Ingapirca
The second best place in the world, after Machu Pichu to see Incan ruins, shows more how completely the Spanish conquest impacted the indigenous cultures.
Don't go expecting epic ruins, as you see of the sunrise pictures of Machu Pichu and the Gates of Dawn, or even Rome and Egypt, much of it has been pulled down, and the stone carried off for Spanish villas.
The entrance has a shop and ticket office, as well as a few hostels and restaurants on the front and the typical collection of souvenir shops.
Sights & Culture
Ingapirca Ruins
The ruins are visible, and enough of the stones remain that the floor-plan is obvious. The location has beautiful views over the surrounding areas, which is still quite pastoral.
Most of the ruins are low walls along with a series of graves laid out as spokes around a central point.
Castillo
The jewel of the ruins and the most visible, the Castillo is a sizeable building visible from everywhere in Ingapirca themselves.
The stones have an incredibly tight fit, with no mortar. It is an impressive example of Incan construction.
On one side, the Castillo is a sheer face, looking out over the Volcanoes.
Cara del Inca
The face of the Inca, worn by wind or carved depending on who you ask, it is unmistakable a huge Incan face at the foot of a hill.
Cara Del Inca
Well worth the walk to visit.
Restaurants & Bars
Hospedaje El Castillo
A local restaurant which offers local foods. Fairly basic, but welcoming. They'll generally provide a shot of the local pink alcohol. Its a fairly typical example of places you stop during a tour.