Choquequirao Trek plus Machu Picchu – 5 Days

The Choquequirao to Machu Picchu – 5 Days is the perfect option for someone who wants to do a challenging hike in Peru. Perched atop a ledge, high above the Apurimac river, Choquequirao – which means “Cradle of Gold” in Quechua – offers a fascinating glimpse into Inca history.

Known as Machu Picchu’s “sister city,” the Choquequirao ruins are even more intriguing given their remoteness. These Inca ruins are just as – or even more – impressive than Machu Picchu, and they are still only partially uncovered. And the best way to experience this magnificent site is by joining a Choquequirao trekking tour.

Choquequirao to Machu Picchu – 5 Days highlights:

• Trek to the hidden incan site that not many people go.
• Like Machu Picchu, Choquequirao has structures that mark solar events such as solstices and equinoxes.
• You will be practically alone with an archeological site very spectacular like Machu Picchu.
• The few tourists in the world who visited Choquequirao agree that it was worth it.
• Learn a lot about the Inca culture.
• Discover the second lost city of the Incas.
• The Choquequirao ruins receive less than a dozen visitors a day.
• Chance to see local flora and flora including the Andean condor.
• You will savor the Peruvian cuisine which will be prepared by our master chef.

Acclimatization:
We recommend you be in Cusco at least 2 days before your trek to be acclimatized to Cusco’s altitude so that you won’t have a problem during the tour.

About us:
Choquequirao Expeditions is a direct local tour operator in Cusco – Peru; we never share our tours with other companies as most of them do to minimize operating costs. We don’t work with intermediaries or have hidden prices; we have the best local guides and professionals. We guarantee that your travel expenditures will support the local economy, and improve the lives of local Peruvians, due to the simple reason we are a local business!

Our adventure begins with the pick up at your hotel in Cusco. We will board our bus in the direction of the town of Cachora, where we will meet the rest of the Choquequirao Expeditions team, the muleteers, cooks and horses.

From this point, we begin our walk through a beautiful Andean landscape, and we will have a beautiful view of the Padreyoc and Wayna Cachora mountains. We will have an impressive view of the Apurimac valley from the viewpoint called Capuliyoc; then, we will continue our walk until we reach Chiquisca, where we will have our lunch.

Then we will continue our walk until descending to Playa Rosalina (1550 m.a.s.l.), which is the lowest point; from this place, we will ascend for approximately 2 hours until we reach Santa Rosa, place of our first camp.

• Total Walking Distance: 12 km
• Total Walking Time: 6-7h
• Minimum Altitude: 1520m (4986 ft) / Maximum Altitude: 2970m (9744 ft)
• Altitude of camp: 2095m (6973 ft)
• Approx. night temperature: 8°C

We will get up early in the morning to take advantage of the clear and sunny day that touched us, we start the walk with our guide to the archaeological monument of Choquequirao before leaving we will have our strong breakfast and then we start the uphill walk with an estimated time 1 hour and 30 minutes through a slope with dense vegetation, bushes with intertwined branches unique to the high jungle region, until we arrive at the community of MARANPATA, the place of our next camp, in this place, we will take a short rest and then continue with the walk of approximately 2 hours one way through a road with flat and steep geography with snow-capped mountains until you reach the most important destination of this adventure CHOQUEQUIRAO and it will be time to start exploring this magnificent city of the last bastion of the resistance of the children of the sun against the Spanish invasion.

We will visit the various sectors that comprise this archaeological center along a path of abundant vegetation for approximately 20 minutes until we reach the main square of Choquequirao, its architecture is distributed around an esplanade or main square with a system of agricultural terraces and archaeological evidence.
After having toured this archaeological complex we will have lunch to finally return to our camp in MARANPATA where we spend the night after dinner.

• Total Walking Distance: 16.2 km
• Total Walking Time: 7-8h
• Minimum Altitude: 2095m (6873 ft) / Maximum Altitude: 3050m (10,007 ft)
• Altitude of camp: 2940m (9646 ft)
• Approx. night temperature: 5°C

The breakfast will be served at 6 am, immediately we will start the descent to Santa Rosa (2115 masl) where we will have our lunch, after the lunch we will continue descending to Playa Rosalina (1550 masl), after a brief rest we will continue the walking tour to the camping place of Chiquisca (1950 masl), this ascent lasts about 2 hours, in this place, we will find refreshing drinks that are sold by the humble inhabitants of the zone, after the meal we will spend the night here.

• Total Walking Distance: 8.9km (12.3km if camping at Cocamasana)
• Total Walking Time: 4-5h (6-7h if camping at Cocamasana)
• Minimum Altitude: 1520m (4986 ft) / Maximum Altitude: 2940m (9646 ft)
• Altitude of camp: 1950m (6397 ft) (or 2450m (8038 ft), if camping at Cocamasana)
• Approx. night temperature: 5°C

We finish our Choquequirao trek this morning with a 3 to 4-hour climb upwards to Capuliyoc. We’re once again rewarded with spectacular views when we reach our destination. At Capuliyoc, we will have our last lunch, we will also say goodbye to our staff who will accompany us on the route; then, our car will be waiting here to pick us up to start the 5-hour drive to Ollantaytambo. From here, we take the train to Aguas Calientes (2 hours), where we will check in at a nice hotel and have dinner.

• Total Walking Distance: 7km (or 3.6km, if you camped at Cocamasana on D3)
• Total Walking Time: 3-4h (or 2h, if you camped at Cocamasana on D3)
• Minimum Altitude: 1950m (6397 ft) / Maximum Altitude: 2970m (9744 ft)

We’ve finally made it to the last stretch of our 5 days Choquequirao Trek in Peru! After a very early breakfast at the hotel, we will take the bus up to Machu Picchu in the pre-dawn hours to reach Machu Picchu.

Your 4h visit to Machu Picchu can be spent exploring some of the alternative routes, like the Inca Bridge, after which your guide will give you a 2-3h walking tour of the historic citadel.

You may want to climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain to cap off your Machu Picchu experience, but remember that permits are limited and must be reserved at the time of booking! There is an additional cost to hike either Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain not included in the Choquequirao trek price.

After visiting Machu Picchu, you can take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes (or walk down!). From there, we return to Cusco in the afternoon by the Expedition (tourist class) train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo, where our driver will meet us and transfer you directly back to your hotel in Cusco. Total travel time is about 4 hours from Aguas Calientes to Cusco.

• Total Walking Distance: 2km
• Total Walking Time: 3-4h
• Minimum Altitude: 2000m (6561 ft) / Maximum Altitude: 2500 (8202 ft)

• Pre trek Briefing (briefing at the hotel or office).
• Pick up from your hotel on the morning of departure.
• Transportation from Cusco to the trailhead at the beginning of the hike by private car.
• English / Quechua / Spanish professional guide speak.
• Second Tour Guide over 12 people.
• Tents – 2 people in a 4 person tent, which allows for greater comfort and storage of backpacks.
• Thermarest air-inflate Comfortable sleeping Mattress.
• Cook and assistance of the Cook.
• Cooking equipment.
• Snacks.
• Daily tea service.
• Dining equipment, including chairs and tables.
• Portable environmental Biodegradable toilet (The Pett).
• Foodservice in the campsites (4 breakfast, 4 lunches, 4 dinners, 4 snacks) – nutritionally balanced menu.
• Vegetarian and free gluten food for no extra cost.
• Horseman and Horses. (To carry our camping equipment, food and 8 kilos of your personal stuff like sleeping bag and mat as well as clothes) We Never overload our Horses (well Animal Welfare).
• Choquequirao entrance fees.
• Camping spots fees.
• First-aid kit.
• Emergency oxygen bottle.
• Insurance policy for our porters and cooks.
• Entrance fee to Machu Picchu (Huayna Picchu $ 40 extra).
• 1-night accommodation in Aguas Calientes (twin bedroom with private bathroom and hot shower).
• Tourist Expeditions Train ticket from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes (round trip).
• Visit Machupicchu on the last day (2 hours guided tour to explore the whole Incan sites).
• Private transportation (Ollantaytambo – Cusco).

• Extra expenses.
• Breakfast – Day 1.
• Lunch & Dinner – Day 5.
• Pillows.
• Not detailed meals.
• Travel and health insurance (bring copies with you).
• Sleeping bags (it can be rented from us for US$ 30 for the entire trip).
• Walking sticks (it can be rented from us for US$ 20 for the entire trip).
• Bus Round Trip (Aguas Calientes – Machupicchu – Aguas Calientes).
• Tips (optinal).

• Original Passport.
• Original Student Card (if you book as a student).
• A travel insurance card is essential.
• Sleeping bag.
• Walking sticks.
• Rain gear (jacket and pants) or poncho. Plastic ponchos can be purchased for about $ 2 in Cusco.
• Strong footwear, waterproof trekking boots are recommended. Extra socks are a must.
• Sandals or plastic slip thongs are also good to give your feet a chance to breathe at night if you want to take them.
• Warm clothes include jackets, fleeces, gloves, scarf, and knit / tour beanies. Thermal clothing is also recommended, especially for sleeping.
• Flashlight and extra batteries.
• Camera, and batteries.
• Hat or cap to protect you from sun, rain, and cold.
• Sunblock.
• Insect repellent – minimum recommended 40% DEET – although no malaria risk has been reported.
• Toilet paper.
• Snacks: biscuits, energy bars, chocolate, raw fruits, muesli, etc.
• Non-disposable canteen (Nalgene type) and water for the first morning.
• We recommend bringing water purification tablets in case you pick up water from streams.
• Your own special medicines you may need, paracetamol, second skin blisters, etc.
• Small towel.
• Cash – sufficient for snacks, tips and souvenirs.
• Bathers/swimsuit (if you think swimming in the hot springs).
• Eager and adventurous spirit to enjoy your hike.

We also offer a special service only for you or your group, you have the power to choose the size of your group and the date of departure, we will never add other people since it will be organized only for you.

Our Choquequirao to Machu Picchu – 5 Days private service, includes additional items such as:

• Extra Horse to ride.
• North Face 4 season tents.
• Sleeping Bag.
• 02 Waking Poles per person.
• 1 Duffel Bag to carry all your sleeping bags, self-inflating pad as well as clothes.
• Private Transportation just for you.
• Sleeping bag / Silk Liner included.
• Hotel 3 Stars (At Aguas Calientes Town).
• Entrance to climb Huaynapicchu Mountain.
• Vistadome Train (First Class train back from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo).
• Private Van from Ollantaytambo to Cusco.
• Bus Round Trip (Aguas Calientes – Machupicchu – Aguas Calientes).
• Lunch in Machupicchu or Aguas Calientes.
• Tour Guide to explore Choquequirao, Machupicchu, and Huaynapicchu all day. And of course, we pay a little more to our Staff and Guide.

We offer 3 kinds of service, each with different price ranges and you can book in any of these services according to your convenience, we just need you to be a minimum of 02 people to organize your trip on the date that suits you, all our services are 100 % guaranteed.

We are a direct TOUR OPERATOR that never passes clients to other agencies as most agencies do it here in Cusco to save operating costs with poor quality.

We will make the trip even if there are only 02 people in your group.

Can i be picked up from the Sacred Valley?
Yes, let us know in advance to organize your pick up time (It has an extra cost for it).