Forgotten Vilcabamba: Final Stronghold of the Incas

by Vincent R. Lee

“This is the story of an escape that turned into a quest that became an obsession that has solved, I think, a very old puzzle. What began as a simple adventure soon took on a life of its own and became in time an Odyssey of learning and discovery. Those who think that the frontiers of exploration have all descended into the ocean depths or flown out beyond the rings of Saturn take heart and read on…”

A modern-day adventure set against a fascinating historical backdrop, Forgotten Vilcabamba: Final Stronghold of the Incas describes a long but successful campaign to uncover the secrets of lost Vilcabamba, the last refuge of the Incas. Combining a dramatic feet-on-the-ground narrative with over 60 original drawings and maps, Vince Lee has produced a must-read book for anyone considering a trip to Peru or wanting to know more about the final days of the Inca empire.

More information available.


Praise for Forgotten Vilcabamba: Final Stronghold of the Incas

"Vincent Lee reveals the secrets and solves the mysteries of Manco Inca's Vilcabamba in a series of splendid expeditions. His detective work and conclusions are totally convincing (and his) drawings constitute a treasure-house of new information."
John Hemming
Author of The Conquest of the Incas

"Forgotten Vilcabamba is destined to be read and re-read for as long as people are interested in the search for and discovery of lost cities from ancient civilizations. A book that not only captures the excitement of exploration but also tantalizes one with the idea that lost cities are still out there waiting to be found. A great and thrilling read."
Kim MacQuarrie
Author of The Last Days of the Incas

"No ruin has ever got lost again once Vincent Lee had found it. He combines meticulously thorough exploration with a draughtsman’s eye, resulting both in superb plan maps of the Vilcabamba sites and a text that evokes the endless appeal of this rugged and rich landscape. Forgotten Vilcabamba has the great virtue too that the author always takes the Incas far more seriously than he takes himself; it is one of those rare books that combines both modesty and insight."
Hugh Thomson
Author of The White Rock

"In the category of boots-on-the-ground narratives about the Incas, the true classics can be counted on one hand. Vincent Lee's Forgotten Vilcabamba might just be my favorite. No other book captures so well the history and magic of the once-impenetrable territory that lies just beyond Machu Picchu. With his architect's eye and superhuman curiosity, Lee succeeds in conjuring back to life the stone masterpieces erected by some of history's greatest engineers. In the process he manages to have one hell of an adventure."
Mark Adams
Author of Turn Right at Machu Picchu

More information available.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, History

515 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2000

Reviews

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great book! Vincent Lee's life-work answers all doubt about the location of Vilcabama, last refuge of the Inca. Also, his location and identification of the forts above the city as well as Friar Ortiz's church is simply incredible fieldwork. An architect as archaeologist is just what these problems needed. Mr. Lee's architectural renderings, both his aerial "plans" and his 3-D reconstructed "views" really serve well to flesh out Incan architecture, in their homes, temples, storehouses, palaces, and forts.

[Mikhail · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't quite understand who this book is for. I found it a very hard read, and in fact in my opinion it's the completely wrong format for this content, or I'm the completely wrong audience. I came into this book straight from The Last Days Of The Incas, expecting to be emotionally swept back into that tragic history. Instead, it feels almost like an academic paper, disguised as a book for a more or less general audience. There's the interminable descriptions of the author's discoveries, which are almost meaningless to me because, as the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, and the numerous, very educated words the author expends still end up too vague for me to visualize the places and objects he tries to convey, especially when he heavily relies on map directions. There are sketches, but they are too vague and few, plus the formatting in the Kindle version doesn't help.

Then there's the innumerable characters, which might as well be a list of authors and contributors in the hypothetical academic paper version, because most of them get only enough space for their name. No description, no dialog, no quirks (as you might expect from a good travelogue), just a name that at some time interacted with the author. By 40% into the book it became frankly infuriating, but at the same time kind of funny, because I realized that I couldn't even say who the wife of the author was out of several women present in the story.

In the end, I'm sure it'd be a riveting read if I were professionally involved in the field and personally familiar with the author and the participants of the story. Unfortunately, I'm not, and what's worse, I can feel the tedium of the book tempering my new interest in the Inca history.

[Kristen N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forgotten Vilcabamba: Final Stronghold of the Incas is a narrative of Vincent R Lee's detective work into finding the Incas final stronghold. Many to this day have believed it to be the famed Machu Picchu, which Vincent R. Lee shows it was not. Forgotten Vilcabamba: Final Stronghold of the Incas was especially exciting to the historian in me. Having the book include pictures, maps and drawing makes you feel as if you are on this journey of discovery right along with them. The history of the Incas has always been an interest to me and so I felt honored to read Forgotten Vilcabamba: Final Stronghold of the Incas and to write a review. This is a wonderfully written book.

[Vincent Anton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very interesting, it does retrace some of the Incas history, and rediscovers Vilcabamba as the final stronghold. It is a book to take to Peru if you want to follow the vast terrain, and see for yourself the places that the author mentions. It was quite detailed and easy to follow; give it a try.
Vincent

[Zoe Ferren]

This book is very exciting to the historical need like me! I love that this book includes pictures because it's one thing to read about some relic but another to actualy see it. It makes it feel like your actualy there. A great summer read! Thanks for a speedy delivery.
Xoxo,
Goodreads winner

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book free from Good Reads First Read.

Adventure, terror, and history await those who dare to explore the region which was once a strong hold of the Incas! Honestly I loved reading this book and found not only factual but fun to read.

[Inga Aksamit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. So detailed and rich with descriptions of the author's pursuit of archaeological evidence of the Inca empire. I was fascinated by his journeys and discoveries and appreciated his in-depth and well-researched historical facts woven in.

[Devin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Narritive of the Author's historical detective work in locating the last stronghold of the Incas. Not Macchu Picchu as originally thought and still commonly believed.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous book that has long been unavailable as a printed edition (I paid $100 for my second-hand copy!).

Good news... it's now available as an ebook from Amazon or Apple!

[Christopher Lascelles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a classic book on the Incas. I really enjoyed it and it's given me a yearning to go to Peru! If you've any interest at all in South American history then you'll really enjoy this!

[Giacomo Matteucci]

Deals with adventures and explorations in the Vilcabamba Jungle and Mountains near Machu Picchu. Lee does a more serious study and mapping of the area