Resumen:

• DAY 1: CUSCO – CACHORA – SANTA ROSA
• DAY 2: SANTA ROSA -CHOQUEQUIRAO
• DAY 3: CHOQUEQUIRAO -RIO BLANCO
• DAY 4: RIO BLANCO- MAIZAL
• DAY 5: MAIZAL – YANAMA
• DAY 6: YANAMA -TOTORA
• DAY 7: TOTORA -LA PLAYA
• DAY 8: LA PLAYA -LLACTAPATA – HIDRLECTRICA AGUAS CALIENTES
• DAY 9: AGUAS CALIENTES -MACHU PICCHU -CUSCO

Perfect for those looking to get away from the crowds, The trek takes you from Choquequirao to the city of Machu Picchu,
With a wide variety of flora and fauna, beautiful scenery and Inca sites, the Choquequirao Trek is the adventure of a lifetime.

DAY 1

CUSCO – CACHORA – SANTA ROSA

We will begin Choquequirao Expeditions by picking you up from your hotel in Cusco and transporting you in our private van to the town of Cachora, a 4 hour drive from Cusco. Here, you will have breakfast while we put the equipment on the horses. Once we are ready to embark from the village of Cachora, we will be able to take in the beauty of the snow-covered mountain, Padrayoc, at an elevation of (5,483m/18,000ft). We will then hike for between 8-10 hours, observing many breathtaking sites along the way. Our walk will start out quite flat with views of snow-covered peaks and small farms. From the viewpoint of Capuliyoc, we may be able to see condors. We will descend towards the Apurímac Canyon, where we will stop for lunch at Chiquisqa, located at 6,400 feet (1,950m/6,400ft). From here, we will continue to hike down the Apurímac Canyon to the Apurímac River at (1,550m/5,000ft). After a short break at the river, we will begin a steep climb towards Santa Rosa, where we will camp for the night in a small sugarcane plantation, located at (2,115m/7,000ft).

DAY 2

SANTA ROSA -CHOQUEQUIRAO

On the second day, we will continue our hike up to Choquequirao. The first 2-3 hours will be steep, but then the trail will level out for a bit until it becomes steep again. Along the way, we will see beautiful vegetation with a large variety of orchids. After this section of the Choquequirao Expeditions, we will arrive to the archaeological complex of Choquequirao. We will rest in this beautiful place and your guide will explain the three levels of excavated ruins that contain houses, terraces and other parts of this ancient Inca-town. We will see the ruins in the process of being excavated. At approximately 4:00 p.m., we will be able to see Andean Condors fly above our heads.

DAY 3

CHOQUEQUIRAO -RIO BLANCO

After a hearty breakfast, we will have plenty of time to enjoy the majestic archaeological site before continuing our trek uphill. We will first walk through the cloud forest which then leads through an open prairie with views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. We will then follow the old water canal for a while before we start the 3-hour walk to the Pinchinuyoc archaeological site, discovered in 1998. When we reach Pinchinoyoc, your guide will explain that the location of this place in the middle of the cloud forest, almost invisible because of the thick layer of moss, makes the site special. We will find our campsite shortly after in Río Blanco.

DAY 4

RIO BLANCO- MAIZAL

We will walk through interesting an area with vegetation known as the Dry Andean Highland Forest. Trees and plants here look different to anything you have probably seen before. We will arrive at Victoria River after a few hours and take a bath in the cold and clear river water. After our break, we will cross the river and start the long and steep climb to our camp in Maizal, high above the river . On the way up, we can catch our breath in the shade. Once we reach Maizal, we will have our lunch and relax for the afternoon. Maizal will provide us with the most beautiful campsite of the entire trek. From here, we will be able to see three valleys and a snow-peaked mountain right across the way.

DAY 5

MAIZAL – YANAMA

We will continue the Choquequirao Expeditions by leaving our campsite in Maizal and walking towards the San Juan pass. We will have another long climb, but this area is one of the most beautiful of the Choquequirao Expeditions. First, we will walk through a cloud forest and then over Andean Puna with the well-known ichu grass. We will rest at some of the Victoria mines where we will learn about the minerals and metals in the metallic shiny stones. As we continue through the Puna, we will walk on the well-preserved Inca Trails. We will have lunch at the pass at, (4,000m/13,100ft), while taking in the view of the Choquetakarpo mountain before we start the descend towards Yanama, a small village at the bottom of a long valley surrounded by mountains.

DAY 6

YANAMA -TOTORA

We will continue our hike to Machu Picchu from Yanama up through the valley towards the highest point of the Choquequirao Expeditions, The Yanama Pass at an impressive elevation of (4,500m/14,800). Along the way, we will have a good view of the snow capped mountain, Sacsarayoc. Once again, we will have the chance to see condors and the morning’s smooth climb will bring us new landscapes, especially the wet grass fields that are different  from every other view on the Choquequirao Expeditions. We might walk through snow along this path before descending through grassy fields, bush areas and crossing small wood dirt bridges on the way to the community of Totora, where we will spend the night.

DAY 7

TOTORA -LA PLAYA

We will now walk about 6,600 feet (2,000 meters) down through a variety of vegetations to a warmer camp in the village of La Playa. This part of the trip will take approximately 7 hours. On the way, we will see small waterfalls and take a refreshing natural bath. This area also has an impressive variety of bird life and after a short time walking, it will be obvious that the climate and vegetation have completely changed. You will now be able to see several types of orchids and other recognizable plants. We will be spending the night in The Playa, the largest village along the way, where we can find some small shops to buy snacks. In this area, we will be able to see small coffee and banana plantations. Tonight we will celebrate a full week of trekking on Choquequirao Expeditions.

DAY 8

LA PLAYA -LLACTAPATA – HIDRLECTRICA AGUAS CALIENTES

Today, we will walk through La Playa to the hydroelectric station at the Urubamba River. We will walk uphill for about three hours until we reach Llactapata archaeological site that is located behind Machu Picchu. From here, we will see all of Machu Picchu and part of the Inca Trail. We will then continue down to the Valley until we reach the hydroelectric station. Here, we will wait for the train or continue walking to Aguas Calientes. We will relax in the afternoon and soak in the medicinal hot springs in Aguas Calientes. We will spend the night in a comfortable hostel.

DAY 9

AGUAS CALIENTES -MACHU PICCHU -CUSCO

We will wake up very early to take the bus to Machu picchu, where we will be one of the first visitors of the day to enjoy the magic and mystery of one of the modern wonders of the world. The tour with your guide will take around 2-3 hours. After the walking tour, you will have free time to explore the entire city on your own and to climb Wayna Picchu. (if you have ticket). In the afternoon, we will take the bus down to Aguas Calientes and board the train to Cusco.

Choquequirao Expeditions includes:

• Transportation from your hotel to Cachora.
• English-speaking professional guide.
• Meals: 8 Breakfasts/8 Lunches/8 Dinners ; snacks.
• Chef and cooking equipment.
• Horsemen and horses to carry tents, food and cooking equipment. 1 emergency horse.
• Hostel accommodation (8th night).
• Round trip bus ticket: aguas calientes – Machupicchu (9th day).
• Entrance fee to Machupicchu.
• Train ticket aguas calientes  – Cusco (Backpacker express train)
• Tents: We place 2 people in each 3-person-capacity tent, to allow for greater comfort and extra space to keep your backpacks.
• Mattress (sleeping pad), dinner tent, bathroom tent, kitchen tent, tables; seats, table set,
• First aid kit including emergency oxygen.
• Pachacutec’s kitchen and dining room to prepare food.

Not Included in Choquequirao Expeditions:

• Sleeping bag (can be rented at pachacutec expedition office).
• Tips for your guide and staff, who work many tours to Machu Picchu, are much appreciated.

Price: US$ 1000 per person.
Minimun 2 peolpe required
Group Size: 2-8 people

Note:

Choquequirao Expeditions services include pick-up and drop-off at your hotel in Cusco. This is an additional service that we provide, which sets us apart from other tour providers.
For all group bookings of greater than 3 people, we offer you a free city tour or tour of the Sacred Valley.
Pachacutec Expeditions, does not have any hidden fees. We includes a porter that will carry your personal belongings in all of our treks, at no additional cost.
We will provide you with a duffel bag to put all of your belongings in. The duffel bags easily fit 8 Kilograms /17 pounds per person including your sleeping bags.
However, you will still need to carry your day pack with all of your essentials like water, sunscreen, passport, etc
We offer a discount of US $20 to students with a valid International Student Identity Card (ISIC) and to children under the age of 16 years old. Scanned copies of your ISIC card or child’s passport must be provided at the time of payment of the deposit for the trek in order to qualify for the international discount.

Train for the end of the Choquequirao Expeditions:

We suggest our tourists 6:45 p.m. train. This departure time will allow you to spend more time at Machu Picchu and do more activities like climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, which can be booked additionally. Also, you can walk to the sun gate , the inca bridge, and still have time to enjoy the hot springs or some cervezas after a long trek.
The 6:45 p.m. train will arrive in Ollantaytambo train station at 8:20 p.m. and you will be picked up by your driver outside of the train station. The driver will be holding a sign with your name on it so that there will be no confusion. If you do not see the driver initially, just wait for them outside the train station. Once the driver has picked you up, then you will travel for 1 1/2 hours in a van before you arrive back at your hotel/hostel. Arrival time in Cusco is approximately 10:00 p.m.
Also, we suggest the 2:55 p.m. train for travelers who are planning to leave Cusco city early in the morning the next day to continue with their travel plans.
Important: We guarantee these early Expedition departures, as per the itinerary, if you book your tours in 2 months in advance. Otherwise we may be forced to offer the Expedition train that departs at 6:45 p.m. only.

There is an option to upgrade your train to the Vistadome train, which is an extra US $35 per person. Please let us your preference at the time of booking.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

If you are thinking of climbing Huayna picchu mountain you must book in advance. Only 400 people can hike Huaynapicchu per day. You will climb it on your own after the tour in Machu Picchu, starting around 10:00 a.m. We recomend that you book your tickets in advance to let us know  of your interest in Huayna Picchu. Machu Picchu Mountain is an alternative climbing mountain, which also offers fantasic views of the site. We recomend it if huayna Picchu Mountain is overbooked.

Rentals

Hiking poles: US $1o.00 (pair)

Sleeping bag US $2o.00

Air Matress US $15.00

For treks that includes accommodation at Aguas Calientes, we will stay in a hotel. In contrast to other companies, we will not be staying in basic shared rooms or sharing showers.