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The Choquequirao trek is a truly spectacular hike that plunges down into the Apurimac canyon and then up again to the fascinating ruins of Choquequirao. While this is a quite tough hike, you are rewarded with spectacular views the whole way. The ruins of Choquequirao, perched on a ledge high above the Apurimac are not as extensive as Machu Picchu, but probably more fascinating and much more remote. This is certainly a very unique trail in the high Andes.

Choquequirao hike detailed Itinerary

Day 1: We depart Cusco at 7am in a private car. If there is time, we will visit the archaelogical site of Saywite before descending to the mountain village of Cachora, After lunch, it is a 2 hour hike to Capuliyoc (2915 metres/ 9561 feet) from where we have our first beautiful views of the Apurimac valley stretching below as well as the snow-capped peaks of Padrayoc and Wayna Cachora. Our total hiking time today is about five hours. Accommodation: Camping at Chiccisqa .

Day 2: Departing early, we descend to the magnificent Apurimac River (1550 metres/ 5084 feet) before beginning our climb to Santa Rosa and then onto Maranpata where we will have lunch. The climb from the river takes about 4 hours and is tough. From our lunch spot we can see the ruins of Choquequirao, from here we have two hours more hike to the ruins. (3110 metres/ 10120 feet) We will spend the late evening in the ruins, where we will watch the sunset and have the chance to see condors. Accommodation: Camping at Choquequirao campsite

Day 3: We have a chance to more fully explore the ruins and have a little rest in the morning. In the afternoon we return along the edge of the Apurimac canyon, descending to our tropical campsite at Santa Rosa. (5 hours hiking) Accommodation: Camping at Santa Rosa or Chiccisqa.

Day 4: Early in the morning, in order to escape the heat of the canyon of the Apurimac, we descend to the raging river, and then begin an arduous climb that is rewarded with spectacular views. We climb for about four hours, and have lunch in Capuliyoc. The final two hours of our hike into the village of Cachora refreshingly flat through pretty farming countryside. Our private car will be waiting to take us back to Cusco (4 hours drive). We will arrive in Cusco between 7and 8pm.

** Some people wish to spend an entire day exploring the ruins of Choquequirao and surrounds. If this sounds like you - the above itinerary is changed so Day 3 is spent in the ruins of Choquequirao and exploring the surrounds, and then Day 4 and 5 are as per Day 3/4 in the above itinerary.

Itinerary Notes

Itinerary Notes

• The times cited in this itinerary are approximate. Walking times depend on the group and the guide can change lunch spots and campsites, depending on the progress of the group. Each guide has their own preferred route and it might not correspond exactly to the route described here.
• If required, riding horses or horses to carry luggage can be arranged at a reasonable daily rate.
• You will note that two days of this trip are spent returning over the same route that you have come. We highly recommend continuing on with an eight day itinerary to either Huancacalle (The Last Bastion of the Incas) or to Machu Picchu (Great Ruins and Real Adventure) for a truly incredible experience.

  What's included?

  For complete facts about many aspects of Apus Peru tours, check out our FAQs page!

  • Pre Trek Briefing
  • Collection from your hotel in the morning of trek departure.
  • Transport from Cusco to the trailhead at the beginning of the trek at Cachora.
  • Entry fee to Choquequirao
  • English/Quechua/Spanish speaking professional guide (you will have an assistant guide for groups over 6 people).
  • Tents - 2 people in a 4 person tent which allows for greater comfort, and also storage of backpacks. All tents were purchased in 07/08.
  • Basic foam mattress. If you require greater comfort during the trek we can hire you an inflatable mattress (eg. Thermarest) for $5 per day.
  • Cook and Cooking equipment (Assistants are provided for larger groups)
  • Toilet tent
  • Meals as indicated in the itinerary (optional vegetarian food). Our professional cooks prepare meals that incorporate elements of the western diet and also traditional Peruvian delicacies. (Please communicate with your guide/cook during the trek if you have a preference for certain types of dishes). Salads, if served, are washed in boiled water.
  • Horses (for equipment and personal items) including horsemen. They carry camping equipment, food and kitchen utensils. We provide duffel bags at your briefing for your personal items (up to 5 kg per person). If you wish to take more, you can hire an extra mule at a cost of $8 per day.
  • 1 emergency horse which can be ridden if you are feeling ill or if are a little slower
  • Dining tent with camp tables and chairs & Kitchen tent for the cook to prepare meals
  • Tents for our staff to sleep in
  • First aid kit including emergency oxygen bottle

  What is not included?
  

  • Breakfast on the first morning.
  • Sleeping bags (can be hired from us for US$5 per day) If you haven't got a sleeping bag or you don't want the hassle of bringing one all the way to Peru with you, then we have sleeping bags for hire.
  • Tips for the guide, cook and porters
  • Additional horses for passengers luggage. If there are any substantial items or backpacks, passengers will need to hire an additional mule at a cost of $8US per day.

  You should bring:
  

  • A light day pack with a change of clothes for the whole period of the trek - prepare for a vast range of changes in temperature
  • Rain gear (jacket and pants if available) or rain poncho. Plastic ponchos can be bought for about $1 in Cusco.
  • Strong footwear, waterproof trekking boots recommended. Extra socks are a must.
  • Sandals or plastic slip on thongs are also good to give your feet a chance to breath in the evenings if you wish to carry them. there are basic cold showers at most campsites on the Choquequirao route and therefore plastic shoes are useful for showering too.
  • Warm clothes, including jacket, fleeces, gloves, scarf and beanie/touk. Thermal clothing is also recommended, especially for sleeping.
  • Sleeping bag (we can hire these to you)
  • Torch/ Flashlight and spare batteries
  • Camera, films and batteries (batteries consume more quickly under cold conditions)
  • Hat or cap to protect you from the sun, rain and cold
  • Sun block
  • After-sun cream or hydrating cream for face and body
  • Insect repellent - minimum recommended 20% DEET - although no malaria risk has been reported
  • Toilet paper, pack in & pack out
  • Snacks: biscuits, energy bars, chocolate, raw fruits, muesli, etc.
  • Non-disposable canteen (Nalgene type) and water for the first morning.
    We advise you to bring water sterilizing tablets in case you collect water from streams.
  • Your own medical kit with any special medications that you might require, paracetamol, second skin for blisters etc.
  • Small towel or sarong
  • Bathers/swimsuit (if you intend on swimming in hot springs)
  • Cash - sufficient for your final lunch in Aguas Calientes, tips and souvenirs.
  • Original passport & ISIC (international student identity card - if you have one).
  • Walking sticks or poles (we can hire these to you. Please note poles with metal tips cannot be carried into Machu Picchu and should be left at your hotel on the final day)
  • Binoculars (if you have them)

  optional extras We can hire the following to you:

  • Sleeping Bag suitable for -5 degrees celsius. ($4.00 per day)
  • Deluxe Sleeping Bag suitable for -10degrees celsius. ($6.00 per day)
  • Walking stick lightweight aluminum ($1.00 per day)
  • Inflatable mattress (eg. Thermarest) ($5.00 per day)
  • Two sticks are recommended for tough hikes.
  • Mule - $9.00 per day Most people carry their own day pack with up to 5-10kg of their things - a change of clothes and wet weather gear etc. However, if you think that you will have much luggage and you want a very light day pack (eg. just camera and water) then its advisable that you hire an extra mule .
  • Single supplement for tent - prices for these treks are calculated on a share basis. If you would like a tent to yourself you need to pay a single supplement - $25 for the whole trek.

Only after the last tree has been cut down... Only after the last river has been poisoned ... Only after the last fish has been caught... Only then you will find out that money cannot be eaten
- Cree Indian Prophecy

ALL NEW : scans of recent trip reports. Click on the link to view the pdf. After you have viewed it, click on back to return to this page.

August 05 08 report 1/ August 05 08 report 2/

How did you hear about our company? web recommendation. I really liked how detailed your web site was and even though we didn't actually do any alternative treks or activites their inclusion on the web site gave me a great feeling for your company. It was also very convenient for us that we could choose the departure date since we had a limited time frame. Although I didn't think it would matter much to me when I signed us up, in the end it was wonderful to be a "private" tour (although to be fair, it seems that all the groups that are on the same itinerary sort of end up as one large group since they share the route and the campsites).

How would you rate your overall enjoyment of your trip? 9

  How would you rate your guide? 9 Jerson definitely learned our style as the hike went on and adapted to better help us out. We appreciated that a lot. We loved hearing about plants and animals on the hike. We also really enjoyed Jerson's helping us learn some Quechua.

How were your meals? 9 It was nice how our cook noticed that we gobbled up the chilis and lime the second day, and after that offered it every lunch and dinner. He also realized how much Gabe liked popcorn, and it showed up several times! The guinea pig made us feel very special and we really appreciated it.

What did you think of the route? Stunning. Gabriel really enjoyed the plantation at Chiquisco and the jungle on the ascent to the ruins. Katrina was enamored of the wide open grain field on Cachora side of the river and the "arroyo seco (?)" in the valley before the river. We were saddened by the trash, although I guess not surprised. I can't do justice to the ruins themselves, but luckily they've been described many times before by others. I would also mention that the trail itself was very nice; well maintained, wide, soft (even if it was steep!).

What was the highlight of your trip? Conversations such as they were when Gabe and I and Jerson and Erasmo and Facundino were all together at meal times. An immense feeling of pride in my son and happiness that we were able to do this together. The heavy mysterious fog enveloping our campsite on the third morning at the choquekirau camp. The mesmerizing steep waterfall one can see across the canyon as you're ascending to Choquekirau. The realization that my high school Spanish could still serve in a pinch. Sleeping outside under brilliant Southern hemisphere stars for a few hours at Chiquisco. Memorizing a Quechua song. Seeing a soaring caracara at Choquekirau.

Katrina & Gabriel (11 years old), USA, July 2007 Choquequirao Trek,

We had a great trip to Choquequirau.  The guide, Felix, was wonderful.  He met with us at our hotel twice before we left.  We felt we were well prepared for the trip.  The campsites were chosen with a good hiking plan in mind.  The onerous climb from the Apurimac River up to Choquequirau was started early to avoid the heat of the day.  We were extremely fortunate that it was cloudy and actually had some light sprinkles on the way up.  It was meaningful to have a destination as grand as Choquequirau but for me the highlights were the walking, scenery, and sitting around together at the meals.  The team was wonderful.  The young man taking care of the animals worked extremely hard.  Javiero, the cook, was great.  The food was diverse and delicious.  Felix, made sure everything worked smoothly.  He set the pace when we needed to be controlled and allowed us to set the pace when it worked best for us.  He had a real sense for keeping us going and yet not over-stressing us.  When we do another trek in Peru we will ask for the same team. 

Once again, I am so glad you talked me out of trying to do it in three days which is what I originally inquired about.  Four days was perfect.  We just wish we would have had more time to go further and longer. Thanks to you and please pass along our praise to Felix and Javiero.

Jim & family, USA, Choquequirao trek May 2007

APUS PERU Adventure Travel Specialists - Email: apusperu@westnet.com.au

© A.Svenson 2005-08. The design, content and photographs (except where noted) are 100% original. The majority of our treks were designed by Apus Peru