The Rosado family’s Finca lies near the Urubamba river, along the route that leads from the Egemsa hydroelectric plant to Aguas Calientes — officially known as Machu Picchu Pueblo, the small town where visitors to the ancient Inca city stay. Today, the path is also travelled by train tracks that carry thousands of tourists daily to the most visited archaeological site in South America and one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

The Finca has been in the Rosado family for three generations. It was purchased by Victor’s father, who began planting a variety of trees around the large wooden house. Today, the property is surrounded by diverse orchards — banana trees, avocado groves, coffee plantations, and herb gardens — creating a lush, wooded landscape with clearly marked paths that offer views of the majestic mountains surrounding the valley. It is located at the boundary between the Sierra and the Selva, the highland and jungle regions of Peru, respectively part of the Andes mountain range and the Amazon rainforest. This unique position allows the ecosystems of the mountains and the tropical jungle to converge, fostering the growth of a vast array of plants, even at high altitudes.

Among the many crops that thrive in this climate, coffee is a standout. During the harvest season, Victor’s wife Eufrosina walks the fields daily, carefully picking the ripened red coffee cherries, one by one. The beans are hulled and dried in the sun on the terrace, before being roasted in a traditional wood-fired oven. Meanwhile, Victor and their son Alex are busy taking care of the fields, cleaning them and cutting away weeds and sick plants before burning them in small controlled fires that, along with the ones lit by other farmers in the area, fill the sky with clouds of dense smoke. Chemical pesticides and herbicides are strictly avoided — both because of their high cost and the family’s commitment to traditional and sustainable farming methods.

The Finca Rosado represents a hidden side of one of the most visited places in the world. Though the family also runs a small hostel in Aguas Calientes, Victor, Eufrosina, and their sons have chosen to continue taking care of their house and land. This not only provides them with additional income but also ensures that nature continues to thrive, untouched by the construction of more tourist facilities. Here, far from the bustling, tourist-filled streets of Aguas Calientes — now transformed into an Inca-themed amusement park — life continues to follow a more traditional rhythm, cultivating the land that was once the heart of the Inca Empire.

Despite the significant role the family plays in preserving the natural heritage of the area, they have received no support from the local government. Not even when, in 2020, the original adobe buildings of the Finca were destroyed by a flood from the nearby Urubamba River. After the disaster, Alex and his brother Edi rebuilt the family home using wood, along with a kitchen to prepare meals for their family and, occasionally, for passing travellers. Additionally, despite being so close to the hydroelectric plant — less than three kilometres away — the local government has never provided the finca with an electrical connection. As a result, the Rosados rely on solar panels for power. However, the small batteries are only capable of storing limited amounts of energy, meaning that the Finca often remains without electricity.

Despite these challenges, the Rosado family continues to care for their land, driven by a deep devotion to their family’s roots, which trace back to the very place where the Finca now stands. Their commitment to preserving the land is also born out of love and respect for a territory that is too often viewed only as an opportunity for quick profit, rather than as something to be nurtured and cherished for future generations.