Main Info
Overview and Highlights
Choquequirao, is a lost city where the Incas took refuge from 1536. Located in the Vilcabamba Valley – La Convencion in the rainforest at 3300 meters above sea level. This archaeological center is considered as important as Machupicchu. The journey begins in the city of Cusco. After 145 km of asphalt road and 10 km of paved road we arrive to the town of Cachora, where the 32 km road starts, surrounded by imposing landscapes. On the way we can also appreciate the flora and fauna of the Apurimac Canyon, the deepest in the world, until we arrive to the “Golden Cradle” of the Incas. Choquequirao (from Quechua chuqi, gold, and k’iraw, cradle, that is: “cradle of gold”), are the archaeological remains of an Inca city located in the foothills of the Salkantay snow-capped mountain, under the jurisdiction of the district of Santa Teresa, Province of La Convención, Department of Cuzco, southern Peru. The archaeological monuments of Choquequirao are made up of buildings and terraces distributed at different levels, from the lowest level Sunch’u Pata to the highest truncated summit, which was leveled and enclosed with stones to form a platform with an approximate area of 150 square meters. Choquequirao (sometimes also known as Choqequirau or Choqekiraw) is known as the “sacred sister” of Machu Picchu because of its structural and
architectural similarity to it. Recently, being partially excavated, it has awakened the interest of the Peruvian government to further recover the complex and make it a more accessible alternative for tourists interested in learning more about the Inca culture.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
- Professional Bilingual English-speaking tour guide
- Pre-Departure Briefing at your hotel 1 or 2 days before your trek
- Pick up from your hotel and transportation to the beginning of the trek
- Warm meals during the trip.
- 4 breakfast, 3 lunches, 3 dinner, teas and snacks
- Camping equipment and foam mattress.
- Tents. TWO PEOPLE IN EACH TENT
- Kitchen tent, Dining tent
- Cooks and kitchen
- Boiled water after at every campsite
- Tables, chairs and kitchen equipment
- Horses and muleteers (to carry the tents, food and cooking equipment)
- Entrance ticket to Choquequirao
- First-aid kit and oxygen
- Duffel bag
- Transportation back from Capuliyoc to Cusco
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
- Dinner on the 4th day
- Sleeping bag = 20.00 USD per person
- Inflatable Mattress = 20.00 USD per person
- Walking sticks = 5.00 USD per person
- Tips for muleteers, chefs and trek guides
- Personal Snacks
- Personal tent, if you want it is 40 USD extra for the trip.
WHAT TO BRING AND ADVICES
● It is really recommended arrive to Cusco at least 2 days prior the trek, in order to acclimatize to the altitude. You can take personal medication which You can get at the drugstore there are many around the main street Av El Sol or near to the main square of Cusco.
● Please make sure to inform us about your health/food/physical restrictions in advance so we can prepare them for you.
● In case you need to pay the remaining balance, it is advisable to take some cash. You can get some money from the ATM machine that are located in the centre of the City of Cusco.
● Rain poncho, rain jacket, proper hiking boots.
● Proper warm clothes, at that altitude is quite cold and windy a bandana will be helpful.
● Sun Glasses.
● Sun block. The sun is really strong You will need to protect your head (with a hat) and skin.
● Extra snacks always recommended.
● A bottle of water.
● Travel insurance this from your site, strongly recommended.
Itinerary
Download BrochureWe will pick you up early 4:00am from your hotel and drive for 4 and a half hours in our private transport to Capuliyoc (2,915 meters/9,564 feet). Along the way there are spectacular views of villages, valleys and snow-capped mountains like The Humantay and Salkantay. Once at Capuliyoc, we will have our breakfast and then meet our trekking team like horsemen and horses our tour guide will coordinate with them and pack all our equipment onto the horses. After Breakfast, we descend for three to four hours to the campsite of Chiquisca (1,900m/6,270ft), where we will get our lunch and after this continue our hike for another 04 hours until We arrive to Playa Rosalina and then to Santa Rosa where is located our first campsite, we will get our accommodation and the We will have a nice dinner.
● MEALS: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
● ACCOMMODATION: Camping at Santa Rosa
● ACTIVITY LEVEL: Moderate to difficult
● HIKING DISTANCE: 14km / 8.7 miles
● HIKING TIME: 6-7 hours
● MINIMUM ELEVATION: 1,900 m/ 6,270 ft
● MAXIMUM ELEVATION: 2,915 m/9,564 ft
After breakfast (5:00 AM), we will continue our hike towards Marampata Campsite (2850 m.a.s.l.), this will take 3.5 to 4 hours approximately, where we will get our accommodation and lunch after this We continue to archeological site of Choquequirao this will take approximately another two hours once there The tour guide will explain and visit every site for approximately 03 hours enough time to enjoy the view for pictures and free time, then We continue our hike back to Marampata Campsite where We will get dinner and where We will spend the night.
● MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
● NIGHT: Marampata Campsite.
● ACTIVITY LEVEL: Challenging
● WALKING DISTANCE: 14km / 8.7 miles
● WALKING TIME: 10 hours (approx.)
● MINIMUM ELEVATION: 1,550 m/ 5,117 ft
● MAXIMUM ELEVATION: 3,150 m/ 10,397 ft
We will wake up Very early for breakfast around 05:00am to continue our hike on the way back to Santa Rosa it will take 03 hours then We continue to Playa Rosalina where We will get our delicious lunch and after that We continue to Chiquisca Campsite Where We will spend the night and We will enjoy our dinner.
● MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
● NIGHT: Chiquisqa Campsite.
● ACTIVITY LEVEL: Moderate to difficult
● WALKING DISTANCE: 14km / 8.7 miles
● WALKING TIME: 06 hours
● MINIMUM ELEVATION: 1,550 m/ 5,117 ft
● MAXIMUM ELEVATION: 3,150 m/ 10,397 ft
After a fortifying breakfast in Chiquisqa (05:00 AM) we return by the same road to reach the pass of Capuliyoc then to Capuliyoc community there We will get our lunch this will take 04 hours aproximately on the way we will appreciate the exotic flora and fauna of the place, as well as views of towering snow-capped mountains and the impressive Apurimac canyon, and then We continue with a proper tourist transportation to the city of Cusco. Arriving in the afternoon to the hotel.
● MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch.
● NIGHT: Not included.
● ACTIVITY LEVEL: Moderate to difficult
● WALKING DISTANCE: 8 km / 5 miles
● WALKING TIME: 03 to 04 hours
● MINIMUM ELEVATION: 1,900 m / 6,270 ft
● MAXIMUM ELEVATION: 2,850 m/ 9,407 ft
