Where did the Inca Empire expand from the Cuzco Valley?

The Inca Empire began as a small tribe in the Cuzco Valley, with its domain initially extending only a few miles beyond its capital. Under the early emperors, such as Mayta Capac, the Inca began to expand by attacking and looting neighboring villages. The first extension of influence beyond the Cuzco Valley occurred under the emperor Capac Yupanqui, and the eighth emperor, Viracocha Inca, later initiated a program of permanent conquest by establishing garrisons among defeated peoples.123

The empire’s most significant and rapid expansion began in 1438 with the accession of Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui. Under his leadership and that of his son, Topa Inca Yupanqui, the Inca conquered territories across the Andean highlands and along the Pacific coast. At its peak, the empire stretched from the Ancasmayo River on the border of present-day Colombia and Ecuador to the Maule River in central Chile.1234