Choquequirao Trek 8 Days / 7 Nights

Choquequirao Trek to Machu Picchu Itinerary

Day 1: Cusco- Cachora- Capuliyuc- Chikiska

We pick you up at 5:30 am from your hotel and drive to the village of Cachora approximately 4 hours.  We then drive by 30 more minutes to Capuliyoc lookout point (2,941masl / 9649 ft) where we will begin our walk, meet our staff of horses and horsemen. Before we begin our adventure, we will have a nutritionally lunch in this wonderful lookout point, where we can appreciate the Apurimac Canyon and possibly see the Andean condor. After lunch we begin our descent on a zig-zagging footpath, crossing scrub and later a forest of native trees called Phaty, in about 5 hours we arrive at Chikisca (1836m / 6023ft) where our lunch and campsite awaits us. We can expect a warm night in the valley, at our campsite.

Meal: L, D

Maximum Altitude: 2900 masl / 9514 ft
Minimum Altitude: 1860 masl / 6102 ft
Distance Travelled: 8 km / 4.97 ml
Walking Time: 5 hrs

Day 2: Chikisca –  Santa Rosa – Marampata -Choquequirao

We leave very early in the morning to avoid the blazing midday sun. We descend to the Apurimac River to cross over the Playa Rosalina Bridge. Here is where our climb to Choquequirao begins. We pass by Santa Rosa, and will find a small shop own by a local family where we can buy some water or rehydrating drinks.

We continue uphill until we reach Marampata, where we will have lunch and rest. Then we will continue about 2 more hours until we reach Choquequirao, the remote and ancient city of the Incas. You will have all afternoon to explore as much you like with your guide.

In the afternoon is usually when we see the Andean condor over Apurimac Canyon, we will spend the night in Choquequirao.

Meals: B, L, D

Maximum Altitude: 2950 masl / 2815 ft
Minimum Altitude: 1836 masl / 6024 ft
Distance Travelled: 14 km / 8.12 miles
Walking Time: 8 hrs

Day 3: Choquequirao – Pinchaunuyoc – Maizal

We will have a short extra visit to the principal complex Choquequirao, then continue our walk towards Pinchiunuyoc. After a small uphill stretch climbing through a forest of native trees, we get to the highest point of this day before we descent and arrive at Pajunal. We continue our trek to the Pinchiunuyoc Inca remains, where we will have lunch. After lunch, we descend to the Río Blanco stream, after crossing the bridge we start walking uphill until to get to Maizal where we have the chance to observe various species of birds and set up our camp for the night.

Meals: B, L, D

Maximum Altitude: 3300 masl / 10826 ft
Minimum Altitude: 1500 masl / 4921 ft
Distance Travelled: 14.00 km / 8,69 ml
Walking Time: 8 hrs

Day 4: Maizal – Highpass Mina Victoria – Yanama

After our big breakfast we leave our campsite and continue uphill, crossing a beautiful forest of native trees on a stone path before arriving at the high-pass Mina Victoria, where we will have a spectacular view of the cordillera of the snow-capped peaks of Choquetacarpo and Pumasillo. We descend to our lunch spot and after a brief rest, we continue to the community of Yanama, where we will spend the night.

Meals: B, L, D
Maximum Altitude: 4150 masl / 13411 ft
Minimum Altitude: 3800 masl / 12467 ft
Distance Travelled: 11 km /6,83 ml
Walking Time: 7 hrs

Day 5: Yanama – Abra Apacheta – Totora

The big day. First in the morning we will have a delicious breakfast then we leave early and climb up the ravine of the Yanama River upriver. It begins as a gentle slope and becomes steeper and steeper as we reach to the high-pass (4660 masl/ 15288ft. We can appreciate a beautiful contrast of ecological levels as we arrive in the puna, lunch right after the highest point, and then descend into the Totora Valley, where we will have dinner and spend the night in the community of Totora.

Meals: B, L, D

Maximum Altitude: 4600 masl / 15091 ft
Minimum Altitude: 3560 masl / 9383 ft
Distance Travelled: 18.32 km / 11.38 ml
Walking Time: 9 hrs

 Day 6: Totora – Colpapampa – Playa – Lucmabamba

After our early wake up and the good breakfast we leave very early in the morning, following the Totora River towards the point where it meets the Chalan River,  Exuberant vegetation and beautiful waterfalls line our path you will walk through tropical valley where we can find coffee plantations, banana trees and a blend flora and fauna. We will get to la playa community, our lunch spot. After our lunch our trek takes us to Lucmabamba, where we set up camp. In the afternoon, we will have a coffee tour with local family and at the end we will taste the best organic coffee of the region.

Meals: B, L, D

Maximum Altitude: 2860 masl / 9383 ft
Minimum Altitude: 2088 masl / 6850 ft
Distance Travelled: 11 km / 6,75 ml
Walking Time: 7 hrs

Day 7: Lucmabamba – Llactapata – Hidroelectrica – Aguas Calientes

After our delicious breakfast we start climbing uphill for 3 hours by the original Inca Trail and through the Andean cloud forest  to the Puncuyoc Pass, then 15 minutes walking down to  LLACTAPATA,  a Inca old city which is located at 2,700 m / 8,906 ft.  Here we can enjoy a beautiful view of Inca City of Machu Picchu, the spectacular views of Wayna Picchu and Machu Picchu  mountains. Your guide will share the history and stories of this sacred place. We begin hiking again downhill for 2 hours to the hydroelectric plant where we stop for lunch. After a rest, we will wait for our train if the group decide to go by train or we hike to Aguas Calientes, approximately 35 minutes train ride and hiking takes 3 hours. Arriving in Aguas Calientes and check into our hotel accommodations.

Meals: B, L

Maximum Altitude: 2000masl / 6842 ft
Minimum Altitude: 1800 masl / 5905 ft
Distance Travelled: 11 km / 6.75 ml
Walking Time:  5 hrs

Day 8: Tour of Machu Picchu – Return to Cusco

Early in the morning we take the bus from the town of Aguas Calientes to the Inca Citadel of Machu Picchu.

The tour of Machu Picchu will allow us to understand what a high level of development the Andean civilization achieved under the Incas.

A supreme religious site, Machu Picchu demonstrates the superior knowledge achieved in astronomy and astrology. This knowledge is indispensable for measuring weather cycles (rainy and dry seasons) through the solstices, for the development of agricultural activity; the primary means of survival in the Andes. We will try to spend as long as possible in the archaeological complex. Afternoon transfer back to Aguas Calientes on time for our train check in and back to Ollantaytambo (1:50 min), from here we drive back to Cusco, about 2 hours.

Meals: B

Maximum Altitude: 2437 masl / 7995 ft
Minimum Altitude: 2070 masl / 6791 ft
Distance Travelled: 1.50 km / 0.93 ml
Walking Time: 3 hrs