PERU - Choquequirao to Machu Picchu
Wilderness trekking and a visit to the 'Cradle of Gold' - Lost Inca fortress of Choquequirao ~ Apurimac Canyon, one of the world’s deepest ~ The incomparable Machu Picchu ~ Some of Peru’s finest trekking
4 nights hotels and lodges, 9 nights camping, 8 days DEMANDING trekking, max altitude - 4850m. Some meals not included.
demanding
Comparable in terms of its size and splendour to Machu Picchu, the Inca outpost of Choquequirao sits astride a high ridge of the Cordillera Vilcabamba, surrounded by snow-capped peaks. Our approach to this rarely-visited site takes us down into the awe-inspiring canyon of the Apurimac River and then up again, a climb of almost 2000 metres/6600 feet. After a day's exploration of this aptly named 'cradle of gold,' we trek out for 5 days through the Vilcabamba, crossing several mountain passes. Lying in the shadow of impressive peaks such as Pumasillo (6246m.) and Salcantay (6271m.), this rugged region boasts some of Peru's finest trekking. Unchanged for centuries, its Quechua inhabitants still wear traditional dress. Fllowing ancient Inca trails and passing recently excavated Inca sites, we reach Urubamba and catch the train to Aguas Calientes. We round off the trip with a visit to Machu Pichu and a relaxing day in Cusco.
Trip Guide
This trek offers a variety of trekking conditions. Most of the walking is on fairly well-defined tracks, including some sections of ancient Inca highways, which are paved with stone in places. There are occasional river crossings and some steeper sections of trail. It is possible that the highest passes might have a light covering of snow. Overall, the trekking is straightforward and not very sustained. There are however, a couple of long trekking days and we do manage to accumulate more than 5000 metres of ascent and descent during the course of the trek. Making a complete crossing of the remote Cordillera Vilcabamba, from south to north, this is a superb short trek which merits its DEMANDING grade.
The trip pages are only a brief summary of the details available within our trip dossiers. It is important that you read the full day to day description and further information for this trip before making your booking.
Download a dossier for PERU - Choquequirao to Machu Picchu
