Incapirca is probably the most important Inca site in Ecuador - a major suyo in the empire - but seems not to attract the expected number of visitors.

Maybe it's because you have to put a little effort into it. Get off the bus from Riobamba to Cuenca at El Tambo (about 2.5 hours in) and jump in the waiting vans for the short drive to Incapirca. It only costs a few dollars.

Up at the site, $6 gets you into the ruins, with an English-speaking guide and the museum of artifacts. The museum isn’t really worth writing about, but the site certainly is.

Originally a Cañari settlement dominating the surrounding area, the people were subsumed by the Incas, who adapted the site to their own designs. They added their sun temple, which neatly complements the Cañari’s temple to the moon. Like many other Inca settlements, the overall plan is in the shape of a puma to lend strength to the villagers.

The crowning glory of the site is the sun temple, and this is remarkably intact, although there has been some restoration.

We visited at sunset, a perfect time to appreciate the importance and drama of the sun's interaction with this temple. This allowed us to complete the Nariz del Diablo earlier in the day.

There are a few accommodation opportunities, but be warned that it can get very cold at night.

This is a rare opportunity to visit a major sight while at the same time stepping off the beaten path. Take it.