Reroutes: In Search of The Qhapaq Ñan

Translated from Quechua, the ‘Royal Road’ once united all Andean communities from Colombia to Chile in an intricate road system of more than 30,000 km that in 2014 became an UNESCO World Heritage site. Constructed by the Incas over several centuries and partly based on pre-Inca infrastructure, this extraordinary network through one of the world’s most extreme geographical terrains linked the snow-capped peaks of the Andes – at an altitude of more than 6,000 m – to the coast, running through hot rainforests, fertile valleys and absolute deserts. It reached its maximum expansion in the 15th century, when it spread across the length and breadth of the Andes. Leonardo Brasil (@) and Adam Pawlikiewicz Mesa (@adamonthego) traversed by bike from La Paz, Bolivia to Cusco, Peru highlighting the rich history and diverse culture of this Andean region documenting through both photo and video. Our full film will be launched later this year showcasing this wild adventure full of mishaps, reroutes due to food shortages, days where water was inaccessible, alpaca killings, a visit to the highest mining settlement in the world, and much more.