THIS TREK IS FOR EXPERIENCED TREKKERS! grade I
Walk on the beaten path of Choquequirao, trekking up and down the Apurimac Canyon “located north of Cuzco.” The journey includes visiting the mysterious Sayhuite monolith, located before Cachora village and in the Apurimac region of Peru.
Choquequirao means “the Cradle of Gold” because there was/is gold there. It is probably the last Inca refuge with Machu Picchu in the Cusco region. Choquequirao is built on a promontory on the western flanks of the Vilcabamba mountain range, nearly 2,000 meters/6,562 feet above the raging Apurimac River (which means “the lord is speaking”). The Apurimac River is responsible for carving one of Peru’s deepest canyons. Wedged in a dense cloud forest and green Andean valleys, it is comparable in size to Machu Picchu. It is accessible only by foot and is a demanding trail that ascends almost 1,500 meters/4,929 feet in a zigzag pattern. Within just a few kilometers/miles, it offers the extremes of Andes glaciers at over 6,000 m/19,685 ft to steamy tropical Andean valleys at 1,800 m/5,905 ft.
There were about 1,200 Incas in ancestral times with the Inca ruler, his wife, Qoya, and the high Andes Priests. Choquequirao has Inca staircases around the mountain and straight to the Apurimac River and ritual baths, temples, and squares. Only 30% of the ruins have been uncovered, and more are covered by thick jungle.
5 Days Choquequirao Trek Itinerary
Day 1: Capulilloc to Playa Rosalinda
This trek is on some Inca trails, where hikers might prove their physical condition. It is located in the remote Andes Mountains with its beauty, making for a spectacular nature vacation with canyons, glaciers, Inca sites, and camps. From Cusco city, we start very early, at 4:30 AM. We travel for 4 hours and a half by transport to get to the starting point of the trek. We have professional drivers because the route has many winding roads, canyon sites, and high mountains, so an expert driver is required. The views of the snow-capped peaks of the Andes across the farmlands are amazing.
We travel across Izcuchaca (the land of the silver), Tarawasi (the resting place of the professional Inca runners called Chaskis), Limatambo (the land of the avocados), Cunyac bridge (border limit between Cuzco and Apurimac states), Carmen (delicious pink mangos area), Curahuasi (place of anise and flaxseed), the Ramal (beginning of the dirt road), Cachora village and Capulilloc, at the end of the dirt road. Here are muleteers waiting for us. After meeting with them, we must pack all the mountain equipment on mules and donkeys. As we pack, we can see the stunning close-up views of the Vilcabamba range.
A few minutes into the trek, we have the first glimpse of Choquequirao park. In the distance, we can also see the natural lookout of Capulilloc. The trail path has a zigzag system that drops steeply towards the Apurimac River. During the descending hike, the vistas are breathtaking. We also find dry cactus, Peru Tequila, and the Andes Canyon carved by the Apurimac River (the third deepest canyon in Peru). Today we camp at the small oasis of Playa Rosalinda near the Apurimac River.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Day 2: Playa Rosalinda to Choquequirao
We will start early to avoid the heat of the sun. The rocky mountains and the canyon make for a super hot hike. We pass over a suspension footbridge (1,550 m/5,100 ft.). The mules and donkeys use the same hanging bridge. From this dry canyon zone, the broad trail makes a zigzagging ascent towards Santa Rosa, where you can get fresh water and drinks and where the local people have small sugar cane plantations. From this sugar cane, they obtain a juice called Cambrai. This super sweet drink can be super powerful. In fact, after a few seconds, you might be drunk, but it is an excellent experience to drink this ancestral and Colonial drink. After some zigzags on the trail, we reach a green valley and the Marampata settlement. The vistas will be incredible the rest of the way. The absolute path of the day passes through the cool shadows of the native cloud forest as we approach the INC camp.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Choquequirao Full-Day Tour Activity
Hikers, today we have the entire day to explore the Mountain of Choquequirao Park, “the Cradle of Gold.” A French explorer, Eugene d’ Dartigues, came here in the 19th century, and in 1909 Hiram Bingham also came here before discovering Machu Picchu. In ancient times the Inca ruler, Topa, decided to build a personal spiritual retreat where the magical sunrises and sunsets were amazing. The proper places were occupied by the Inca nobility.
Today, for a half-day, we explore the upper side of Choquequirao: the central plaza, the twin ceremonial area, the Inca fountains, the house of the Inca Ruler, the House of the Condor, corridors, royal residences, the Inca channel of water, and the ceremonial platform (it has a 360° view). If you have more energy, we might visit the llama wall with its unique designs on one side of the mountain. Then we return to INC camp to recover our energy with our Andean lunch. The rest of the day is leisure time to explore the lower side of Choquequirao or relax at our camp.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Choquequirao to Cocamasana
We return to the depths of the Apurimac canyon, gaining new perspectives as we face the immense multi-hued cliffs on the south bank of the Apurimac River. Already at Sunchu Pata, we have the last view of Choquequirao; then, we enjoy the total downhill towards Playa Rosalinda. (We recommend having perfect light hiking shoes, and a pair of hiking poles are essential.) From Playa Rosalinda, we climb up the hotter area and trek to Cocamasana camp.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Cocamasana to Capulilloc and Cusco
We hike out of the Apurimac Canyon very early in the morning for approximately 3 hours and a half to the end of the Inca Trail. We enter the mountainous grasslands stretching toward the Capulilloc lookout from cactus and smooth-barked trees. At Capulilloc is the time to say farewell to our trail and crew. After that, we start to drive back to Cusco city. On the way back, we visit the Monolith of Sayhuite, where we see some Inca models for plans to build an Inca city at that location. Lunch is provided as our Kondor transport, and the driver will bring us a box lunch from Cusco. We stop at magnificent roadsides for the last picnic lunch during our ride back.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Hike Choquequirao with KONDOR PATH TOURS
