CHOQUEQUIRAO TO MACHU PICCHU 7D/6N

DAY 1 - DRIVE TO CACHORA AND TREK TO CHIQUISCA

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The first day of this exhilarating itinerary takes us first to the pretty village of Cachora. We leave Cusco early in our private transport to meet our trek crew at our starting point. Cachora is a comfortable 4 hour drive west of Cusco travelling through some beautiful countryside out into the rural district of Apurimac. Once heading out on the trail, we’ll get a good sense of our expedition. Incredible mountain ranges and glaciers come into sight, building our anticipation for this challenging trek. A few hours in brings us to our first mountain pass and the beginning of today’s long descent. From this viewpoint, with a clear sky, we will catch a glimpse the magnificent Choquequirao. The downhill is very steep, quite unforgiving and can be painful for our knees (if you have knee problems we suggest “knee braces” or supports). Chiquiska is our camp tonight almost at the bottom of the Apurimac River canyon . . A little piece of paradise, this green oasis is a welcoming, restful place. Please note, as we are lower and near the Apurimac river a strong mosquito repellent is essential. A fulfilling dinner and early to bed is the order of the day, ready for our demanding climb tomorrow! Start Height: 2900masl / 9514ft. Max Height: 2941maslm / 9648ft. Approximate Walking time: 6-7 hrs Distance travelled: 19km / 11.80 ml Meals: L, D. Snacks

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DAY 2 - CHIQUISCA TO CHOQUEQUIRAO

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After our first night on the trail and a breakfast of champions, we walk down to cross the river and ascend to our Choquequirao camp site (2847m /9340ft), situated about 1500m above the Apurimac River. The ascent is steep and tough but as we switchback up from the floor of the canyon we are rewarded with spectacular views of the surrounding landscape. On reaching Marampata we will get a ‘birds eye view’ of the impressive and powerful Apurimac river. The hike to our campsite is flatter than our challenging uphill and if we arrive early and energy levels are high it may be possible to spend some time at Pacchayoq. This is the lower sector of the archaeological complex, where we will see ancient Inca water channels, ceremonial rocks and much more. After a hard days hiking we will return to our campsite for a delicious meal and well deserved rest. The sky here is light pollution free and on a clear night stargazing is second to none! Start Height: 2847m / 9340ft Max Height: 3100m / 10170ft. Approximate Walking time: 8 hours Distance travelled: 14km / 8.69 ml Meals: B, L, D. Snacks

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DAY 3 - CHOQUEQUIRAO CAMPSITE TO CHOQUEQUIRAO CITADEL

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After a tasty breakfast we leave camp and hike up to the ruins. For now, Choquequirao is a breath- taking destination of an ‘unspoiled’ trek and you won’t see many tourists. You will find a sense of peaceful tranquility at the top of this mountain, and if you are lucky you may even see condors soaring by. The best part is you get to spend the whole day here and after a guided tour and some self-exploration, there will even be time for you to find a quiet space, lie down in the grass, relax and simply absorb the contemplative experience of being in an ancient Inca City. Those of us with enough vigour may even choose to descend to see the famous white stone llamas. If you can, do, it’s a sight not to be missed. After an unforgettable day of discovery, we return to camp to dine, relax and contemplate our encounter with this mysterious archaeological site. Meals: B, L, D. Snacks

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DAY 4 - CHOQUEQUIRAO TO MAIZAL

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Well rested, breakfasted and ready for a demanding day we will leave the magnificent Choquequirao behind us, moving onwards and upwards to our next camp at Maizal. Determined and motivated by our incredible achievement and awesome surroundings we will relish the challenge of today’s hike. We will start off with a gradual ascent to the high pass, a great viewing point to take in the beautiful lush and varied flora of this area. Once over the pass our route continues with a slight decent to the interesting ruins of Pincha Unuyoc and then a steep and demanding downhill to Rio Blanco to have a wonderful and recovering lunch. Now we begin our difficult and steep zig zag ascent leading us to our camp tonight. Dinner will be prepared for us by our trek team as we rest a little and take stock of how far we’ve come and what we’ve accomplished! Start Height: 2954,7 masl / 96938.9764 ft Max Height: 3308 masl / 10853.02 ft. Approximate Walking time: 8 - 9 hours Distance travelled: 10 km / 6.21 ml Meals: B, L, D. Snacks

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DAY 5 - MAIZAL TO YANAMA, DRIVE TO LUCMABAMBA

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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). This day offers us a fabulous perspective of the astonishing panorama of the Cordillera Vilcabamba mountain range and the high pass is a fantastic vantage point for photographs. Our descent requires measured caution as we hike down to the delightful Andean village of Yanama. Our private transport will wait to take us on the next leg of our expedition as we bid farewell to our trek team. The drive is around 3 hours along a dirt road heading into the warm, lush, high jungle climate and our final camping night, in the village of Lucmabamba. A wonderful day of scenic diversity. Start Height: 3128,7 masl / 102647.63 ft Max Height: 3977 masl / 13047.9 ft. Approximate Walking time: 8 hours Distance travelled: 8.2km / 5.09 ml Meals: B, L, D. Snacks

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DAY 6 - LUCMABAMBA TO LLACTAPATA TO AGUAS CALIENTES

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A hearty breakfast sets us up for our ultimate trekking day of this remarkable trek. This morning takes us passed fields of cacao, fruit and coffee plantations, and the remains of Inca walls will reveal themselves as we approach the LLactapata ruins and our first sighting of Machu Picchu from the rear side. We set off towards the Hydroelectric station where we will take the train to Aguas Calientes pueblo for our celebratory meal, hot shower and comfy bed. The Citadel awaits! Start Height: 1900 masl / 6233 ft Max Height: 2800 masl / 9240 ft Approximate Walking time: 7 hrs Day Distance: 9 km / 5.59 ml Meals: B, L, D. Snacks Acommodation: Hatun Inti or Similar

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DAY 7 - MACHU PICCHU AND RETURN TO CUSCO

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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

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SERVICES INCLUDED

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Briefing one day before the trek. Collection from your hotel in the morning of the trek departure. 3 nutritious meals per day (vegetarian options available). Drinking water along the trek. Bilingual guide (Assistant Guide for groups over 6 passengers). Chef (assistant chef for larger groups). Quadruple tents to be used by two people, allowing more comfort and more space to store backpacks. Mules (for equipment and personal items) and muleteers. Inflatable mattresses. Sleeping liner and pillow. Saddled horse in case of emergencies or if you are making very little progress (this horse is with the group at all times). First aid kit and oxygen bottle. Kitchen tent and dining tent with camp tables and chairs. Toilet tent. Duffel bags (up to 7Kg/15lbs per person). These are provided by your guide at your briefing. Train tickets to Aguas Calientes. Train Tickets to Aguas Calientes from Hidroelectric train station 1 Night accommodation in Aguas Calientes in a quality 3* hotel. If you wish to upgrade hotel please ask for options. Bus ticket from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu and vice versa. Dinner and lunch in Aguas Calientes. Entrance to Machu Picchu Train ticket to Ollantaytambo and transfer to Cusco or the Valley.

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SERVICES NOT INCLUDED

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Breakfast on the first morning. Dinner on the last night. Sleeping bag. If you don’t want to bring your own, you can hire this from us. Tips for guides and field staff.

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DISCOUNTS

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These discounts are not cumulative ​ Students: US$ 30.00 (students require a valid International Student Identity Card (ISIC). Please be aware that Youth Travel Cards are not valid). Teenagers: US$ 20.00 (up to 15 years of age, passport copy required for all bookings) Children: US$ 45.00 (up to 8 years of age, passport copy required for all bookings)

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THE DIFFICULTY OF THIS TREK (DEMANDING)

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The maximum height can go up to 4600 msl. The average hiking time is 7- 8 hours (with a few days up to 10 hours) per day. On the routes high passes of over 4,600 m are traversed, steep and difficult terrain is common, with altitude differences of up to 1,000 m. Daily hikes cover 10 -15 km. Please note: Choquequirao is a route for sure-footed and experienced mountain hikers in good physical condition and with a high level of endurance for steep up and downhill routes. We do not recommend this trek for people with acute knee problems and would reccommend knee supports or knee braces. Appropriate altitude tolerance is required.

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