The name Choquequirao means “Cradle of Gold.” It is located above the raging, glacier-fed Apurimac River and surrounded by towering, snow-capped peaks and seated on a high ridge. Choquequirao is a remote and rarely visited “lost city of the Incas.” This Incan archaeological site is considered the sister of Machu Picchu. It is lesser known but three times larger than Machu Picchu. It was one of the last refuges for those Incans who continued to resist Spanish occupation after the conquest. The site was eventually abandoned and became covered by dense cloud forest vegetation and, to this day, archeologists continue to discover new sectors of the city.
On this adventurous trek into the world of the past, we will walk on Incan highways, hike through high Andean landscapes with majestic glaciers, descend into deep canyons where the condors fly, and pass through biologically diverse cloud forest ecosystems. You will also see native animals such as Andean Condors, other smaller local birds, and native flora and fauna including orchids and so much more!
Day 01: Cusco – Capuliyoc – Playa
Day 02: Playa – Maranpata – Choquequirao
Day 03: Visit Archeological site of Choquequirao
Day 04: Choquequirao – San Ignacio – Villa De Loros
Day 05: Villa De Loros – Saywite – Conoc – Cusco
Day 01: Cusco – Capuliyoc – Playa
Meals: Lunch – Afternoon Tea Time – Dinner
Accommodation: Camping
Minimum altitude: 1550 MASL – 4650 FASL
Maximum altitude: 3100 MASL – 9300 FASL
Distance: 14 km – 9 miles
Time: 5 hours (approximately)
Difficulty: Easy
At 5:30 AM, we pick you up from your hotel and then drive 4 hours in our private van to Capuliyoc (3100 MASL – 10170 FASL). Along the way, there are spectacular views of villages, valleys, and snow-capped mountains. Once we arrive, we will meet our horsemen who will pack all of our equipment onto the cargo horses. From here, we can enjoy the spectacular view of the Choquequirao Incan ruins, the Apurimac canyon, and the stunning, snow-capped mountains like Padreyoc (5571 MASL – 18387 FASL). We will then hike downhill for 3 hours to Chikisca for lunch. After lunch, we continue on for 2 more hours downhill to our first camp at La Playa Rosalinas.
Day 02: Playa – Maranpata – Choquequirao
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Afteroon Tea Time – Dinner
Accommodation: Camping
Minimum altitude: 1550 MASL – 4650 FASL
Maximum altitude: 3100 MASL – 9300 FASL
Distance: 16 km - 10 miles
Time: 5 hours (approximately)
Difficulty: Easy
After an early breakfast, we cross the bridge and hike for the next 4 hours all the way up to Marampata where we will have lunch while enjoying the view of the Choquequirao ruins once again. After lunch, we walk to our second evening’s campsite, just 20 minutes from the ruins. Being so close to the ruins, we can enjoy our view of the ruins into the late evening and watch for condors flying above.
Day 03: Visit Archeological site of Choquequirao
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Afternoon Tea Time – Dinner
Accommodation: Camping
Minimum altitude:1550 MASL – 4650 FASL
Maximum altitude: 3100 MASL – 9300 FASL
After breakfast, we will visit the magnificent archeological site of Choquequirao for the entire day. Enjoy the private guided tour and explore all of the beautiful city sections: temples, terraces, palaces, llamas’ quarters, and much more. We will return to the same campsite for tea and to spend the night.
Choquequirao means “Cradle of Gold” in Quechua - the language of the Incas - although this is probably not its original name. It is another “Lost City of the Incas” rediscovered officially late in the 20th century. It is located high on a ridge spur almost 1750 meters/5741 feet above the raging, glacier-fed Apurimac River and is surrounded by the towering Salkantay and Humantay snow-capped peaks. Excavations and restoration of the 1810-hectare site began in the 1990s, and it is estimated that only 30% of the site has been restored to date. Every day archeologists are finding new things.
Day 04: Choquequirao – San Ignacio – Villa De Loros
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Afternoon Tea Time – Dinner
Accommodation: Camping
Minimum altitude: 1450 MASL – 4350 FASL
Maximum altitude: 3100 MASL – 9300 FASL
Distance: 16 km – 10 miles
Time: 6 hours (approximately)
Difficulty: Moderate
Today is one of the easier days of our trek. We will walk downhill for 2 hours to the magnificent Apurimac River (1450 MASL – 4787 FASL). We then cross a bridge and walk uphill for 1 hour to San Ignacio for lunch where we can enjoy the beautiful scenery and a great waterfall! After lunch, we take a moderate uphill trek through a beautiful valley toward Villa de Loros (Town of Parrots) (2600 MASL – 8580 FASL) where we set up camp for the last evening.
Day 05: Villa De Loros – Saywite – Conoc – Cusco
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch
Today is a relaxing and cultural day on our trek. After enjoying a delicious breakfast, we take private transport to the archeological site of Saywite where we will explore an Incan monolith, several water fountains, and ritual platforms. After spending time enjoying the site, we drive to the hot spring of Conoc to relax after several days of walking. After lunch, we head back to Cusco, dropping you at your hotel.
