Biking and Hike Tours

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The last resistance city of the incas

Let’s go Visit Choquequirao and Explore the Backdoor

Starting from the forgotten Incan Capital of Vitcos, continuing along a beautifully maintained and rarely travelled Inca road, to reach the magnificent ruins of Choquequirao.

Day 1: Today you’ll have an early breakfast in your hotel and after that our van will pick you up to start the stunning yet long drive. This amazing ride crosses over Abra Malaga Mountain pass, at 4,300m/14,108ft, to bring us to the warm high jungle lands of Santa Maria, where we’ll start the ascent up through the Valley of Vilcabamba, which will bring us to Huancacalle. Once we arrive to Huancacalle, we’ll visit the circuit of the surrounding ruins, where we’ll be able to visit the Palace of Vitcos, where Manco Inca was assassinated, and the astonishing temple of the sun, Yurak Rumi, one of the most amazing examples of Incan stone carving. We’ll spend tonight in one of the hostals in the town.

Day 2: After having our breakfast, we’ll start the real trek. This first day we have a hard ascent that will bring us along an amazing and rarely visited Inca path to the top of Choquecatarpo (4,574m/15,005ft). Once we reach the pass, we’ll start our way down to arrive to our first camp site, Colcamachay (3,923m/12,872ft)

Day 3: After a hot and hearty breakfast, we’ll continue walking on the way down following the Inca Trail until the point it disappears into the forest, and we will continue on the modern trail towards the Yanama River, where we’ll start our ascent to the community of Yanama, a remote little hamlet located at 3,560m/11,678ft

Day 4: Today we’ll climb the Abra San Juan, (4,132m/13,556ft) where, if we are lucky, we’ll be able to see the Condors flying around us. On the way we’ll visit the old colonial Victoria mines for lunch overlooking the canyon of the Rio Blanco. After lunch we continue down to arrive to our campsite, Maizal (3,014m/9,889ft)

Day 5: After our breakfast in Maizal, we’ll start our way down to arrive to the Rio Blanco (1,850m/6,070ft). This is a demanding descent, in part because of the high temperatures that can be reached in this canyon. That’s why we’ll start early in the morning. Once we cross the river we’ll start the ascent that will bring us to the site of Pinchuynulloq (2,452m/8,045ft) where we will enjoy lunch. After which we continue the steep climb to arrive above Choquequirao. After traversing the side of the mountain we will look down upon this glorious citadel before descending to the camp at its base.

Day 6: Today we’ll visit all that Choquequirao has to offer. Its sounds like a most relaxing day, but keep in mind every section of the ruins is at least 40 minutes from any other. Around 3PM we will make our way back out to Marampata (2,887m/9,471ft) to camp for the evening.

Day 7: Today we will enjoy a nice brunch overlooking the canyon and before descending towards the Rio Apurimac around noon. After stopping for a snack in Santa Rosa (2,051m/6,729ft) we will continue on down to the river and start our climb up to Chiquisca (1,902m/6,2540ft) with a nice afternoon wind blowing up the canyon to keep us cool.

Day 8: Once again today is an early day and we want to go as far as we can before the sun hits us. After breakfast we begin our ascent to the rim on the canyon and enjoy a nice lunch up top overlooking all that we have accomplished.. From here it is a short walk to the car and the return drive to our hotel.