The BEST Treks to visit Cusco

You can take a tour with Kondor Path Tours to hike in Cusco and the Sacred Valley. The Inca Trail is one exception: you must go with an agency. See the section on the Inca Trail and alternatives.

Choquequirao

Choquequirao is becoming one of the most popular treks in the region. The town, which sits more than two miles above Apurimac Gorge, was discovered by Hiram Bingham just before he stumbled upon Machu Picchu, but he eventually lost it again. The five-day or four-night trek passes by snow-covered mountain peaks and glaciers, the high jungle, little-known Incan buildings and ruins, and raging rivers. The trip has several locations and an excellent chance to see the giant Andean condor.

Choquequirao Treks

• CHOQUEQUIRAO + SHORT INCA TRAIL & MACHU PICCHU – 7 DAYS TREK
• CHOQUEQUIRAO TRAIL PERU 4 DAYS

Ausangate

A five- to seven-day circuit takes you to the area’s highest peak, Ausangate (6,384 m/20,939 feet). The trip takes you to grasslands filled with herds of alpacas and small rural villages that have changed little since Incan times.

Rainbow Mountain Trek Full Day

The trek starts in the town of Tinqui, a four-hour drive from Cuzco. Ausangate is the site of Qoyllority, the snow star festival held every May or June. Thousands of Andean people trek to the glacier at midnight. Other expeditions from Tinqui led to Laguna Sibinacocha (seven days) and Pitumarca (six days).

Vilcabamba

The way to Vilcabamba is not necessarily through Cuzco, but you must organize the trip from here. The mountain hideout was the last stronghold of the Incas until Manco Inca killed them here in 1544. It is what explorer Hiram Bingham was looking for and thought he had found when he discovered Machu Picchu. Also known as Espiritu Pampa, the ruins are 70 km (42 miles) from the lowland town of Quillabamba. It has yet to be excavated on a large scale, so much of it is in pieces and overgrown. To visit here, one must hike for about a week round-trip.