Duration
12 Days / 11 Nights
Package Type
Adventure
Activity Level
Very High
Physical Difficulty
Cultural rating
Wildlife expectation
Our Choquequirao Trek to Machu Picchu takes you to two of the most impressive Inca archaeological sites in South America. Machu Picchu, of course, is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world, a true wonder that everyone has heard about, and the main tourist attraction in Peru. But this trek also takes us to Choquequirao, a stunning site that is equal to Machu Picchu, but receives far fewer visitors. Why don’t you try off season? March, April, September and October are particularly good months, either side of high season, the weather is still decent and there are even fewer people!
The Inca archaeological site of Choquequirao is very similar to Machu Picchu, both in structure, intricacy and geographical setting. But unlike the world-famous Machu Picchu, Choquequirao has only started to open up to tourism in recent years. It’s a challenging trek to get to Choquequirao, but the route passes through some of the most spectacular scenery in Peru. And with plans afoot to build a cable car to Choquequirao, making it far more accessible, now is the time to visit this stunning Inca complex, before it becomes one of Peru’s next tourist hotspots. Combining these two incredible sites gives you the chance to see far more than you would if you only took the classic Inca Trail trek or the Choquequirao trek individually. It also offers a true trekking experience that will take you off-grid for days, trekking through remote locations that encompass a wide spectrum of geographical landscapes and a variety of ecosystems. It’s a physical challenge, that’s for sure, but we’ll be with you every step of the way, with our guides, porters and cooks. This is a true adventure, and one you’ll never forget.
Special features of our Choquequirao Trek to Machu Picchu:
Type of Tourism: Trekking, Hiking and Cultural
Places To Visit: Cusco, Sacred Valley, Choquequirao & Machu Picchu
Duration: 12 Days and 11 Nights
Type of Service: some tours are small group service tours and other tours are private
Accommodation: 4 star hotels at every destination that you will visit. These hotels had been carefully chosen and we can guarantee that you will feel comfortable and pampered
Arrival to Cusco with a transfer to your hotel; a welcome meeting will be organized by your guide for a quick briefing of the tour. The rest of the day can be spent exploring Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, set in the Andes Mountains. Discover Spanish churches and mansions that sit alongside Inca remains, visit the local market of San Pedro and their array of products from handicrafts to vegetable products, fresh juices and items for traditional Andean ceremonies. In the evening, enjoy the eclectic restaurant opt...
After breakfast, enjoy a free day to explore Cusco at your ease. The capital city of the Inca Empire is now the undisputed archaeological capital of the Americas, as well as the continent’s oldest continuously inhabited city. You may visit the local archaeological sites of Saqsaywaman, Tambomachay and Qenqo or you can take part in a Peruvian cooking class or chocolate making class, depending on how you want to spend your free day. We can help arrange and suggest all activities available in this incredible imperial City. Show more
Our trekking adventure starts when we pick you up from your hotel in Cusco. We’ll first drive for about four hours to the village of Cachora, where we begin our trek. We will load our gear onto horses and climb for two and a half hours to the Capuliyoc pass, which sits at 2,750m (9,020 ft) above sea level. We’ll then descend the other side of the pass, heading into the beautiful Apurimac Valley, where we have spectacular views of snow-capped peaks in the distance and the valley spreading out before us. This section will t...
Today, we will have an early breakfast, before setting off in the cool air of the morning. First, we’ll descend for one hour to Playa Rosalina, where we’ll cross the Apurimac River. Next is a steep climb of about two hours. It's quite tough going, for sure, but you’ll be constantly rewarded with the spectacular views from the trail, as well as the wide variety of flora and fauna you’ll find on this side of the valley. We’ll make our way passing by beautiful bromeliads, orchids and stalks of bamboo, and h...
All our tough trekking will be rewarded today when we wake up early to explore the archaeological site of Choquequirao. Your guide will take you around the site, showing you all the most important sections and explaining the history of Choquequirao. You’ll learn about the Inca Empire, its traditions and culture, as well as the close relationship between Choquequirao and Machu Picchu.
Choquequirao has not been explored or studied as comprehensively as Machu Picchu, despite having been discovered earlier than ...
We will wake up to a hearty breakfast after which, we will begin the ascent from our campsite up to the Choquequirao pass, at 3,250 m (10,660 ft). As we walk, we’ll enter the cloud forest, where polylepis trees, epiphytes and bromeliads grow. On the other side of the pass, we’ll descend towards the Yuracmayo River, passing some Inca agricultural terraces that once supplied Choquequirao. After a few hours of trekking, we’ll reach the river, which we’ll cross. Heading on, we’ll start trekking uphill again ...
After breakfast, we’ll set off on a steeply-climbing trail up towards Mina Victoria, an old silver and copper mine used by the Incas and later by the Spanish colonials. From here we’ll hike along a hill called Qoriwayrachina, an Inca site that was discovered relatively recently, and which few people have visited. Probably connected to the nearby mines, the hills around Qoriwayrachina are covered with stones from more than 200 structures built at this Inca outpost.
After exploring this site, we’ll head ...
After breakfast, we’ll set off on a steeply-climbing trail up towards Mina Victoria, an old silver and copper mine used by the Incas and later by the Spanish colonials. From here we’ll hike along a hill called Qoriwayrachina, an Inca site that was discovered relatively recently, and which few people have visited. Probably connected to the nearby mines, the hills around Qoriwayrachina are covered with stones from more than 200 structures built at this Inca outpost.
After exploring this site, we’ll head ...
After the high-altitude trekking of the previous day, today will feel like a breeze, as we hike along the path of the Salkamayo River. As we go, we’ll pass through an area of increasingly lush vegetation, where we’ll find a paradise of crystalline waterfalls, plentiful passion fruit and coffee plantations. In the afternoon we’ll reach our campsite at the village of La Playa, where you’ll have plenty of free time to relax and take a swim in the river as we set up the camp and prepare another excellent dinner.&n...
Today will be our final day of trekking, taking us within easy reach of Machu Picchu. After breakfast, we’ll the cross the river and start climbing up through coffee and fruit plantations until we reach El Mirador, a wonderful spot at 2,860 m (9,381 ft) with exceptional views of Machu Picchu.
We’ll then continue on towards the Inca site of Llaqtapata, which was discovered by Hiram Bingham in 1912, but only extensively explored and mapped in 2003. Llaqtapata’s location along the Inca Trail suggest...
To best appreciated Machu Picchu, we’ll wake up early in the morning so we can get to the citadel in good time. You’ll have time for breakfast first, and then your guide will pick you up from the hotel at around 5:40 a.m. We’ll then walk to the bus departure point for the short but zigzagging ascent up the road to Machu Picchu.
We’ll then pass through the gates into the Machu Picchu archaeological site. Here you’ll begin your guided walking tour with an experienced and highly knowledg...
After breakfast, enjoy your last day at leisure before your transfer to the airport for your return flight home, via Lima.
You can check our safety protocols in the following link: https://www.valenciatravelcusco.com/notification/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-travel-alert
We do not include travel or health insurance and we strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance for any unexpected circumstances. This is not obligatory, however. An full travel insurance policy that covers cancellations and delays as well as medical insurance.
We suggest that you speak with your doctor to ensure that you are up-to-date with the recommended vaccinations when traveling to the destination. In any case, a negative Coronavirus Molecular Test (PCR) is needed to enter the country.
We suggest that you speak with your doctor to ensure what medications you will need to bring to the destination. Pharmacies and drugstores are common in all cities, however, it is not certain that you will be able to find a specific drug that you can find in your country of origin.
As in any city in the world, there can be pickpockets in crowded places. We suggest being vigilant at all times, but if you are in a group you will always be safer.
We do not include the cost of any domestic or international flight in any of our programs. These services must be booked independently by each guest.
Yes, hotels will charge the cost of a double room as standard, so a single supplement will be charged if you are traveling alone.
VA Expeditions is supported by Valencia Travel, a company with more than 12 years of foundation with a solid financial position. We have insurance from the insurance company La Positiva, that supports us and protects our guests from any eventuality at the destination, covering our guests for more than 5 million US dollars.
Each trip is customizable, but there may be additional restrictions and expenses in each case. We suggest contacting your sales representative for more information.
Yes, in addition to multi-day programs, we offer half-day experiences and excursions without overnight, which you can purchase as additional services. In case you wish to purchase one of these services, you can ask your guide, the transfer representative or your sales representative to provide you with the support you need.
Yes, you can add additional or optional services to your regular tour. We appreciate contacting your sales representative for any changes you wish to make.
Yes, you can travel with children and we have many activities to do as a family, however, depending on your itinerary, some experiences can be a bit demanding for young children. As a recommendation, we suggest that you ask your sales consultant if the tour you wish to book is suitable for children.
We work with a maximum group size of 12 passengers for sustainability reasons and a more personaized experience.
We suggest making your reservations at least one month before your trip in order to reserve the best hotels, transportation and services for your travel dates, however, in last minute cases, we can reserve up to 15 days in advance.
We suggest consulting with your embassy to review any documents, tests or special visa you need for your trip.
The official currency in Peru is the peruvian sol (PEN). In large cities there is a good chance that you will find ATMs or ATMs, however, we suggest that you do not rely entirely on this solution, as it may not be enabled to work with your bank.
Yes, we cater for all special dietary requirements. Please let us know at the time of booking if you have any allergies or special dietary needs.
As a sustainable travel company, we are in constant search of how we can improve the sustainability of our operations, that is why we carry out the following activities to generate a fair and sustainable development in our areas of operation: https://valenciatravelcusco.com/pages/sustainability
Tips are not included in the cost of the tour. You should plan to tip 10% in restaurants and for your guided services, however, tipping is never required.
Cultural norms vary within each Latin American country, even within each city within the country, however, we recommend the following measures to have a pleasant visit in each destination: Latin American culture in general tends to be closer and more informal than in others cultures, so there is usually always a friendly approach in all conversations, and going directly to the point could be considered offensive to some people. Personal space can be much shorter as well, but without being interpreted as sexual in nature.
The schedules are also usually more relaxed and informal, however, this is not the case of VA EXPEDITIONS / VALENCIA TRAVEL, since we will always respect the hours indicated in your itinerary. This may be different for other appointments that you can book on your own at other locations.
This depends on each itinerary, and will be indicated in the detail of the day. However, our itineraries always usually include free times to offer more flexibility to our guests.
For any emergency, we appreciate contacting the following number: +51 979 706 464
At VA Expeditions we believe that every action we take should generate a positive impact on the communities and the environment of our entire production chain, which is why we carry out various activities focused on this objective. Please ask your travel specialist for more information on our sustainable programs.
All our guests have 24/7 support for any type of emergency or eventuality. For emergencies you can contact the following number: +51 979 706 464. For general inquiries, you can write to us at the following email: info@valenciatravelcusco.com
This depends on each itinerary, but generally is a ratio of one guide for every nine guests.
This depends on the type of the type of Travel insurance that the passenger has. We recommend that you have a comprehensive travel insurance policy for better care and hospital facilities.
The tours are carried out by an expert team that has determined the optimal times of visits to make the most of our guests' time, without rushing. All our programs are customizable, so if at any time at the destination you want to adjust the pace of the trip, you can ask your guide to reach a consensus with the whole group in case you need to make adjustments to the pace of the trip.
Each trip is customizable, but there may be additional restrictions and expenses in each case. We suggest contacting your sales representative for more information.
Yes, you can safely store any luggage at your hotel.
For city tours, there are public bathrooms available, in remote destinations bathroom facilities are more sparse.
In the mountains and remote places there is no Internet connection. Hotels and public places usually have WIFI available.
In cities and tourist centers you will have good telephone reception. In remote areas, there may be no cell phone reception.
It depends on each itinerary. We suggest contacting your account representative to give you specific information regarding your program.
We suggest that you bring a refillable water bottle or purchase bottled water if necessary. Depending on your destination, at various points on your trip there will be places where you can fill your water bottle.
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