CHIMPA FORTALEZA

First go to Chivay. You have to arrive for 5am, time of departure of the bus to Madrigal. The trip takes 1 hour and 15 minutes and will drop you off at the village square. From there, follow the road down (have the driver confirm the direction) and walk for 1 hour and 15 minutes to reach the foot of the mountain. You then have 2 hours of climbing ahead of you! Condors fly over the place (you will recognize the young ones by their lack of white collar). On the way, you will find a ventana where you can take beautiful pictures, and rock shelters (with fire making facilities) where you can set up camp if you want to spend the night. At the top, the fortress, very well preserved, awaits you! Built in stones, it was built by the local pre-Inca culture Collagua. It is of a rather classical construction, but it is especially a very beautiful example of the strategic control that these sites had to allow: a splendid sight on the deepest part of the cañon is also offered to you (behind the enormous rock on your right; follow the small path). You can also see the villages of Madrigal, Lari, Ichupampa and Pinchollo.

To be able to return in time and not miss the shuttle bus on the Plaza de Armas de Madrigal that will bring you back to Chivay, you will have to leave the site around 11:30 am. You have 45 minutes of descent then 1h30 of walk (by skirting the river then by following the way along the fields). At 2pm the only shuttle bus leaves and it will be difficult to count on carpooling afterwards.