Name: 1-Day Q'eswachaka Inca Rope Bridge Tour from Cusco
Brand: CuscoPeru.com
Price: 65 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 5 (1490 reviews)

Q'eswachaka rope bridge tour from Cusco

CuscoPeru.com invites you to visit a living Andean tradition on a full-day journey through southern Cusco. The Q'eswachaka rope bridge tour travels from the city to the province of Canas, where the bridge crosses the Apurimac River approximately two hours and forty-five minutes from Cusco and preserves a construction method passed down through local communities.

Q'eswachaka is recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. The bridge is made from plant-fiber ropes prepared with a technique known as Q'eswa. Because the natural material wears down in the highland climate, the communities of the Quehue district rebuild the entire bridge every year.

During the Q'eswachaka bridge tour, you can walk to the bridge, cross it and see the braided fibers at close range. The route also includes landscapes and historic places in southern Cusco, as well as breakfast and lunch at local restaurants. Transportation, an English- and Spanish-speaking guide and the entrance ticket are included.

Highlights

Visit to the Q'eswachaka bridge over the Apurimac River.
Explanation of the Q'eswa technique and the annual community reconstruction.
Stops at Huacarpay Lagoon, Pikillaqta and places associated with Tupac Amaru II.
Breakfast in Cusipata and views of Pabellones Volcano and Pampamarca Lagoon.
Visit to the Ccaranahui or Q'aranahui caves on the return route.
Transportation, bilingual guide, breakfast, lunch and entrance ticket.

Q'ESWACHAKA ROPE BRIDGE TOUR ITINERARY

Day 1

Q'eswachaka bridge and southern Cusco

Full day · Huacarpay and Pikillaqta · Breakfast in Cusipata · Pabellones and Pampamarca · Q'eswachaka bridge · Ccaranahui caves

The last Inca rope bridge tour begins with pickup from your hotel in Cusco at approximately 4:00 a.m. We then travel south toward the province of Canas. Along the way, the published itinerary includes views of Huacarpay Lagoon and the Pikillaqta archaeological center.

Breakfast in Cusipata

At approximately 6:30 a.m., we arrive in the district of Cusipata for breakfast. After a short break, the journey continues through districts connected with Tupac Amaru II, the Indigenous leader of the Great Rebellion against the Spanish Crown.

Pabellones Volcano and Pampamarca Lagoon

The route passes Pabellones Volcano in Yanaoca. This small formation measures approximately four meters in diameter and lies in the district of Tungasuca. From this area, you can see Pampamarca Lagoon before continuing toward Quehue.

Arrival at Q'eswachaka

Arrival at Q'eswachaka is scheduled for around 9:00 a.m. The bridge stands at 3,792 meters above sea level and crosses the Apurimac River in the province of Canas.

Walk and visit at the rope bridge

At the bridge, the guide explains how the plant fiber is dried, pounded, flattened and twisted into long ropes known as q'eswas. These ropes are braided again to form the structure of the bridge. The published itinerary identifies the communities of Chaupibamda, Choccayhua, Ccollana, Quehue and Huinchiri as participants in the annual reconstruction.

You will have time to walk to the bridge, cross it and view the Apurimac River valley. The page describes the structure as approximately 33 meters long and 1.20 meters wide.

Ccaranahui caves and return to Cusco

The journey back includes a visit to the Ccaranahui or Q'aranahui caves. According to the local legend presented on the page, the Incas visited the cave to communicate spiritually with their gods, and a lagoon lies at the bottom.

After lunch and the final visit, we return to Cusco. The short itinerary indicates arrival at the hotel at approximately 4:00 p.m.; this time may vary with traffic and the pace of the day's stops.

The annual reconstruction

The bridge requires annual maintenance because its plant-fiber material deteriorates in the highland weather. The communities of the Quehue district rebuild it in June by preparing and braiding the fibers into q'eswas. The process keeps the traditional construction technique in active use.

What's included?

Included

Transportation from Cusco to Q'eswachaka and back to Cusco.
Professional English- and Spanish-speaking guide.
Breakfast at a local restaurant.
Lunch at a local restaurant.
Entrance ticket.

Not included

Tips.
Services not mentioned in the program.

Recommendations

Warm and rainproof clothing according to the season.
Comfortable shoes.
Water bottle.
Snacks such as energy bars, dried fruit, chocolate or cookies.
Cash in Peruvian soles or US dollars because there are no ATMs on the route.
Identification document.

Details

Included

Transportation from Cusco to Q'eswachaka and back to Cusco.
Professional English- and Spanish-speaking guide.
Breakfast at a local restaurant.
Lunch at a local restaurant.
Entrance ticket.

Not included

Tips.
Services not mentioned in the program.

Recommendations

Warm and rainproof clothing according to the season.
Comfortable shoes.
Water bottle.
Snacks such as energy bars, dried fruit, chocolate or cookies.
Cash in Peruvian soles or US dollars because there are no ATMs on the route.
Identification document.

Mapa de ruta

La ruta es referencial puede contar con pequeñas variaciones

A traveler's day at Q'eswachaka

HOW NATALIA EXPERIENCED THE ONE-DAY Q’ESWACHAKA INCA BRIDGE TOUR

I took the one-day tour to the Q’eswachaka Inca Bridge, and it was an experience I enjoyed from beginning to end. From the moment we set out, everything was very well organized, and the guides showed great experience. They accompanied me throughout the entire tour, sharing information about the places we visited along the way.

Finally arriving at Q’eswachaka was one of the most memorable moments of the day. Seeing this traditional bridge up close and learning a little more about its history made the entire journey worthwhile. I took home wonderful memories of this experience and would love to do it again. It is a 100% recommended tour.

Natalia

Jun. 2024

More reviews from our passengers

    
 
 
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   kit f 
 
 
 
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Great experience over all! We loved especially John our tour guide in Machu Picchu! Though everyone else was wonderful Yvonne, our city tour guide, Darwin our Sacred Valley Aguas Calientes tour guide and Henry our Rainbow mountain tour guide,they are all awesome! It was a very smooth process from picking us up from the airport to dropping as off ! Would highly recommend CuscoPeru .com and Efrain did great on coordinating everything. We did 5days 4 nights MACHU PICCHU / RAINBOW MOUNTAIN Tour!
  
 
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Eu e meu marido adoramos o passeio. Tudo ocorreu muito bem desde a reserva que fiz diretamente com a Cusco Peru ainda no Brasil. Fui muito bem atendida pelo whatsapp. No dia anterior a visita a Macchu Picchu, Effrain foi ao nosso hotel, explicar todo o itinerário detalhadamente. No dia do passeio nosso motorista, Rosel, estava na porta do hotel pontualmente para nos deixar na estação de trem. De lá seguimos até Águas Calientes onde encontramos nossa guia Maria. Fomos muito bem direcionados e também muito bem recebidos por todos os colaboradores da empresa. Também ganhamos brindes para guardar de recordação.
  
 
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We had an amazing experience with Cuscoperu Our guide EFRAIN was friendly, knowledgeable, and made the tour really enjoyable. Everything was well organized, and we visited some incredible places. I especially loved Machu Pichu and Rainbow Mountain. EFRAIN was professional and easy to communicate with. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone visiting Cusco Peru.
  
 
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The whole trip was wonderful experience and Efrain did excellent job taking care of everything. Trip program was very busy but we were able to see a lots of sites. Highly recommended!
  
 
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Increíble experiencia, gracias por hacer de este viaje algo inolvidable. Nos vamos muy contentos y lo recomendaremos a todos nuestros amigos.
  
 
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It was very well done. CuscoPeru did a fantastic job with my tour. Efrain picked me up on time at the airport. Both Julio and Henry did a great job with super information the first 2 days. The buffet lunch the tour provided was top shelf, including sushi. On day 3 Eddy did a wonderful job explaining all of Machu Picchu. My tour was for Circuit 1, but he somehow managed to get me on Circuit 3 as well. It was a day I will never forget. All hotel accommodations were very comfortable. I would recommend this tour to anyone
  
 
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The trip was great! Our driver Roselito picked us up from the hotel and was very knowledgeable in the history of region, took us on the scenic route. Once we got on the train, it included snacks and drinks (water, coffee, or tea). Once we got to Aguascalientes, we were met by our tour guide Renato and Norma. Norma made sure we met our tour guide Renato, and made sure we got on the bus. Once we arrived at the entrance of Machu Pichu, we were met by our tour guide Renato. It was a pleasant experience. Pictures don’t do the site justice. Our tour guide Renato gave us an overview of the site and significance of the layout. I highly recommend booking with the company, and if possible make sure you get Roselito as your driver from Cusco to the train station.
  
 
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I had a custom 9-day tour. I told the booking agents the things I wanted see and do in Peru and they came up with an itinerary. I really enjoyed all the day trips and when I needed to make an adjustment during the tour, Efrain (my coordinator) was right on it. He was always available to answer my questions, which really made me feel comfortable travelling alone. Also, the tour guides and drivers were very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. I highly recommend CuscoPeru to anyone who wants interesting/fun tours and/or needs a little assistance in planning what to do!
  
 
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   Georgeta R 
 
 
 
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Elegí Cusco Peru por que Maria estaba siempre para aclarar mis dudas. Todos que nos atendiron,Rosa,John,Rosel,y los chicos que nos llevaban en coche,son personas muy bien preparadas,educadas,puntuales. Un 10 para todos! Recomiendo sin duda ❤️❤️❤️

Q’eswachaka Tour Prices

Choose the travel option that best suits you. Prices are listed per person and may vary depending on the service.

Tour options

TOUR TO THE INCA BRIDGE Q'ESWACHAKA 1D - GROUP SERVICE
PRICE PER PERSON - minimum 02 passengers

US$ 65

-

TOUR TO THE INCA BRIDGE Q'ESWACHAKA 1D - PRIVATE SERVICE
PRICE PER PERSON - minimum 02 passengers

-

US$ 195

Are 4 or more people traveling?

We can offer a special rate for your group.

Ask about group rates

Gallery of the Q'eswachaka Inca Bridge Tour

Q'eswachaka bridge tour and Cusco
Q'eswachaka the last Inca bridge
Q'eswachaka Bridge Day Tour
Construction of the Q'eswachaka Bridge
Community members contracting the last Inca bridge Q'eswachaka

Frequently asked questions about the Q'eswachaka rope bridge tour

What time will you pick me up, and when will I return to Cusco?

Hotel pickup is scheduled for approximately 4:00 a.m. The page indicates a return to your hotel at around 4:00 p.m. These times may vary with traffic and the duration of the stops during the day.

Can I walk across the Q'eswachaka bridge?

Yes. The visit includes the opportunity to walk to the bridge and cross it. Your guide will explain how the plant fibers are prepared and braided using the traditional Q'eswa technique.

Is the entrance ticket included in the tour price?

Yes. The service includes the entrance ticket, round-trip transportation from Cusco, a professional English- and Spanish-speaking guide, breakfast and lunch at local restaurants.

How high is the bridge, and what should I wear?

Q'eswachaka is located at 3,792 meters above sea level. The page recommends warm and rainproof clothing according to the season, along with comfortable shoes.

Why is Q'eswachaka rebuilt every year?

The bridge is made from plant fiber that deteriorates in the highland weather. Local communities therefore rebuild the entire structure each June and continue the traditional construction method.

Should I bring cash on this day trip?

Yes. The published recommendations advise carrying cash in Peruvian soles or US dollars because there are no ATMs along the route. You should also bring your identification document, water and any snacks you may want during the journey.