At the height of its power the Inca Empire extended from northern Ecuador to central Chile. This huge area was linked by a complex system of well made and maintained roads, the longest of which stretched over 5,000 Km from Quito to Talc, south of Santiago in Chile. Although today the road is in a state of disrepair and in many areas the route has been lost or forgotten it is still possible to find and walk along some remnants of this incredible road system. One such trail can be found in the southern part of Ecuador's Central Valley and leads to Ingapirca, the most important Inca ruin in Ecuador. This 4-day hike gives a fascinating glimpse of Andean rural life, which has changed little in hundreds of years.