Choquequirao to Machu Picchu trek

Your adventure begins bright and early, at around 5:00am! Your private transportation will pick you up from your hotel for your transfer to Capuliyoc, the gateway town for the Choquequirao trek. The route will take you through the Pampas de Anta, an extensive area of fertile grasslands and valleys, surrounded by snow-capped mountains. Upon arrival in Capuliyoc , you will meet your team of porters and mules and make a brief stop for breakfast. Then, it will be time to start your adventure to Choquequirao!  You will be rewarded for your efforts with simply spectacular views, encompassing imposing, snow-capped mountains, the Apurimac river, and even a glimpse of Choquequirao itself! One of the major benefits of the Choquequirao trek is the relative lack of other visitors, and from this lookout point you can properly appreciate the gloriously unspoilt scenery of the Apurimac Canyon. After lunch at Chiquishca , you will descend to your campsite at  Santa Rosa , where you will have dinner and enjoy some well-earned rest!   Hiking Distance: 12 Km/8-9 hours. Hiking Difficulty:  Moderate Maximum Altitude:  2850m/ 9470ft Campsite Altitude: 1930 m. / 6332 Ft.

• Meals:  L, D
• Accommodation: Tent
• Transport: Private tourist transport
• Activities: All the ones described in the itinerary accompanied by a professional tour guide

Cross the river via the hanging bridge, and begin your ascent up towards the ruins. This is the most challenging part of the trail, but you will be rewarded with the chance to enjoy the diverse flora and fauna of the Apurimac Canyon: violets and orchids, anteaters and deer, and a huge variety of birds! The trail zigzags up the side of the canyon, towards Marampata village (2850m). Here, you will make a brief stop for lunch before walking the last 1½ hours up to your long-awaited goal, Choquequirao (3033m)! You will spend the afternoon exploring the enigmatic site of Choquequirao with your guide. Enjoy the tranquility and mysterious atmosphere of this rarely-visited site, which received on average only 20 visitors per day, compared with some 3000 at Machu Picchu! Discover the nine zones of the site, originally built as separate small towns around the main square; the sweeping agricultural terraces; and the twenty-four llama mosaics. You’ll camp just twenty minutes from the site itself, giving you the wonderful opportunity to enjoy the sunset over the ruins!   Hiking Distance: 12.5 Km/7-8 hours. Hiking Difficulty: Moderate - Challenging Maximum Altitude: 3033m/ 11,125ft Campsite Altitude: 3033m/ 11,125ft  

• Meals: B, L, D
• Accommodation: Tent
• Activities: All the ones described in the itinerary accompanied by a professional tour guide

After a quick breakfast at the campsite, you’ll head up to Choquequirao in time to watch the beautiful Andean sunrise add even more magic to the ruins! You will have some free time to explore the site at your own pace, and get your fill of this enigmatic place. Next, you’ll continue your trek, hiking up to Choquequirao pass (3500m), from which point you’ll be able to appreciate both the Apurimac Canyon and also your next challenge: the Rio Blanco canyon! You’ll descend towards Rio Blanco (1000m), stopping off for a brief tour of the recently-restored archaeological site of Pinchayunuyoc. After lunch (and a rest!) at Rio Blanco, you’ll continue through the so-called “Dry Forest”, an area of impressively tall, but mostly leafless trees. Next, you’ll cross the sparkling Victoria River, and begin the ascent to your campsite at Maizal (3000m). Make a note of the different microclimates that you experience as you make your way up the canyon. The climb here is certainly challenging, but you will be rewarded with some of the best views of the entire hike! Maizal campsite boasts views over three valleys, surrounded by majestic, snow-capped mountains. Enjoy these amazing views as you eat dinner and rest up for tomorrow!     Hiking Distance: 15 Km/7-8 hours. Hiking Difficulty: Moderate - Challenging Maximum Altitude: 3500m/ 11,482ft Campsite Altitude: 3000m/ 9842ft  

• Meals: B, L, D
• Accommodation: Tent
• Activities: All the ones described in the itinerary accompanied by a professional tour guide

Eat a good breakfast this morning, because you’ll be beginning the day with an ascent to San Juan Pass (4200m). Your efforts will prove to be worth it, as this is one of the most beautiful treks of the hike. You’ll ascend along an original Inca trail, passing through an atmospheric cloud forest before arriving into the Andean highlands. Here, you can take a break at one of the ancient Minas Victorias, and learn about the minerals that were once produced in the area. You’ll have lunch at the top of the pass, enjoying spectacular views over the Vilcabamba mountain range, the last refuge of the Incas, and the surrounding glaciers. During the afternoon, you’ll descend to your campsite at Yanama (3500m), a small village located at the bottom of a valley. You’ll have some free time to explore this isolated highland village, where the locals are famous for growing potatoes using traditional methods dating back to the time of the Incas. Hiking Distance: 11 Km/7-8 hours. Hiking Difficulty: Moderate Maximum Altitude: 4200m/ 13,779ft Campsite Altitude: 3500m/ 11,482ft  

• Meals: B, L, D
• Accommodation: Tent
• Activities: All the ones described in the itinerary accompanied by a professional tour guide

After breakfast you will take a local bus to Santa Teresa for about 4 hours . Enjoy lunch in Santa Teresa to start your walk to Aguas Calientes  through the train tracks. Overnight in Aguas Calientes Hiking Distance: 5 Km/ 3hours. Hiking Difficulty: Moderate   

• Meals: B, L, D
• Accommodation: Hostal with private bath and hot water
• Activities: All the ones described in the itinerary accompanied by a professional tour guide

 

You’ll begin the day with an early breakfast, so that you can catch the first bus to Machu Picchu and beat the crowds to enjoy the mysterious, ruined city at its best. Nothing beats the feeling of seeing this wonder of the world for the first time, especially when you’ve walked for so many days to get there!

Wander through the magnificently-preserved ruins, and discover the city with your expert guide, before spending some time exploring the city at your own pace. Contemplate the magnificent, ruined buildings, wonder at the many unsolved mysteries of the majestic site and admire the breathtaking views of the Sacred Valley, almost as impressive as the citadel itself!

After your tour, you will hike up Huayna Picchu with your guide. You can explore ruins of Inca shrines on the way up the mountain, away from the crowds that often fill the rest of the site. From the tranquillity at the summit of Huayna Picchu, you can take in awe-inspiring views of Machu Picchu, and of the surrounding mountains.

In the afternoon, you’ll take the bus back to Aguas Calientes. After some free time in town to grab lunch and some last-minute souvenirs, you will take the train back to Cusco, where you private transfer will be waiting to take you back to your hotel. You’re sure to be exhausted, but also absolutely ecstatic at your achievement of having walked the most challenging path to Machu Picchu

Hiking Distance: 19 Km/9-10 hours. Hiking Difficulty: Moderate Maximum Altitude: 2740m/ 8989ft  

• Meals: B
• Entrances to Machu Picchu
• Bus up and down to Machu Picchu
• Train Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
• Transfer from Ollantaytambo to your accommodation in Cusco