Choquequirao Trek 5 Days / 4 Nights

Overview:

Choquequirao Trek  5 Days 4 Nights, is the second most important archeological site in Cusco. It has a connection with the last Inca cities of Vilcabamba and with Machu Picchu is perfect for those looking to get away from the crowds or who are looking for something other than Machu Picchu during their trip. The Choquequirao Trek  5 Days  4 Nights, takes you to the sister city of Machu Picchu, Choquequirao (The Cradle of Gold) which sits high above the Apurimac Valley.

With a wide variety of flora and fauna, beautiful scenery and a visit to a major Inca site, the Choquequirao Trek 5 Days 4 Nights, is the adventure of a lifetime.

By booking your Choquequirao Trek  5 Days 4 Nights, with Cusco Journeys & Adventure you are choosing the best. Don’t believe us? Check out our reviews on Tripadvisor!

Useful Information:

• Starting Altitude – 2900m / 9515ft.
• Highest Altitude – 3050m / 10,005ft
• Walking Distance – 64 km / 40 miles
• Longest Day – Day 1, approximately 25 km/15.5 miles
• Overall Difficulty – Difficult

Itinerary

Pre-trek briefing:

You will have a thorough briefing with your guide 1 or 2 days before your trek. Your guide will meet you at our office in Cusco and you can take this opportunity to ask questions and make any final preparations.

 Day 1: Cusco – Capuliyoc – La Playa.

We will pick you up at 4:00 am from your hotel in Cusco with our private Van and your guide and drive about 4 hours until you get to the trailhead called Capuliyoc (3200m) from this point we start our Choquequirao Trek 5 Days 4 Nights. You will meet your horses and horseman and your trekking chef will provide the first breakfast. You will love the beautiful views of the snow capped mountains that surround you and your trekking guide will introduce the team. After a group photo, you will start the amazing expedition to Choquequirao. It will be 3 hours all downhill with some stops as you need until you arrive to your first lunch spot. The trail could be a little dusty and slippery but with good trekking shoes and trekking poles all will be fine and you will have spectacular views of the Apurimac river, amazing landscapes, beautiful flora and fauna to Chikisca for lunch. After lunch, we continue on for 1 more hour downhill to our first camp at La Playa Rosalinas. 

• Meals: Lunch – Afternoon Tea Time –  Dinner.
• Accommodation:Camping facilities
• Minimum altitude: 2061m/6762ft
• Maximum altitude: 3100m/9300ft
• Distance: 9kms/5.6 miles
• Time: 5hrs approximately
• Difficulty: Easy

Day 2: La Playa – Marampata – Choquequirao.

After an early breakfast you will get ready for the day. You will begin the day by crossing the river and then its 4 hours uphill with zigzags. Along the way you will pass by some sugarcane farms, more great views of the valley from the opposite hill, possibly some condors above (largest birds of the Andes) and beautiful flora and and fauna. This climb is one of the most challenging parts of the Choquequirao trek and we will have an emergency horse in case you will get tired and might want to ride for some sections (when is more 6+). Once you arrive to Marampata you will be done with the uphill and have time to enjoy your lunch at 3350m. After lunch you deserve a nice siesta and then will continue on the last section for 2 hours until Choquequirao. This will be by far the most impressive section of your entire trek since you will have lots of amazing views from the summit to the canyon of Apurimac, nice views of Choquequirao where you can see the whole inka site, lots of orchids and other flowers and lots of black bears. Upon your arrival to the campsite, our porters will set you in your tents. This campsite is amazing since it will be right at the foot part of the inca site. If you still have some energy left you can walk 30 minutes to enjoy the sunset from the Choquequirao inca site.

• Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Afteroon Tea Time –  Dinner.
• Accommodation: Camping facilities
• Minimum altitude: 2061m/6762ft
• Maximum altitude: 3100m/10170ft
• Distance: 12kms/7.5 miles
• Time: 7hrs approximately
• Difficulty: Easy

 Day 3: Exploring Choquequirao.

After an early breakfast you you will get prepared for the most amazing day exploring Choquequirao. It will take about 30 minutes to get there and then you will begin your history lesson and tour of this impressive inca site. Choquequirao trek is considered to be bigger than Machu Picchu, but most of it is still hidden in the forest. This inca site is extremely spread out since the incas had to think and study which áreas of the mountain were the best areas to construct several buildings, terraces , and houses. The most impressive parts of this site are the temples, astronomical observatories, and water channels. After touring around for about 4 hours you will head back to camp for lunch and a little siesta. You will have more time to continue exploring the site and remember our guides are experts in archeology and history. You will get to explore amazing areas of the site – the llama area for example is a steep downhill walk for 30 minutes where you will see really narrow farming terraces and on the aall llamas were built into the wall out of white stones. This was most likely built in by the incas to represent the llama constellation in the milkyway. You then get to visit the Usno area where you can enjoy the sunset over the mountains and then walk back to your campsite for the second night at Choquequirao.

• Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Afternoon Tea Time –  Dinner
• Accommodation: Camping facilities
• Altitude: 3100m/10170ft

Day 4: Choquequirao – Marampata – La Playa – Chiquisca

After another early breakfast we will prepare ourself for our way back to Cusco and say goodbye to the majestic choquequirao inca site. It will be 2 hours back to Marampata always with amazing views of the canyon of Apurimac. The guide will always be pointing out the beautiful flora and fauna you might have missed on your way to the inka site. The waterfalls that you see from far away and the clouds lifting from the bottom of the canyon are really impressive and you might want to make sure you have enough battery life to preserve these. Also if you have nice weather you will get to enjoy the amazing landscape of the Andes. From Marampata you will begin the 4 hours steep downhill to La Playa. This downhill definitely requires trekking poles. At half way down you will have a break to enjoy some fruit that are farmed around there. Cactus fruit are the main attraction around here. Finally you will reach La Playa for lunch and then it will be 2 hours uphill to Chiquisca Camp which is in the backyard of a family but with amazing views of the landscape. Today you might also see some back bears, condors, hummingbirds and more.

• Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Afternoon Tea Time –  Dinner.
• Accommodation: Camping facilities
• Minimum altitude: 2600m/8530ft
• Maximum altitude: 3100m/10170ft
• Time: 6hrs approximately
• Difficulty: Moderate

 Day 5 .- Chiquisca – Capuliyoc – Cusco.

After early breakfast you will get ready to return to Cusco. It will be the last 4 hours uphill to arrive to the end of the trek where you will enjoy your last lunch with your guide, porters and horsemen. You will say goodbye to your team other than your guide and then continue for about 3 hours, this time by car, drive back to Cusco along the nice landscape. You will get to pass Curahuasi where people farm the famous Anis (local tea) then you will be arriving to Cusco around 6 pm in total with some stops on the way and we will drop you off at your hotel and we finish our Choquequirao Trek 5 Days 4 Nights.

• Meals: Breakfast – Lunch.
• Accommodation: None
• Time: 5hrs approximately

Machu Picchu Extensions:

Choquequirao Trek 5 Days 4 Nights, do not include a final day at Machu Picchu. However, Cusco Journeys offers several Machu Picchu extensions that can be added either before or after your trek.

Our Machu Picchu Tour is an excellent way to relax in comfort after a beautiful yet challenging multi-day trek.
The Machu Picchu and Moray-Salt mine extension combines authentic, off the beaten path experiences along with a visit to Peru’s wonder of the world.
The Machu Picchu and Sacred Valley extension fits all the highlights of the area in a few quick days.
The Machu Picchu and Short inca trail 2 Days / 1 Night extension fits all the highlights of the area in a few quick days.

What’s Included

• Pre-departure briefing
• Collection from your hotel in the morning and transfer in private transport to Capuliyoc, starting point of the trek
• Choquequirao entrance fee for visitors and agency staff
• Personal tents: 2 people in each 4-people-capacity tent, to allow for higher comfort and a safe keeping of backpacks. Our tents are 3-season, highly maintained to ensure an excellent performance in field. Eureka
• Timberline 4 Outfitter tents are employed when double accommodation is requested and Eureka Timberline 2XT for single travelers
• One inflatable sleeping pad per person
• Dining tent with tables and chairs
• Kitchen tent
• Toilet tent with biodegradable toilet facilities
• English speaking professional and official tourist guide (2 guides for groups of over 8 people)
• Chef and cooking equipment
• Pack animals (to carry tents, food and cooking equipment)
• Pack animals to carry personal gear up to a maximum of 9kg per person (including sleeping pad and sleeping bag)
• 1 emergency horse every 6 persons
• Wranglers
• Accommodation for all our staff
• Meals (04B, 05L, 04D + daily morning snack + daily tea service except last day). Vegetarian or special menus are available at no extra cost
• One textile snack bag per person, to avoid the usage of plastic bags that contaminate our environment
• Filtered boiled water from lunch time on 1st day onwards
• Bio-degradable personal hand soaps
• Bio-degradable dishwashing detergents used by our kitchen staff
• Others: hot water every morning and evening for washing purposes / boiled water to fill in your water bottle every morning and night, and at lunch time if requested with enough time ahead
• First-aid kit including emergency oxygen bottle
• Private transport from Capuliyoc to Cusco, including transfer to your hotel in Cusco
• 24-h guest service: please ask for the emergency number available during your time of visit

What’s Not Included

• Breakfast the first day
• Dinner the last day
• Sleeping bags (they can be rented in the office)
• If you would like to rent an additional horse, the cost is $10 per day
• Tickets to hot springs in Conoc
• **Tips (the amount you tip (or if you tip)  is a personal decision and it is NOT an obligation.

What we recommend that you bring

• A backpack with a change of clothes for the whole period of the trek
• Rain gear (jacket and pants if available) or rain poncho (plastic ponchos can be purchased in Cusco)
• Strong footwear, waterproof trekking boots recommended
• Sandals or jogging shoes for a higher comfort while at camp
• Warm clothes, including jacket, fleeces
• Flashlight/headlamp and batteries
• Camera and batteries (batteries consume more quickly under cold conditions)
• Hat or cap to protect you from the sun, rain and cold
• Sun block
• After-sun cream or hydrating cream for face and body
• Insect repellent – minimum recommended 20% DEET – no malaria risk has been reported
• Handkerchiefs
• Toilet paper
• Snacks: biscuits, energy bars, chocolate, raw fruits, muesli, etc. Please note that we do provide a daily morning snack and our meal service is very complete and well supplied. This recommendation applies for all clients being used to a specific snack, as it may happen that it is not included in our selection
• Water container and water for the first morning
• Optionally: water- sterilizing tablets in case you pick up water from streams or rivers along the route.
• Otherwise, we provide filtered boiled water, which is safe to drink and has not reported any health problem so far
• Small towel
• Swimsuit (if you wish to take a bath in the river)
• Cash in soles and/or US$
• Original passport
• Original International Student Identity Card (in case you have applied for a student discount)
• Optional: walking sticks or poles (rubber covers required in order not to damage archaeological sites)

Our Choquequirao Trek 5 Days 4 Nights. We do book by the size of the group because this trek does not go to Machu Picchu, so it tends to be less popular.

• 2-3 Trekkers:  $609 per person
• 4-5 Trekkers: $579 per person
• 6 or more Trekkers: $549 per person

Important: Price includes up to 7 kilos of your personal belongings to be carried by the mules (NO need of extra Porter hire!).

Discounts:

• Student Discount: US$20.00 Student discounts apply to anyone who has a valid UNIVERSITY STUDENT CARD at the time of the trek or who is 17-years-old or younger. For those using a University Student Card our under 17-years-old, we need to see a copy of their card or passport at the time of booking to receive the discount.Please send all to info@cuscojourneys.com.

Rentals:

• Hiking poles – US$20.00
• Sleeping bag – US$25.00
• Sleeping bag Deluxe Package (+ Pillow & Liners) US$35.00
• Private Tent – US$30.00

By booking or participating in a tour and any related products or services (a “Tour”) with Cusco Journeys, you agree to these Terms & Conditions.

Booking:

1. Your booking is confirmed and a contract exists when the Tour Operator or your travel agent issues a written confirmation after receipt of the applicable deposit amount. Please check your confirmation carefully and report any incorrect or incomplete information to the Tour Operator or authorized agent immediately. Please ensure that names are exactly as stated in the relevant passport.
2. You will pay a deposit which is completely non-refundable in any situation. There are no exceptions.
3. You will be required to show the original passport (not a copy) that you booked with, at the checkpoint to enter the Inca Trail. If you originally booked with an old passport and then renewed your passport, you must also bring your expired passport along with your new, valid passport to permit entry or they will refuse your entrance to the trail.
4. The only acceptable ID to receive a Student Discount is your University Card with a clear expiration date that must be the same year as trek. IDs with expiry dates the following year, even though clearly valid, will not be accepted by the Peruvian government. You must submit a copy of this card at time of booking.

Cancellations:

1. Cancellations: In order to confirm this trip, a deposit of 40% is required per person at time of booking. The balance of the trip price is due 90 days before the departure date. Special holiday payment and cancellation terms may apply. Guests who must cancel their trip for any reason must do so in writing (we do not accept medical notes of any kind) as our out of pocket expenses are non-refundable to us.. Standard cancellations are subject to the following per-person penalties, based on number of days prior to departure:

ONCE BOOKED, DEPOSITS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE. CHART BELOW OUTLINES WHAT FURTHER FEES WILL BE DUE.

Inca Trail Tours:

1. Permits: Permits for the Inca Trail are in your name and can not be transferred to anyone else under any circumstances. Change of dates is also not possible once a permit has been purchased. Permits are non-refundable and non-transferable. The deposit will be forfeited. Please note that this is a regulation of the Peruvian government and not Cusco Journeys (or any agency).
2. In extreme cases when the “Inca Trail to Machu Picchu” is declared closed for safety reasons, Cusco Journeys will replace your trek with an alternative trek.
3. Those who booked PERMITS with a Student ID must bring that ID with them on the trek. If they fail to show this card to the Park Rangers, they will not be allowed entry onto the trail.

Medical Information:

1. You must advise Cusco Journeys of any medical problems or allergies you may have. You need to be in good physical health, and if your health is questionable, then you should consult a doctor. If you are over the age of 70 years old, then you will need to present us with a current good health medical certificate.
2. You are responsible for assessing whether a Tour is suitable for you. You should consult your physician to confirm your fitness for travel and participation in any planned activities. You should seek your physician’s advice on vaccinations and medical precautions. The Tour Operator does not provide medical advice. It is your responsibility to assess the risks and requirements of each aspect of the Tour based on your own unique circumstances, limitations, fitness level and medical requirements.
3. Cusco Journeys reserves the right to deny you permission to travel or participate in any aspect of a Tour at any time and at your own risk and expense where the Tour Operator determines that your physical or mental condition renders you unfit for travel or you represent a danger to yourself or others.
4. Pregnancy is considered a medical condition and must be disclosed to the Tour Operator at the time of booking. The Tour Operator may refuse to carry pregnant women over 24 weeks. The Tour Operator may refuse to carry anyone with certain medical conditions if reasonable accommodation or alternatives cannot be arranged.
5. It is strongly encouraged to purchase Travel Insurance to protect you in case of medical emergency or any tour cancellations.

Tours and Treks:

1. All balances need to be paid in either cash, Western Union, Transfer Bank or PayPal (in full) prior to the briefing which will be held the night before your tour. Visa incurs a 5% service fee and if you need to use another card, it must be through PayPal which incurs a 5.5% service fee.
   You must advise your guide if you wish to leave the group or the camping area for independent walks or sightseeing. If you are experiencing any problems with the services of the guide or tour, please advise the guide in that moment, so that he can resolve any problems.
2. All Adventure Treks include transportation to Cusco. The return train route depends on train availability.
3. If you become ill or injured on the trail and are unable to continue, a porter will be provided to accompany you back to an area with emergency assistance capabilities. Helicopter air lifts and medical assistance are at the expense of the trekker. If you are unable to complete the tour due to illness, we will assist you in meeting your group at Machu Picchu to recommence your tour at that point. There will be no refund of the original payment. However, we will prepare a document to certify illness which can be presented for your travel insurance.
4. Cusco Journeys will take all reasonable care in providing to our clients avoidance of accident, illness, and loss of personal property, and will only employ suitably qualified staff. We accept responsibility for the actions of our own employees. Cusco Journeys cannot, however, be responsible for any action of third parties. You are totally responsible for your own personal property and rented equipment.
5. Cusco Journeys does not take responsibility for unfavorable weather conditions, natural catastrophe, strikes, accidents, illness, injury, loss of personal ítems, etc. It is the client’s responsibility to carry insurance to cover these types of events. We reserve the right to modify or cancel the program due to any of the unforeseen conditions listed above.
6. Cusco Journeys may modify your itinerary where reasonably required in its sole discretion.
7. Group tours might be as large as 16 participants. Groups are open to everyone no matter skill or age. By accepting a Group Tour you acknowledge that others might change the speed and timing of the tour.
8. All tours are done in English.

Delays:

1. Any costs, whether direct or incidental, incurred by the Customer as the result of delays caused by bad weather, trail conditions, river levels, road conditions, transportation delays, sickness, government intervention or other contingencies which are beyond the control of southern explorations will not be reimbursed.

Thank you so much for choosing Cusco Journeys!!!