmering blue-green mountain lakes nestled within towering peaks and home to the Pariacaca Glacier. You’ll need…

7. El Señor de Muruhuay

19.76 MILES

This white shrine visible on a hill 1.5km from Acobamba is one of Peru’s top pilgrimage sites, built around a rock etching of Christ crucified. A small…

8. Yanamarca

19.85 MILES

A dramatic hilltop testament to both the power of the pre-Inca peoples and the extent to which their cultures are barely known about. The buildings here,…