CHOQUEQUIRAO TO MACHU PICCHU 7D/6N
This isolated Inca city is situated in the vast landscape of the Vilcabamba Range above the Apurimac River Canyon. Thick forest has covered this Inca site for many years and it has only recently been discovered. Choquequirao was the dwelling of the last rebel Incas of Vilcabamba and similar to Machu Picchu, it is thought that the Spanish never discovered it. The high passes, trekking further on from Choquequirao, afford astonishing views of the Vilcabamba Range. This is a demanding trek traversing diverse ecosystems, culminating in exploring Machu Picchu Citadel, you will not be disappointed!
DAY BY DAY ITINERARY
DAY 1 - DRIVE TO CACHORA AND TREK TO CHIQUISCA
DAY 2 - CHIQUISCA TO CHOQUEQUIRAO
DAY 3 - CHOQUEQUIRAO CAMPSITE TO CHOQUEQUIRAO CITADEL
DAY 4 - CHOQUEQUIRAO TO MAIZAL
DAY 5 - MAIZAL TO YANAMA, DRIVE TO LUCMABAMBA
This morning we continue uphill. This section of our journey is truly a visual delight. We will be passing through cloud forest, Andean Puna grassland, the Victoria mining area (where rocks have a captivating shimmer), ancient but well-maintained Inca trails and we cross the high pass, Abra San Juan at 4000masl (13123ft).
DAY 6 - LUCMABAMBA TO LLACTAPATA TO AGUAS CALIENTES
DAY 7 - MACHU PICCHU AND RETURN TO CUSCO
Good Morning! Rested and enthusiastic for our ultimate day we have the option to relax this the morning or have a wander round the town.
Today we will lunch early in one of Aguas Calientes’ excellent restaurants in order to arrive to the Citadel in good time for our full afternoon tour. Accompanied by our guide, we take a 25 minute bus ride to the sanctuary of Machupicchu (2400m / 7874ft). Our guide will lead us in a tour of exploration and discovery of the many curious corners within this enigmatic Citadel. Our guided tour will have an average duration of 2 hours.
Machu Picchu with Huayna Picchu
If you feel like you could take on another uphill challenge, you have the option to climb the famous mountain of Huayna Picchu this morning, pre afternoon tour. It is important to mention that to climb this mountain, you need to buy a separate ticket in advance. Please confirm that you want to make this climb at the time of making your booking with us. The trail consists of many steep narrow steps (not recommended for people who suffer vertigo), the height of the mountain is 2700m / 8858ft (the climb is 300 m.) We will climb Huayna Picchu at 10am. The route is around 3 hours round trip. We will then exit Machu Picchu citadel and have our lunch at Sanctuary Lodge just outside the entrance to the Citadel. After lunch we re-enter the citadel at 2pm for our guided tour of the citadel itself.
As the site closes for the day at 5:30pm we bus back down to Aguas Calientes. We then have a charming train journey back to Ollantaytambo and time to reflect on, quite possibly, one of the most memorable experiences of your life. Our private transport will be waiting to take us back to your hotel.
Meals: B, L Snacks
The sights were unforgettable. Incredible microclimates with endless kinds of flora and fauna, butterflies, waterfalls, wild strawberries, racing clouds, tree canopies. Thousands of years old aqueducts and. ancient Incan ruins, meeting local people along the way. We were awed by the numerous valleys, towering mountain ranges, glaciers, and our summit views. On our 1st night of camp, our bright view of the milky-way galaxy was incredible. We loved touring the coffee plantation, zip-lining and very much enjoyed the hot springs on our 3rd day. Our camping tents were perfectly comfortable. Our train ride on Peru Rail and accommodations in Cola de Mono and Aguas Calientes were also very nice. Machu Picchu and its history was unreal and climbing Huayna Picchu was totally worth it!
Laura M
SERVICES INCLUDED
SERVICES NOT INCLUDED
Breakfast on the first morning.
DISCOUNTS
THE DIFFICULTY OF THIS TREK (DEMANDING)
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