Just uphill from the ferry dock at the village of Yumani, along the beautifully reconstructed Escalera del Inca (Inca stairway), you’ll pass plenty of terraced gardens, small shops and hotels. It’s a lung-buster that gains almost 200m in elevation over less than 1km, so take your time – or hire donkeys (B$30 to B$50) to carry your pack.
Early Spaniards believed Yumani’s spring was a fountain of youth and for the Incas the three streams represented their national motto: Ama sua, Ama llulla, Ama khella : ‘Don’t steal, don’t lie and don’t be lazy.’ Today, the fountain is a crucial source of water for locals, who come daily to fetch and carry it up the steep trail.
Pay your admission fee at the dock for access to the stairway and village.
