Choquequirao to Machu Picchu 9 days / 8 nights

Cusco, Choquequirao

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Duration

Tour Type

Overview

The 9 Day Choquequirao Trek to Machu Picchu is one of the most beautiful and interesting treks on offer in the Cusco region. Following little visited pathways and Inca Trails, beautiful scenery and visits to the two major Inca sites in the area, this trek has it all!

The trek begins following the regular route for Choquequirao but instead of returning the way you came you continue on and eventually joins the last section of the Salkantay trek to arrive to Machu Picchu.

By booking your Choquequirao Trek with Amazon Andes Peru you are choosing the best. Don’t believe us? Check out our reviews on TripAdvisor!

Useful Information

Starting Altitude – 2900m / 9515ft.
Highest Altitude – 4840m / 15,879ft.
Walking Distance – 100km / 62 miles
Longest Day – Days 1 and 6, approximately 18km / 11.2 miles
Overall Difficulty – Difficult
Aclimatization is highly Recommended.

Very Important: Campsites may vary depending on booking time, weather conditions or on restrictions undertaken for safety reasons by the Peruvian Goverment.

IMPORTANT NOTICE :

ZERO PLASTIC BOTTLES ON THE INCA TRAIL AND MACHU PICCHU FROM DECEMBER 1ST:
- Due to New goverment regulations for the Inca Trail it will be 100% PROHIBITED to TAKE PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES. We believe that in the first days the new enforced regulations may NOT be 100% controlled however as the days go it will be more and more strict therefore WE KINDLY suggest you getting your aluminum plastic bottles to avoid any dissapointment at the check points along the Inca Trail and in the Machu Picchu citadel.
ALUMINUM 0.700ml BOTTLES:
- As a way to avoid any inconvenience with our clientes Amazon Andes Peru offers 0.700ml aluminum water bottles FOR SALE at the office for as liitle as 10 Soles (USD3.00).
- Aluminum water bottles can also be bought in many different shops around the main square.
- Also, if you are still at home and ready to fly to Peru for your trek we recommend you bringing aluminum water bottles or camel bags.

We look forward to meeting you.

What you need to take:

Original Passport
Student card (if you are a student and want to qualify for the discount)
Walking boots
Waterproof jacket / rain poncho
Warm jacket
Hat and gloves
T-shirts
Comfortable Trousers
Sun hat
Sun cream (factor 35 or higher)
Insect repellant
Toiletries and hand sanitiser
Personal medication
Camera and film
Torch with spare batteries

Included/Exclude

Professional English Speaking Tour Guide
Assistant Tour Guide for groups of 9+
Chef
Mules to carry cooking and camping equipment
Mules to carry 10kg of your personal effects
Pick-up from your hotel
Transportation by bus to Mollepata
Return transportation by train and bus to Cusco
Water (excluding the first 4 hours of the trek when you need to bring your own)
8 Breakfasts, 8 Lunches, 8 Afternoon Snacks and 8 Dinners. If you have a dietary request such as vegetarian food please let us know.
Dining tent with tables and chairs
4 man tent for every 2 trekkers
3 Star Hotel for final night
Sleeping mattress
Oxygen bottle
First aid kit
Entrance to Machu Picchu
Bus from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes

Sleeping Bag (Can be hired from us)
Breakfast on Day 1 and lunch and dinner on Day 8
Entrance to Huayna Picchu Mountain
Tips
Travel Insurance - you are strongly recommended to take out travel insurance for the duration of your trip.

Tour Plan

DAY 1: CUSCO - CACHORA - SANTA ROSA

Our first day starts out from the village of Cachora, a 4 hour drive from Cusco. Leaving Cachora the path works it's way down in to the Apurimac Valley and we will have fantastic views of snow-capped peaks in the distance and the Apurimac Valley spread out before us throughout the day, also after a few hours walking we'll get to have our first views of Choquequirao sat on the far side of the valley. The area around Choquequirao is rich in life and we will see a wide variety of flora and fauna as we make our way down in to the valley.

Our campsite for the night is at Santa Rosa (2200m / 7215ft.) which is on the other side of the Apurimac River. As the campsite is a little further along the trail than most groups go it is one of the quietest places to camp on the whole trek so we can enjoy the beautiful scenery around us without distraction.

Walking distance : 15 km / 9.32 miles
Camp altitude: 2,200 m / 7,215 ft
Maximum altitude: 2890 m / 9,482 ft

DAY 2: SANTA ROSA - CHOQUEQUIRAO

Today is probably the hardest day of the trek. To get to Choquequirao we need to make our way back up the opposite side of the Apurimac Valley which involves ascending about 800m / 2624ft. over a distance of 14km / 8.7 miles through hot and humid conditions. It's quite tough going but the views we get today mixed with the wide variety of flora and fauna you find on this side of the valley make it worth it.

Throughout the day we will see a wide variety of bromeliads, orchids and stands of bamboo; we'll also hopefully see birds such as Quetzals, Toucans and a variety of hummingbirds. After about a 5 hour walk we'll arrive to our campsite close to Choquequirao (3050m / 10,005ft.) and settle in for the night - if the weather is clear the views of the sunsetting from here are amazing and we may be lucky enough to spot Condors soaring over the valley below.

Walking distance : 14 km / 8.7 miles
Camp altitude: 3,050 m / 10,007 ft
Maximum altitude: 3,050 m / 10,007 ft

DAY 3: CHOQUEQUIRAO - PINCHINUYOC

Today you will have a guided tour of all the main sites of interest throughout Choquequirao and then have some free time to explore by yourself. Choquequirao is one of the most extensive Inca sites to be discovered and a large portion of it has yet to be excavated.

After lunch we'll set off again on our trek heading for the pass above the city. From the pass we'll make our way down in to the Rio Blanco valley below and camp at the terraces of Pinchinuyoc (2487m / 8160 ft.).

Walking distance : 8 km / 4.97 miles
Camp altitude: 2,487 m / 8,160 ft
Maximum altitude: 3,270m / 10,728 ft

DAY 4: PINCHINUYOC - MAIZAL

From our campsite we'll carry on down in to the valley until we reach the river far below. In the dry season the river is calm and it's waters are warm so it's a perfect place to stop and have a refreshing dip and ease out your tired muscles. After our swim we'll make our way back up the opposite side of the valley heading for our campsite at Maizal (2891m / 9488 ft.).

Today we will see a wide variety of native plants and birds and have beautiful views of the lush and green Rio Blanco valley. On arrival to our campsite at Maizal you will have the option of visiting a nearby Inca site.

Walking distance : 8 km / 4.97 miles
Camp altitude: 2,891m / 9,488 ft
Maximum altitude: 3,000 m / 9,843 ft

DAY 5: MAIZAL - YANAMA

Todays walk takes us from Maizal to the small community of Yanama. The views are once again amazing and we'll see a variety of plants and birds, walk along original Inca Trails and pass by abandoned gold and silver mines from Peru's Colonial days.

Our campsite for tonight is at Yanama (3520m / 11549 ft.) where we will stay on the land of one of the local families. After lunch we will have the chance to visit their home and learn about their customs and traditions.

Walking distance : 10 km / 6.21 miles
Camp altitude: 3,520 m / 11,549 ft
Maximum altitude: 4,200 m / 13,780 ft

DAY 6: YANAMA - COLPAPAMPA

From Yanama we begin making our way back up out of the valley as we head for the highest pass on the trek (4840m / 15879 ft.). Having been trekking through mostly lush valleys up to this point you'll notice the scenery change to the high puna (barren grasslands) as we head for the pass. Once at the pass we'll have fantastic views of the surrounding mountain ranges including the might Salkantay (6270m / 20570 ft.).

From the pass the path leads us back down to warmer climes again and our path will eventually converge with the Salkantay Trek at Colpapampa (2900m / 9514 ft.) where we will camp for the night.

Walking distance : 15 km / 9.32 miles
Camp altitude: 2,900 m / 9678 ft
Maximum altitude: 4,840 m / 15,879 ft

DAY 7: COLPAPAMPA - LA PLAYA

Our destination today is the village of La Playa about 12km down the valley from Colpapampa. Our route takes us along the Lluskamayo River through an area that is teeming with life and that has various coffee and fruit plantations.

Tonight we will stay at the village of La Playa (2400m / 7874ft.) which is well connected and there are plenty of places where you can buy snacks and refreshments, you can also try some of the locally grown coffee. If you are interested there is the option to visit some hot springs that are close by, let your guide know in advance so that he can organise this for you.

Walking distance : 12 km / 10.56 miles
Camp altitude : 2,400 m / 7874 ft
Maximum altitude: 2,900 m / 9,514 ft

DAY 8: LA PLAYA - LLACTAPATA - AGUAS CALIENTES

Today is the final stretch of the trek before we reach Aguas Calientes at the base of Machu Picchu. The main focus of today is a visit to the Inca site of Llactapata sat on the mountainside high above. Following an original Inca Trail we'll arrive to Llactapata by early to mid morning and can enjoy the fantastic views of Machu Picchu that we get from here.

After a tour of Llactapata in which we'll learn about the Inca people and their culture we'll head back down the mountainside to the Hydroelectric Station from where we will continue to Aguas Calientes.

Walking distance : 25km / 15.53 miles
Camp altitude: 2,040 m / 6,693 ft
Maximum altitude: 2,800 m / 9,186 ft

DAY 9: MACHU PICCHU

Waking up early we'll take the first bus back up to Machu Picchu to enter the site as it opens. We'll have a 2 hour guided tour of the site during which you'll learn about the Incas and visit all the most important areas of the citadel. After your tour you'll have free time to explore the site by yourself and if you have permits to climb either Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu mountain. In the afternoon you will take the train back to Ollantaytambo from where you will carry on by bus back to Cusco.