This 3-day Choquequirao trek is carefully designed with all the logistics in place for travelers on a short trip to Peru who still want to experience a truly rewarding high-altitude adventure.
The trek starts in the mountain village of Kiuñualla and follows a 16 km long trail to Choquequirao and 16 km back to Kinualla. On the way you will pass through many different landscapes, such as forests and high plains, and enjoy breathtaking views of the Apurímac River Canyon.
Our experienced mountain guides will be there to assist you in any way possible, we provide high quality camping gear and have the support of pack horses to carry your luggage throughout the trek.
Alternatively, if you are looking for a longer version of this trek, then please take a look at our full range of Choquequirao Treks and choose the itinerary that best suits you.
Your hotel or accommodation in Cusco city
3:00 AM (Door-to-door hotel pick-up)
Difficulty: Demanding (Descent & steep ascent)
This day starts at 3:00 am with a private transfer from your hotel in Cusco. After a 6 hours’ drive through the Andean scenery you will reach the community of Kiñualla where our culinary team will serve you a fresh and delicious breakfast. Here we will meet our professional horsemen (muleteers) and start packing up the support gear for the trek.
After breakfast, we will start the 3 hour descent into the Apurimac Canyon until we reach the village of San Ignacio (La Playa). This will be our stop for the night and we will be treated to a delicious, freshly prepared lunch by our chef. After lunch we will cross the river and begin the 4 hour uphill trek to the Choquequirao Campsite. This will be a challenging trek up the zig zag trail but our private campsite is located near the archaeological site. We will spend the night in our private tents and enjoy a warm dinner.
Wake up at 6:00 AM. After breakfast, we depart at 7:00 AM for a 4 hour private guided tour of the stunning Choquequirao Citadel. There are almost no tourists at the site and your guide will show you the main plaza, the ceremonial sites, the priest’s houses and of course the Terraces of the Llamas.
At midday we will have lunch near the site before starting our descent back down the canyon to the San Ignacio Campsite. We will arrive in the late afternoon and set up camp next to the river in the amazing setting of the Apurimac Canyon. We can relax for the rest of the evening and enjoy a delicious dinner.
Today is the last day of the trek. We’ll start early with breakfast at camp and then we’ll ride the horses up to the community of Kinualla. It will be a 3.5 to 4 hour uphill ride.
Once we arrive in Kinualla our chef team will have prepared a delicious final lunch for us. We will celebrate our express adventure and then we will be transferred back to your hotel in Cusco by our private transportation. We will arrive in Cusco in the evening.
The 3-day Choquequirao trek is a challenging to strenuous 32km (20 miles) trek down into the Apurímac Canyon and then up again into the Choquequirao site. It is recommended that you be in good physical shape and have acclimatized before starting this trek.
All of the necessary camping equipment for the group will be provided by our company including high quality, weather proof mountain tents, a dining tent and comfortable sleeping pads. You are welcome to bring your own sleeping bag and/or trekking poles. These can be rented from us during your pre-trek briefing in Cusco.
Yes! Our logistics include a team of pack horses and arrieros (horsemen) to carry all of our team’s camping equipment, cooking supplies, and up to 5 kg (11 lbs) of each trekker’s personal duffel bag. You only need to carry a small daypack with your essentials for the day (water, jacket, camera, snacks).
We provide support horses in case of emergency on the trail. On very steep sections, the emergency horses are used to assist tired or ill trekkers. Our pack horses are primarily used to carry the group’s camping equipment and trekkers’ luggage on the trail.
The tour includes all meals on the trail (Day 1: lunch & dinner; Day 2: breakfast, lunch & dinner; Day 3: breakfast & lunch) prepared by our professional mountain chef. We also provide boiled and purified water to refill your personal bottles or hydration bladders starting from lunch on Day 1.
This is not a fast-paced tour. On the second day of the itinerary we will have a fully guided tour of the main plaza, the temples and agricultural terraces of the Choquequirao ruins. After the tour you will have free time to take photos and explore the sacred place before returning to the trailhead.
We advise to spend at least 2 days in Cusco or the Sacred Valley prior to your trek departure. At great heights temperatures and elevations can vary greatly, therefore also your performance can be affected by altitude sickness.
Yes. The package includes:
The pre-trek briefing will take place at your hotel in Cusco the day before the trek is to begin. The lead guide will review the itinerary, answer any questions, deliver your duffel bags and collect any remaining balance on your payment for the trek.
