Cumbe Mayo, the Rock-Cut Canal

About this place

An archaeological site on a rocky plateau about 3,500 metres up above Cajamarca, best known for a water channel cut into hard volcanic rock some three thousand years ago, among the oldest engineering works in South America; its name in local Quechua means «narrow river». The canal runs for kilometres, narrow and deep, with smooth walls and precise right-angle turns, carrying water from the hills to the fields and the town. You walk beside it on a path that follows its course among the rocks, marvelling at how it was carved so precisely with stone tools. Around the canal is a forest of tall volcanic rocks people call «the monks», as they look like rows of hooded friars. The site also has a huge rock shaped like a head, with a cave for a mouth whose walls carry mysterious ancient carvings not yet deciphered. The plateau is cold and windy, and the weather changes fast, so bring a jacket. It is usually visited on a half-day tour from Cajamarca. The altitude is high, so walk slowly.