CHOQUEQUIRAO – MACHU PICCHU

DAY 01: CUSCO – CACHORA – CHIQUISCA

We will depart Cusco city early in the morning, scheduled at 6am, then travel by private bus to Apurimac region, to reach the picturesque little town of Cachora, on the way we will cross the Apurimac river at Cunyac bridge, later we will ascend to Curahuasi town, where it is possible to observe some crops like anis, corn and in the upper valley many potato fields. Around this part of the valley is located the archeological site of Saywite at 3500 m. This place was a ceremonial site dedicated to the cult of water. If the weather allows, we can amaze the magnificent snow capped mountain of the Vilcabamba mountain range.
Once we arrive to Cachora town, we will meet our horsemen team and after lunch we will start our hiking adventure. The trail descends through native flora, and two hours later we will arrive to the Apurimac valley lookout point called Capuliyoc. This day we will descend to Chikiska campsite (1500 m.).
Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner

DAY 02: CHIQUISCA – CHOQUEQUIRAO

After breakfast we will start the hiking descending to the shores of the Apurimac river to cross Rosalina bridge to start ascending to the lookout point of Santa Rosa. In this area exist sugar cane fields and its possible to observe them making the local drink called cañazo, a destiled alcohol made from sugar cane. Later on the day we will keep ascending to the area called Marampata (2500 m.) for lunch. We will arrive to our campsite around 4pm, located in the sourroundings of Choquequirao.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 03: CHOQUEQUIRAO

On this day we will take all day to explore this magnificent archeological site. The ruins at Choquequirao are composed of buildings and terraces at different levels from the lower level Sunch’u Pata to the truncated hill top. The hill top has been leveled and ringed with stones to form a platform of 30×50 meters wide. Choquequirao was a check point to the Vilcabamba region, and also an administrative hub serving political, social and economic functions. Its urban design has followed the symbolic patterns of the imperial capital, with ritual places dedicated to the Sun (Inti) and the ancestors, to the earth, water and other divinities, with mansions for administrators and houses for artisans, warehouses, large dormitories or kallankas and farming terraces belonging to the Inca or the local people. Spreading over 700 meters, the ceremonial area drops as much as 65 meters from the elevated areas to the main square.This Inca town is known as the sacred sister of Machu Picchu because of its architectural and structural similarity between them.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 04: CHOQUEQUIRAO – MAIZAL

This morning we walk down through interesting vegetation know as Dry Andean Highland Forest. Trees and plants here look different to what we have seen before. We arrive to the river Victoria after a few hours and use the brake here to get a refreshing bath in the cold and clear river water. We cross walking through the river, since there are no bridges. After our brake we start the long and steep climb to our camp in Maizal, high over the river close to the sacred Apus of the Incas. On the way up we catch our breath in the shade of small trees and other vegetations on the way up. In Maizal we have our lunch and enjoy, that we can relax this afternoon – with only optional physical activity. Maizal is properly the camp in the most beautiful location of them all. From here we see 3 valleys and a great snow peak right across from us. A good place to lean back and think.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 05: MAIZAL – YANAMA

We leave our camp in Maizal and walk towards the San Juan pass. Again a long climb, but we walk in an amazingly beautiful area – first with cloud forest and then over Andean Puna with the well known ichu grass. We rest at some of the Victoria mines, where metal shining stones tell about a high concentration of minerals and metals. On our way through the Puna we walk on very well preserved Inca trails, among other characteristics with the classic zigzag. We take lunch at the pass in 4000 m. with view of the mountain Choquetakarpo. Before we start the descent towards Yanama, a small isolated settlement at the bottom of a long valley surrounded by mountains.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 06: YANAMA – TOTORA – COLCAPAMPA

We continue from Yanama up through the valley towards the highest point of the tour, The Yanama Pass in 4500 m. On the way we have a good view of the snow capped Sacsarayoc. Once again we have the chance to see condors and this morning a smooth climb will bring us through new landscapes – especially the wet grass fields under the snowline that distinguish from everything else seen on the tour. In the pass we might walk in snow, and the descent is a long foggy hike through grassy fields- and bush areas and crossing small wood/dirt bridges on the way towards the community of Totora, where we spend the night.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 07: COLCAPAMPA – LA PLAYA

We now walk the about 2000 meters down through the changing vegetations to the warmer camp in the village of La Playa. Approx. 7 hours walking. On the way we see small waterfalls and get a refreshing natural bath. The area also has a big variation of bird life and it is now obvious that the climate and vegetations have changed totally, and now we see plants recognizable from the living rooms in Europe and several types of orchids. The Playa is the biggest village on the way, where we can find some small shops to buy snack etc. In this area we can see small plantations of coffee and bananas.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 08: LA PLAYA – HIDROELÉCTRICA – AGUAS CALIENTES

From the Playa to the Hydroelectric at the Urubamba River This morning we will work up one newly opened Inca trail. This trail originally was used to transport agricultural products to the population on Machu Picchu and it takes us through an area with coffee plantations and subtropical fruits and crops. As we come up higher the trail the vegetation changes between dry and grassy with flowers and moist cloud forest. In the pass we are suddenly in a cool dense wood full of trees covered with thick mosses. Shortly hereafter we see for the first time the impressing Machu Picchu on a mountain saddle further into the valley. 10 minutes more and we arrive to our lunch spot called Llactapata. Here we have our lunch while enjoying the views of Machu Picchu and the beautiful mountains. Then we walk the last part downhill and along the river to Hydroelectrica. Here we can visit on fine Intihuatana and continue walking to Aguas Calientes where we arrive in the afternoon. We spend the night in a nice hotel.
Meals Included: Breakfast

DAY 09: AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHUPICCHU – CUSCO

Early in the morning we will take a 25 minute bus ride towards the citadel of Machu Picchu. We will then climb towards the “house of the guardian” where we can watch the sunrise in this World Wonder. Later we can visit the citadel in a two hour tour with free time to explore and discover on your own all of the marvels of this natural and cultural wonder. In late afternoon we will return in train to Ollantaytambo where a bus will be waiting for us to take us back to Cusco.
Machu Picchu is considered one of the 7 Wonders of the World. This structure was built by the Incas in their expansion and conquest of the jungle and its abandonment remains a mystery today. After its inhabitants left the citadel, abundant vegetation quickly covered the city and its existence was lost in history until 1911 when American Historian Hiram Bingham made his famous scientific discovery of the city, calling it the Lost City of the Incas.
Machu Picchu can be found in the eastern slopes of the central Andes Mountains. Its name means “Old Mountain” and it was constructed totally in stone. Machu Picchu is considered a master work of architecture and engineering, both of which helped the city to achieve visual harmony with the environment surrounding it.
Meals Included: Breakfast

TRIP INFORMATION

Grade of dificulty : 5/6
Trip Class : Adventure
Service level : Standard
Group Size : 01 to 16 travellers
Type of Service : Shared or Private
Departure Dates : April – November
Language : English

INCLUDES