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…roughly translated to “Cradle of Gold”, is an old Inca site located in the spurs of the Salkantay mountain range at an elevation of 3 100 meters, overlooking the Apurimac River canyon. Surrounded by snow-capped summits and environed by steep, densely wooded slopes, the ruin probably was a sanctuary for the elite once, and it is an impressive Incan heritage today. This archaeological complex is even bigger than the legendary Citadel of Machu Picchu.
This place of worship was discovered by treasure hunters in the 17th century, but only recently have archaeologists cleared the main areas of the site and made them accessible to visitors.
The excavation site consists of terraces, a religious center, the ruins of residence buildings, and a cemetery. Choquequirao remains a mysterious place whose history can only be speculated about.
The 4-day trekking tour extends over a 60 km roundtrip to Choquequirao. It starts in Cachora, a small town by the Apurimac River a 3 hour drive away from Cusco. The path offers beautiful landscapes and passes through high-level valleys and agricultural lands. It goes downhill into a hot gorge decorated with kapok trees, cacti and agaves, and then uphill towards a lush cloud forest just below the snowy hilltops of the Vilcabamba mountain range.
From Choquequirao to Machu Picchu
This 9 to 11-day trek from Cusco to Choquequirao, past the Salkantay glacier and over the valley of Santa Teresa to Machu Picchu is is something for experienced trekkers who don’t mind to trek long stretches of land uphill and downhill every day and to camp in almost uncomfortable locations on the way. It is an extraordinary tour through 4 700-meter-high mountain passes, spectacular Andean cloud forests and remote mountain landscapes. You will pass various excavation sites and subtropical river valleys rich in fauna and flora. Snow-capped mountain peaks revered as Gods by the locals even to this day come into view time and again. Local muleteers with their horses or mules will give you support and company during this adventure.
We book and organize tours around Cusco to local prices only for students of our Spanish and Quechua programs.
