Choquequirao 5D/4N .-On this spectacular 60km hike, we head towards the charming village of Cachora, our starting point, and arrive at this enormous archaeological complex still in the process of cleaning and restoration located in the surroundings of the sacred mountain of Salkantay (6,271m / 20569ft) and the Apurimac. River Canyon The beauty of the Inca citadel, still partially covered by weeds accumulated over the centuries, its amazing location and the surrounding mountain scenery, as well as a large amount of Andean flora and fauna, with the possibility of spotting condors in their natural habitat, are some of the examples. One of the most appreciated attractions of this program.
This 5-day version allows for an additional day at the Choquequirao archaeological site compared to the classic 4-day trek.
We leave Cusco at 05:00 am in our private transportation and head towards Cachora (2 800m.asl / 9 184ft), an Andean community located 5 hours from Cusco. Cachora is the starting point of the trek where we meet our riders and horses. We begin our climbing trek for two and a half hours to Abra Capuliyoc (2 750 masl / 9 020ft), where we can enjoy beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and the Apurimac River canyon. We then continue descending for two more hours to Chiquisca, where we set up camp and spend the night.
We leave Chiquisca around 06:00 am to descend to Rosalina beach, which will take about an hour. Then we cross the Apurimac River and start climbing towards Santa Rosa, zigzagging up a steep slope. This climb will take approximately 2 hours, and it is important that we leave early so that the heat does not make it more difficult than it has to be. In Santa Rosa, we pause for half an hour, where those who wish can try Cambray, a local sugar cane extract. Then, we continue our hike slowly climbing for two and a half hours until we reach our lunch spot in Marampata. From here we will walk another two hours until we reach the archaeological complex of Choquequirao, located at 3 103 masl / 10 178 ft, where we will camp and enjoy some free time to explore the terraces and buildings. As the sun begins to set,
Today we enjoy a full guided tour of the Choquequirao complex: we will visit the high parts (Hanan) and the low parts (Urin), and some areas that are still covered with wild foliage and ready to be restored as they were when the Incas owned it. We will have the whole day to explore the site and relax, enjoying the spectacular views that surround the area.
This morning we begin our trek back to Santa Rosa, where we have lunch. We then continue descending for another 2 hours until we reach Rosalina beach (1 450 masl / 4 756 ft), where we might have time to take a refreshing swim in the waters of the Apurimac River. We camp and have dinner here.
We leave the camp after breakfast to begin the two to three hour ascent to Chiquisca, and then return to Abra Capuliyoc, near which we have lunch. In the afternoon, we continue on our two-hour return route to Cachora, where private transportation will be waiting to take us back to Cusco. Estimated time of arrival is around 9.00pm.
* Departure and arrival times are approximate.
** The campsites are subject to change according to the criteria of our guide and the progress of the group.
Difficulty
Challenging: the route has steep highs and lows, with altitude changes in a day of over 1600 m / 5200 ft and generally warm weather during the day due to the lower altitude versus Cusco. We recommend allowing a day’s acclimatization in Cusco before departure on the trek.
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