Ingapirca Ruins & Inca mountain face tour from Cuenca with Small Group
- 8 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- 2 languages
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Ingapirca is the major Inca-Cañari archaeological site in Ecuador. Explore the ruins, including the only elliptical temple of the sun made of perfectly carved stones, terraces, patios, etc. On Sundays, we include a visit to the Indigenous Cañar Market. Highlights: • Visit the largest archaeological Inca site in Ecuador and the only elliptical temple of the Inca empire • Enjoy the beauty of the Ecuadorian Andes while you drive through the fertile ranchland of the countryside. • Visit the Cañar Market and immerse yourself in the traditions of the local indigenous tribes (Sundays) • See how the famous Panama Hats are woven
Inclusions
What's included
- Lunch (if option selected)
- All taxes, fees and handling charges
- Lunch
- Licensed tour guide/driver
- Fuel surcharge
- Hotel or Airbnb pickup and drop-off
What's not
- Gratuities
- Ingapirca Archaeological Complex
Itinerary
We start our tour by visiting Rocio Virgin Church in Biblian. This church has a very distinctive gothic architectural style, dating back to the late 19th century. Next, we will visit an indigenous family where we’ll observe the weaving of Panama hats. This is one of the most authentic crafts of Southern Ecuador and has a prominent role in the economy of the area. We continue our tour with a ride through the enchanting highlands, enjoying the beautiful views along the way.
Ingapirca is located approximately 60 miles northeast of Cuenca at an elevation of 10,500 feet above sea level. Upon arrival at Ingapirca, one of the most important Inca structures is waiting for us – an elliptical platform known as the “Sun’s Temple”. Afterward, we will explore the courtyards, terraces, and various other ruins. In order to get a closer look at the local atmosphere, we will take a short hike to observe the Inca’s Face, a large stone outcropping. Lunch in a local restaurant and return to Cuenca.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
4.8
- 543
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Ratings come from 47 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Showing reviews written in English.
4History and culture come alive
We thoroughly enjoyed visiting and learning about the history of Ingapirca. Our guide Wilson was very knowledgeable about not only history, but also culture, nature (plants, birds, and other animals. ) We made several small stops throughout the day to experience local food and culture. My only disappointment was to find out that the Panama hat weaving stop is no longer part of the tour. I'd suggest the description be updated to reflect that change. Super high appreciation for organization, promptness, and safety. Thank you!
5Great trip, ask for Adrian to be your guide
Pick up on time, very friendly driver Adrian. Excellent modern clean vehicle. Safe drive, good stops along the way. Road was mostly in good condition. Tour of Ingaprica was very informative, just enough good information to be interesting and fun. Altitude is a bit of an issue if you’re a coast dweller like us, not during the tour of the ruins but during the hike to the mountain face. If you stop every 10 minutes it is fine. Souvenir shops are great, priced reasonably and not pushy. Lunch was basic and healthy. Adrian is a very good guide and takes his job very seriously. I would ask specifically for Adrian if he is available. We have had a lot of tour guides around the world, some too academic, some just putting in time and trying to sell stuff. Adrian is none of those things, he is just very good at his job, knows his stuff and perfect English.
5A must tour!
We enjoyed this tour. Andres is an excellent tour guide and very friendly. He is fluent in English and very knowledgeable. He explains very well and we learned a lot about the Ingapirca and the surrounding area.
5Great experience
Jovani was our driver and Adrian was our guide. Both were great! The day before we got confirmation of our pick up time via WhatsApp (0840-0845). The entire drive had a beautiful scene. We had our first rest stop at about 15-20 minutes and then stopped at the church. It’s higher altitude here and you will feel it when walking the church steps. It’s about 3-4 flight of stairs. Afterwards, we had our next stop which was catching a taste of cascaritas (toasted pork skin) and learned about the process of cooking the entire pig. We had a free sample of pork meat, then had the opportunity to buy a plate of the pork skin ($6 plate, good size for sampling for 2-3 people). Next we stopped at IngaPirca. Park entrance fee was $2.00 per person. Unfortunately for us, it was raining the entire time. This did not stop the trip. There are local shops that sell rain pancho. Even if it doesn’t rain, highly recommend wearing dry fit clothing, tennis shoes, and an umbrella. Our group had our pants and socks socked through, it was even a bit cold. Despite the weather, I had a great experience! Lastly, we had lunch which consisted 2 chicken options. Option 1: grilled chicken, salad, and quinoa. Option 2: chicken leg in a tomatoe sauce (for Spanish speakers it was like pollo entomatado), fries, salad. Both options included an horchata drink (warm sweet tea). Kudos to Jovani and Adrian. They were great company, kind, and friendly. Thank you for a wonderfully time.
5Great day tour to Rocio Cirgin Church and comprehensive tour of Ingapirca
Small group tour to the very beautiful Rocio Virgin Church with unique castle-like architecture. We had a short stop to try roasted/skin flamed pork and then a detailed walking tour of Ingapirca with option to see the “face” in the mountain. We stopped for a delicious lunch too, and our tour guide. Wilson was very knowledgeable, patient and and helpful.
5Amazing time!
We had a great time! Our guide Wilson was fantastic and provided great information and history about everywhere we went. Would highly recommend!!!
Know before you go
- Pickup
- Pickup is included for everyone.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 30 travellers
- Operated by
- Cuenca Bestours Tour Operator
- Wheelchair accessible
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have a high level of physical fitness
- Infant meals not included
How it compares in Cuenca
- Its from-price is 29% below the median of the 29 day trips we list in Cuenca.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- By number of reviews it ranks 4 of 29.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Cuenca
Cuenca is a high Andean city in southern Ecuador, a UNESCO-listed colonial centre with a blue-domed cathedral, flower markets and four rivers.
Cuenca sits at about 2,500 metres in a basin of the southern Andes, and its historic centre is listed by UNESCO. The Tomebamba River runs beside the old quarter, with colonial houses overlooking its banks. The New Cathedral, with its three blue domes, faces Parque Calderón, and the nearby flower market sells roses and orchids. Spanish settlers founded the city in 1557 close to the Inca city of Tomebamba.
Top-ranked sights in Cuenca: Mirador de Turi.
