Classic Choquequirao Trek – 5 Days / 4 Nights

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
Cusco - Cachora - Capuliyoc - Chiquisca
3 stops
1
Ruinas de Choquequirao
The trip starts from your hotel in Cusco around 4:30 a.m. You will travel by private transport to the village of Cachora, where you can enjoy views of the Salkantay and Humantay glaciers.
4 hours • Admission ticket free
2
Capuliyoc
After breakfast, you will continue to Capuliyoc, where you will meet the team of cooks and muleteers who will carry your luggage.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
3
The hike begins with a 3-hour descent to Chiquisca, a small village surrounded by fruit crops. Along the trail, you will be able to admire the impressive Apurímac Valley and the majestic Padreyoc and Qoriwayrachina mountains. With a bit of luck, you will be able to see condors flying over the valley. In the afternoon, you will arrive at the warm Chiquisca camp, surrounded by arid mountains, where you will have dinner and spend the night.
13 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 2
Chiquisca - Playa Rosalinas - Santa Rosa - Marampata
4 stops
4
After breakfast, you will continue the ascent to Marampata.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
5
The day begins with a one-hour descent to Playa Rosalina, the lowest point in the valley. After crossing the footbridge, the most challenging part of the trek begins.
2 hours • Admission ticket free
6
You will have lunch in the village of Santa Rosa, and then continue for about 3 more hours zigzagging uphill to the Marampata camp.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
7
From there, you can enjoy views of impressive canyons—the deepest in the region. In the late afternoon, the sun paints the mountains and the Apurímac Valley in shades of orange, and at nightfall, a starry sky will accompany your dinner and your rest.
14 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 3
Marampata – Choquequirao Archaeological Complex – Marampata
3 stops
8
After a hearty breakfast
1 hour • Admission ticket free
9
Choquequirao Inca Citadel
You will have the whole day to explore Choquequirao (3,050 m / 10,007 ft), located an hour from the camp. Together with your guide, you will tour the complex while learning about its history and architecture. This site, hidden among mountains and near the deepest canyon in South America, is even larger than Machu Picchu. It features impressive plazas, temples, and agricultural terraces that showcase Inca ingenuity. You can rest during a picnic lunch. Don't miss the famous white llamas carved in stone on the platforms, it is estimated that only 40% of the site is visible.
10 hours • Admission ticket included
10
At the end of the day, you will return to the Marampata camp for dinner and rest.
14 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 4
Marampata - Santa Rosa - Playa Rosalinas - Chiquisca
4 stops
11
You will begin your return journey from Choquequirao, bidding farewell to the site with a last view of the canyon from Marampata.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
12
You will walk for about 2 hours to Santa Rosa through lush vegetation, where you will have lunch.
2 hours • Admission ticket free
13
Then, you can cool off in the cold waters of the Apurímac River at Rosalina Beach before ascending to Chiquisca.
3 hours • Admission ticket free
14
There, a local family will welcome you into their home, giving you the opportunity to learn more about Andean customs and traditions and their deep connection to Pachamama. After dinner, you will rest at the campsite.
14 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 5
Chiquisca - Capuliyoc - Saywite Monolith - Conoc Hot Springs - Cusco
5 stops
15
On the last day, you will start early to avoid the intense sun, accompanied by the sound of the Apurímac River.
2 hours • Admission ticket free
16
Capuliyoc
Hike for approximately 4 hours to Capuliyoc, where you will say goodbye to the hiking team.
4 hours • Admission ticket free
17
Then, you will travel by private transport to visit the famous Saywite Monolith, a sacred site with more than 200 carved figures, highly valued by the Incas.
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission ticket included
18
On the way back to Cusco, you will enjoy a relaxing bath in the hot springs of Conoc before lunch.
1 hour • Admission ticket included
19
Cusco
On the final stretch, you will see the snow-capped mountains that accompanied your journey for the last time. You will arrive in Cusco around 6:00 p.m. and be transferred to your accommodation.
4 hours • Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Service animals allowed
• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Travelers should have a high level of physical fitness
• It's recommended to arrive in Cusco at least 2 days before the trek to adjust to the altitude.

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