Choquequirao Vilcabamba Trekking – 7 Days
Duration
7 Days
Difficulty
Medium
Tour Type
Trekking
Reviews
Overview
Choquequirao Vilcabamba, trekking; is one of the impressive and challenging treks, that we have in peru, it brings you to discover places where the last inca resistance took place, for about 30 years, Manco Inca and his people resisted Spaniards.
This incredible city, lays above the apurimac canyon, with views that hardly can be described, the trail passes by the Andes mountains and remote villages where Inca language is still spoken, while the vilcabamba area keeps intact inca trail, old village remains that amazes visitors.
Choquequirao and vilcabamba in a tour that is a gift of nature to those who challenge themselves and hike the historic Peruvian sites, passing terrains that starts at 2800m, and leading twice to 1500 m, and summits above 4600 meters, in about more than 100 km / 60miles distance. Come discover this wonderful sites, with expert trekking operator company, managed and leaded by native Peruvian tour guides.
Highlights
- Explore the picturesque countryside of Britain and Ireland
Included / Excluded
- Private transport from Cusco huancalle (walk start point).
- Personal tents: 2 people per tent.
- Our tents are 3-season, new, highly maintained to ensure an excellent performance in field.
- Dining tent with tables and chairs, Kitchen tent, Toilet ten.
- English speaking professional guide (2 guides for groups over 8 people).
- Cook and cooking equipment.
- Horsemen and horses (to carry tents, food and cooking equipment) – days 1 to 3.
- Emergency horse.
- Meals (complete meals during trip), breakfast, lunch, dinner.
- First-aid kit including emergency oxygen bottle.
- Fee for visited places.
- Private transport from vilcabamba to cusco.
- Sleeping bag.
- Walking sticks.
Tips: please beware that our agency staff are paid, so please feel free to tip or not according to your wish.
Itinerary
Day 01: Cusco – Huancalle – Santa Rosa baja
Departure from cusco at 05:00 hrs, arrive to Cachora village in approximately of 4 hours, and continue 30 more minutes, and meet up the muleteers at huancalle to start the trek.
A nice view of the majestic padrayoc mountain is seen from the trail, views from precipices to snowy mountains. Downhill trail will leads us approaching to the apurimac river, we will pass small settlements, such as cocamasana and Chikisqa, then we will reach the river and lunch in a warm ravine, then climb up a switchbacks trail and we finally arrive to santa rosa baja and camp at one of the grounds owned by a local family. It is in a nice fresh location at 200 meters above sea level.
Day 02: Santa Rosa baja – choquequirao.
The second day is going to be a medium challenge walk, 2.5 hours uphill to reach a place named maranpata which is at an scenic point, then 4 hours walk to Choquequirao campsite, the trail is enjoyable, we can have time to take pictures, talk about the history and little by little approach to the camp, then once at the camp have lunch, after lunch we will climb up to the inca city and see the llama terraces and enjoy the sunset at the platform for offerings, after this show, return to camp, have dinner and spend the night.
Day 03: Choquequirao – maizal.
On this day, we’ll walk a medium challenge uphill to 3299 masl, then descend to Rio Blanco, 1500 masl, from the summit the trail goes downhill by steep open prairie with views of the Mountains and valleys. After 3 hours walk we will arrive to Pinchaunuyoc inca buildings, in the cloud forest, almost invisible because of the thick layer of mosses and other vegetation, then we will continue downhill up to the river named rio-blanco.
The spot is nice, with write water, you’ll stop for lunch here, and relax for a bit; then we start the long and steep climb to our camp in Maizal, above in a scenic view of snow coat mountain. From Rio Blanco we climb up to Maizal for about 3 hrs. Camp at 3000 masl
Day 04: Maizal – Yanama.
Nice medium challenge hike leads the way, a beautiful section takes in to cloud forest, then we get off the trees section and reach the Puna region with the well-known ichu grass. We break at Victoria mines, where shining stones tell about a high concentration of minerals, which were extracted by miners, then reach the summit that is one of the best summits, and lunch here while we enjoy the view.
It is hard to describe the beauty of this places, better to see them personally, the choquetacarpo snow mountain and others are magnificent, and just maybe, if lucky we can appreciate the flight of the condors, then start descending towards Yanama, a small isolated settlement at the bottom of a long valley surrounded by mountains. We pass over 4154 masl and descend to our campsite at 3800 masl.
Day 05: Yanama – Qelqa machay.
We will leave the campsite at around 7:00 am to start the seven hours steep climb towards the Choquetacarpo pass (4,720m), the highest of the entire trail, as usual the summits has perfect views and after some time we can descend and lunch in an appropriate place, then descend in to the high mountain forest and appreciate vegetation and have the possibility to see the spectacle bears, after a while we can reach places with settlements and finally arrive to huancancalla and find a place to send the night.
Day 06: Qelqamachay – Huancacalle.
Wake up in the middle of nature, then get breakfast and after that continue the walk towards the Choquetacarpo pass, through a well preserved inca trail, at noon we will reach a camp spot where we can lunch.
After lunch we’ll continue walking down hill and arrive to Huancacalle and set up the tents to spend the night.
Day 07: Huancacalle – Cusco.
After breakfast, we will go to explore tha archaeological site fo this place, rosaspata known as well Vitcos, then go to the white rock and after that return to the camp and have lunch, after lunch we can pack all the equipment, put in to our private transport and drive back to cusco passing the jungle territory, the summit a pass at the waccay huillca mountain “veronica”, then return to cusco at about 20:00 hrs.
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 choquequirao hike 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.
