An international program called Nan Qhapac seeks to declare sections of the Inca road in Uspallata as world heritage, an asset for its history and conservation status is of universal value to be protected for future generations. The Uspallata Valley communities and the villages of the Andean High Mountain Corridor claimed their direct participation, for were an initiative that involves geog’rafica, historically and culturally. For this reason was held last April a workshop was coordinated by Lic. Leticia Raffaelle, Arch. Victoria Sosa and Dr.. Mariana Segura (INAPL) and served not only to report on program progress but caused the participation of the local community in the search for a consensus to manage the future in areas such as care of the valuable heritage for preservation actions and how to carry them out, and basically how to promote economic and cultural development of communities near the sites, and define how tourism development interests or what activities are desired for the future. The organization was handled by the program committee Mendoza, Andean Road System, which includes the Ministry of Culture, Directorate of Cultural Heritage; Ministry of Tourism; Municipality of Las Heras; Department of Environment, Department of Land Management, Department of Natural Resources; INCIHUSA Mendoza; National Architecture; Ministry of Culture of the Nation, National Institute of Anthropology and Latin American Thought. The area has archaeological evidence of occupation of the Incas at least 4000 years. Both the foothills and valleys of Mendoza Uspallata and river were occupied by ethnic groups that preceded the Incas in the use of means of subsistence. Uspallata historically has been a place of transit, where the Inca watched the valley on their way to Chile. Around Uspallata, in Ranchillos, there are traces of a tampu or post on the Inca Trail. During the fifteenth century until the Spanish penetration, the incorporation of the area that today is called the Corridor, the Inca empire. The valley of Uspallata is then constituted a crossroads. The Inca Trail still visible, is testimony to the communication between people on both sides of the Cordillera. From the Peruvian-Bolivian altiplano, the Inca Trail descends on the Chilean side and into the Andean Corridor through the valleys of the foothills. The road reaches the Mendoza River and continues skirting the steps towards the ridge. In Mendoza, the route starts from the north of Uspallata, in Yaguaras where it enters the province until San Alberto and continues for a length of 50 kilometers. Then he disappears and reappears in Ranchillos, where Inca ruins. Continued on Tambillos, about 10 kilometers before reaching Polvaredas and Route 7, where there are remains of ancient settlements. The fourth point is noted Puente del Inca, the natural monument and a symbolic stage, as the road is gone. In the area of Aconcagua Provincial Park, on the Penitentes hill is one of the ceremonial sites of this culture, as in the Pyramid hill. The Nan Qhapac program was declared a provincial interest in Mendoza. It began in 2002 and involved Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador. Internationally it is coordinated by UNESCO, and nationally by the Ministry of Culture in conjunction with the Technical Committee and the seven provinces involved.
