Choquequirao Trek

We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco at approximately 4:30 a.m. and drive across the Andes toward Capuliyoc, arriving at around 8:30 a.m. After enjoying the first breakfast prepared by your chef, you will begin your adventure to one of the legendary lost cities of the Incas: the Choquequirao citadel.

The first section is approximately four hours downhill from Capuliyoc (2,950 m / 9,678 ft) to our lunch spot at Chikiska (1,950 m / 6,398 ft). Along the way, you will enjoy your first views of the Apurimac Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in Peru. This section offers spectacular panoramas and changing landscapes, from the mountains of Peru to the dense vegetation of the cloud forest.

After lunch, continue the journey for approximately two more hours to Santa Rosa (2,230 m / 7,300 ft), where we will camp for the night.

After breakfast, get ready for one of the most challenging days of the trek. First, hike uphill for approximately four hours to Marampata (2,940 m / 9,646 ft). Along the way, you will visit sugar cane farms where local families produce “Cañazo,” a traditional alcoholic drink that has been made for centuries and transported to cities such as Cusco.

Lunch will be served in a local house with amazing views of the surrounding mountains and river. After lunch, continue for approximately two more hours along an undulating trail toward Choquequirao (3,050 m / 10,006 ft).

Perched high in the Peruvian Andes, Choquequirao is a spectacular Inca site built in the cloud forest and abandoned during the Spanish conquest of Peru. It may have served as one of the entrance checkpoints to Vilcabamba, the last capital of the Incas, during the 16th century.

After exploring this remarkable archaeological area, return toward Marampata, where the campsite offers spectacular views of the Apurimac Valley and the Peruvian Andes.

Wake up to a cup of coffee or coca tea served by your trekking team while you enjoy a spectacular sunrise from this magical location. After breakfast, begin an approximately three-hour descent toward Santa Rosa (2,230 m / 7,300 ft), where you will stop for lunch.

Later, continue downhill for approximately one more hour before beginning a two-hour uphill section toward the final campsite at Chikiska (1,950 m / 6,398 ft).

This is an excellent day to appreciate the surrounding landscapes and natural diversity of the region, with numerous flowers, birds, and waterfalls visible in the distance.

On the final day, wake up early and enjoy your last breakfast with the trekking team. Then prepare for the final approximately four-hour uphill trek to Capuliyoc.

After lunch, say goodbye to the trekking team that accompanied you throughout this expedition. From Capuliyoc, take private transportation to the archaeological site of Saywite, where you will have time to explore its remarkable carved stone, believed to be associated with the region’s complex irrigation system.

After the visit, continue by private transportation to Cusco, arriving at your hotel at approximately 6:00 p.m.