There was a time when the phrase “All roads lead to Rome” served as a meaningful way to describe our orientation in the world. That time is long gone. Today’s world is far more complex—and so are we.
A similar situation occurred when we tried to find the right path that would lead us to the discovery of Paititi and confirm our theoretical assumptions. What we initially thought would be a straightforward task turned out to be, in many ways, a nightmare.
Needless to say, shortly after our test expedition in 2019, all further efforts were blocked due to COVID-19 restrictions. Despite that, we used the time to refine our findings and to communicate with government institutions in Peru, hoping to obtain the necessary logistical support. Everything seemed to be going smoothly. But when the world finally reopened, and we were ready to return to Peru to solve the mystery of Paititi once and for all, unexpected problems arose.
Without going too deep into details, it’s enough to say this: not only did certain high-ranking officials in the Peruvian government change—but so did their minds, far too quickly for us to keep up with.
Frustrated by all these obstacles, we decided to handle everything ourselves—with the help of you, our dear readers and supporters! Our plan is simple—because anything more complicated simply wouldn’t succeed—and it consists of two separate parts.
PART 1
We found a private company in Lima that agreed to carry out a drone-based LIDAR survey of the area we suspect may hide Paititi. We also connected with a tour operator in Manu National Park who is willing to bring us by boat to the location from where the survey will be conducted. The same company, run by a Dutch owner we got to know during our last expedition, also promised to arrange all necessary permits to enter the restricted zone of the park.
Why are we confident that everything will go smoothly this time? For a simple reason: whether we like it or not, money runs the world—and we’ve come to terms with that. The companies get paid, and we get our survey. No more begging or relying on unpredictable individuals and institutions!
So far, so good. We plan to carry out the survey expedition by the end of May 2027. By then, the water level in Manu’s rivers will be high enough for travel, and the rainy season will be over. All we need now is to cover the costs—and this is where we turn to you, our dear community.
The cost of the expedition isn’t astronomical, but it’s far beyond our personal means. Just a short time ago, we launched a campaign on GoFundMe to raise funds to cover at least part of the expenses. Unlike Kickstarter, it doesn’t require us to offer any rewards, but we would still like to thank you personally for your support. Starting from just $1, backers will receive attractive rewards:
- History Maker: 1$ – Personal thank you on our website
- Expedition Backer: 5$ – Thank you in documentary credits + Thank you on website
- Explorer’s Glimpse: 10$ – Thank you in documentary credits + Thank you on website + Digital collection of photographs from expedition + Images capturing journey, landscape and significant moments
- Historian: 50$ – Thank you in documentary credits + Thank you on website + Digital collection of photographs from expedition + Images capturing journey, landscape and significant moments + a digital copy of the expedition diary
- Chronicler: 100$ – Thank you in documentary credits + Thank you on website + Digital collection of photographs from expedition + Images capturing journey, landscape and significant moments + a digital copy of the expedition diary + digital copy of Ceslav’s & Yaroslav’s organized narrative of the expedition
Guardian of the Legend: 500$ – Thank you in documentary credits + Thank you on website + A printed copy of the expedition diary + A signed printed collection of photographs + A personal video chat session with Ceslav and Yaroslav - Pathfinder: 1.000$ – Thank you in documentary credits + Thank you on website + A printed copy of the expedition diary + A signed printed collection of photographs + Meet-and-greet, interview session and photos with crew + Participate in either departure or arrival event.
Use the contact button on our GoFundMe campaign page to reach out, and we will add you to the list.
EXPLORER
The top-tier reward—joining the expedition in person—will be offered to one or two backers in exchange for a donation of $5,000.
Please contact us before making your donation so we can discuss the details with you directly.
Last but not least, we’d also be very grateful for any help spreading the word. If you—or someone you know—are an influencer, or have a large following on social media, TV, radio, etc., and you believe you could help promote our campaign, please don’t hesitate to connect us.
In short: we would truly appreciate any kind of help from YOU.
PART 2
This part of the project will begin only after Part 1 is completed. However, we’d like to briefly share our future plans with you.
While researching literature related to Paititi, we came across a spectacular story about the Golden Chain of Huascar. According to reliable early Spanish chronicles, this chain—or multicolored rope adorned with gold plates—was about 800 feet (250 meters) long and so heavy that it required 200 men to carry it. It was created by order of the Inca ruler Huayna Capac to celebrate the naming ceremony of his son Huascar. However, it disappeared from Cusco before the Spanish conquistadors arrived, and it’s believed to have been hidden at the bottom of Lake Urcos, near Cuzco. Despite vigorous Spanish efforts, nothing was ever found, and attempts to recover it continue to this day, casting doubt on whether it ever really existed.
But while reading Juan Carlos Polentini’s book Por Las Rutas del Paititi, we came across another theory. According to locals Polentini met during his time as a priest in the district of Lares, the chain is actually hidden at the bottom of Lake Alajhuay, near the village of Choquecancha—a place we visited during our 2019 test expedition.
To our surprise, Don Paulino Verónica Quispe, the head of the village and our guide, confirmed the story. Even more incredibly, he personally met Polentini as a child and witnessed an attempt by the priest to drain the lake—an effort ultimately stopped by the Peruvian police.
Thanks to Don Paulino’s information, we were able to locate Lake Alajhuay. Once Part 1 is complete, we plan to explore the lakebed using underwater metal detectors. Who knows? If the story is true, maybe the Golden Chain of Huascar will finally emerge—and take its rightful place on display at the Museo de Oro in Lima.
That is our dream. And we promise to do our very best to make it a reality.
