Llactapata Adventure Tours

Llactapata (also spelled Llaqtapata) is a combination of two Quechua words. The pronunciation of Llactapata is yakta-pahta. Hiram Bingham, discoverer of Machu Picchu and many other Incan sites, states that Llacta Pata is a descriptive term; “llacta” means “town” and “pata” means “a height”. Thus, more than one site has been, and is, referred to by this name. In the vicinity of Machu Picchu there appear to be two locations commonly referred to as Llactapata: one is a site about 5 km (3.1 mi) to the west of Machu Picchu; while the other is a site some 15 km (9.3 mi) to the south east of Machu Picchu. Both sites appear to be commonly known as Llactapata; both sites have Incan ruins; both sites are on different stretches of a trail known as the Inca trail. Hiram Bingham first discovered Llactapata in 1912. “We found evidence that some Inca chieftain had built his home here and had included in the plan ten or a dozen buildings.” Bingham locates the site “on top of a ridge between the valleys of the Aobamba and the Salcantay, about 5,000 feet above the estate of Huaquina.” “Here we discovered a number of ruins and two or three modern huts. The Indians said that the place was called Llacta Pata.” Bingham did not investigate the ruins thoroughly, however, and they were not studied again for another 70 years.