Description
Ah...Choquequirao. What can I say? The first time I visited this magical site it was the hardest hike of my career. Nearly 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) on a switchback descent and then nearly 6,000 feet (1,800 meters) up the other side. We HIGHLY recommend a full day to see this massive marvel that is Choquequirao. After visiting the site, it is time to turn around and do it all over again!
Yes, this out-and-back hike includes crossing the Apurimac canyon twice. There have been whisperings of a cable car being installed. Similar talk has been applied to Huchuy Qosqo (Little Cusco), an archaeological site that sits above the Sacred Valley floor between Lamay and Calca, on the Cusco side. Thankfully, neither Choquequirao nor Huchuy Qosqo has produced a cable car so far, so there is still time to visit without the crowds. This is a site that you have to earn to see. Earn with blood, sweat, and sometimes tears. For this, we have rated this hike at our highest rating of "Very Strenuous >200".
Is it worth it?
We will answer your question with a series of questions:
Are you wanting to reach a place that even the Spanish conquistadores didn't reach?
Are you willing to possibly see a condor and Andean speckled bear (oso de anteojos = bear with glasses) in their two distinct natural environments?
Are you willing to see lichens, bromeliads, and orchids?
Are you willing to fight biting insects, extreme sunshine, heat, cold and possible rain to do so?
Do you have 4 or 5 days free and a small budget?
Are you willing to have the challenge and time of your life?
Then yes, you could be a candidate for the Choquequirao hike.
Just keep in mind this is not a beginner's hike, so start preparing now.
Author
Cody De Witt
My name is Cody De Witt and I am a husband, father, farmer, builder of greenhouses, founder of Hike Club Cusco, writer, philanthropist, an avid hiker and map maker. I live in Cusco with my lovely wife, Danitza, who is from Cusco. Together, we help to provide the independent hiking community with reliable information on all things hiking. I have often said that hiking is my church, my gym and my therapy.
Technical Information
Very Strenuous
(>200)
Out-and-Back
62
40
4800
10000
Note about weather and temperature
When planning to hike in the Cusco region it is important to consider the weather. We essentially have two seasons throughout the year, rainy and dry. The dry season is from May thru October, and the rainy season is from November thru April. The months of January & February are usually the months with the heaviest rainfall.
Temperatures are pretty consistent throughout the year and range from 32°F - 66°F (0°C - 19°C), and rarely dip below 28°F (-2°C), and seldom rise above 71°F (21°C).
Hike Features
Tags
Bridge/River Crossing, River, Inca Trail, Stairs, Trash Cans, Bathrooms, Wild Orchids, Waterfall, Bird Watching, Scenic Overlook, Security Check-Points, Water Source, Guarded Entrance, Camping Spots
Archaeological Features
Tags
Multistory Structure, Petroglyphs, Hatun Plaza (Main Square), Piedras Flotantes, Inca Trail (Qapaq Ñan), Meeting Hall, Exterior Wall (Surrounding), Pre-Inca, Huaca (Shrine), Temple, Stairs, Altar, Gate, Fountains, Aquaducts, Terraces, Inca, Qolqas (Granaries), Usnu (Platform), Rock designs in terraces, Triple Jamba doorjams, Doble Jamba
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How to get there and back
There are 3 ways to get to the scenic overlook at Capuliyoq (Mirador de Capuliyoq), which is where you will find the trailhead and purchase your entrance ticket to the park. The first two options have a two-step process, and the third option takes you directly from Cusco to Capuliyoq. This is our favorite, obviously.
Option #1 – from Cusco to the “Ramal de Cachora” in bus https://goo.gl/maps/JC4i5ReNEBNPf8ji7
From Terminal Terrestre, which is the main bus terminal in Cusco, take one of the many buses to Abancay. https://goo.gl/maps/VdT4KL3LybFb8Tnq7 When you purchase your ticket you will need to be specific that you need to get off at the “Ramal de Cachora (154 KM), because the bus will continue on to Abancay. This will also get you a lower price on the ticket because you are not going all the way to Abancay. The price should be under 30 soles.
From Cusco to the Ramal de Cachora is 271KM, which should take 4 to 5 hours. From here you will need to negotiate a shared taxi to Capuliyoq, which is 23 kilometers or an hour by car. A car of 4 passengers should be 60 soles, or 15 soles per person. It takes about 2.5 hours to HIKE from the Ramal de Cachora to Capuliyoq, which is an option if you like hiking on a heavily traveled dusty dirty road.
Option #2 – from Cusco directly to Cachora in a shared taxi
On Avenida de Ejercito across from Centro Comercial de Confraternidad there are shared taxis, or collectivos, that will go directly to Cachora. https://goo.gl/maps/keWQd88dJgbJi8w16 The sign out from says, “Abancay”, but just ask and some are going directly to Cachora. The price should be around 50 soles per person. From Cachora you will need to find a shared taxi to Capuliyoq to start your hike.
Option #3 from Cusco to Capuliyoq directly in a shared taxi
We saved the best for last, in our opinion. On Avenida Arcopata there are shared taxis that will go directly to Capuliyoq from Terminal Curawasi. Last time we paid 150 soles for the car (30 Soles per person), and we were 5 adult passengers with full packs. https://goo.gl/maps/gPcHVXrK3vGeB3Nc7
This is the most effective and efficient way to get to the trailhead unless you have your own private transportation. Renting a car is not recommended because it would just be sitting in Capuliyoq for 4 days.
In summary. if you leave at 5am from Cusco, all three options to get there should take around 4-5 hours to arrive at the trailhead around 9 or 10am. If you are choosing to use mules and a driver (arriero), then you can conveniently find them in Capuliyoq. If you change your mind during the hike, they are also available at the campsites along the way.
After eating brunch, buying your 60 soles entrance ticket to the park, and loading the mules it will be around noon before you can get on the trail. Doing it this way has you camping in Chiquiska Campsite in 2 to 3 hours. The arrieros don’t like camping at the Playa Rosalina Campsite, which is 45 minutes past the Ciquiska Campsite, because the mosquitoes are horrible down low by the river AND because they have places to cut alfalfa and hay to feed their mules higher up at Chiquiska Campsite. This hike is way too short and you will feel like you have barely gotten started unless it is your intention to split it up and take it slower.
There is a better way. If you take your time and leave Cusco mid-morning, you will arrive in Capuliyoq before dark. Even better, leave early so you would have time to take in the nearby archaeological site of Sayhuite. Highly recommended. I would schedule an hour and a half minimum at Sayhuite because there is an upper and a lower section that is a must-see.
Either way, there are restaurants and hostels in Capuliyoq which allow you to get a good night’s rest, shower, and a hearty breakfast before tackling the day's hike. Nothing worse than trying to hike directly after a 4-5 hour car ride. Getting there the night before and getting an early start can allow the ambitious to make it all the way to Maranpata Campsite on the first day. This puts you within 1.5 hours from the site of Choquequirao.
If you prefer a slower pace you can arrive a little lower down at Santa Rosa Campsite the first night. An added advantage of doing it this way is that you avoid paying an extra day for mules and a driver. The going rate for an experienced arriero is 75 soles per day plus his meals, which you will need to plan for or buy, and 60 soles per day per mule. As you can see, shaving off a day can either be savings or it can allow you an extra day enjoying the site of Choquequirao, which is massive and involves a fair amount of hiking.
For the SUPER ambitious, if you leave Cusco at 4am you can reach Maranpata on the first day, but the Capuliyoq side is shade-less and is blasted with intense sunlight and heat. The Choquequirao side of the Apurimac canyon often has shade and trees.
Coming back, there are the same campsite options of Chiquiska, La Playa Rosalina, Santa Rosa and Maranpata Campsite.
If you leave from Maranpata late morning, you will be hiking on the Capuliyoq side of the Apurimac canyon in the heat of the day. So, leave early so you can make it back to Chiquiska Campsite. If you leave Maranpata after lunch you can make it down to Santa Rosa and get a jump on the Capuliyoq side the next day before the day heats up. Just note that in Santa Rosa Campsite there are no hostels. You will have to be prepared with camping gear. There are guesthouses at Capuliyoq, Chiquisca, and Maranpata campsites.
Detailed Daily Summary
This depends on a lot of factors. See the "How to get there and back" section for a full explanation of the options available.
Total Cost Breakdown
Buying provisions in Cusco for 4 days including camping stove gas canisters and food - 100 soles (optional)
Collectivo from Terminal Curawasi 30 - 50 soles per person
Lunch – 10 soles
One night at a hostel in Capuliyoq 30 – 50 soles per person (optional)
Dinner – 10 soles
Breakfast – 10 soles (Usually included with the hostel)
Water – 5 soles
1 mule and 1 arriero – 130 per day X 4 days = 520 soles (optional)
60 soles per mule, which can carry 2 hikers gear, and 70 soles per day for the arriero (mule driver)
Entrance ticket to the park – 60 soles
Lunch – 10 soles (optional)
First night camping – 10 soles (optional)
First night hostel - 30 soles (optional)
Dinner – 10 soles (optional)
End of first day.
Breakfast – 10 soles (optional)
Lunch – 10 soles (optional)
Dinner – 10 soles (optional)
Camping – 10 soles (optional)
Hostel - 30 soles (optional)
Day 2-3
Repeat
Day 4 return to Cusco by shared taxi 30 – 50 soles
Some hostels have wi-fi for 10 soles as well.
Total if you cook your own food, filter your own water, camp and carry your own gear – 200 soles
If you add hostels, mules, meals and water, expect – 400 soles
What to pack
The fact that there are 3 places to get a bed and 5 places to camp, along with food, water, drinks, snacks, trash cans and bathrooms along the way, makes this and the Salkantay hike two unique hikes that you can do ultra-light. That is of course is you are doing the out-and-back route on Choquequirao. If you are hiking beyond Choquequirao to Machu Picchu, Salkantay or Vilcabamba then you will need camping gear and provisions.
Here is what you may want to consider bringing:
• INSECT repellent of your choice. The mosquitoes and biting flies are horrible.
• Medication
• Products like MoleSkin or Second Skin to deal with blisters
• Solar charging panels or battery packs
• Water filter or chlorine tablets
• Sunscreen, hat and light gloves
• Wet wipes and toilet paper
• Rash cream for chaffing and triple antibiotic cream for cuts and blisters
• Hiking poles
• Emergency whistle
• Luxuries like coffee, coca leaves and yiptha, chocolate, etc.
As far as weather, there is beating down sun on the Capuliyoq side of the canyon. On the Choquequirao side it is warm, humid and has more frequent rain showers and fog. The transition from the dry Andes mountains, to the cloud forest to the rain forest is dramatic.
Be sure to download Hike Club’s map while you have Wi-Fi. Our maps work offline with your cellphone’s emergency signal.
Getting Help
For those that prefer a helping hand, we offer VIP trip planning services. CONTACT US
We encourage hiking independently in the Cusco region by providing maps and information to hike safely.
Our private Facebook group is free community full of helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly local hikers!
This is a great place to host a hike, join a hike, plan a hike, or find a hiking partner.
Join our private Hike Club Community on Facebook
Pro Tips
If you go the evening before to the Terminal Curawasi on Avenida Arcopata, you can arrange the car for the next morning as early as 4am. These cars are a type of station wagon, and some are mini-vans. They will comfortably fit 5 – 6 adults with the third row of seats. If you can’t fill the car you, you can pay the whole price for the car (150 soles) or you will have to wait for it to fill up with other passengers.
Also remember, if you stay the night in Capuliyoq you will be able to tackle the downhill in the cool morning hours and get a good running start on the upside. No sense in making 1,500 meters down and 1,800 meters up any harder than it already is.
Whatever you do, don't forget the insect repellent!
Health and Safety
Hike Club cares about hikers and hiking safety. We have created this form for hikers who wish to be accountable to our hiking community for their own safety. All information entered is kept in privacy by the Hike Club administration and is ONLY used in case of an emergency. If you use this Check-Out form, please also take the time to use the CHECK-IN FORM to let us know that you returned safely, so we don't think that you are hurt or missing and start mountain rescue efforts.
Because this hike includes high altitudes, measures should be taken to acclimatize before tackling this challenging hike.
The following are ways to combat altitude sickness:
· Spending a few days in Cusco is advisable to see how your body adjusts to the altitude.
· Stay hydrated. Remember that water is 2 parts oxygen and it is a great way to counteract altitude sickness.
· At local pharmacies in Cusco and the Sacred Valley there are a variety of medications to combat altitude sickness, which is called “Soroche” in Spanish.
· Coca leaves have been used for time immemorial in the Andes. The benefits of coca include combating altitude sickness. Coca is a brachial dilator and a mild stimulant. It can be drunk as tea or chewed with an activator called “Yiptha.”
· A diet of light soups and vegetables can help to keep your digestive system free from heavy proteins and carbohydrates.
· Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol. At higher altitudes, both can affect the body differently and it is best to wait, if possible, before indulging.
· Get plenty of sleep and rest before and try to go for shorter hikes to see how your body responds.
The Andes are filled with humble, respectful, and honest people. This is one of the safest places that we have ever traveled to. Andean culture is very conservative and crime is very low. Nevertheless, normal traveling precautions should be taken which include not flashing large sums of money in public, securing all valuables to avoid pickpocketing and basic awareness of your surroundings.
Other medical ailments such as diarrhea can be treated at local pharmacies without a prescription.
It is important to make sure that you are physically fit and have all medications that you need with you. Do not overestimate your abilities when tackling this challenging hike.
If you are in need of Travel Insurance - we cannot recommend Safety Wing Nomad Insurance enough!
Hike Club will earn a small commission from Safety Wing if you choose to use.
Final Thoughts
Many comparisons have been made between Choquequirao and Machu Picchu. Although Choquequirao is said to be five times larger than Machu Picchu, there is really no comparing the two.
Choquequirao has distinct features that are not found in any other archaeological site, and Machu Picchu has a lot of elements that Choquequirao doesn't. Choquequirao has the mosaics of llamas and other Andean designs that aren't seen anywhere else. The stone work is rougher and not in the typical classic Inca style of precisely fitting polygonal stones. There is only one Machu Picchu! Both are incredible in their own merits, but there are virtually apples and oranges.