A 45 min. trip up a dirt road takes you to the most Important archaeological site in eastern : El Fuerte. Spend 2 hours getting to know these ruins, recognized as a historical and cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO, which include the largest carved monolith in the world. For thousands of years this site served as a ceremonial center for various pre-Colombian cultures, ultimately including the Incas who erected great temples and turned the site into the capital of the eastern most reaching province of their empire.

The ½ hr. visit of the museum in Samaipata gives you the chance to see artifacts found in the region. Across the street there is a store that sells local handicrafts. The more adventurous can choose to skip the museum in favor of either a trip up the Inca access trail to the ruins or a stop at the nearby tiered waterfall and Baño de las Ñustas (Bath of the Inca Princesses), both of which take an hour of intermediate walking.