Without a doubt, one of the best-conserved sections of the Qhapac Nan, the 25,000 kilometers network of Inca highways that linked every corner of Tawantinsuyo -from southern Colombia to northern Argentina- is the stretch that links Huari (very near Chavin de Huantar) with the great Inca imperial centre of Huanuco Pampa. It is about time for a re-evaluation of the Inca highways beyond the well-trodden path to Machu Picchu, and the involvement scenery combine to make this route an unforgettable experience.

The Apus commands the wind and the clouds to punish, with their furious breath and stormy drops, the strangers attempting to cross their rugged domain. The ancient, proverbial rage of the mountain gods becomes a thunderous roar that shakes the plains and valleys, together with souls of the runas (men).

It was hard to continue through the fog, wind and rain, the freezing drops that penetrated our clothing, alone stone paths that suddenly became covered in slippery mud. All we could do was stop and try to placate the Apus, as the ancients did, as their descendants do to this day, and as we did also.

SEVEN LLAMAS FOR THE APU
The voices of collective memory tell of how the son of the Sun himself had to confront the might of the mountains and lakes that protect the communities, pastures and water that surround the great Inka Naani - that long, legendary and historic legacy that winds through the apparently inhospitable heights of Ancash and Huanuco.

In the fog it was comforting to remember that the Inca, the powerful lord of Tawantinsuyo, wept impotently at the Waga Pass (4,358 meters above sea level) when the Apu Angurajay -offended- by the construction of the highway and the ruler's broken promise -welcomed him with a storm that prevented his passage.

Angurajay had warned the Inca that he would only allow the road to be used if his slopes were reforested. The Inca accepted the mountain's proposal, but for several reasons did not keep his word. The apocalyptic hailstorm was the Apu's way of protesting and making clear the precarious situation of mankind in the face of the immense power of nature.

It is said that the travelers were so desperate that one of the priests dared to confront the Inca with his lack of respect for the gods. It was decided that the only way to placate the irascible mountain was to offer seven llamas in ritual sacrifice.

A HUNDRED KILOMETERS OF HOPE
With the blessing of the Apus and the Earth (patsa), of the lakes (cochas) and the wind (wayra), we walked for five days along an imposing route, and the simple act of walking became an overwhelming experience that connected us with the roots of ancient Peru, with an ancient past that inhabits this land still.

Each day was intense, unique and unforgettable on the Inka Naani ("Inca highway" in the quechua dialect of the region), a trail more than one hundred kilometers long that crosses mountains, takes precipices in its stride and represents hope in the lives of fifteen communities located along the Qhapac Ñan , the ancient road network that joined the four corners of the Andean world.

Stepping through mud, stepping across the wild plains. Steps that exhaust and comfort, steps that takes us to the stone doorways and walls of Huanuco Pampa, the imposing capital of Chinchaysuyo (the province of Dos de Mayo, Huanuco), like the last bead in an adventurous rosary that begins in the town of Castillo, in province of Huari (Ancash).

In this bucolic corner of the highlands, with its splendid geography and poverty, tourism represents hope for the future -albeit tenuous still. The Mountain Institute, in cooperation with the Kunter Institute for Conservation and Development, established the Inka Naani project in 2003.

In essence, the project's aim is to transform the route into an attractive tourism circuit, with accommodation, pack animals (horses and llamas) and food offered by local people who will then benefit by improving their standard of living in an area where 90% of residents live below the poverty line.

SACRED HILLS, MYTHICAL LAKES
Walking before the cock crows -if there is a cock nearby. Striking the tent, packing the sleeping bag, organizing the backpack. Stretching muscles, warming up and dressing. Breakfast without coffee, but with soup, boiled potatoes and maize. Delicious.ah, and with a second course in preparation for the long morning's hike.

Leaving quickly to beat the rain. A goodbye without nostalgia. A last look at the mud brick houses of Soledad de Tambo, Taparaco or Isco. The school, the smallholdings sown with potatoes, barley or peas, and the soaring peaks that seems to watch over the pilgrims on the Inka Naani.

Listening to the legends and myths told expertly by our guide, feeling the mysticism of the nearby sacred mountains and the shores of Lake Sacrococha, said to have been split in two by the Inca's slingshot.

Feeling solidarity with the complaints of the residents of Castillo, as they ask for help for the maintenance of the road to their village which "is like an abyss, not fit for goats". Discovering with Joaquin the archaeological remains of Soledad de Tambo; laughing with Sofia, a strong and charismatic woman from Sacracocha.

Enjoy each step when the trail is wide and runs tamely alongside the Taparaco, a fast flowing river; hating stretches like the descent from Ayash.

HUANUCO PAMPA AND THE SILENCE OF THE APUS
And despite the tiredness and the burning blisters, one advances determinedly towards faraway Huanuco Pampa (also known as Huanuco Viejo or Huanuco Marka). Whatever the place is called, one just wants to get there, breathe deeply and relax in that magnificent city built during the region of Tupac Yupanqui.

Archaeological remains under a sky filled with clouds heavy with rain. Visiting the acllawasi and the ushnu, and from there the residential area, looking at the stone pumas and a trapezoidal doorway.

I leave. It rains. More mud and I no longer care for I am no longer on the Inka Naani. I seek refuge and wait for the sky to clear on its own, without coca leaves or the help of the Apus.