The Choquequirao trek is the perfect option for someone who wants to do a difficult hike in Peru and who is looking for an alternative to Machu Picchu. Perched atop a ledge, high above the Apurimac river, Choquequirao – which means “Cradle of Gold” in Quechua – offers a fascinating glimpse into Inca history.
Known as Machu Picchu’s “sister city”, the Choquequirao ruins are even more intriguing given their remoteness. These Inca ruins are just as – or even more – impressive than Machu Picchu, and they are still only partially uncovered. And the best way to experience this magnificent site is by joining a Choquequirao trekking tour.
Trekkers Wanted
Words from the group: "We are a mother-daughter plus a friend group of 3. We love public transportation in Latin America and soaking up culture, history, and food. The more the merrier, come join our crew!"
Final rates are based on the number of paying participants that enroll for this trip.
We are currently accepting deposits to secure space on the trek. Please be advised once the deposit deadline is reached, we will, at that time, determine how many paying participants have enrolled and adjust the final cost of the trip. This information will determine the final balance per person.
If you have any questions please ask prior to signing up.
Prices are per person, based on double tent occupancy:
Group of 4 - 6 people: $760 USD
Group of 7+ people: $635 USD
Single tent supplement: $20 USD
Final balance is due 7 days prior to your trek departure.
Hi Fellow trekker,
This is your payment link for your upcoming 4-day Choquequirao trek. The price quoted here is the price per person. Please be sure to enter the correct number of passengers for whom you will be paying the deposit.
Please make sure you read and understand our Booking Conditions before paying your deposit. Please also download and fill out this Passenger Details Form and this Medical Declaration & Insurance Waiver Form. You will be prompted to upload these documents when paying your deposit.
Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you in Peru!
Lorena and the Apus Peru team
It’s an early start on the first day of the classic 4-day Choquequirao trek: after picking you up from your hotel around 4:00 or 4:30 am, we head for Capuliyoc, leaving the hustle and bustle of Cusco behind. After about 2 hours of driving, we will make a short stop at Tarawasi (2675m / 8776 ft).
Note: Tarawasi is a quick leg-stretching stop, no more than 10 minutes to take a few photos. While it is an interesting site, we do not recommend a longer stop here, as we still have a challenging day ahead with approximately 14 km of hiking.
Tarawasi gets its name from two Quechua words: tara, a type of tree native to the Andes (latin name: caesalpina espinosa), and wasi, which means “house”. So Tarawasi is “the house of the Tara tree”. Tara is a multipurpose tree that produces large bean pods that turn orange when ripe. The seeds inside are used as a natural dye, and also have medicinal purposes.
Tarawasi is a ceremonial centre that dates to Incan times. One of the most striking features of this archaeological site is the presence of an usnu, a ceremonial structure where ritual offerings would be prepared.
We then continue another hour to Curahuasi, where we will stop for breakfast.
From here, we continue another 1.5 hours until we arrive at Capuliyoc (2970m / 9744ft) where we’ll have our first breathtaking views of the Apurimac Valley below, as well as the impressive Padreyoc and Huayna Cachora peaks.
We’ll meet our arrieros (muleteers) here and begin our trek. Lunch will be served later in the day, either at Cocamasana (approx. 2 hours from Capuliyoc) or Chiquisca (approx. 4 hours from Capuliyoc) — depending on the group’s pace.
After hiking another hour beyond Chiquisca, we reach the roaring Apurimac River (1520m / 4986ft) after which we’ll begin the climb to the Santa Rosa campsite (2095m / 6873ft). This is a tough, 2-hour climb but you’ll be thankful for it the next day! This campsite on day one of our Choquequirao tour is further along the trail than the most popular camp, making for a more restful evening where you can soak up the stars.
This day is flexible and so the route you trek might not correspond exactly to the route described here. Walking times depend on the time of departure and on the nature of the group. The guide may change lunch spots and campsites, depending on the progress of the group.
Please take note that there might be biting insects on the trail, thus repellent will be needed! It can get very hot on the trail (not just in the canyon!), going up to 30-35ºC (86ºF – 95ºF). It can get as hot as 40ºC (104ºF) in the canyon.
It’s another early start today as we aim to get the best out of day 2 of our Choquequirao tour. After an early breakfast at around 5:30am, we head out at 6am and continue steeply upwards for 3 hours until we reach Marampata.
Once we get going again after our well-deserved break at Marampata (2940m / 9646 ft), we will have our first glimpses of spectacular Choquequirao. From this point, it’s another 2 hours of hiking up gentle, undulating terrain until we reach the ruins, a welcome respite compared to what we’ve just accomplished!
Arriving at the ruins, we can enjoy a picnic lunch on the grounds and have a well-deserved break. After lunch we will start to explore the ruins (3050m / 10,007 ft). Only about 30% of the Inca remains at Choquequirao have yet been excavated, the rest remains shrouded in mystery. As we explore, we keep our fingers crossed for the chance to see some condors!
After about 3 hours touring the site – including the religious sector and central part of the ruins – we start our two-hour hike back to the campsite of Marampata. This is a very long but rewarding day as we aim to maximise our time in Choquequirao.
Today we will leave the beautiful Marampata campsite and start our descent towards the Apurimac River and the so-called Rosalina Beach (1520 m/4986 ft). From there we will continue hiking upwards until we reach our campsite of Chiquisca (1950 m / 6397 ft).
If you have a good pace, we may camp instead at Cocamasana (2450m / 8038ft).
This morning, we finish our Choquequirao trek with a 3 to 4-hour climb upwards to Capuliyoc. When we reach our destination, we’re once again rewarded with spectacular views. Our car will be waiting here to pick us up to start the 4.5-hour drive back to Cusco.
On the way, we have the option of visiting Saywite (3500m / 11,483 ft) which is a pretty archaeological site located in the district of Curahuasi. It’s an Incan complex that probably was built in the 16th century. Saywite occupies an area of around 2 hectares which houses important examples of Inca stone art, as well as religious-ritualistic spaces.
Later, we can enjoy lunch surrounded by the beautiful views of the Apurimac River valley.
Finally, we hop in our private car to continue the journey back to the City of Cusco, where we will arrive around 6 pm.
