T
TAMBOS
The Incas maintained at least 1,000 and perhaps as many as 2,000 tambos
(roadside lodgings) along their road system. In general, travelers encountered
these accommodations every 15–25 kilometers (10–15 miles), roughly a day’s
journey (which varied, of course, according to the terrain). Tambos survived the
fall of Tahuantinsuyu and many were maintained well into Spanish Colonial
times and a few remain even today.
The tambo of Pariachuco near Conchucos, Ancash, Peru, is a classic example of
an Inca roadside installation. Ricardo Espinosa/Guías del Caminante.The mit’a labor (see Labor Service) of nearby communities maintained the
tambos for travelers engaged in state business, feeding them in communal
kitchens provisioned by foodstuffs and firewood from storage facilities provided