Trek to the ruins of one of Peru´s most impressive Inca sites. Choquequirao is as impressively located as its more famous sister city Machu Picchu, but this route through the remote Vilcabamba triangle is only regularly taken by local highlanders, guaranteeing our travellers a sense of discovery, after a journey through spectacular scenery and a vivid regional history..

From Cusco we journey by road to the small village of Tambobamba; 140 kilometres along a paved road, followed by 30 km of dirt road and a 10 kilometre track. We will reach the village (at 2270 metres / 7445 feet above sea level) at around midday. That afternoon we will walk for two to three hours to the San Ignacio Bridge (1509 metres / 5244 feet) over the Apurímac River, where after a refreshing swim we will make our first camp.

Today we make our ascent to the ruins. This is a 1600 metre climb along a trail too narrow for pack animals, surrounded by dense cloud forest vegetation. Our gear will be carried by local men hired as porters from the village of Tambobamba. This is a strenuous day’s hiking, but we will be rewarded by fine scenery, abundant bird life and a real sense of discovery when we camp at the ruins of Choquequirao that night at 2858 (9374 feet) above sea level.

We have a full day to explore Choquequirao, both in the company of our guide and alone, as well as visiting other sites such as Pikiwas,i and we will have time to study the recent excavations around the site, which have revealed several outbuildings and extensive terracing long hidden by the luxuriant cloud forest.

After a fortifying breakfast we start hiking early as we have a long day’s trekking ahead of us. A short but steep climb brings us up to the ridge from where we will have a last panoramic view of Choquequirao and the Apurimac canyon below. A one hour descent leads us to the archaeological site of Pinchaunuyoc, still covered by vegetation. After visiting the constructions we continue our dusty descent to Rio Blanco, where we can refresh ourselves during our lunch break. A steep, dusty and hot climb brings us to our camp at Maizal in the afternoon.

Machupicchu was discovered by archaeologists in 1911. It stands at the summit of a steep, forested hill overlooking the Urubamba River; the site was hidden by dense vegetation for centuries until the American explorer Hiram Bingham began to clear the site. Today the city has been completely restored and even if it has lost some of its mystery it still remains an unforgettable sight.

Our tour includes a visit to the temples, plazas, palaces, watercourses and residential areas of the city and you will also have time to explore the ruins independently.