With the Choquequirao Trek and Machu Picchu Tour, you can see two breathtaking historic ruins on one trip!
Choquequirao Peru reveals lesser known, historic ruins that are much larger than those at Machu Picchu. Only currently accessible by foot, the Choquequirao Peru tour reveals this currently hidden gem that is not easily accessible to most visitors. Visiting Choquequirao is one of the best ways to get an intimate and unobstructed perspective of remote Incan history and culture.
Don’t want to miss out on Peru’s most famous site? We have combined the Choquequirao tour with the 7th Wonder of the World, Machu Picchu, to offer an experience of a lifetime!
Tour Location: Choquequirao Peru and Machu Picchu from Cusco, Peru
Tour Type: Hiking, camping, adventure, history, culture
Good For: Those who enjoy hiking and are in moderate shape
Difficulty: Challenging
Considerations: This is a multi-day trek
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Pickup on the first morning is bright and early, between 4-4:30AM. It’s a 4-5 hour drive from Cusco to the trailhead, Capuliyoc. If you are awake during the drive, peek out your window to witness spectacular views of the mountains. Once you arrive to the trailhead, you will meet the team that will be helping you along the way and then enjoy your first breakfast all together.
Todays hike will offer great views of the Apurimac valley and river. The hiking begins with a 2 hour, mostly downhill, trek toward the lunchspot at Coca Mansana. After lunch and a small siesta, you will be back on the Trail for another 2 hour downhill hike to our first campsite, Chikiscca. Chikiscca is a small farming village, with great weather. You will have your first happy hour with tea and popcorn, dinner and then an early night to bed.
warm
10km
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Wake up this morning will be at 5AM, where you will be greeted at your tent by a member of the Green Machine team offering you a hot glass of tea. After you are all packed up, dressed and ready, you will enjoy some breakfast and head out for the morning’s hike. It will be about 1.5 hours downhill to La Playa, located by the river. This will be the hottest weather you will have on the Trail (lowest altitude), so make sure you dress for it. You will cross the Apurimac River and begin your ascent, for 2 hours, to Santa Rosa for lunch. This portion of the hike is a bit challenging, but as you continue uphill, you will be rewarded with amazing views of the canyon.
Lunch will be at a family house, where you will taste a drink made from sugar cane prepared by the locals. After a short siesta, you will continue uphill for 2-3 hours. This last section is considered the most challenging, but with the help of your Alpaca Expeditions guide, you will enjoy every step of the trail. You will finally arrive at Marampata, with jaw dropping views of the Andes, neighboring valleys and hopefully some condors flying above. After dinner, make sure to look up at the sky! This is the best spot on the trail to stargaze.
warm / cold
16km
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
While today is another early breakfast, you have the luxury of not packing up entirely because you will spend a second night at the same campsite. Today you will get to explore the fantastic Choquequirao ruins. Before you take off, you will get a packed lunch to enjoy at the citadel. After a 1.5-hour flat hike, your guide will introduce you to the ruins. This archeological site is considered the last Inca city, sister to Machu Picchu. You will walk around with your guide to learn some of the area’s highlights and have plenty of free time to explore independently. This is really special, as it’s still relatively unknown and away from the crowds that visit Machu Picchu.
You will have some time to enjoy your packed lunch before heading to the lower part of Choquequirao, the newest discovered section of farming terraces. You will be impressed by how they built these terraces for agriculture. Once you have explored all you could of Choquequirao, you will begin your 1.5-hour trek back to the campsite. You will have time for a happy hour and dinner before returning to your tents for a good night’s sleep.
warm / cold
6km
Breakfast, pack Lunch, Dinner
Hopefully you had a good nights rest, because today will be your longest day of hiking. Wake up will be at 6AM with a nice breakfast. When you start your hike, it will begin with 2 hours downhill from Marampata to Santa Rosa and then another hour down to La Playa. Because its all downhill, walking sticks are particularly useful in this area. You will finish the morning with 1 hour uphill to Chikiscca for lunch. After your siesta, its only 1 more hour to the campsite Coca Mazana, where you will finally get time for a well deserved rest, happy hour and dinner. Today will be a bit warmer, so make sure you have plenty of water to keep hydrated.
warm
18km
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After another early breakfast, you will begin hiking for 2 hours to get to the trailhead at Capuliyoc. This will be the last time to see the beautiful views the Apurimac River offers, so make sure to soak them in. When you get to the trailhead, you will have your last lunch with your entire team, as the horses men will say goodbye.
After lunch, you will head by car for 4 hours to Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley where you will have your last dinner prepared by your trekking chef. Say goodbye to the rest of the team, and train to your hotel in Aguas Calientes, where you will finally have the chance for a hot shower and a nights sleep in a bed.
warm
6km
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today is the most important day of your visit to Peru and your trek, as you will explore one of the Seven Wonders of the World: the citadel of Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu is strictly regulated by the Peruvian government and UNESCO. After the pandemic, authorities implemented changes to preserve and manage visitor traffic, introducing up to 10 different circuits. Of these, the most significant and distinct are circuits 1, 2, 3, and 4. The most recommended circuits are 2 and 3, with Circuit 2 being the best for those who haven’t completed the Inca Trail, as it includes the famous viewpoint. Circuit 3 is nearly identical to 2 but skips the main viewpoint. It is crucial to book your visit well in advance to secure Circuit 2 for the most comprehensive experience of Machu Picchu.
You will wake up early at your hotel, often taking a packed breakfast, as it’s essential to arrive early at Machu Picchu. Although an early rise can be tiring, this unique experience is absolutely worth it. After breakfast, you’ll leave larger items like suitcases and duffle bags at the hotel, bringing only a small backpack with essentials such as sunscreen, mosquito repellent, hat, camera, original passport (and student ID if applicable), and water. You’ll walk approximately five minutes to the bus station. The first bus departs at 5:30 AM, but arriving earlier is necessary as there will be a queue. Seating is not guaranteed and depends on arrival order. The bus ride takes around 25 minutes to Machu Picchu’s entrance. Before entering, it’s recommended to use the public bathrooms (cost: 2 soles).
Once inside, those with Circuit 2 will head to the Machu Picchu viewpoint near the Watchtower, while Circuit 3 begins at the agricultural terraces. Here, you’ll have time for iconic photos and receive an introductory talk (15-30 minutes) about Machu Picchu’s history. Your guided tour through temples, palaces, terraces, fountains, and residences will last around 2.5 to 3 hours, with ample opportunities for photos and videos. Afterward, you’ll have approximately 30 minutes of restricted free time. For additional exploration, you may consider purchasing a separate ticket for Circuit 1 to revisit the viewpoint, though this must also be booked in advance.
Visitors who reserved Huayna Picchu mountain will return to the Huayna Picchu entrance to begin their ascent. This climb takes about 45 minutes up, with 30 minutes at the summit and 45 minutes to descend back to Machu Picchu. This ticket is limited to 400 people daily and requires advance booking.
Those without Huayna Picchu or an extra Circuit 1 ticket will exit Machu Picchu after the guided tour and return to Aguas Calientes by bus. Everyone will eventually exit Machu Picchu from the same location, whether returning from mountain hikes or viewpoints. Aim to be back in Aguas Calientes around 1 PM for a final lunch together (not included but highly recommended). The Expedition train back to Ollantaytambo departs approximately at 2:55 PM. This comfortable train, featuring large windows, offers beautiful views ideal for photography. An upgrade to the Vistadome train is possible, though it departs later and features dance performances and alpaca clothing sales at higher prices.
Upon arrival in Ollantaytambo, Alpaca Expeditions transportation will bring you back to Cusco, where smaller vehicles will take you directly to your hotel or Airbnb, typically arriving by 8 PM at the latest. Airport transfers can also be arranged.
Although the day is long and busy, it is incredibly rewarding and memorable. We take pride and care in ensuring the best experience for all our travelers.
Alpaca Expeditions is a 100% peruvian, indigenous owned company. Started by Raul Ccolque, a former porter and tour guide, Alpaca Expeditions separates ourselves by our dedication to both our customer and our team. We work very hard to make sure that all our clients needs are taken care of throughout the tour with us. At the same time, we never forget about our brothers and sisters working tirelessly for us to make all of this possible. Responsible and sustainable tourism that gives as much to our community as to our clients.
Everyone on the Alpaca Team is from Cusco region, living the traditions and history they share with you while on one of our tours. Our guides are all graduates of university studying tourism, history and english. Our chefs are trained every February by a professional cooking team learning new meals, adding varieties of entrees for all types of eating. And all our porters are from HUARQUI, HUACAHUASI, PATACANCHA, QUISWARANI, CANCHACANCHA, QUEYUPAY, UMACHURCO and CCACCACCOLLO villages, very often working this job on top of maining their farms back at home. Most of our team has been with us for years, as we have the most loyal, hard working, happy employees in Cusco. We know how lucky we are to have the best team trekking and you will immediately fall in love with all the men and women who call Alpaca Expeditions their home.
Our goal at Alpaca Expeditions is to create the best experience for all of our clients. We create journeys that are to be remembered for a lifetime. Journeys you can be proud of and can share with everybody around you.
In the pursuit to stand out from the rest, Alpaca Expeditions has obtained four ISOs plus our carbon footprint certificate to date. These achievements result from our efforts to implement the internationally-recognized integrated management system. They also represent our commitment to all of our clients and staff of operating sustainability and responsibility in every way possible.
