Choquequirao: as impressive as Machu Picchu Peru

CHOQUEQUIRAO is as incredible as Machu Picchu—less known, more unexplored—virgin, and accessible for excellent tourist visits. 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. Use mochileros.org resources to discover one of the most impressive ruins in Latin America.

Why is it so unbelievable that so few people or little do know about it?

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. Your water supply is possibly insufficient; you pass cold at high heights or burn while 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?

How much do you walk to Choquequirao?

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.

How high is Choquequirao?

The Citadel is at 3,035 m, and the lowest point of the walk will be at 1,461 m. The climate resembles Cusco’s, adjusting to the heights before the trek.

The Road to Choquequirao:

The road to Choquequirao consists 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 connects with a remarkable ascent of 1500 meters of unevenness.

As stated above, the road is hard; luckily, everyone can travel at his pace. There are several camps, so it is unnecessary to say where to stop or walk by day. It is approximately estimated that every 3 hours, there is some camp.

The most popular stopping points on the Apurimac side are

• Mirador Capuliyoc (2900 masl and 7 km from Cachora)
• Chiquisqa (14 km from Cachora)
• Playa Rosalina (1500 m and 18 km from Cachora)

And from the other side (Cusco)

• Saint Rose
• Marampata
• Choquequirao

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 one, and campsites are available 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 / five 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:

• Day 1: Cachora-Playa Rosalina (18 km)
• Day 2: Playa Rosalina-Choquequirao (13 km)
• Day 3: Return: Choquequirao-Chiquisqa (18 km)
• Day 4: Chiquisca-Cachora (14 km)

Trekking details to Choquequirao:

• Cumulative uphill gradient: 5,020 m
• The incremental slope of the descent: 5,020 m
• Maximum Altitude: 3,137 m
• Minimum Altitude: 1,461 m

What to bring to Choquequirao?

The blocker is imperative and repellent. It would not come with any more glasses, something to cover the head, and your camping equipment (lantern, tent, cooking utensils, medicines, cleansing tablets, rainponcho, ventilated clothes, and coat).

Trekking poles:

It is highly recommended for steep descents and climbs. They will also help you take long walks and get less tired.

Suitable footwear for the walk.

Good boots and socks are essential for backpackers. To learn more about footwear, watch this video and read this article on choosing suitable footwear.

Considerations for this trekking:

• Altitude sickness: Some people are affected by the lack of oxygen caused by altitude sickness or soroche. Pills for soroche are top-rated in all Andean pharmacies where travelers are. Other recommendations are simple sugars (like candies) and coca mate. A few days of previous acclimatization before activities at heights is always recommended.
• Food: Kondor Path Tours has the best adventure chefs for this hiking trail; food is prepared based on organic products; everyday lunches and dinners are different, and do not repeat any dish. Hiking in a remote and non-touristy place is excellent and even better, accompanied by the best foods on your excellent hiking performance.
• Water: It is essential to carry a water supply for hikes. You can also boil water or take cleansing pills. Learn how to purify water here.
• Avoid climbing with the sun, especially near noon, as many find walking the most significant difficulty.
• Do not do this walk-in during periods of rain (between January and March) or extreme heat (July and August). Rain can cause landslides on the road, making it inaccessible, and heat can add more complications to your exhaustion.
• Optionally, some villagers rent mules available to visitors to carry heavy luggage, tents, etc. Especially for groups.
• The road is signposted and can be done independently. However, doing this route with a hiking company is always safer. It is a remote destination. If you travel with travel insurance, it verifies that it offers evacuation of areas like this.
• Try to avoid carrying unnecessary weight with you. Minimize to the extreme and look for the essentials to achieve this.

Alternative to the future:

If this road seems very hard, the other alternative is to travel to the future with a cable car of 5.4 kilometers from Huañipaca to Choquequirao. It plans to cross over the Apurimac River, journeying in 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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