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Choquequirao 5days / 4nights
Choquequirao is a magical Inca city located southeast of Cusco between the Cusco and Apurimac regions in Peru, if you’re searching for another option of an Inca trail to Machupicchu this is the one. You’ll have a 5 days exciting trek combining the different altitude levels of the highlands of Peru with a variety of wild flora and fauna.
Itinerary:
Day 1: Cusco - Cachora - Chiquisca
Early in the morning we will pick you up from your hotel in our private transportation to have an spectacular trip through the croplands of Anta. Surrounded by white peaks of the andean cordillera, we’ll descend abruptly down to 5940 ft. Until we get to a bridge that crosses the Apurimac Canyon (Kunyak bridge). After climbing through fabulous camps and orchards, we’ll make a final descend to the Cachora valley at 11,220 ft. where we’ll found ourselves face to face with the sensational Vilcabamba cordillera. In this place we’ll meet our horseman and horses that will carry our equipment, after a short rest and visit to the Cachora village we’ll start our hike, from the Capuliyoc viewpoint we’ll be able to see for the first time the distant Choquequirao archaeological complex just before descending towards the dry cactus forest and orchids and entering the Apurimac river canyon where we will camp in the small oasis of Chikiska at 6600 ft.
Day 2: Chiquisca - Choquequirao
After our breakfast early in the morning we’ll descend the last 1650 ft. To the Apurimac river also named “The great talking spirit” in quechua language of the Incas we’ll cross over the powerful river through a hanging at 5115 f.a.s.l. from where we can see a wide path making a zigzag ascent that will take us out of the dry area of the canyon, passing a small sugar cane plantation till we get to Marampata from where we will have a panoramic view of the Choquekirao archaeological complex with its terraces and buildings continuing with our hike will pass through fresh shadows of a nearby forest while we get closer to the top of the forested ridge at 9900 f.a.s.l. where the Incas built the remote ceremonial center, we’ll camp close to the archaeological complex.
Day 3: Choquequirao
We’ll have all day with our guide to explore this settlement, as mysterious as Machupicchu, its name means “cradle of gold”. The first spaniards knew about this place but its farthest kept them away. French explorers visit it in the XIX century and in 1909, Hiram Bingham was the first one to investigate the site scientifically. In our tour through the complex the Apurimac river rages at a 4785 ft. Distance down visible from any point of the steep ridge where the Inca site is located, while we get closer to the heart of the city an impressive curve of terraces will take our attention to a hill and ceremonial platform oriented to the main square. To this place the air currents bring andean condors that fly over the complex full of temples, mausoleums, royal residences, ceremonial springs, water channels, meeting saloons, hidden gardens, giant stairs and warehouses, all well preserved yet as testimonials of a careful planification of the Inca engineers. The excavation works are very recent and the archaeologists are discovering areas and structures unknown to this date. The steep mountain ridge under the main square, show several groups of Inca buildings including the so-called “blade” group and the waterfall temple. Return to the campsite.
Day 4: Choquequirao - Chiquisca
Very early in the morning where the sun rises among the Vilcabamba white peak cordillera we’ll make our way through the Marampata prairie were a line of Inca stores establish the limits of the settlement. We’ll hike back to the depths of the Apurimac canyon appreciating a new perspective of the landscape, while we find ourselves before immense cliffs of different tonalities on the southern shore of the river. At arrival and crossing the bridge also a campsite named Playa Rosalina, we’ll take a rest and our lunch surrounded by fruit trees and an immense vegetation that will keep us fresh then climbing headed towards our campsite in Chikiska where we will stay for the night surrounded by avocado and fruit trees.
Day 5: Playa Rosalina - Cachora - Cusco
After our breakfast early in the morning we’ll start our hike climbing up out of the Apurimac canyon with the Vilcabamba glaciers behind us and the river like a white tape far at the distance we take the path back to the mountain grasslands that extend to the Capuliyoc pass and the valley of Cachora were our transportation will be waiting for us, and after a light lunch and farewell to our arriero (horseman) we’ll board the vehicle heading back to Cusco city.
End of our services
Our services include:
- Professional guide English/Spanish
- Private bus Cusco Cachora (head of trail)
- Camping quadruple tents, for double occupancy
- Camping equipment, dinning tent, kitchen tent, mattresses, chairs, first aid kit, oxygen.
- Cook and assitant cook.
- Horseman and horses for carrying camping and kitchen equipment and food supplies.
- Meals according to the itinerary
- Entrance ticket to the Archaeological complex of Choquekirao
Not included:
- Breakfast on the first day
- Sleeping bag
What you should bring:
- Sleeping bag
- Well fitted trekking shoes
- Bottle or canteen, flashlight, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses
- Light clothing, plastic poncho
- Chocolates, cookies, dry fruits, snacks.
- Camera, extra batteries
- Binoculars
- Extra Money and lots of coins
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Trekking
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Adventure
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Rainforest