Choquequirao Trek

Best Time: May - September
Trek Duration: 4 days
Grade: Moderate to challenging
Min. participants: 2 people minimum

Choquequirao means "cradle of gold" in Quechua although this is probably not its original Inca name. It is another "lost city of the Incas" located high on a ridge spur almost 1750m above the raging glacier-fed Apurimac River and surrounded by towering snow-capped peaks.

The US explorer Gary Ziegler suggests that Choquequirao may have been the place where the last Inca, Tupac Amaru, was raised among Inca Priestesses. The abundance of many double jamb doorways and niches indicates that the place was held in high status.

The ruins were first visited and described to the western world by a French explorer during the 18th century. Hiram Bingham visited the site in 1910. This was his first experience of "lost cities" prior to his discovery of Machu Picchu in 1911. The remoteness and inaccessibility have discouraged visitors until fairly recently when COPESCO constructed a footbridge over the Apurimac River below the ruins. Even today the ruins are still rarely visited although, with the enforcement of new regulations on the Inca Trail, Choquequirao is destined to replace the traditional hike as the serious trekkers alternative

Day 1: Cusco - Cachora - Chiquishca
Early in the morning, after the breakfast in the hotel in Cusco at 5 am. We will transferred with a pravade bus to the west side of cusco passing the district of Curahuasi, San Luis and Sayhuite, then we will arriving to the Cachora district, where the donkey driver and Mules will be waiting for us, where we will start our trekking to Chiquishca (1850m) for about, from Cachora we will walk for about 2 hours half, where we find a good place the named Capuliyoc, where we will have lunch enjoying the splendid views of the mountains Padrilloc and Ampay, then we will continue our go down hill to Chiquishca for about 3 hours. Over night camping at (1850m).

Day 2: Chiquishca - Marampata
Alter the breakfast in Chiquishca we will start go down to Playa Rosalinas for about 45 minutes, then we will start hiking up to Santa Rosa for about 2 hours, where we will have a small brake, then we will continue to Marampata (2850m) for about 3 hours, where we can enjoy the expended view, over night campaing.

Day 3: Marampata - Choquequirao - Marampata - Chiquishca
After the breakfast in Marampata we will start early to Choquequirao Ruins, where we will enjoy the splendid views of this place and some mounts around this valley, to visit this ruins will take 1 hour half approximately, then we will go back to marampata for lunch, after lunch we start go down to Playa Rosalinas for about 2 hours, then we will go up to Chiquishca for about 1 hour more. Over night camping at (1850m).

Day 4: Chiquishca - Cachora - Cusco
After the breakfast in Chiquishca at 8:00am approximately we will start to climb up to Capuliyoc for about 3 hours half, then we will hike to Cachora for about 2 hours more, where our transfer will be waiting for us to transport to Cusco, the travel will take 4 - 5 hours approximately. Transfer to the Hotel.

Contact: info@peruviantreks.com for more information and pricing on these Peru treks and hikes

Classic Colca Canyon 2 or 3 days

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148 km Northeast of Arequipa, lies the immense Colca Canyon.  At 3,200 meters deep, it is one of the deepest canyons in the world – twice the depth of its North American counter-part The Grand Canyon.  However, the canyons immense scale and awe-some beauty is not its only attraction.  Colca is home to the mighty condor which, with a wing-span of around 3 meters is one of the world’s largest birds.  The canyon is situated at the base of a picturesque Andean valley dotted with colonial towns and formerly inhabited by the Collagua and Cabana tribes.   Large portions of Colca canyon are habitable, with pre-Colombian terraced fields still supporting agriculture and human lif
To follow this circuit travelers must head for the northwestern part of Arequipa to Yura until reaching the cove known as Mirador de los Condores (natural outlook). From there it is possible to make out the snow-capped summits of Ampato and Sabancaya. The descent continues down to Chivay.

Day 01: Arequipa - Chivay

Early in the morning, after breakfast, start your trip to the Colca Canyon, visiting on the way Pampas Cañahuas, the Mirador of the Andes, the crater of Chucura, the Mirador of Chivay, where pre-inca andens may be appreciated. Arrival to the town of Chivay at 13:00hrs. aprox. Transfer to your selected lodge. Box lunch (light meals in the altitude). In the afternoon free time to visit thermal and medical baths. (Box Lunch).

Day 02: Chivay - Condor's Cross - Arequipa
After breakfast, very early in the morning, drive to the Condor's Cross, natural observation point from where the magnitude of the Colca Canyon and the spectacular flight of the majestic condor is appreciated. On the way back to Chivay, visit to the Mirador of Chinina, where we will find the famous Hanging Tombs and the Hanging Bridge of Sifón that joins the town of Yanque with Coporaque. At the town of Yanque, visit its beautiful church and its characteristic stone streets among other attractions. To have spectacular views of the Colca Valley, we will drive to the observation points of Choquetipo and Artahuilque and also to the town of Maca. In the afternoon, return to the city of Arequipa, arriving at 18:00hrs. aprox. (B+L).

For more details, please contact us to info@peruviantreks.com

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