When I was young, I wanted to do all sorts of mad things - trek across the Sahara desert, climb in the Himalayas, go gliding, and so on - and if I'd heard of the Inca Trail at that time, happily hike along it. Now I am older and wiser, and realise that I shall never be able to do any of this. And I am older and wiser enough to realise that anybody else who tries to do this kind of thing is fairly foolish.

A couple of years ago, my wife and I, taking a grand holiday from Britain, spent part of the time - ten days - in the Inca peaks of Peru. Each day this involved ridiculously strenuous activities - spending hours in the hot sun, climbing hundreds of metres almost vertically along nearly invisible goat tracks, and realising how foolish we were by seeing nobody but our guide the whole time. And then we would burst up into some splendid Inca edifice, towering above the terraces - and find that we were not alone: in every Inca ruin are two or three urchins running gaily around in the thin atmosphere, never panting at all, and taking time off only to try to sell us cold drinks and souvenirs.

We learned our lesson. We made our pilgrimage to Machu Picchu the easy way: first on the tourist train (yes, the one with a necessary oxygen supply by each seat) and then on the bus up the hair pin hillside to the settlement itself. And there, what did we find? Two or three dozen tourists scrambling gaily around in the thin atmosphere while wearing great heavy kit bags, never panting at all, and looking far fresher than us, although they had arrived along the Inca trail. Mad, all mad - and some of them were older than us!

Books like this are absolutely wonderful for armchair trail-blazers like me. On the first level, I am able to see what I missed. (Actually all I missed was the aching joints; we were able to enjoy pretty well all the rest - "there is nowhere on earth where you will experience such a gratifying combination of stunning scenery, physical challenge and spectacular plant life... arguably the most photogenic ruins on the planet.") On a higher level, an hour or two with this book would allow me to be able to sparkle at any dinner party by describing my adventures on the Inca trail. Higher still, with little more study, I am sure I could persuade a real Inca trail hiker that I had followed any of the three main walking routes to those splendid ruins.

All that's because this is no mere guide book: sure, it provides plenty of well written text and many superb illustrations (frightening mountain scenes, many Inca structures, and loads of wildlife - from condors and guanacos to marvellous tiny plants) to describe so much of that wonderful Andean wilderness. But it does a great deal more: here you find full details of every kilometre of each of those three routes, a wealth of health and safety information, even Spanish and local vocabulary. Arguably this is an encouraging book: "This stiff climb will provide the most serious test of your fitness and acclimatisation so far." "Just plod on steadily and you will make good progress." "The campsite here tends to be busy, and once it had a bad reputation for theft."
Without doubt, you have to be mad to set out on such walks as these - but it would be truly insane to do them without this excellent book in your bag.

EXPLORE THE INCA TRAIL is an experience in itself. This is a spiral bound book with foldout maps and charts, stunning photography, medical advice, altitude profiles, and even a bit of Inca history. I'm not sure if I will ever make it to Machu Picchu, but Rucksack Readers' EXPLORE THE INCA TRAIL is certainly the next best thing. (Did you know that no one really knows the true name of these ruins? "Machu Picchu" is Quechua for "old peak." Did you know that Quechua is spoken by over 10 million Peruvians, making it the largest living indigenous language in the Americas? I didn't know this until I read it in EXPLORE THE INCA TRAIL.) I enjoyed this book so much that I took it to work with me one day and showed it to a co-worker who is from Peru. He said this book made him homesick. Eventually, EXPLORE THE INCA TRAIL even made it into my boss's hands, who borrowed it overnight. This was one well-loved, popular book that made for a great conversation piece!

As I hint at in the beginning of this review, what I found most interesting about EXPLORE THE INCA TRAIL is the respect it pays to the indigenous group who still speaks the official Incan language of Quechua. I have always been fascinated by the topic of South America's relationship with its indigenous cultures and how these cultures fused with the Hispanic culture imposed from Spain. My main focus of study in this theme has been the life of Eva Peron ("Evita"), the former first lady of Argentina. Some scholars say that one reason Evita was so popular with Argentina's poor masses was because she had a degree of indigenous Argentine blood. Robert D. Crassweller writes in PERON AND THE ENIGMAS OF ARGENTINA that Evita's brief career was so successful because "she was so profoundly of the ethos.... Like Peron, she was wholly indigenous in origin and formation [page 248]." EXPLORE THE INCA TRAIL describes the fall of the Inca Empire, and describes how the Inca king Atahualpa was betrayed and deceived by the Spaniards. I learned in this book that Atahualpa was murdered on July 26, 1533; eerily, Eva Peron would die of cancer exactly 419 years later, on July 26, 1952. After sharing this bit of information with my co-worker from Peru, I learned something more unusual: he celebrates his birthday on July 26th.

Needless to say, I highly recommend EXPLORE THE INCA TRAIL.

Again the Ruc Sack reader team comes up with another quality guide to a magnificent area of the world. For anyone planning to visit the Inca Trails then this guide should be your first purchase. It contains all you need to know about preparing for the trail, getting there, any equipment needed, recommended tour operators, detailed maps, useful websites plus day-by-day information on the 3 main routes (short, medium and long). In short, an essential guide to read when looking for information on the Inca Trails.

The Incas and Their Ancestors has a textbook feel and is a good aid to research on the culture. The book is structured around the various periods of history and addresses art, survival, lifestyle and the design of structures and communities. The book is primarily enhanced with black and white photos of Inca art and drawings, although some color photos are included with the book. Drawings of the layouts of communities are helpful for research projects, but would have benefitted from being larger. Bought as a reference book for a school project, it will clearly meet the need, but it is not likely to be picked up for any casual reading!

I use this book a great deal as a resource for research on ancient Peru. Although this book is not "made pretty" with lots of color photographs and has a textbook feel, it does contain a wealth of information and scholarship. It is a must read for anyone wanting to learn about the ancient cultures of Peru in depth.

It is a shame that THE INCAS has to be stressed to sell a book that is so good on their ancestors. In North Peru, for example, the Moche left a wealth of advanced (& colorful) information & technology skills of which Peru does not take advantage, especially in terms of tourism. See unitru.edu.pe/arq for the cultures of North Peru. We await the revised edition. Michael White & Clara Bravo, Trujillo Peru Tour Guides.

Wonderful succession of photographs of Inca country accompanied by very personal observations by the photography, whose love for the region shines through in his text as well as his pictures. Though not a photographer myself, I particular enjoyed some of his comments on how and where certain shots were taken. I can vouch for the accuracy of the depictions, which provide a fine overview of one of the more fascinating parts of the planet.

For those who've been to Peru, this book is a terrific souvenir. The photographs are stunning, interesting and some are unusual, almost abstract; the text is informative and clever and the book covers much of Peru... For those who have not been to Peru, this is an invitation. The book sold out in England. Very worth the price. Top notch.

Max Milligan's "Realm of the Incas" is described as a celebration of the extraordinary diversity at the heart of Tithuantinsuyo, or, "Land of the Four Quarters", and that's true, but it is more, much more, for Max is a man deeply in love, in love with a majestic, mysterious and beautiful country and its people. We, the readers of this book, are privileged, privileged to be presented with such a breathtakingly beautiful and wonderful perspective from one so passionate about his subject.

Max Milligan is an outstanding photographer and his magical photographs take us places we've never been before, and make us want to go to them just as soon as we can. His text continues to entice us - to know more about the majestic moments of past and present in Peru's fabled Realm of the Incas.

If your interested in the myths, beliefs and customs of the wonderfully diverse inhabitants of areas such as the Andes, Cuzco, the Amazon, or the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and their rich biodiversity, this book is definitely for you!

The author believes that we are of a higher consciousness and order, she also believes that matter is light frozen in form.The author links the Biblical Elohim with ancient gods that are dedicated to help humanity evolve. ''Possible''. This is a short but interesting book on ancient knowledge. Worth a look at.

Hi. This book is required reading if you're considering a trip to Peru, Mexico, or are currently on your own mystical cosmic voyage. There are so many wonderful bits of information and it really helped me understand a lot about things that had happened in my life during and after trips to Peru, Greece, Mexico, and other power spots. If you're inquisitive and steadfastly "on the Path", then this should be in your hands. Five stars. To the author: Please write more books, Judith! Thank you for bringing forth this incredible book. LVanGundy@aol.com

I loved this book!....Ms. Polich takes us on a very exciting journey! A must read for anyone searching a spiritual path! I loved the insights into the Incan and Mayan predictions.

In 1990, while climbing a mountain in Peru, Anthropologist and mountain climber Dr. Johan Reinhard found something astounding: the mummy of a young Inca girl. This short work is Dr. Reinhard's story. Chocked full of color pictures, this book makes a fascinating resource for anyone who is interested in the subject.

One day a 90 pound teenager put on clothes that had been specially made, had her hair braided and the plait tip tied to her waist, ate some vegetables, and climbed up Mount Ampato. Some five centuries later, veteran mountaineers Johan Reinhard and Miguel Zarate went for a walk on that same mountain and ended up DISCOVERING THE INCA ICE MAIDEN and two other mummies of children sacrificed to directly appeal on their community's behalf to the area's gods. With its compassionate and compelling storyline eloquently presented with anthropologist/author Dr. Reinhard's own stunning photographs, the book is an unforgettable read all on its own. But it also works particularly well with Janet Buell's ANCIENT HORSEMEN OF SIBERIA, James M. Deem's BODIES FROM THE BOG and HOW TO MAKE A MUMMY TALK, David Getz's FROZEN GIRL and FROZEN MAN, and Katie Roden's THE MUMMY.

I THINK YOU SHOULD READ IT IF YOU NEED A BOOK TO READ IT'S NOT BAD AT ALL! READ IT!!

Gripping and suspenseful, this well written text affords a rare glimpse into the realm of anthropological studies, lending itself as an excellent tool for teachers studing South American Cultures. Sensative readers may be disturbed by photos in the text and the sacraficial death of the Peruvian children.

This is a very interesting and yet seriously flawed book about the possibility of artificial constructions on the surface of Mars. The book itself is a serious study of a site photographed and nicknamed "Inca City: Mars" by NASA. The site was discovered on photographs taken by US space probes. The site looks almost identical to the ancient Inca capital in Peru. The book also includes paranoia about a government coverup of what is actually up there. It is difficult to know how to evaluate these facts. In the book itself we follow researches as they squint their eyes at blurry photographs and wonder what they are looking. Are they seeing the abandoned wreckage of a dead civilization or are their eyes playing games with them. They see another face on Mars, and walls and towers, and even glymphs. One sees glymphs in Arizona, but what are they doing on Mars? To find out the truth, read the book. But be forwarned that it is a difficult read, and the book has typos and the format is not professional. The best thing is that in a few years we will have much better photographs of Mars and all our questions will be answered.

I liked this book. It was really interesting, and gave a glimpse inside the shadowy world of dark projects and government coverups along with details and information about life on Mars, and the artifacts left behind by an intelligent civilization in the area of "Inca City". Sure some of the images are a little grainy, but we can't expect Viking and Mariner images to be as clear as Mars Global Surveyor shots. The Viking and Mariner images showed some amazing things like tetrahedral structures and pyramids, one even had a ramp leading off from one of the sides. That is not something that could have happened as a result of wind or natural erosion. There is also what looks like a pteradactyl carved into a burm. Or rather, carved out of a burm next to the boxes that form the 'city foundations'. All in all, it is a good book, that provides an innovative new perspective on Mars, and life that existed on that planet. I would recommend it.

This book was highly readable, and shed light on (not only) the Inca City Mars objects discovered in older NASA photos, but gave an intriguing glimpse into the covert world of dark projects and government coverups which surrounds the principal investigator, Dr. Dan Burisch. The author wrote in first person, which is not all that common nowadays, but it has the advantage of letting readers feel like they are going on a quest with the research team, as more and more anomalies are discovered at the Inca City region. Photos are sometimes grainy, but you have to remember the photos under study were taken before we had the Mars Global Surveyor. Even so, they show some amazing things, like the pyramid structure inside the square boxes, that has sharp edges at the precise angles necessary to create a perfect pyramid. There even appears to be a ramp extending from one face. These are clearly not 'natural' objects, coincidentally sculpted by winds or eroded by running water during the years when Mars had a thicker atmosphere. It makes the case for an intelligent civilization at Inca City, Mars and is a very enjoyable book to read.

This book provides a wonderful mix of high tech computer caper and Andean mystical adventure with a motorcycle racing Robin Hood. The characterization is richly amusing, from the Russian expatriate computer hacker to the Cherokee FBI agent. I thoroughly enjoyed Lost Treasure of the Incas and would highly recommend it.

In the mood for a well crafted, old fashioned yarn with plenty
of sex, drugs, r&r and dirt bikes? Or how 'bout a sensitive look
into the world of disability. Kevin Michael Reilly's first novel "The Lost Treasure Of The Incas" explores both worlds.
Briskly paced and lots of fun.

Destined to become a cult classic. Nice cover art.

If I had realised that "Along the Inca Road" was written by the same author who previously graced us with "Hitch-hiking Vietnam" I probably never would have picked it up. Karin Muller's first book showed a singular lack of empathy with the Vietnamese & their culture; altho she seems much more sympathetic to South Americans, Muller still lacks the ability to bring a foreign land to life.

In almost every chapter of "Along the Inca Road", Karin Muller bulldoggedly attempts to muscle in on the local men & their activities. We find her bullying a fisherman into making her a reed boat & taking her out to fish with him, jumping into a bullring with no preparation or permission, & accompanying the Bolivian drug squads into the jungle as they search for cocaine labs. Then when she is blistered, burned & gored she complains through gritted teeth on her way to her next misguided attempt to be "one of the guys". As someone who has spent a good deal of time in Central/South America, I can attest these are people to whom gender roles are very much an unchanging part of their culture. Muller's attempts to break this divide down simply alienate those whom she is trying to get close to.

Some of the other difficulties I have with Muller's travels include the fact that she seems to spend very little time in each area. The total time she spent "On the Inca Road" traveling thru 4 countries (all new to her) was 6 months. This means she spent approximately 1 week at the longest of her destinations. That doesn't seem to give much time for studying a culture or getting to know the locals. This is reflected in her writing which is superficial & lacking in any strong descriptive passages. I never truly "saw" the areas she passed through, & the photos included in the book were not much help either. A more detailed map of her travels would have been helpful as well.

This is a fast paced book, which is interesting when dealing with the historical Incan Empire & the vestiges of it still in existance today. It's too bad she couldn't have spent more time in less places so that the feeling of South America could come through a little more clearly.

Compelling, entertaining, historical... this book is a real page-turner.

Muller's keenly-observed journey skillfully interweaves past and present, giving the reader a glimpse of what life must have been like in the golden heyday of the Inca empire as she walks along stones and walkways trodden by warriors and peasants for hundreds of years. She writes with compassion and genuine understanding of those she meets along the way - peopling her book with characters who come to life and leap off the page. Along the Inca Road transports the reader into a world most of us will never see - probably for the best, since the road is long and arduous. I'm glad I didn't have to do it - but I'm even more glad that she did!

I've always been facinated by the Incas. This book only whetted my appetite further and now I'm reading everything I can about them. This book is full of Karin Muller's adventures while travelling the Inca road and has plenty of Incan history, too.

Mr Cussler's books have all the ingredients of typical escapist literature; romance, adventure, action, exotic locations and so on. If you only look for entertainment and your expectations are not too high you will have a good time reading one of his books. The problem arises when you pick up a second one. You will have the impression of having read the book already. You'll find a prologue set in the past telling some maritime disaster, and will encounter Pitt, Giordino ,Admiral Sandecker and one resourceful woman (not necessarily Loren Smith) in the future. Between incredible rescues and unbelievable chases you will have a break in between to visit Dirk's hangar in Washington DC and enjoy a ride on one of the models of his car collection. The car is different each time as well as the villain or evil corporation our heroes fight against. But that's it!. Inca Gold is no different than the others. But highly enjoyable if this is your first Cussler novel.

To read "Inca Gold" and find it enjoyable, you must start reading it knowing that it isn't serious. Like in the Indiana Jones movies, everything is gonna be okay in the end, your hero will find a way to escape imminent death, and arrive in time to rescue the pretty girl and all his friends. Knowing this, you're able to start to read. Then you'll have fun. You can't compare Cussler's work with Tom Clancy, for an example. While Clancy almost begs the reader to be taken seriously, inserting in the text a huge amount of technical information, Cussler lets the text go its way. It's almost like he's telling you a funny story that happened to him. But "Inca Gold" is very cool. The story starts when an ancient Inca pit, now filled with water, is explored by an american archeological team, and they find out a time-hidden passageway underwater. From there on, art-smuggling bandits, corrupt governments and poor mexican-village people pop out of Cussler imagina! ! tion. Don't get me wrong, it'a good book, only too implausible. Dirk Pitt is what Cussler would like to be. He's every body childhood superhero, he's got historical cars ( Cussler does, also ), women knocking at his door, doesn't need to work for money, and has a full-time italian-bulldog bodyguard, Al Giordino, his best friend. This is a good book when you want to turn your life off, and don't think of anything, even what you're reading. The story explains itself sooner or later. The only difficulty is the number of characters. There's a time when you don't know who's who. Even Cussler himself does a little appearance in the middle of the book. If you want to have fun and don't want to be smashed by information and hard-facts, this is the book, and I think all Cussler's books must be like this, too. Well, I just bought "Raise the Titanic!", let's see what it's like.

This was my first endeavor into the Dirk Pitt series and it remains on one of my favorites. As with all the Pitt books, you must suspend your desire for reality and simply sit back and enjoy the thrill ride, knowing that Dirk and Al will win over all odds in the end. In Inca Gold, Dirk and Al take on a syndicate trying to get away with the long-lost Inca treasure. The adventures in the ancient sacrificial pool and Dirk's travel down the underground river were fantastic fun. I enjoyed Cussler's appearance, as well as the larger roles that Loren and Rudi played in this book. If you truly want to have a few days of enjoyable, escapist reading, you won't go wrong with Inca Gold.