Choquequirao Machu to Picchu – 7 Days
Duration
7 Days
Difficulty
Medium
Tour Type
Trekking
Reviews
Overview
Choquequirao Machu Picchu Trek. 7 days adventure tour including visit the Machu Picchu inca city, a trip departing from Cusco, a trail that takes you through inca sites and several remote villages along the way.
A combo trip that includes the 2 main inca cities in peru. Choquequirao sits in the saddle of a high Andean ridge, 3000m./10,000 ft. above sea level and 1,500m./5,000 ft. above the roaring waters of the Apurimac River. Ringed by spectacular snow-capped peaks, flanked by plunging, thickly forested slopes, the city is an inspiring example of an elite Inca ceremonial center.
The inca city has been called: ”Machu Picchu ‘s sacred sister city”, because of the striking similarities of design and ceremonial architecture to its famous counterpart above the Urubamba Gorge. An enigmatic place whose history is a matter of speculation.
The Choquequirao hike, is with no doubts the hardest trekking in the Andes, only for adventure and nature lovers, for those who wants to challenge by themselves. Do this amazing alternate inca trail, leaded by expert tour guides from Cusco Peru.
Highlights
- Explore the picturesque countryside of Britain and Ireland
Included / Excluded
- Transfer from your hotel to trail head.
- Big tents: 3-season, highly maintained to ensure good performance in field.
- Dining tent with tables and chairs, kitchen tent.
- Entrance fee to to the sites.
- English speaking professional guide.
- Cook (trek specialist chef).
- Muleteer and horses (to carry tents, food and cooking equipment) – days 1 to 5.
- Emergency horse days 1 to 5.
- Meals (07 B, 06 L, 06d + daily morning snack + daily tea service except last day).
- Others: drinking boiled water (morning, mid-day).
- First – aid kit including emergency oxygen bottle.
- 01 night accommodation in hotel (clean, hot water and safe).
- Bus ticket up and down Aguas Calientes – Machupicchu – Aguas Calientes.
- Train ticket from Aguas Calientes to Cusco (Backpacker).
- Sleeping bag.
- Lunch on the last day.
- Souvenirs.
Itinerary
Day 01: Cusco – Huancalle – Santa Rosa
The Choquequirao Machu Picchu tour, begins with meet up at your hotel at 05:00 hrs, then arrive to cachora the where we can have the opportunity to get buy something’s that we may missed, or just to have some minutes for the pictures at the town main square, from where we can have nice view of the majestic padrayoc and Wayna Cachora mountain are seeing, then we can continue driving for about 30 minutes, by a narrow road and arrive to huancalle, where we will meet up the muleteers.
We start the hike at this point, minutes later we will reach capuliyoc a lookout point that shows the impressive mountain and Apurimac canyon and its impressive depth, the trail leads by a downhill path up to Cocamasana (2330 above sea level), Torowisqana (2285above sea level ), chiqisqa (1950 masl), playa Rosalina 1500 masl, where we will lunch and climb up for 2 hours up to santa rosa 2000 masl. Where will set up our tents.
Day 02: Santa Rosa – Choquequirao
We will wake up by 06:00 hrs, then have breakfast and start our climb at 08:00, while we get higher elevation better views, after 2.5 we will end up with the hardest section, then we will stop to enjoy the views, then we will continue by a trail from where we can see the terraces.
Along the way we can stop to have our snacks as well, then we can arrive to our campsite at the archaeological park and have lunch, after lunch you can have some siesta time, then we can go to visit the lower terraces, after we will return to the camp and after dinner spend the night.
Day 03: Choquequirao – Rio Blanco maizal
After early breakfast, we will hike up to the main Choquequirao archaeological park sectors, we can explore the priests house, the main plaza, and the llamas terraces, then get in to the trail and reach the pass at 3299 masl, from here we will descend and at half way we can see pinchaunuyoc, a small and interesting archaeological site, then we will continue to Rio Blanco, at 1609 masl, and have lunch at the river.
After eating, we can climb up all the way to our camp, the trail goes by a native forest, nice view of the river and mountains, then arrive to the lower Maizal, break a bit and continue for 20 more minutes and camp at an scenic view of snowcoat mountains and canyons. The camp is at 3100 masl.
Day 04: Maizal – Yanama
From campsite we will start our walk at about 07:00 hrs, then walk the trail by well-preserved forest, we will reach as well to the inca mines called Minas Victoria, caves are seeing and we will be above of tree line, then we will reach Victoria Pass 4400 masl.
We’ll break for lunch at one of the most spectacular views, then we can, from lunch after being amazed by the Choquetakarpo and Pumasillu views, we will start descending along trail up to Yanama “small community of farmers of caws, sheep, pigs and potato farmers, we will camp above at 3800 masl.
Day 05: Yanama – Santa – Teresa
After breakfast we will re-start our hike towards the highest summit which is at 4668 masl, we will follow a valley and after 3 hours of walk we will arrive to the bottom of the uphill and have lunch, here the view is amazing, a place surrounded by snow capped mountains such as the Mt Sacsarayoj and Mt. Puma Sillu “puma’s claw”. Then we will downhill and stop for lunch.
After lunch we will catch transport and drive getting through the cloud forest and arrive to the high jungle and camp at Santa Teresa, We will camp at a nice place with hot springs, where you will have the opportunity to swim and relax having a beer or a soft drink and spend the night in a warm jungle territory.
Day 06: Santa Teresa – Machu Picchu Town
Breakfast in the morning then have some time to enjoy the hot springs, then catch local transport to Hidro “hydroelectricity plant of cusco), it takes about 30 minutes’ drive, then we will walk 10 kms, arrive to aguas calientes by 14:00hrs, nice view of the river, trees and machu picchu from the otherside, then spend the night in Hotel. (B-L-D).
Day 07: Machu Picchu – Cusco
After an early breakfast, we 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, then take bus back to town and take train back to Ollanta and arrive to Cusco in our private transport, where our service ends.
If you are interested in an easier hike, you may want to check at Salkantay trek, this is a hike that leads to Machu Picchu. If you need to make 4 days classic hiking in 3 days chick in the link.
FAQs
1: When is the best season to go?
The best season to hike to Choquequirao is during the dry season: April is transition and provides the most spectacular vies, same as October and November, while from May to September all dry.
There are still some hikers who wants to hike during the rainy season, if that is your situation, then we can evaluate the week and accordingly we can provide you an answer if it would be possible or not. Some years are more rainy, and some not.
2: What is the weather like?
The region has extremely variable weather conditions. Temperatures are mainly warm, but the Andes weather is very changing. Here are some general highlights:
During a sunny day you can expect temperatures of about 22 – 30°C, the coldest temperatures are at Choquequirao where the minimum could be 0°C. Depending the season.
Dry season (April-October) it tends to be hot during the day, and cold nights only at Choquequirao that can reach as lowest 0°C, (between June-August, even no rain at all). You should bring warm clothing for the camp, but light gear such as t-shirts o shirts for the day time). For rainy season (November-March) it gets nice gentle temperatures during the day, but you need to bring rain gear as well, if sunny the temperatures are very warm up to 35°C at the river ground. Overall, be prepared, sub-tropical and tropical weather conditions at the same area and the same day.
3: What is the food like, along the trek?
Our meals are based on organic food, managed by our expert trekking cooks, who will pack all fresh. We serve novo Andean food (Peruvian dishes, according season) where breakfast consists in: Omelets, pancakes, cereals, eggs, oatmeal, coffee, hot-chocolate, etc.; for lunch, we provide meals based on a quinoa, pasta, vegetables, soups and main course usually in a small version of buffet including lomo-saltado, rise, potatoes, meat, salads, and similar dinner that comes with a dessert.
Note: If you are vegetarian, or vegan, no worries, we provide this meals with no extra cost, you only have to let us to know on advance.
4: How about the terrain? How challenging is it?
The Choquequirao trail in Uneven, rocky, unpaved path, rated as the hardest and the most difficult trekking trails in Peru, and covers approximately 60 km / 36 miles on uneven, rocky terrain with steep uphill and downhill for the classic trail that can be done in 3 days, 4 days or 5 days. A trail which in terms of altitude, it is entirely at a lower elevation that Cusco city, but hard because the trail descend a lot to reach the river, then a steep climbing to reach to the Inca city.
5: How difficult is the trek.
It is considered the hardest trekking trail of Peru, it covers 64 kilometers of train (32 km to each way for the traditional trek), for the 3 days, 4 and 5 days programs, while if you decide continuing to Machu Picchu, the part covered by food is about 76 kms. The trail runs by the Andean highlands, with an average of 16 km per day. Expect downhill and uphill, that demand extra energy, and previous training before you come.
