8 Day Choquequirao Trek to Machu Picchu
The archaeological site of CHOQUEQUIRAO is part of the complex system of Andean towns in the Vilcabamba valley. In the time of the Incas, it was linked and communicated with Machu Picchu by a complex network of trails. This Trip visits Machu Picchu at the end of the Trip. Choquequirao (“The Cradle of Gold” in Quechua. “The Other Machu Picchu” as a New York Times article called it in 2007) is an astonishingly preserved Inca outpost, dramatically located over the roaring gorge of the Apurimac River.
Available
Open all Year
Group Size
Up to 12 people
Activity Level
Challenging
Day 1: CUSCO – CACHORA – SANTA ROSA
We pick you up from your hotel at 5:30 a.m. so we will be arriving at Cachora town at 9:00 a.m. in the morning where we will have our breakfast while we arrange the equipment on mules and horses. Already from the village of Cachora we can observe the majestic Padrayoc snow covered peaks, the highest is 5482 m.a.s.l. The hike on this first day is 21.70 km or 8 hours. On the way we will observe Padrayoc and Wayna Cachora snow covered peaks. We can appreciate the beautiful change of the landscape from precipices to snowy mountains. The walk starts quite flat with views to snow covered peaks and small farms on the step mountainsides. From the viewpoint of Capuliyoc, where we might see condors, the descent towards the Apurímac Canyon starts. As the vegetation is changing from Agave and Tuna cactus forest to dwarftree forest we have lunch break at Chiquisqa (1950 m.a.s.l.). From here we continue the descent to the abundant Apurímac River in 1550 m.a.s.l in the impressing deep canyon of the same name. After a short brake at the river we start the steep climb towards Santa Rosa, where we camp for the night in a small sugarcane plantation (2115 m.a.s.l.).
Day 2: SANTA ROSA – CHOQUEQUIRAO - RAQAYPATA
Early morning after breakfast, we continue our hike going up to Choquequirao. The first 2-3 hours are going up steep, but then it will change between flat and climb the rest of the way surrounded by beautiful vegetation with several varieties of orchids. We will arrive to the archaeological place Choquequirao after 5 hours. After a good lunch and a little break we will walk to the main square of Choquequirao, to enjoy this majestic place, where we will observe the three levels of the excavated ruin. Approximately at 3 o’clock in the afternoon (depends of the weather) • we can be lucky to appreciate “the flight of the Condors“. The guide will decide where to set our camp in Raqaypata (2910 m.a.s.l.)
Day 3: RAQAYPATA – PINCHINUYOC
After breakfast we have good time to enjoy the majestic archaeological place. We can appreciate houses, terraces and other parts of this late Inca town. Besides we see the ruin in progress of excavation and finally areas unexplored that can tell us about this last refuge of the oppressed Inca empire. After the lunch we walk through Choquequirao, with all equipment going to our next camp. We follow the old water canal for a while before we start the 3 hours walk to the Pinchinuyoc ruins found in 1998. First we walk through cloud forest, but then all becomes steep open prairie with open views of the Mountains and valleys. Pinchinuyoc these ruins are something very special. All of a sudden they appear in the cloud forest, almost invisible because of the thick layer of mosses and other vegetation that covers it. Here we spend the night basically on the old Inca Terraces.
Day 4: CHOQUEQUIRAO – PINCHINUYOC – MAIZAL
This morning we walk down through an interesting vegetation know as Dry Andean Highland Forest. Trees and plants here look different to what we have seen before. We arrive to the river Victoria after a few hours and use the brake here to get a refreshing bath in the cold and clear river water. We cross walking through the river, since there are no bridges. After our brake we start the long and steep climb to our camp in Maizal, high over the river close to the sacred Apus of the Incas. On the way up we catch our breath in the shade of small trees and other vegetations on the way up. In Maizal we have our lunch and enjoy, that we can relax this afternoon- with only optional physical activity. Maizal is properly the camp in the most beautiful location of them all. From here we see 3 valleys and a great snow peak right across from us. A good place to lean back and think.
Day 5: MAIZAL – YANAMA
We leave our camp at Maizal and walk towards the San Juan pass. Again a long climb, but we walk in a amazingly beautiful area- first with cloud forest and then over Andean Puna with the well known ichu grass. We rest at some of the Victoria mines, where metal shining stones tell about a high concentration of minerals and metals. On our way through the Puna we walk on very well preserved Inca trails, among other characteristics with the classic zigzag. We take lunch at the pass in 4000 m.a.s.l. with view of the mountain Choquetakarpo, before we start the descent towards Yanama, a small isolated settlement at the bottom of a long valley surrounded by mountains.
Day 6: YANAMA – TOTORA
We continue from Yanama up through the valley towards the highest point of the tour, The Yanama Pass in 4500 m.a.s.l. On the way we have a good view of the snow capped Sacsarayoc. Once again we have the chance to see condors, and this mornings smooth climb bring us through new landscapes- especially the wet grass fields under the snowline that distinguish from everything else seen on the tour. In the pass we might walk in snow, and the descent is a long foggy hike through grassy fields- and bush areas and crossing small wood/dirt bridges on the way towards the community of Totora, where we spend the night.
Day 7: TOTORA – HIDROELECTRICA – AGUAS CALIENTES
We now walk the about 2000 meters down through the changing vegetations to the warmer camp in the village of La Playa. Approx 7 hours walking. On the way we see small waterfalls and get a refreshing natural bath. The area also has a big variation of bird life and it is now obvious that the climate and vegetations have changed totally, and now we see plants recognizable from the living rooms in Europe and several types of orchids. The Playa is the biggest village on the way, where we can find some small shops to buy snack etc. In this area we can see small plantations of coffee and bananas and then we take public transportatiion to the Hidrolectrica and then we walk for about 2 hour more to get to Aguas Calientes town where we going to stay in a nice hostal with hot shower , is recommended to go to the natural hot springs in here.
Day 8: AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU – OLLANTAYTAMBO – CUSCO
From Aguas Calientes we walk or take bus to Machu Picchu. We start our visit with a 2-3 hours guided tour, that will bring us to the most important locations at the archaeological site and the guide will tell us about the great importance Machu Picchu enjoyed as astronomical and religious center. The rest of the day we spend at this amazing ruin and you will have the chance to climb Huayna Picchu or visit the beautiful moon temple. We meet in the afternoon in Aguas Calientes where we take the train to Ollantaytambo, and from here bus to Cusco. In Cusco we go to at central placed hotel close to the colonial style Plaza de Armas. This is the end of our service
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