Runkuraqay, Archaeological rest stop on Inca Trail, Cusco Region, Peru

Runkuraqay is a circular stone structure at a rest stop along the Inca Trail at about 4000 meters elevation. Its walls are built from precisely shaped stones that show the skilled stonework of Inca builders.

During Inca times, this site served as an important checkpoint where messengers could rest and exchange information. It was part of a network of rest stations that connected the mountain passes of the region.

The name Runkuraqay comes from Quechua: runku means basket and raqay means shed, derelict house or ruin. The site consists of two concentric, inclined walls enclosing chambers and a courtyard, and archaeologists interpret it as a tambo, a rest and supply post for Inca messengers, with sleeping quarters and animal stalls.

Access requires an official permit for the Inca Trail and a licensed guide to accompany your hike. The best time to visit is during the dry season from May to September when weather conditions are more favorable.

Runkuraqay's two concentric, inward-leaning walls enclose chambers and a courtyard; archaeologists read the layout as sleeping quarters plus animal stalls, suggesting a tambo where Inca messengers and their llama trains rested. Hiram Bingham III reached it in April 1915, Paul Fejos in 1940.