The problem with the sheer fame of Machu Picchu is that it tends to crowd out and overshadow Peru's many other incredible (and normally older) attractions. One of the tropical South American country's other remarkable (but little known about) attractions is Rupac. Rupac is often known as the “Machu Picchu of Lima" and "the City of Fire.”
While in Peru discover the region's rich pre-Inca history by visiting the El Brujo Archaeological Complex. See its pre-Inca mummy called "the Lady of Cao". As a woman who was mummified, the "Lady of Cao" forced scholars to rethink the role of women in the region.
What Rubac Is And How To Get To It
Rupac is an important archeological site at an elevation of 3,400 meters not so far from the capital of Lima. It belonged to the Atavillos culture and was built around 1200 AD. The Inca were not the first civilization in South America and they were not all that long-established when the Spanish arrived. Another incredibly old civilization that pre-dated the Inca was that of Chan Chan in Peru's desert.
Elevation: Around 3,400 Meters
Built: Largely Around 1,200 AD (Occupied from 800 AD to 1533 AD)
Buildings: There Are Around 50 Buildings At The Site
Today the site remains in great condition and all of the buildings are made entirely out of stone.
It takes around three to four hours to reach Rupac from Lima and then another 3 to 4 hours of hiking from Pampas to get to Rupac.
In Pampas, one can get a tour or guide and have donkeys carry one's camping equipment and other gear up to the site.
The Atavillos Culture
The site was built by the Atavillos who had their origins in the vicinity of Lake Titicaca. Their ancestors are thought to have migrated during the expansion of the Huari-Tiahuanaco Empire (also called the Wari Empire) into the Huaral region.
Who Built Rupac: The Atavillos Ethnic Group - A Pre-Inca Culture
When that empire collapsed in around AD 1,100, the Atavillos culture emerged and their settlements popped up in the Lima Valley and the Chancay river basin.
The Atavillos was known as one of the pre-Inca warrior cultures in the region around Lima. They occupied the tops of the mountains near the coast to establish a defensive system to protect against attacks.
Chullpas: Elevated Towers Up to 15 Meters High Mostly used As Viewpoints
Peru.Travel also says that in addition to being a defensive position, it also enabled them to monitor the crops and "protect the population from diseases such as warts and malaria."
According to Heritagedaily.com, Rupac is defined by four distinct sectors:
Sector A: Has A Cluster of 50 Kullpi-type Buildings
Sector B: Has 25 Chullpas-Type Funerary Structures
Sector C: Has A Wide-Open Space
Sector D: Has 20 Kullpi-Type Buildings
It is believed that the main purpose of the site was for cult ancestral worship and funerary rites in the kullpis and chullpas. The rest of the complex was used for preparing food and spinning textiles to renew the food and clothing of their ancestors.
Cultic: It Was Mainly An Ancestral Cult Site
Rupac seems to have been occupied in two periods. One is between AD 800 and 1470 called the Late Intermediate (Atavillos), and the second period is from between 1470 and 1533 called the Late Horizon (Atavillos-Inca).
Incas: The Incas Eventually Took Over The Site For Around 60 Years Before They Collapsed With The Spanish Invasion
The second period was when the Inc conquered the region and incorporated it into the empire. In this period, it seems to have been remodeled for administrative use.
Rupac – Machu Picchu Limeño Tour
This tour by Perumountains.com begins in Lima with an early pick up at around 6.00 am from one's hotel. Guests are driven for 4 hours and pass through notable towns like Huaral, Acos, and Florida before arriving in Pampas town.
After lunch, the party hikes up to the Rupac archeological center and enjoys the amazing views. The tour camps there overnight.
Hike Duration: Around 4 Hours
The next day after breakfast, the tour visits the archeological sites where the guide will explain the construction of the site and answer any questions anyone has. Then the tour goes back to the town Pampas for lunch and transfers back to Lima arriving at around 4.00 pm.
Includes: Professional Guide & Entrance Fees
Camping: One Tent For Two People (Excludes Sleeping Bag and Mattress)
Meals: Two Lunches and One Breakfast
Price: Varies Depending On The Group Size
The next time one is planning a trip to Peru, plan to include some of the country's other pre-Inca attractions that are so often forgotten. There are many stunning attractions in Peru that are not well known.