Day 1: Arrive Cusco
Upon arrival in Cusco, you will be met by private guide and driver and transferred to your hotel in the city centre (Los Portales, or similar).
Day 2: Cusco to Cachora, trek to Santa Rosa
An early start this morning as you drive 4 hours to the south of Cusco to Cachora village (2,910m), departing point for the Choquequirao route.
Today’s trek will see you walk along the valley floor and across farmland where you’ll see locals at work. Cross the Apurimac River towards the snow-capped peaks of Nevado Padreyoc (5,482m) and Qoriwayrachina, before climbing up to Capuliyoc (3,300m). From Capuliyoc you will have spectacular views of the Apurimac Valley and, in the distance, your ultimate destination, the Inca citadel of Choquequirao.
Enjoying views of the Vilcabamba Mountain Range, particularly Mount Salkantay, you descend approximately 900m down a steep path to Chiquisqa (1930m), for a lunch break.
After lunch, you will continue downhill for around one hour to Rosalina’s Beach (1,550m), cross the Apurimac River again and follow a steep zig-zag path to Santa Rosa (1,890m) – your camp for the night.
Day 3: Hike to Maranpata
This morning you start the ascent to the hamlet of Maranpata, passing picturesque waterfalls and a variety of flora en route.
In Maranpata, you stop to have lunch and to recharge your energy. As you climb today you’ll begin to appreciate a change in the environment, as the forested lowlands give way to highland vegetation on both sides of the Apurimac Canyon.
After lunch you have a relatively easy trek of approximately two hours on mostly flat terrain to Choquequirao (3,103m).
Depending on the time of your arrival you may be able to explore this incredible archaeological complex of over 1,810 hectares, of which only 30% has been uncovered. Late afternoon, continue to your camp, located close to the ruins, where you’ll enjoy a sundowner drink and a well-deserved dinner under the stars.
Day 4: Choquequirao
This morning you explore the site with your guide. You will walk through large stone enclosures and numerous terraces some decorated with llamas or alpacas, you’ll discover the high and low sections of the citadel, of which a number are still covered in foliage.
Many of the temples are centred around water, leading some archaeologists to believe the site was dedicated to Mama Cocha, Mother of the Sea. After your explorations you will hike for around 4 hours back towards Santa Rosa for lunch. From Santa Rosa, continue to Playa Rosalina (2 hours), where you can have a refreshing dip in the water, before setting up camp for the night.
Day 5: Trek back to Cachora
You have an early start today as you begin your trek back to Cachora.
After breakfast, continue to climb to the Capuliyoc scenic point, enjoy the impressive views along the way, and then proceed on a peaceful hike for about one and a half hours until you reach the original starting point, in Cachora. After stopping for lunch, you will then be driven to Cusco city and transferred to your hotel (Los Portales, or similar).
Day 6: End of tour
After breakfast at the hotel your tour ends. Why not journey into the Sacred Valley and to Machu Picchu, or head over to the Amazon? Contact us for more ideas.
Choquequirao Trail
An exciting supplement to, or detour from, the classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, this 4-day shared trek will see you explore the ruins of Choquequirao
Choquequirao Trail
Combining historical sights and mountain walking, this 6-day package includes a 4-day shared trek to visit the remote ruins of Choquequirao, with time either side in Cusco. It can be booked as a standalone itinerary or as an add-on to a longer itinerary exploring Peru’s Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.
Outline Itinerary
Price guide
The price shown is per person in shared twin/double accommodation. Please note that this is a shared trek, accommodating up to 16 and departing at fixed dates throughout the trekking season. Please contact us for upcoming departures.
Pricing
6 days from £849pp
Zambia and Botswana Safari
The local staff were exceptional - knowledgeable, welcoming, kind, great sense of humour - it made the trip!
