The lost city of Machu Picchu is one of Peru’s most famous destinations. It attracts both adventurers and passionate about archeology of ancient civilizations. Its discovery is surrounded by myths involving fantasy stories about lost cities and treasures in the woods.
Located in the Urubamba River Valley, in the Peruvian Andes, on the border between the Andean Highlands and the Amazon rainforest, Machu Picchu was abandoned by the Incas shortly after the “discovery” of America. The site became overgrown until in 1911 the American explorer Hiram Bingham discovered it and publicized the finding, the largest archaeological discovery of the twentieth century.
Famous worldwide, the place was considered a Cultural and Natural Heritage of Humanity. Its access by trail became, from the 1970s, a traditional pilgrimage trekking, attracting thousands of people and causing environmental damage and damage to archaeological heritage. Because of this, a severe restriction in the 2000s set limits on visitors, forcing many people to trek Salkantay as an alternative, today one of Peru’s most crowded trekking.
The Choquequirao Trail is an alternative to the restricted Inca Trail and the crowded Salkantay Trail. It is an alternative trekking, with more preserved landscape and less people. The Choquequirao Path is one of the longest that leads to Machu Picchu, almost 100 km long.
We will pass through Inca trails, beautiful Andean landscapes, indigenous communities, the Apurimac River Canyon and the Choquequirao Archaeological Complex. The landscape is the transition between the driest Andes and the Amazon basin. The trip also includes a tour in the historic city of Cusco, and a day in the sacred Inca valley.
This trekking is intended for people who are used to long walks and who want to know Machu Picchu by an alternative but challenging path.
Total distance: 100.00 km
Accumulated Altimetry: 3,331m
Day 1 – Arrival to Cusco – 3400 meters
Provided: Transfer from airport to hotel, 3 star hotel in Cusco.
We will pick you up from the airport at your flight arrival time and take you to the hotel. In the evening we will have a dinner where you will meet the guide and the rest of the expedition.
Day 2 – City tour – 3400 meters
Provided: Hotel, Breakfast, City Tour.
As we acclimate, we will meet one of the most beautiful cities in the Americas and the ancient capital of the Inca empire, a city that mixes Inca and Spanish architecture. You will have the free morning to visit Plaza de Armas and other places you can go downtown. Our guided city tour starts at 13:30. We will get to know: Koricancha (Temple of the Sun), the Cathedral, the four ruins that surround the city of Cusco: Sacsayhuaman, Qenko, Pukapukara and Tambomachay.
Day 3 – Sacred Valley Tour – 3400 meters
Provided: Hotel, breakfast, transportation, guide, lunch in Urubamba.
Early in the morning we will pick you up at the hotel to begin our Tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas at 08:30 am. We will visit: The city of Pisac and its Craft Market, Qoya, Lamay, Calca, Yucay. Then we will go to Urubamba, place of our lunch. Then we will continue our tour to Ollantaytambo, an architectural complex that was a gigantic agricultural, administrative, social, religious and military complex in Tahuantinsuyo times. At the end of our visit in Ollanta, we follow Chinchero, the last point of the route. This city is a fine example of the mix between Inca and Spanish culture in architecture.
Day 4 –Cusco – Playa Rosalina
Provided: Transportation, breakfast, trail snack and dinner.
Our day will start very early at 04:30 in the morning. We will depart from the city of Cusco to Vila Cachora, it will be a 3:30 hour drive. In Cachora we will have a delicious breakfast and head to Capuliyok, where we begin our trek. In Capuliyoc we will enjoy the Apurimac Gorge, then we will go down to our first camp in Playa Rosalina. On this day we will walk between 4 and 5 hours.
Day 5 – Playa Rosalina – Marampata – 2,850 meters
Provided: Breakfast, snack and dinner.
We started our day around 06:30 in the morning. This will be one of the hardest days of the expedition. We will climb approximately 1,500 vertical meters in approximately 13 km to our campsite in Marampata. The duration of the walk will be between 7 and 8 hours.
Day 6 –Marampata – Choquequirao – 3.150 meters
Provided: Breakfast, snack and dinner.
We walked about 2 hours until we reach the Archaeological site of Choquequirao. This will be a calmer trekking day to replenish the energy spent the day before. We will spend the day visiting the most important ruins, such as the Agricultural Terraces, Military Zones, Astronomical Center and Sacred Temples, as well as the Llamita terraces on the west side of the complex. This will be our overnight place.
Day 7 – Choquequirao – Pinchaunuyoc (2.240m) – Maizal (3.000m)
Provided: Breakfast, snack and dinner.
From Choquequirao we climb for about 1 hour to Abra Choquequirao (3,350 m). When we get to the Pinchaunuyoc Archaeological Site, we can admire some houses and terraces that the Incas used to grow coca, coffee and cassava. After this stop, our next destination will be the Rio Blanco (1,450 m) where we will cross the river and climb to Maizal where we set up camp. On this day we will walk between 8 and 9 hours.
Day 8 – Maizal – Abra Victoria (4.160m) – Yanama (3.495m)
Provided: Breakfast, snack and dinner.
At 07:00 we leave Maizal, we will pass a deactivated mine of copper, gold and bronze. We continue to Abra Victoria at 4,160 m and go through a mountainous pass. Then we descend to our overnight location, Yanama. It will be about 8 hours of walking.
Dia 9 – Yanama – Lucmabamba 2.210 m.
Provided: Transportation, breakfast, snack and dinner.
We will leave Yanama at 6:00 am and start the trek through the valley. We started up the Marian Pass, also known as Yanama. There we can observe the Vilcabamba mountain range very close to us. We continued the walk towards Totora, and by car to Lucmabamba, place of our overnight stay. After setting up camp, we will go to Santa Teresa to enjoy the Collcamayo Hot Springs. This day we will walk about 7 to 8 hours.
Dia 10 – Lucmabamba – Águas Calientes 2.010 meters
Provided: Transportation, breakfast, snack, dinner and lodging.
We will visit Llactapata, an archaeological site that has a frontal view of Machu Picchu. Then we will go down to the hydroelectric station to take our train to Aguas Calientes, our overnight hostal location. On this day we will walk between 4 and 5 hours.
Day 11 – Águas Calientes – Machu Picchu (2.400 m) – Ollantaytambo (2.840 m) – Cusco
Provided: Transportation, breakfast, snack, dinner and lodging.
We will wake up early at 5 am and take the first bus to the entrance gates of Machu Picchu. On the way the guide will pass information about historical facts, culture and curiosities of the lost city.
We will spend about 3:30 hours in the city of Machu Picchu. After our visit, we will go to Aguas Calientes to take a train to Ollantaytambo, and then drive to Cusco. Arrival at 20:00 hours approximately.
Day 12 – Return home
Provided: Transfer to airport, hotel, breakfast.
Having good mountaineering equipment is one of the key points to have a safe and enjoyable trek.
We suggest this checklist:
Total Investment: To be confirmed
What is Provided:
What is NOT Provided: