CHOQUEQUIRAO is as incredible a place as Machu Picchu; Less known, more unexplored. Virgin and free of the excellent tourist visit. A Machu Picchu to arrive as a backpacker, with long independent walks and camped on the route. Choquequirao is also known as the sacred sister of Machu Picchu. It is, therefore, a large archaeological complex with buildings and terraces, a testimony of the Incas conquering the heights of the mountains.
This guide will teach you how to get to this sanctuary independently. Take advantage of mochileros.org resources to discover one of the most impressive ruins in Latin America.
Before you should know a few things:
Unlike Machu Picchu, where you can reach by train and climb on buses, Choquequirao is a destination acquired through intense sacrifice and effort. They are strenuous walks that involve descents and slopes with little oxygen. The way to get there is a lot of walking and camping. Possibly your water supply is not enough, pass cold in the heights, or you burn walking under the intense Andean sun. What can make the trip between 4 and 5 days unless you visit nearby villages or do it quickly?
From the village of Cachora to Choquequirao, we walk about 31 kilometers without including the route through the ruins. The return would be the same distance (62 km in total). A large part of the route involves the descent of a large mountain, while the other half is climbing.
The Citadel is at 3,035 m.s.n.m, and at the lowest point of the walk, you will be at 1,461 m.s.n.m. The climate resembles Cusco’s, adjusting to the heights before the trek.
The road to Choquequirao does the makeup of two distinct mountains. The initial stretch goes up to the viewpoint of Capuliyoc; then, the whole route is a great descent, sometimes dodging, and then connect with a remarkable ascent of 1500 meters of unevenness.
The road, as stated above, is hard, and luckily everyone can travel at his pace. There are several camps, so it is unnecessary to say where to stop or walk by day. Approximately estimated that every 3 hours, there is some camp.
The most popular stopping points on the Apurimac side are
And from the other side (Cusco)
On the way, several camps run by people from the villages have begun to cater to visitors. If you do not bring a tent, you rent it, and it is possible to find campsites every three hours of hiking. There they have bathrooms and common areas for cooking.
Again, it is a hard road of significant ascents and great descents. A reasonable average to arrive is four nights / 5 days. In ideal conditions, of optimum physical condition and experience, it would be possible to do it in 3 days / 4noches more or less like this:
The blocker is imperative and repellent and would not come to any more glasses and something to cover the head and your camping equipment (lantern, tent, cooking utensils, medicines and cleansing tablets, rain poncho, ventilated clothes, and coat).
It does highly recommended for steep descents and climbs. They will also help you to take long walks and get tired less.
Essential to wear good boots and socks. If you are interested in learning more about footwear for backpackers, watch this video and read this article on choosing suitable footwear.
If this road seems very hard, the other alternative is to travel to the future where a cable car of 5.4 kilometers from Huañipaca to Choquequirao. It plans to cross over the Apurimac River, making the journey in just 15 minutes. The cable car will come specifically from the town of Kiuñalla, carrying 50 passengers per cabin or 400 per hour.
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