Trekking to Choquequirao (Machu Picchu) - The Golden Cradle of the Incas

Proposal

The Cradle of Gold

Choquequirao (from Quechua: "cradle of gold") They are the ruins of an Inca city located between the foothills of the snowy Salkantay, and under the jurisdiction of the district of Santa Teresa, Province of La Convención, Department of Cuzco, very close to Machu Picchu, in southern Peru.

The archaeological monuments of Choquequirao are made up of buildings and terraces distributed on different levels, from the lowest Sunch'u Pata level to the highest truncated top, which was leveled and surrounded with stones to form a platform with an approximate area of ??150 square meter.

Choquequirao (sometimes also as Choqequirau or Choquekiraw) is known as the "sacred sister" of Machu Picchu due to its structural and architectural similarity with it.

Itinerary:

* See combination with Trekking Salkantay to Machu Picchu, the week before.

Day 1: Meeting in Cusco. Check in at the hostel. Afternoon free to begin acclimatization and explore the old town a bit. Recommended: arrive a day before (or more).

Day 2: Departure very early (5:30 am). Transfer from Cusco to the beginning of the trekking. First stretch. 10km

Day 3: Second section of trekking. 15km

Day 4: Third section of trekking, ascent to Choquequirao, tour and return to the high camp.

Day 5: Long stretch of return, 20 km

Day 6: Last stretch of trekking, transfer to Cusco, accommodation and end of the tour.

Day 7: Free day in Cusco and end of the program. Options: One more day in Cusco with excursions to the Sacred Valley, Maras - Moray, Chincheros.

Included Services

Transfer from Cusco to San Pedro de Cachora (start of trekking) round trip
Basic equipment portering
All the guided trekking tour.
Full board on the trek.
First aid kit.
Entrance to Choquequirao.
Hostel in Cusco (days 1 and 6)
Tents + insulation
Prior advice with meetings and audiovisuals in Argentina.
Coordinator-guide who travels with the group from Argentina.
Permanent assistance.

Services NOT included

Flights to Cusco
Extra excursions in Cusco
TRAVELER ASSISTANCE INSURANCE (required)
Lunch and dinner day 1, and 6 in Cusco
tips

Frequently Asked Questions

How many hours do you walk per day?

In general we have a system of walking for 3-4 hours in the morning; we make a great lunch stop and walk the same in the afternoon to the place where we set up camp.

What temperatures must be endured?

Northern Argentina, Peru and Bolivia are characterized by having a significant temperature range (hot during the day and cool at night and early morning). There also exists the so-called “Bolivian Winter”. This means that in our summer (December to March) there is the rainy season. In our winter it does not rain but the thermal amplitude is noticeable a little more and the cold at night and early morning can be felt, especially in the high altitude camps (at more than 2500 masl) like two of this route.
You have to protect yourself a lot from the sun with a hat-bonnet, neck scarves, sunscreen and mountain glasses. And for the night it is important to have a good sleeping bag and a coat since the temperature can drop to less than 0 ° Celsius.

What sleeping bag should I take?

The bags or sleeping bags must be able to withstand a temperature of -0° Comfort, so as to be able to rest easy.

How should I travel and to which city?

The city to reach is Cusco. It is advisable to take a plane with a combination-direct stopover Lima-Cusco

Where do you spend the night?

Stay in igloo-type tents, comfortable and for 2/3 or 4 people. And also in hostels, like the cases of Cusco.

Is a guide-coordinator from Argentina traveling with the group?

Yes, that is one of the added values ??that we give in our trips abroad; A guide from our company travels with the whole group and facilitates the connections and is also there to solve any type of inconvenience, assistance, evacuation, etc, etc.

What physical condition should I have to be able to carry out this type of journey?

It is not decisive that you are an up-to-date athlete and that you train 4 times a week. But it is important that you know that the better physically you are, it will always be better. The idea of ??these adventures is that you can enjoy it and not suffer from it. If you don't usually train, go jogging, cycling or other aerobic activity,

Are rest stops made?

The stops occur with a frequency and graduation according to the intensity. There are stops for lunch, snack, and rest.

From what age can they do this activity?

From 12 years of age.

How much does the backpack weigh?

Between 8 and 12 kilos

What do we eat?

In all our expeditions we offer the meal service IN FULL BOARD PLAN.

On this occasion, the service is contracted and we adapt to regional meals that, in general and in this case, do not change much on our outings to the mountains.

Difficulty Graduation System

Click on each indicator to see details

40%

Backpack (M)

Backpack: Weight / Duration of the Day.

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80%

Physical (F)

Physical demand

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40%

Technical (T)

Technician: Difficulty in the Field / Equipment.

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60%

Psycho (P)

Psychological Strength

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60%

Height (A)

Height Exposure

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How to interpret these values?

Each aspect is evaluated from 20% to 100%, where:

20-40%: Basic or beginner level
60%: Intermediate level
80-100%: Advanced or expert level

Recommended for intermediate level

Previous experience and good physical condition required.

Required equipment

GENERAL EQUIPMENT

Special backpack for trekking (minimum 50 liters).
Sleeping bag
insulating mat
Trekking poles (mandatory). It is possible to buy in Cusco.

DRESS

1 trekking shoes (in condition).
1 second shoe to be in the camp (they can be sandals, espadrilles or light slippers).
Changes of underwear.
T-shirts (synthetic for walking and cotton for the camps).
Light trekking pants.
2 coats (polar sweatshirt, or wool pullover, Polar sweatshirt 100, Polar sweatshirt 200)
Jacket or duvet vest (optional).
Fleece gloves (with fingers or mittens).
Warm cap (polar).
Sun hat (with flaps).
Third layer jacket , waterproof and breathable.
Mesh and towel.