Although Lima is known for being located next to the sea, the Peruvian capital also has many mountain attractions in which to enjoy nature and make demanding trekkings. Entering into its most remote landscapes you will find places like Rupac, a citadel located at 3400 meters above sea level, which is compared to Machu Picchu for its stone buildings.
If you want to venture to discover the hidden corners of Lima, keep on reading! Today we tell you what Rupac is and how you can get to this place.
What is Rupac?
The archaeological complex of Rupac is a set of ruins of the Atavillos culture, which developed in this area of Lima during the pre-Inca period.
Here, they built various stone 10 meters high buildings dating back to 1200 AD. and that are perfectly preserved until today. Some of them have two floors!
The passion of Rupac is not only its constructions, but the landscape that surrounds it. A mountain range is the companion of this citadel, in which you will see one of the most beautiful sunsets of your life.
But if there is something that characterizes this place and that attracts a lot of adventurers is its cloud mattress. Between December and Mars and in the early hours of the morning, Rupac awakens surrounded by a beautiful spectacle: a mattress of clouds below the citadel that creates a dreamlike landscape.
The road can be heavy due to the height and you will have to get up early to see the mattress of clouds, but this wonder of nature will stay in your memory (and in your camera!) forever.
How to get to Rupac
You can do this excursion with a tourist agency, which usually depart from the center of Lima and include the transport of backpack and carp on donkey and, normally, some food. But if you like to leap to the adventure, you can also do it on your own. Here we tell you how!
- First section: from Lima to Huaral. If you are located in one of our hotels in Miraflores, you will have to travel very early to the center of Lima, where there are several agencies that have buses to Huaral. This trip takes between three hours and four hours.
- Second section: from Huaral to Pampas. Once you are in Huaral, you will have to go to the Pinasco gas station, from where the collective buses depart to Pampas. This bus will make a stop in La Florida, where you will have to go down to buy the entrance ticket to the archaeological complex (S/ 15 – US$ 4.5).
Some people make the stretch from La Florida to Pampas by walking, but we recommend you to continue on the collective bus, since you will have to save energy for the trekking.
- Third section: from Pampas to Rupac. Pampas is the starting point of the trekking to Rupac. In this small village you will find a couple of restaurants where we recommend you to eat and recharge energy for the walk. They have delicious dishes at a good price!
And after a good meal, it’s time to start walking. The route lasts about two and a half hours and has a vertical drop of 500 meters, so almost all the way is uphill. Prepare your legs!
Once in Rupac, you only have to enjoy. Upgrade your tent and get ready for a night surrounded by mountains and stars.
Recommendations
The trek to Rupac is demanding and you will have to be well prepared. Here are some recommendations:
- If you want to leave Lima and do the trek the same day, you will have to take the bus from the city center very early (around 6:00 a.m.). If you prefer to have a rest day, we recommend you to stay in Huaral.
- If you are going on your own, we recommend you to bring a light backpack, just with the necessary for the days of hiking and camping, so you will avoid the road becoming hard.
- In Rupac there is no store, so you will have to take all the food you need from Lima or Huaral.
- Wear light clothes and a sun cap for trekking and very warm clothes for the night, because when the sun goes down the temperature drops drastically.
- Be prepared with a sleeping bag that supports low temperatures.
- Take pills for altitude sickness or coca leaves, so you avoid the soroche and you can make the walk without complications.
Do you dare to do this great adventure? We wait for you in our Tierra Viva Miraflores Hotels to accompany you at the beginning of your trek to Rupac. Have a good trip!
