The Choquequiraw Expedition

1st Day 

We leave from Cusco at 4:00am in the morning. Arriving at Cachora town at 6:30 in the morning where we will have our breakfast. Hereafter we arrange the equipment on mules and horses. From that place we can observe the majestic PADRAYOC snow-covered peaks, it is 5482 m.a.s.l. The hike on this first day is 21.70 km of distance. On the way we will observe PADRAYOC Y WAYNA CACHORA snow-covered peaks, we can appreciate the beautiful change of the landscape from precipices to snowy mountains.

We have our lunch in a place called Playa Rosalina at 1:00 pm. On the way we will observe APURIMAC canyon with its impressive depth and in SANTA ROSA we will set up our campsite.

The approximate time of the hike is about 10 h. On this day we will pass the samall settlements: La Colmena (2870masl), La Aguada (2915masl), Capuliyoc (2915masl) impressive look out point where we can see all Apurimac Valley, Huayhuacalle (2970masl), Tinajayoc (2630masl), Mirador (2370masl), Cocamasana (2330masl), Torowisqana (2285masl), Chiquisqa (1950masl) grove place where we can find water, Playa Rosalina (camp in 1550 masl), La Huerta (2705masl) and finally we arrive in Santa Rosa (2115masl).

2nd Day 

Early morning (5:00 am) after breakfast, we continue our hike going up to Choquequiraw. We will arrive to the archaeological place CHOQUEQUIRAW after 5 hours. Good time to enjoy that majestic place. We will observe the three levels of the excavated ruin, where we can appreciate houses, terraces and other parts of this late Inca-town, like the ruin in progress of excavation and finally areas unexplored that can tell us about this last refuge of the oppressed inca empire. Approximately at 3 o'clock in the afternoon (depends of the weather) we can appreciate "the flight of the Condors".

CHOQUEQUIRAW is considered as "The Last Refuge of the Inca Empire". The oldest reports assign to JUAN ARIAS DIAZ as one of the first persons that explored the zone in 1710. Our bilingual guide will explain the history and importance of the site after the Spanish arrived to Peru. We will have our lunch and dinner in RAQAYPATA (2910masl).

3th Day 

After an early breakfast we pack and start walking back to CHIQUISQA. On the way we can observe again Apurimac canyon . Here we may be lucky to appreciate the flight of the Condors, the exuberant vegetation and its variety of flowers and orchids.

The time of the hike is about 10h. Altitude: 3033-1950 m.a.s.l. Passing the same small settlements as on the way up. We will stop in PLAYA ROSALINA where we will have our lunch and after that we'll continue to CHIQUISQA. Here we will spend the night on our campsite.

4th Day 

CHIQUISQA CACHORA CUSCO
Early morning after breakfast (5:00 am), we continue to arrive to Cachora town. On the hike we can appreciate again the majestic PADRAYOC snow-covered peak that decorate to APURIMAC canyon.

The time of hike to arrive to CACHORA is about 7 hours. In the way back to CUSCO we make a stop in CCONOC and enjoy of the HOT NATURAL SPRINGS!! Showers are available the same time we can see native product of the area.
We will arrive to CUSCO approximately at 10pm.

What we advice you to bring

• Trekking footwear;
• Sleeping bag;
• Change of clothes;
• Jacket;
• clothes for cold weather;
• Good socks.
• Purifying tablets.
• Camera with extra rolls of film.
• Mosquito repellent.
• Sun-block.
• Sunglasses or sunhat.
• Flashlight with extra batteries.
• Swim-suit.
• Walking cane.