Horca del Inca or Pachakata
Is a pre-Incan astronomical observatory located on the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca in Copacabana, a known area and departure base for most tours related to Inca culture. Beginning of 2019 i got to travel this historic place and it was mindblowing as you can see from the images - and the video i posted on YouTube (link below)
The megalithic work was wrongly named as “Inca Gallow” and only in the 70s a researcher discovered its real purpose: solstice, the sun beams light through the lintel of the thrilictic structure, marking the Ayamara New Year. 7 structures used to be in place the for astronomical studies, this the last one remaining standing. In fact, Pachakata in Aymara language means “place to measure time”
Useful info:
• how to get there:
From Copacabana, one can hike towards the steep hill towards the observatory. The hike is steep and over pre-hispanic path of rock/sand staircases, ramps and slabs that requires some physical fitness, considering the altitude +4000m.
Visiting the site during the day will give you an overview of the site and also will be useful for orientation, as there are many maze-like beautiful rock formations also worth photographing and easy to get lost around it. You can orient yourself via the city and the lake, making it easy at night the return.
A guide can be handy and part of the path has a stone staircase, though we chose to hike up ourselves over another face of the hill, steeper but closer to our hotel.
Over the top of the hill the view over the lake and the city is stunning. For light-painting, Copacabana’s night lights may interfere with some frames or add a warm yellow light to the rocks.
Mind your equipment and your heels, the uneven steep ground is a launching pad for tools rolling down the hills and ankles tripping while walking in the dark!
• nightime: the area is calm and safe, we have not spotted anyone, nor animals around. The many rock formations offer multiple opportunities for photography, a day visit is essential to find the multiple frames possible and also spot the pitfalls of the boulders, cliffs, wholes.
what to bring:
• hiking shoes, headlamp, water, sunscreen. There is not shop or support at the spot.
• location features: the site is on the summit of Kesanani 600m south from the city.
Video: Natalia Cerquira
Photography and Edit: Gunnar Heilmann
Equipment we used:
Filming : Sony Alpha 7r III
photography: Canon 5D Mark IV.
Acrylic Light blade from Lightpaintingparadise
Used with an LED Lenser torch
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