Choquequirao to Machupicchu 9D/8N

The Choquequirao ruins were most likely built during the reign of the Inca king, Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui. They are considered to be the last bastion of resistance and refuge of the Sons of the Sun, who fled from the city of Cusco when it was under siege in 1535. Led by Manco Inca Yupanqui, they took refuge in Choquequirao. Presumably, the place was used as both a check point to access the Vilcabamba Area, and as a cultural and religious centre.

DEPARTURE/RETURN LOCATION

Cusco Hotel Transfer

WEAR

Comfortable athletic clothing, hiking boots, hat, jacket and sunscreen.

INCLUDED

Private transportation from hotel to Capuliyoc and back

Round trip bus ticket in Machu Picchu town

Train ticket back to Cusco at the end of our journey

One night hotel in Machupicchu tow

Camping Equipment 4 season tent (03 people tent for 02 people,
Therma-Rest mattresses and Pillow

Other camping equipment, a dining tent with table and chairs, and a kitchen tent, manned by a professional cooking staff

Transportation from the train station to the hotel in Cusco

Trek Leader, Our Leaders are equipped and trained to practice First-Aid, administer oxygen if needed, and conduct radio communication

Meals (Option for vegetarians, or other options): Breakfast (8), lunch (8), dinner (7), and snacks

A professional Quechua chef

Horses, and muleteers; horses carry your 8-kgs / 16-pound personal items

Oxygen tank

Emergency Horse to escort us during the trek

NOT INCLUDED

Sleeping bags US$5 per day, and hiking poles US$5 per day( a pair of poles, Black Diamond or leki brand), you might get them rented from us

Hiking poles, you might get them rented from us a pair of poles, Black Diamond or leki brand

Extra expenditure during the trek, such as: soda, alcoholic drinks, extra snacks, tickets for the hot Springs

Tipping for the trek leader, porters or muleteers, and other staff

Travel Insurance and things of a personal nature – laundry and telephone calls, personal taxis, souvenirs etc.

Day1

Cusco - Capuliyoc - Playa Rosalina

Pick up from hotel at 5:00 am to have 4-hour driving to Capuliyuc 2,900m / 9,512 ft, the beginning of the trail. At this place we’ll meet up our muleteers, and horses, where we’ll get ready for the trek. We’ll start with our expedition, hiking for about 3 hours on a downhill trail to get the lunch spot called Chikiska located at 1,900 m / 6,213 ft, with stunning views of the snowcapped mountains of the Vilcabamba range, and the great Apurimac canyon. At Chikiska, we’ll enjoy our just prepared fresh lunch. After having lunch, we’ll hike for 1 more hour to get the first camp site called La Playa Rosalina 1,500m / 4,920 ft, in which we’ll spend the first night. In the evening we have tea time, subsequently dinner. All meals included, except breakfast. Hiking Time: 6 Hours (approx) | Hiking Distance: 8 Kms/4.9 Miles | Highest Point 2,900m/9,512 ft. | Lowest Point: 1,500m/4,920 ft. | Highlights: Dramatic views of the Vilcabamba range with snowcapped mountains and the Apurimac canyon

Day2

Playa Rosalina - Maranpata - Choququirao Park Camp

Very early in the morning we’ll wake up with a nice coca tea, and a nutritious breakfast will make us ready for the tough day, right after having our breakfast, we’ll ascend for about 5 hours on a switchback trail to get the town called Maranpata, a place where we’ll have our lunch. Upon our arrival at this lunch spot, we’ll have the first views of Choquequirao in a further direction. In the afternoon after eating lunch we’ll walk for 2 more hours to get the second camp site Choquequirao 2,950 m / 9,676 ft, that is located into the park, where we’ll spend that afternoon enjoying the beautiful sunset atop the Andes mountains. In the evening we’ll have tea time, subsequently dinner. All meals included Hiking Time: 8 Hours (approx) | Hiking Distance: 14 Kms/8.7 Miles | Highest Point 2,950 m/ 9,676 ft. | Lowest Point: 1,500m / 4,920 ft. | Highlights: First views of Choquequirao archaeological site, more views of Apurimac canyon

Day3

Guided tour of Choquequirao - Pinchayunuyon

This day we will have the chance to explore the incan city of Choquequirao, where our guide will explain a rich history of the place, during the tour we’ll visit the Priest house, Usnu (a platform for main rituals), Main temples or religious site, Terraces with Llamas, The Granary constructions. About midday we will have our lunch, thereafter we will walk uphill for about 45-minutes, then to descend until getting the third camp site that is Pinchayunuyoc archaeological site (2,850m / 9,320feet), where we will explore the Incan site of Pinchayunuyoc in the afternoon. The pretty scenic views around the camp site will be undeniably beautiful, that will make us feel in a different atmosphere. In the evening we will have tea time, subsequently dinner. Hiking Time : 8 Hours approx | 10 kms. (6.2 Miles)

Day4

Pinchayunuyoc - Maizal

After having breakfast, we will get ready to hike the fourth day, we will walk downhill for about 2 hours to get Rio Blanco(1,990m / 6,507feet) from where we will start to ascend until reaching the fourth camp spot which is Maizal( 3,200m / 10,464feet); after that we will have a 3-hour walking uphill to reach the next camp site, where we’ll eat our lunch upon our arrival. This camp spot offers amazing views as the great snowcapped mountain Victoria. In the evening we will have tea time, subsequently dinner. Hiking Time : 5 Hours approx | 8 kms. (4.9 Miles)

Day5

Maizal - Yanama

We’ll be waken up with hot coca tea which is the wake up call, right away to start the day having a nice breakfast, we will ascend through the cloud forest, along the pathway we will see a lot of fern, a couple of orchids, and many other exotic vegetation proper ones of the cloud forest, after that we will arrive to the ancient mining centre that was taken advantage for many decades. After exploring the mining centre for a while we will get into the Inca trail that is very well preserved to reach the Victoria pass(4,200m / 13,734feet), at the top of this pass we will have our lunch enjoying the amazing views around, and the beauty of Vilcabamba range with many peaks along. Afterwards we will descend for 2 hours to arrive the highland picturesque community Yanama(3,650m / 11,936feet) where we will camp. In the evening we will have tea time, subsequently dinner. Hiking Time: 8 Hours | Hiking Distance 12 kms/ 7.4 miles

Day6

Yanama-Totora

As usual we will have our hot coca tea to wake up, and have breakfast, subsequently we will begin to hike up that way to ascend and reach the next pass that is Yanama pass (4,700m / 15,369feet) which is the highest point on this Choquequirao trek to Machu Picchu trek, from this pass we will get awesome sights of other mountains around, and the glacier peaks. Then we will walk downhill until reaching the Totora town (3,200m / 10,464feet), in which we will spend the sixth night. This sixth day we’ll enjoy our lunch on the downhill section at about 1:00pm. In the evening we will have tea time, subsequently dinner. Hiking Time: 9 Hours | Hiking Distance 18 kms/ 11.2 miles

Day7

Totora-Lucmabamba

This day will be walking mostly in a highland tropical place, walking by small towns along the trail to the seventh camp site that is located in La playa town, on this section of the trail we will meet other hikers who followed the route of Salkantay, and on this section of the trail we will see beautiful waterfalls, highland vegetation and exotic fruit crops, one them is the granadilla, a fruit that belongs to family of passion fruit of course we will have a chance to try this fruit. When we arrive to La Playa town we will have our lunch, and that afternoon will be used to chill out at the camp site. In the evening we will have tea time, subsequently dinner. Hiking Time: 7 Hours | Hiking Distance 20 kms/ 12.4 miles

Day8

Lucmabamba- Llactapata Ruins - Machu Picchu Town

We will have our wake up coca tea in the morning as usual, after that to have the breakfast and we will be ready to walk uphill for three hours on the small section of the Inca trail; that is coming up from the jungle side of Cusco, and connecting to Machu Picchu, this ancient path was used in the past time as trading route between the jungle and the highlands of the Incan empire. Once we finish walking these three-hour section we will arrive to the small Incan site “Llaqtapata”, which will be a great reward for us, because from this Incan site we will have the first glance of the Llaqta (city) of Machu Picchu in an about 5-km/ 3.1069-mile, it will be a special moment because one of our big goal will be just close by. After enjoying the gorgeous sceneries around, we will begin to descend for three hours until getting Hidroelectrica where we will have our last lunch made by our chef, shortly after we will take the train to Machu Picchu town (Aguas Calientes), once we arrive we will go to the hotel to make the check-in. At night at about 7:00pm we will have the dinner in a restaurant right after the dinner you will have a detailed briefing and recommendations for the next day, eventually we will go back to our hotel to rest. Hiking Time: 7 Hours | Hiking Distance 12.5 kms/ 7.5 miles

Day9

Machu Picchu - Cusco

Today a great breakfast at the hotel makes us ready for a full morning exploration of Machu Picchu on a private tour with your Trek Leader. We’ll take the bus back to Machu Picchu early in the morning for an amazing tour until 12:00 pm (Machu Picchu permits will issue for the first group which is from 6:00 am to 12:00 pm). If you have booked a permit for Wayna Picchu mountain, you’ll climb the mountain after the tour; however, spaces are subject to availability. In the unlikely event that Wayna Picchu permits are not available for your departure date, you will climb Machu Picchu Mountain instead. After a great time at the Incan emperor’s palace, we’ll take the bus down to Machu Picchu town (Aguas Calientes town), where we’ll have lunch (not included). In the afternoon we’ll take the train back to Ollantaytambo train station and/or Poroy train station, as of this place continue driving to your hotel in Cusco.

Original passport and Student card of University
Travel insurance (and some copies).
Sleeping bag (or you can rent one from us).
Backpack to carry your things.
Phone and Camera charger and adapter.
Camera.
Torch or headlamps.
Ear Plugs.
Deet or mosquito repellent ( recommendable 30% deet).
Hiking poles ( or you can rent one pair from us).
Rain gear (especially if traveling in the wet season, from October to March).
Comfortable hiking clothes, including warm clothes for the nighttime.
Good hiking boots with protector ankle or similar, and one pair of flip-flops or light sandals.
Sunblock and sunglasses.
Hiking long sleeve T-shirts.
Hiking trousers.
Thermal underwear.
Hiking socks.
Water bottle or canteen.
American dollars and peruvian soles in cash.
Sun hat, cap, and warm hat and gloves for the nighttime.
Toilet paper, and face tissue paper.
Anti-inflammatory tablets (e.g. Ibuprofen).
Personal first-aid kit (should contain lip salve, Aspirin, Band Aids, anti-histamine, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhoea, re-hydration powder, extra prescription drugs you may take).