Long before modern transportation existed, the people of the Inca Empire developed remarkable systems to transport fresh food across vast distances. Fish, considered sacred by the Inca, played an important role in both their culture and their diet.

Fresh fish from the coast needed to reach the mountain city of Cusco, located more than 11,000 feet above sea level. To achieve this, the Incas relied on an extraordinary relay system using Chasqui runners, elite messengers who carried goods across the empire.

Fishermen would wrap fresh fish in damp seaweed and moss before handing it to a Chasqui runner. The runner would sprint several miles before passing the fish to the next messenger, creating a relay that allowed seafood to travel more than 200 miles in a single day.

When the fish finally arrived in Cusco, it was celebrated as a gift from the sea and a testament to the ingenuity of the Inca people.

Today, Ola Bonitas honors this heritage by sharing the authentic taste of Peru’s ocean with modern tables around the world.