Ingapirca

We are nearing the end of our vacation time for this year as it is now Feb 4^th and we fly out of Bogota on Feb 23^rd, so that leaves us about two weeks of vacation and one week of final logistics around storing the bikes and such. We figure we have just enough time to have a one night pit stop at Posada Ingapirca, which is only 70km from Cuenca but a sister property to Hotel Victoria. The Posada is a 200yr old farm house that has been converted to a country Inn. It is located just outside of the town of the same name and is beside an Incan Ruins site.

Doesn't look like much from here.

Reception/Lobby.

Follow the Brick road to your room.

Very cozy for 200yrs old.

The place is fantastic, very unique property with the main farm house serving as the restaurant and reception, two separate guest lodges and a couple of Llamas tied up serving as lawn mowers around the property. Because of the location we take supper in the restaurant, and are served the traditional Ecuador menu of soup followed by the second course of rice, beans, choice of meat, and some cabbage salad. A really nice touch is wood burning fireplace to take the chill out of the room. The adobe construction tends to maintain whatever temperature is inside, if you add heat it stays warm but once it cools off it stays cool which is great during the hot summer days. We are also treated to a fireplace in our room, which is much needed due to the cold night air and the heavy rain which makes the cold cut deep into the bones. Dad would describe the wood provided  as crap, it is basically tree roots and small branches, nothing large enough to produce real heat for any length of time but good enough to take the chill out of the room. The bathroom tile floor however is like standing on ice so we have to keep our shoes on to go in there. All things considered a very charming place and a unique experience.

It turns out we are the only guests in the place, I can’t imagine they made much profit off of just two guests, but I suppose they work for cheap and it may have just been a quiet night. In the morning the clouds had cleared and we could see the whole valley. The ruins are visible from the property as well, and it looks like there are a few tour busses there. The balance of the valley is scattered farm houses and green pastures mixed with corn fields and potatoes. The recently paved highway twists it’s way through creating a picturesque image.