Choquequirao Express Tour – 3 Days Challenge Trek
Duration
3 Days
Difficulty
Medium
Tour Type
Trekking
Reviews
Overview
Choquequirao express tour, it is one of our most challenging hikes that exists in Peru, this program, is customized for hikers, who are short in time, and do not want to miss this fantastic archaeological site. It Is a challenge hiking program that begins at huancalle at 2.800 m, it the lowest point at the Apurimac river “1500 meters”, then Choquequirao that is at 3.100 meters, this trek can end at a different point at a place called villa los loros.
We name this itinerary as the most challenging trek of peru, we will cover 44 kilometers in an extreme terrain, in only 3 days, if we exit to villa los loros, then the distance increases in about 8 more kilometers. Do you want to find out information about the salkantay trek, or other trips in the region?, then follow the link: salkantay trek.
If this express program is not on your schedule, then you should take our Classic Choquequirao trek.
Highlights
- Explore the picturesque countryside of Britain and Ireland
Included/Excluded
- Private transport (Cusco – Huancalle / Cusco).
- Professional bilingual guide (English – Spanish)
- Professional trekking cook.
- High quality outdoor equipment (Sleeping inflatable mattresses).
- 1 tent for each 2 people.
- First aid kit.
- All meals and beverages during the excursion and snacks.
- Muleteers, and pack mules.
- Emergency horse throughout the trek. (1 for every 5 hikers).
- Horse to carry your gear (15 pounds for each hiker, including sleeping bags.
- Park fee.
- Boiled drinking water.
- Alcoholic drinks.
- Sleeping bags.
- Tips (customary tipping).
Itinerary
Day 01: Cusco – Huancalle – Santa Rosa Alta
Our express tour, begins with an early departure from Cusco, 04:00 hrs, we will pass several villages and the last one is cachora, place for a quick stop and buy water or any supply, then drive up to huancalle, where we meet our muleteers.
Here we will have a quick breakfast, this is a place with magnificent views and of the apurimac canyon, then we can start our hike towards capuliyoc, where we’ll appreciate the majestic padrayoc mountain and Wayna Cachora snow capped peaks, and the canyon with its impressive depth.
From here the trail leads all downhill we will pass the small settlement named la Colmena (2870 above sea level), after this there is, Cocamasana (2330 above sea level), Torowisqana (2285above sea level) and finally chiquisca (1950 masl) a grove place where we can find water and walk for one more hour to reach playa rosalinas, where we can stop for lunch.
After lunch, our hike continue by crossing the river, the hike follows an switch back trail all uphill up to the camp at Santa Rosa alta. (1st day difficulty: challenge 20 KMs, 12 miles).
Day 02: Santa Rosa Alta – Choquequirao – Maranpata.
Nutritious and energetic breakfast will be given, then we can re-start our hike, all uphill for about 1.5 hours up to maranpata, a place where we can see some houses, and campsite, we will continue our walk for 2 hours and finally reach choquequirao, here you will see one of the sectors, then go to the main plaza and have a picnic lunch at this magnificent site.
After lunch you’ll visit the temples, shrines, the natural platform named usnu, the llamas sector, then after enjoying the view at this magnificent site, we will walk back to maranpata where we will have dinner and spend the night. (2nnd day difficulty: Medium challenge 12 KMs, 7 miles).
Day 03: Maranpata – Huancalle
We will have early breakfast, then we can descend to the playa Rosalina, it will take us about 2 hours, then we will start the climbing part for about 4.5 hours and arrive to coca masana, a place with magnificent views, here we can lunch and relax for a bit, then we can climb up the last 2.5 hours section, from capuliyoc to huancalle we will have nice flat section, then we can say bye to hour muleteers and catch.
At this point our transport brings you back to cusco, the entire walking on this day will be about 7 hours of cardio and muscle works, after for more hours we will arrive back to cusco by 19:00 hrs. (3th day difficulty: Challenge 20 KMs, 12 miles).
(If we take the optional hike by villa los loros, we will have more downhill and walk bit longer during this day, but easier, we will confirm this trail a week earlier, sometimes the road stays closed because of landslides during the rainy season). if you want more about our choquequirao express tour, just let us to know.
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.
