Lost City of Choquequirao Trek (8 Days)
Tour Details
Choquequirao is an Inca archaeological site located north of Apurimac river, in the province of La Convención in Cusco. Choquequirao is often named as the “Sister city of Machu Picchu”. Its Quechua name means “Cradle of gold”. Like Machu Picchu, Choquequirao was rediscovered in the early 19th century by the American explorer Hiram Bingham.
The Choquequirao ruins comprise numerous stone structures. These include the Huaqaypata, the Colcas, the Kallankas, terraces, houses, and even an Inca graveyard. The archeological remains found in Choquequirao suggest that this place was a religious complex.
Choquequirao was one of the last cities occupied by the Incas. After the fall of the Inca Empire, a native resistance led by Manco Inca managed to hold the Spanish armies in the battle of Ollantaytambo. However, the Inca army had to retreat to the Vilcabamba region.
It is believed that the Incas occupied Choquequirao until the year 1572, when Inca Tupac Amaru was captured and executed by the Spanish. Then, the citadel disappeared from the historical records, but it was briefly mentioned by the Spanish explorer Juan Arias Díaz Topete in 1710.
Some explorers encountered the Inca city throughout the years. However, their records and maps were ignored and forgotten. It was not until 1909, when the citadel gained public attention after the Hiram Bingham expedition to Vilcabamba. In 1970, the restoration works of Choquequirao began. Nowadays, almost 30% of the citadel has been uncovered.
Our 8 days Choquequirao Trek takes you to the Inca citadels of Choquequirao and Machu Picchu. You will be traversing an alternative route to these ancient cities. The Choquequirao route starts at Cachora town and ends with a guided tour of Machu Picchu.
This is a high altitude trek. So, you will need to spend some days in Cusco city to acclimate your body. It will help you to avoid suffering from altitude sickness during the trek. However, hiking to Choquequirao is not a difficult experience. Anyone in moderate physical shape can finish the route.
Our tour does not include camping equipment such as sleeping bags. You will also need to include walking sticks and hiking boots in your packing list.
Why Inkanto Travel?
We are a local travel agency which offers tours to the region of Cusco, in Perú. Our guides are experts in the history of the Inca sites of the region. We also offer the 5 days Choquequirao trek and the 4 days Salkantay Trek.
| Departure & Return Location | Cusco Hotel Transfer |
| Departure Time | 07:00 am |
| Price Includes | |
| Price Excludes | |
| Recommended to carry |
Day 1
Cusco – Cachora – Playa Rosalina
We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco. Then, we will drive to San Pedro de Cachora town. We will stop before reaching Cachora to have breakfast.
Once we arrive in Cachora, we will start our adventure. We will walk to Capuliyoc, where we will get amazing views of the Apurimac valley and the snow capped mountains of Padreyoc and Wayna Cachora.
Next, we will descend to Cocamasana, and then to Playa Rosalina, where our campsite is located. We will spend the night there.
Day 2
Playa Rosalina – Choquequirao
On the second day, we will leave our campsite early in the morning after having breakfast. Then, we will hike for around 5 hours to Raqaypata, which is located next to the Chunchumallyo river. We will stop to have lunch there.
Afterwards, we will hike to Choquequirao. Once we arrive there, you will have a guided tour of the Inca ruins. After the tour, we will return to our campsite to spend the night.
Day 3
Choquequirao – Maizal
After leaving our campsite, we will hike to Rio Blanco. We will pass the Pinchaunuyoc archeological site and numerous cloud forests. Once we pass Rio Blanco, we will hike to the Maizal sector, where we will spend the night.
Day 4
Maizal – Yanama
We will leave Maizal early in the morning to hike towards the San Juan mountain pass. We will witness the incredible cloud forests and Andean highlands along the way. After passing San Juan, we will stop to have lunch. Then, we will descend to Yanama campsite, where we will spend the night.
Day 5
Yanama – Totora
After having breakfast, we will hike to Yanama mountain pass, located at 4800 m.a.s.l. ( 15748 f.s.a.l). From there, we will enjoy the incredible views of the Sacsarayoc snow capped mountain. Then, we will descend to Totora town, where we will spend the night.
Day 6
Totora – Playa
We will wake early in the morning. After having breakfast, we will hike to La Playa town, located at 2320 m.a.s.l. (7611 f.a.s.l.). We will be walking for around 7 hours. Along the way, we will find coca and banana plantations. We will spend the night in La Playa town.
Day 7
Playa Sahuayaco – Aguas Calientes
This will be the last trekking day. After leaving La Playa town, we will hike to Hidroeléctrica, which is located next to the railway to Aguas Calientes. We will walk along the railway until we reach Aguas Calientes town. Once there, we will transfer you to a hotel room, where you will spend the night. You will have free time to explore the town and visit its famous hot springs.
Day 8
Machu Picchu – Cusco
We will have breakfast at 5:00 am. Then, we will board a bus to Machu Picchu. After passing the security checkpoints, you will enter the Inca citadel.
You will have a guided tour of the most emblematic monuments of Machu Picchu. You will visit the Temple of the Condor, the Intihuatana, the Temple of the Three Windows, among other buildings. Afterwards, we will return to Aguas Calientes to have lunch. The lunch is not included in the tour price.
In the afternoon, we will take a train to Ollantaytambo town, located in the Sacred Valley. Once there, we will drive back to Cusco city. We will be arriving in Cusco around 9:00 pm.
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