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Choquequirao

This lost city was the place where the last Incas who escaped from Cusco, they took refuge and resisted 40 years of Spanish invasion. After Manco Inka's defeat in Cusco, the survivors of the once powerful Inca Empire fled to Choquequirao.

Location

Choquequirao is located in the district of Santa Teresa, province of the Convention, department of Cusco. The archaeological site is 30 miles away from the town of Cachora in Choquequirao Mountain pertaining to the Cordillera of the Salkantay, in the right margin of the Apurimac River.

Choquequirao's altitude is 10,120 feet above se alevel, on the top of a mountain.

Price Adult S/.36.00
Student S/. 18.00
choque1_about_vilcabambaLegend and history become confused among the mists of the Andes Mountains. Choquequirao caught the world's attention as the last bastion of Inka resistance against the Conquistadors. According to Peruvian archaeologists, this lost city was the place where the last Incas who escaped from Cusco,they took refuge and resisted 40 years of Spanish invasion. After Manco Inka's defeat in Cusco, the survivors of the once powerful Inca Empire fled to Choquequirao. It was an important political and religious centre, where the last descendants of the empire continued to perform its great rituals.

Way off the beaten track, Choquequirao, the "Cradle of Gold" is an amazing preserved Inca outpost, comparable in size to Machu Picchu and dramatically located on a promontory nearly 6,560 feet above the roaring Apurimac River. It is only accessible by a tough long walk.

Choquequirao is a recently rediscovered ridge-top Inca site far away in the Andes about two days walk from the remote city of Cachora. Cachora is located around 4 hours drive north of the Incas capital of Cusco. Back and forth, it was about 37.28 miles, round trip, from Cachora to Choquequirao.

The canyon seems bottomless. From the lookout where the trail begins, the Apurimac River is a greenish-white ribbon speckled with tiny black dots, which you know are house-size boulders. Beyond the canyon, the massive snow peaks of the Cordillera vilcabamba seem to fill the sky.

Even today the journey is long, but for the growing army of those who love the challenge of the Andes it is everything one could hope for. Without doubt, an Andean experience that you will never forget!

Standard Choquequirao Trek Includes

  • Round trip transportation Private bus from Cusco to Cachora
  • Professional Guide English speaking.
  • Chef in charge of meal preparation
  • Horses to carry tents and cooking equipment (including muleteers)
  • Meals 4 Breakfasts/ 4 Lunches/ 4 Dinners/ Snacks
  • Double occupancy tents (Doite)
  • Rolling mattress
  • Dinner tent
  • Toilet tent
  • Kitchen tent
  • Tables, seats, table set and fist aids kit.

Things to bring

  • Large duffel bag, small bag to carry your camera, water bottles, sweater, etc.
  • Sleeping bag; especially, to support a temperature of -5°C.
  • Clothing mid weight fleece or wool sweater, fleece pants or tights, mid weight thermal underwear tops and bottom, synthetic or wool, hiking pants, hiking shorts, long-sleeve shirts, T-shirts, underwear and casual socks, hiking socks, liner socks, swimsuit, sun hat, bandana, wool or fleece gloves, rain poncho.
  • Sturdy hiking boots, sandals for use in town or campsites
  • Water bottle(s) or hydration system, flashlight, pocket knife or multi-tool, 1 roll of toilet paper, sunglasses and retainer strap, sun block and lip balm, toiletry kit, personal first-aid kit (personal medication), insect repellent, several Ziploc plastic bags to put all your clothing and accessories
  • Camera, film and spare batteries, binoculars.

How do I get to Choquequirao?

To get there you could take a Private Tour or go by your own. It takes 4 hours to get Cachora by car form Cusco, form this that point you have to walk an average of 4D/3N.

This route can be combined with others. Including a 5-day walk to Machu Picchu.