Choquequirao Trek To Machu Picchu Route 9 Days

Visit places

A hearty breakfast will be ready and waiting for you today to give you the boost you need to start our amazing hike. We set out on a path that winds its way up the mountainside.

We will ascend in a zigzagging way for two and a half hours until we reach the small village of Santa Rosa (1,970 m / 6,463 ft), we will visit a family farm and learn about the elaboration of Cambray, a handmade liquor made from sugar cane grown in this place. After enjoying a delicious lunch and being part of this experience, we will climb for three more hours to reach Marampata (2,900 m / 9,514 ft). Here, you will appreciate the most spectacular views and take excellent photographs to remember your trip through the snow-capped mountains and canyon.

Then we continue a winding trail for 2 hours to our camp in choquequirao (2,900 m / 9,514 ft), after settling into our comfortable tents we will go to explore the main square of the archaeological center of choquequirao (3,050 m / 10,006 ft).

You will have a fantastic opportunity to see the brilliant sunset behind Choquequirao and the surrounding mountains. An orange glow will be cast over the giant rocks that will fill you with peace. Once it gets dark, we will enjoy a delicious dinner that will fill your hungry stomach and replenish your energy. Afterwards, you will head back to your tent to rest under the stars.

Visit places

Visit places

Today we recommend waking up before the sun come up to appreciate the magnificent sunrise. See how the flashes of Father Sol or Tayta Inti fill all corners with colour and life. Connect with the closest star of fire and feel his deep affection. Take the opportunity to thank the sacred mountains that surround you and the powerful Apurímac River. In this way we’ll say goodbye to Choquequirao. After breakfast, we’ll begin our ascent towards the cloud forest.

We will arrive at the Choquequirao pass (3,270 m / 10,728 ft) to descend to the archaeological site of Pinchaunuyoc (2,420 m / 7,940 ft) that will surprise you with its agricultural platforms suspended over the abysses of the White River canyon. We’ll continue descending to enjoy our lunch near the river where you’ll be able to appreciate various species of birds, different orchids, and plantations of the sacred coca leaf. Many of our travellers take advantage of this opportunity to take a dip in the cold and crystal clear waters of the river. It will be a pleasure to take a bath after 3 days of trekking! We’ll cross the river and begin a challenging ascent to our camp in Maizal. This will be the most difficult day.

Visit places

Today you’ll wake up with the unanimous song of the birds that will greet the sun. After recharging your energy with a delicious breakfast, we’ll head down an uphill path covered by lush vegetation. The snowy mountains will surround us once again reminding us of their power and beauty. In case the sky is not clear, you’ll see how the clouds cover the valley below us. In one way or another, the landscape will be extraordinary. 7 hours of ascent await us. This sector of the route is of great historical importance because several archaeological sites are scattered along the way. In addition, you’ll be able to observe some ancient Inca silver mines called Minas Victoria and then ascend to the Victoria pass (4,200 m / 13,773 ft).

It will be quite a long climb, but the beauty of the route is so great that you won’t even notice the effort. We’ll walk through the Amazonian cloud forests and then we’ll go up to the puna that is known for its grasslands or ichhu. Near the top we’ll begin to see cobbled sectors of the road that are original constructions of the Incas. We’ll have lunch observing the immensity of the snowy mountains of Choquetakarpo and Padreyoc. If we’re lucky and the weather allows it, it’s very likely that we can appreciate the flight of the condor whose spread wings reach 3 meters in length. For this reason it’s the largest flying bird in the world. Finally we will make a decent to the Yanama camp (3600 m / 11811 ft) a small town located at the bottom of a huge valley.

Visit places

The people of Yanama have known how to preserve the ancestral traditions of the Andes to this day. It’s an excellent place to make new friends and perhaps give some things to the children who’ll come to greet you. You’ll wake up to the relaxing sound of a waterfall and the countless voices that the jungle hides. After breakfast, we will begin a 5-hour ascent to the highest point of the entire trek, the Yanama pass (4,700 m / 15,419 ft).

On our walk we’ll observe the people of the place lovingly working the land in the potato fields. Along the way, the snowy mountain ranges of Saqsarayoc and Padreyoc will appear with their gigantic bodies of snow. Depending on the season, we may be able to walk on the snow at this point of the trek. In addition, you’ll see, for the first time, the imposing sacred mountain Salkantay, one of the main deities of the region. Later, we’ll descend through a long and mysterious fog-filled path towards the community of Totora. After dinner, enjoy a restful night amid the tranquillity of the place and its indescribable beauty.

Visit places

After a delicious breakfast, we’ll start with a 3-hour descent to Ccolpapampa where you’ll begin to see the trekkers from the Salkantay Route. From here we’ll be able to observe beautiful rivers, impressive waterfalls, wild orchids, and coffee, banana, and avocado plantations. The place is so fertile that it’s full of fruit. Try the delicious flavour of passion fruit and granadilla! If luck is with us, we can see the intriguing national bird of Peru, the “Cock of the Rocks”. We’ll have lunch at approximately noon at La Playa and then we’ll walk for 1 more hour to our camp in Lucmabamba (2,400 m / 7,874 ft).

Visit places

The last day of walking has arrived. We’ll walk 3 hours uphill on a section of the original Inca Trail. From there you can see the incredible landscape of the Santa Teresa valley and some coffee and passion fruit plantations. Once we reach the top of that mountain we’ll find the fabulous Inca site of Llactapata (3,360 m / 11,023 ft) from where you can already distinguish the location of the citadel of Machu Picchu. Then we’ll descend for 3 hours to the Hydroelectric train station.

Here we’ll enjoy our last lunch on the route and say goodbye to our support team. You’ll receive your luggage inside the duffle bags and embark on a train trip to the miniature city of Aguas Calientes (2,000 m / 6,562 ft) where you’ll stay in a comfortable hotel. Before or after dinner, you’ll have the option of visiting the thermo-medicinal waters that exist in the place (price not included). Then, a night of well-deserved rest awaits you because the next morning, very early, we’ll go to the fantastic archaeological complex of Machu Picchu.

Visit places

Your excitement for our visit to Machu Picchu will be huge this morning as we awake bright and early in the morning. After a nourishing breakfast at your hotel, we’ll take one of the first buses to Machu Picchu entrance checkpoint which is open from 6:00 am until 17:00 pm.

You´ll arrive when the sun rises and shines its beautiful morning light on the huge rocks. After enjoying the spectacular view, you´ll have time to explore this Wonder of the World while touring the citadel on a guided tour of approximately two hours to some of the important sectors: temples, terraces, palaces, houses, fields, among others. You´ll be impressed by the engineering of the Incas, which was far ahead of its time and to this day remains a mystery.

Then, you can choose to climb Huayna Picchu mountain or Machu Picchu mountain (if you have tickets booked in advance). You´ll be able to get an incredible view of the whole site. Don’t forget to take good pictures in this sacred place.

Once back in the town, you’ll have time to find a restaurant you want to have lunch in before you have to catch the train at 14:55 pm. or 16:22 pm. (subject to availability) to Ollantaytambo. There, our private transport will pick up your group and drop you off at your accommodation in Cusco at around 20:00 pm. Rest your feet and your body now because we can assure you your heart will still be soaring for weeks and years to come with the rhythm of the Andes.