CHOQUEQUIRAO TREK (BEST SELLER) 4 Days
Cusco
From
$ 640
Duration
4 Days
Type of tour
Trekking
$ 640
4 Days
Trekking
Discover the adventure of trekking to the Choquequirao Archaeological Complex, located high in the Vilcabamba mountain range and only accessible by foot. This 15th century archaeological site, similar to Machu Picchu, has impressive terraces, temples, plazas and aqueducts, but unlike Machu Picchu, it receives an average of only 15 to 20 visitors per day. The ruins of Choquequirao are a beautiful, mysterious, extensive and unique place, which have been successively classified as a fortress, ceremonial center, city and last residence of the Inca. In addition, in Quechua, Choquequirao means «Cradle of gold», and it is theorized that there were nearby gold mines that were exploited during the Inca Empire. This archaeological site has a main square, royal quarters, a sun temple, large buildings, barracks for soldiers, a prison and walled houses. There is also an administrative center separated from the rest of the site for priests and a large number of terraces for agriculture and hillside stabilization. The most famous part of the ruins are the terraces with white quartz flames embedded in the walls. Come and discover the magic of Choquequirao with us!
Day 01: Cusco – Cachora – Capuliyoc – Rosalina Beach – Marampata.
Start your trek with a day of breathtaking scenery and views of the Apurimac River and valley. Overnight in Marampata.
Day 02: Exporation and visit of Choquequira – Marampata
This morning, hike to Marampata and enjoy the incredible views of the site before arriving at the Inca citadel of Choquequirao.
Day 03: Santa Rosa – Rosalina Beach – Cocamasana
After breakfast, you will spend the whole day exploring every inch of the incredible Choquequirao archaeological complex.
Day 04: Capuliyoq – Cachora – Cusco
Say goodbye to Choquequirao as you head to Santa Rosa for lunch. This afternoon, walk to the Chiquisca camp to spend time with local families and get some rest.
A day full of beautiful landscapes and fresh Andean air.
We will start our exciting adventure very early in the morning. We will pick you up at your hotel to travel in our private transportation to Cachora. On the way, we will contemplate the impressive glacier mountains of Salkantay and Humantay in the distance. Once we arrive in Cachora, we will visit the town and walk through its picturesque streets that tell us all about its rich culture. We will enjoy a nutritious and delicious breakfast. Then, we continue to Capuliyoc (2,890 m / 9,482 ft) and meet the rest of our trekking team: cooks and muleteers, who will carry our belongings all the way. After going over the last details, we will trek through the Apurimac Canyon. We will zigzag down for approximately three hours to Chiquisca (1,900 m / 6,234 ft), a beautiful hamlet full of fruit fields.
During the trail, we will be able to contemplate the impressive scenery that the Apurimac Valley offers, as well as have the opportunity to appreciate the majestic flight of the condor and the impressive views of two giant glacier mountains called Padreyoc and Qoriwayrachina. As we begin to approach deeper into the valley, the heat, the abundant vegetation and the rhythmic sounds of the rushing Apurimac River become more and more noticeable.
Hours later, we will arrive at the tropical hamlet of Chiquisca, a warm green camp in the middle of the arid mountain where we will have dinner and spend the night.
Witness the beautiful sunset in the Andean sky.
After enjoying a delicious breakfast to recharge our batteries, we will continue our journey and begin our hike. A zigzagging ascent to Marampata (2,900 m / 9,514 ft) awaits us, where you will be able to take some impressive photos of the canyon and the snow-capped peaks that surround you.
We will start with a descent of one hour and fifteen minutes to reach the deepest part of the valley known as Playa Rosalinas (1,500 m / 4,921 ft). We will cross the pedestrian bridge to begin the hardest part of our trek. On the way, we will make a brief stop at the village of Santa Rosa (1,970 m / 6,463 ft), where you can enjoy a delicious lunch prepared by our team to recover energy; we will continue ascending for approximately three hours until we reach the Marampata camp. In the afternoon, you will enjoy the impressive surroundings and feel the energy that this spectacular place has near the citadel of Choquequirao. You will also take advantage of the moment to stretch your muscles and enjoy a beautiful sunset that floods the endless valleys and white glacial mountains with its soft orange light. When it starts to get dark, we will see the beautiful sunset accompanied by a sky full of thousands of stars covering the landscape and the vegetation around us. Then it will be time to have dinner before going to bed to rest.
The highlight of the day:
Discover the secrets of the amazing archaeological complex of Choquequirao.
Explore and discover the ancient wonder of Choquequirao.
We will start the day with a delicious breakfast that will give you a boost of energy. Then, we will take the day to explore every detail of this incredible Inca site located in the mountains and very close to the deepest canyon in the entire South American continent. You can already imagine the incredible landscapes that surround this colossal Inca construction. We will visit the most impressive corners of this place and our guide will share with you the fascinating stories of the past and the reason why it was built.
Choquequirao (3,050 m / 10,007 ft) is much larger than Machu Picchu, with plazas, temples and impressive platforms that will make you constantly ponder the question: How could the Incas build this on top of the mountains? You will enjoy a picnic lunch at noon and have time to rest and recover your energy.
Do not miss the famous white stone llamas that adorn the platforms built on the hillside and are located in the direction of the mountain that protects this sector known as the Apu Qoriwayrachina. According to experts, only an average of 40% of the entire site is visible and, in many ways, Choquequirao remains a mystery. We are sure that in the coming years we will learn even more about this amazing complex.
At the end of the day, we will return to our camp at Marampata (2,900 m / 9,514 ft) and enjoy a delicious dinner. Afterwards, you can go to bed to contemplate the incredible day you just had and rest.
Highlight of the day: Spend time with the locals of the Andean community and learn more about their culture.
Relax and enjoy the surrounding natural beauty of this incredible part of the world.
After another delicious breakfast, we will begin our return from Choquequirao. Farewell for now to this unique site, be sure to take one last look at it before we leave. First, we will have another opportunity to take pictures of the great canyon from Marampata; then, we will descend for two hours until we reach Santa Rosa (2,970 m/ 6,463 ft), lunch point. On the way, you will have the opportunity to observe the enormous variety of vegetation in this part of the trail. After lunch, we will continue to Playa Rosalinas and dip our feet in the cold waters of the Apurimac River in the middle of the canyon. Then, we will climb to the Chiquisca camp (1,900 m / 6,234 ft.), located in the backyard of the house of one
backyard of a local family’s house. Take advantage of this time to make new friends and learn about the Andean lifestyle as well as their customs and traditions. Here, you will be able to observe up close the deep relationship that Andean communities have with Pachamama or Mother Nature.
After a delicious dinner, you can rest peacefully at night in our cozy camp and reflect on your trip.
Group Tour
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