7-DAY CHOQUEQUIRAO TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU

Day 1: Cusco – Cachora – Playa Rosalina (Rio Apurimac)

We will start the 7-Day Choquequirao Trail to Machu Picchu! We will pick you up from your hotel and have the 5-hour car trip to travelers crossing Cachora. Once there, we will meet the rest of the team (riders, cooks, etc.). Then we started walking uphill, crossing the Capuliyoc pass, where we can see condors flying overhead. We will have a great view of the Apurimac Canyon and experience the lush microclimate of the valley. At our stopping point, we can see the location of Choquequirao from afar. Finally, we descend through a cactus forest to Rosalina Beach, on the banks of the Apurimac River, the main tributary of the Amazon River. Along the river, there is another microclimate. This first night, we will camp at La Playa Rosalina (1550 MASL – 5085 FASL).

• Distance: 22 km – 13.6 miles
• Warm weather
• Walking time: 7 hours

Day 2: Playa Rosalina – Maranpata – Choquequirao (Golden Cot)

After a hearty breakfast, you will be given a bag of snacks to snack throughout the day. The first part of our day consists of a 4-hour ascent on a long and narrow path. Our adventure begins by crossing by cable car over the wild river that is surrounded by dense vegetation with several varieties of orchids. Halfway, we stop for lunch in Maranpata, where we have our first main view of the Choquequirao complex. Then we continue walking 2 more hours to Choquequirao (Golden Cradle), which is considered the sister city of Machu Picchu due to its various similarities. It is located at 1500 meters / 4921 feet above the Apurimac Canyon, and Machu Picchu is located above the Urubamba Canyon. In the afternoon, you will have free time to enjoy the sunset views of the canyon: it’s spectacular! Here, it is also possible to see Andean condors that rise in the mountains. We will camp near Choquequirao (3050 MASL – 10006 FASL).

• Distance: 14 km – 8.7 miles
• Climate: Warm day / Cold night
• Walking time: 7 hours

Day 3: Choquequirao – Choquequirao Step – Rio Blanco – Maizal.

Before breakfast, we recommend going to appreciate the magnificent sunrise from this picturesque place! We will have breakfast at 6 AM. We begin today’s hike going on and exploring the ruins of Choquequirao. We walk uphill through the cloud forest, mountains and valleys to reach the Choquequirao pass. After 5 hours of walking, the trail continues through agricultural terraces called Pinchinoyoc which means “forward water jump” (2750 MASL – 9022 FASL). There we will see different species of birds, varieties of orchids and local coca plantations. We will have lunch near the White River. We use the rest here to take a refreshing dip in the cold, clear water of the river if you wish. We cross the river walking because there are no bridges. On the other hand, we begin the long, steep climb to our camp in Maizal over the river and closer to the sacred Apus of the Incas. This climb lasts approximately 3 hours. This is the most challenging day. We will camp at 3000 MASL – 9842 FASL.

• Distance: 18 km – 11.2 miles
• Warm weather
• Walking time: 9 hours

Day 4: Maizal – Victoria Mines – Yanama.

Waking up on the hillside with the sounds of the forest and the birds is a really great experience! Recharging our energy with a good breakfast and following the path upwards, the landscape is lush green vegetation. If we keep our motivation and the gods give us a clear sky, we can sit and appreciate the snowy mountains that surround us. The climb uphill today is about 7 hours to the top, and this trail is historically important due to some archaeological remains and Inca canals along the way. We will pass through the impressive Inca mines called Minas Victoria, where silver was extracted. and head towards the Victoria Pass (4200 MASL – 13773 FASL). This is a long climb, but we will walk through an absolutely stunning area, first with cloud forest and then over the Andean Puna with its well-known Ichu grass. As we approach the top, we can appreciate the original paved Inca trails. We will have lunch at the port overlooking the Choquetakarpo and Pedrayoc mountains. While we have lunch, we hope to appreciate the flight of the condors, depending on the weather. Finally, we will descend to our camp in Yamana, a small village settlement at the bottom of a long valley surrounded by mountains (3800 masl – 12467 FASL).

• Distance: 17 km – 10.6 miles
• Climate: warm and windy day, cold night
• Walking time: 8 hours

Day 5: Yanama – Cordillera – Totora.

The Yamana native community surrounds the base camp. We start another long day with the big smiles of the local children, the sun shines at the camp, the noise of a large waterfall and breakfast at an outside table to appreciate everything around us. Then we start walking uphill to the highest pass on this hike (5 hours). This is the Yamana pass (4700 MASL – 15419 FASL). During the day, it is common to observe Andean farmers growing potatoes in their fields and possibly even some frozen potatoes. Once again, the view will be incredible from here, as we will be surrounded by the mountain ranges of Saqsarayoc and Pedreyoc. Once again, we have the opportunity to see the condors flying, and the gentle climbing this morning takes us through new landscapes, especially the fields of wet grass below the snow line and the water current. On the pass We may be walking through the snow at a new entrance to the Santa Teresa Valley. Here, we can observe one of the Inca gods: the Salkantay mountain. Then, we descend a long, foggy road through grassy fields and shrubbery areas, crossing bridges on the road to the community of Totora. We will spend the night in tents, surrounded by natives and indescribable natural beauty!

• Distance: 20 km – 12.4 miles
• Climate: cold and windy
• Walking time: 9 hours

Day 6: Totora – Cloud Forest – La Playa – Aguas Calientes.

Today’s hike is further downhill, continuing along the original Inca trail in the forest to appreciate the depth of the jungle. The walks will take 10 hours while we return to the heat of the jungle to harvest some fruit while we descend to the Totora River. We will observe wildlife, such as hummingbirds, woodpeckers and many species of orchids and begonias. Then we take a path on the left side of the Santa Teresa River where we will see small plantations of bananas, passion fruit and coffee (which you can try if you wish!). The Beach is the largest town on the road, also the first place with electricity, and here we will have lunch. There are also small shops here to buy snacks and water or use the bathrooms. After lunch, we will drive a small van to Hidroelectrica for approximately 1 hour passing through Santa Teresa. We cross the Vilcanota river and have an excellent view of Machu Picchu and the Aobamba canyon from a different angle; Here you can also see another Inca trail. From Hydroelectric, we walk to Aguas Calientes for 3 hours. This last part of the hike is flat and surrounded by the mountains that house Machu Picchu. If you are tired, there is an optional train trip to Aguas Calientes (US $ 32.00) There is also the option to visit the hot springs in Aguas Calientes. We will spend the night in a hotel in the city.

• Distance: 25 km – 15.5 miles
• Warm weather
• Walking time: 10 hours

Day 7: Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Cusco.

Today we reach the long-awaited end of our 7-Day Choquequirao Trail to Machu Picchu, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World and World Heritage by UNESCO: Machu Picchu! We will get up early after a refreshing night in our lodge to beat the crowds to the top of Machu Picchu and enjoy their serenity in the soft morning light. The entrance checkpoint to Machu Picchu is open from 06:00 a.m. at 5:00 p.m. We will walk to Machu Picchu (a bus trip is optional and included if you do not want to walk) and we will enter the hidden Royal Citadel of the Incas. Here we will have a guided tour of 2 hours through this incredible ancient city to visit temples, terraces, palaces, houses of priests, the sundial, the industrial sector and the fields of cultivation. Surprise yourself with the engineering ingenuity of the Incas that was so far ahead of its time and that it is still partially a mystery today!

After this tour,you will have time for lunch and then take the train towards Ollantaytambo and have a car ride to Cusco. End of our 7-Day Choquequirao Trail to Machu Picchu.

OPTIONAL SERVICES:

• Sleeping bag: $ 25 USD per person per walk (it will be clean and warm)
• Air mattress: $ 25 USD per person per walk (Therm-a-rest mattresses)
• Walking sticks: $ 20 USD per pair per walk (professional walking sticks that can be extended)
• Personal store: $ 30 USD – (Shop only for hikers alone)
• Vistadome train update: $ 57 USD per person (for return to Poroy (Cusco) at 4:43 pm)
• Huayna Picchu Mountain: $ 35 USD per person (request when booking your trek)
• Machu Picchu Mountain: $ 30 USD per person (request when booking your trek)

DISCOUNTS:

• 18 to 25 years: $ 30 USD. Information required on the student card: name of the university, name of the student, photo of the student, expiration date, etc. A copy of the card is required at the reservation and government approval for the discount.
• Children under 18: $ 30 USD. Send us a copy of your passport at the time of booking.
• Children under 11 years: $ 40 USD. Send us a copy of your passport at the time of booking.
• Group of 5 or more: $ 30 USD. – All you need is to book the trek at the same time.

Do I need to have previous experience or physical preparation?

Yes, to be able to carry out this 7-Day Choquequirao Trail to Machu Picchu it is important to have an adequate physical condition since the trip itself is very demanding, being prepared helps you enjoy the experience in a comfortable way, the geography of the Inca trail is somewhat unusual since it’s a complete mix of everything between staggered climbs, trails, inclines and steep descents. The best way to prepare for the trip is to establish some routines that can be daily or weekly in terms of walks that help strengthen our resistance in the legs.

How should I prepare my luggage for this choquequirao trail?

The Inca Trail leads us directly to Machu Picchu by the traditional route used by the Incas, so the trail itself takes us into what we currently know as the jungle, for this reason the heat is imminent, light clothing is always the most recommended, to this we must add only 1 or 2 garments that are warm for the nights. Finally, personal items such as power banks, sunglasses, mosquito repellent, rain poncho and others are also important for the trip.

Can I do the choquequirao trail in peru on my own?

No, because the choquequirao trail has a particular condition and that is that it can only be done in the company of a formal company that has a special permit issued by Sernanp (Entity that regulates the natural part). With these conditions, choosing PERU TOP EXPERIENCE is the best option because we are direct operators for this service.

How are the bathrooms on the choquequirao trail? Will we have access to showers along the way?

The services that we find along the way are basic, this is part of the management of the entities that regulate it, however they give us the comfort of being able to use them if necessary. As for the shower, the water is very cold, so it is not recommended on the road. Our team provides you with a warm towel and water so you can clean yourself every day. When you arrive in Aguas Calientes you can make use of the hot springs that are exceptional to rest your body after the adventure.

• Original passport (must be the same one used to book your trip)
• Valid university card (if booked as a student)
• Good backpack (the smaller, the better)
• Water storage: 2-3L (Camelbaks are recommended)
• Comfortable hiking boots with ankle brace
• Sleeping bag
• Headlamp: essential
• Toilet paper
• 2 t-shirts
• 2 hiking pants at least
• 4 sets of underwear
• 3 sets of hiking socks
• Swimsuit for hot springs
• Polar / thermal lining
• Warm clothes, down jacket – temperature of the second camp around 3º C
• Waterproof gloves (even if they are ski gloves, take them)
• Comfortable camping shoes
• Quick drying towel. We offer small, you might prefer something bigger
• Small bottle of soap: we provide warm water every day to wash.
• Battery charger: there is no electricity along the walk
• Large plastic bags will be provided in the office. Ask for them.
• Sleeping bag: must be at least -15ºC. You can rent it.
• Swimwear
• Hand sanitizer
• Wet wipes
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Personal medications
• First aid kit: bandages, moleskin, etc.
• Sun hat
• Sunscreen
• Headlamp: essential
• Wool hat
• Rain clothes
• Wool
• Snacks like chocolate bars, cereal bars or any dried fruit.
• Coca leaves
• Plastic rain poncho (provided by SAM)
• Gloves
• Camera
• Hand sanitizer
• Toilet paper and small plastic waste bag.
• Extra money for souvenirs, drinks and tipS