Routes to get to Choquequirao

Choquequirao is a remote Inca city that is located on the Apurímac River located on the top of a mountain surrounded by imposing snowy peaks and is considered the sister of Machu Picchu, due to the similarity that they have in their construction, in addition to that Choquequirao is three times bigger than Machu Picchu. It is said that Choquequirao was the last refuge of the Incas after the conquest, after many years this site was abandoned and covered by dense vegetation until a few years after it was discovered. Currently, there are three routes to get to Choquequirao and in this article, we will describe how to get to each of them. Whichever of the routes you choose, it is sure that you will be able to enjoy beautiful mountainous landscapes, glaciers as well as the great biodiversity of flora and fauna.

1.- Choquequirao through Santiago de Cachora

The route through Santiago de Cachora is the best known by travelers, along this road you have to take a bus from Cusco to Abancay. When you arrive in Abancay you must take transport to the town of Santiago de Cachora, in this place you will have to take a taxi or bus to the Capuliyoc viewpoint. Here begins the walk to Choquequirao with a long descent to the Rosalina beach located at the foot of the Apurimac River. In this place, you will have to camp. The next day you will have to continue the path, this time we will ascend until you reach the Marampata hamlet. When you arrive you will have to take a break to then continue the road to Choquequirao I recommend that you visit some of the places of the Inca city. At sunset, you can spend the night in Marampata or if you prefer you can camp very close to Choquequirao, on the third day you can finish with a visit to the archaeological site of Choquequirao, then you will have to take the return path until you reach Chiquisca where you will spend the last night. On the last day of the walk, you will have an ascent path until you reach the Capuliyoc viewpoint, here you can take a break and get on a collective taxi towards the town of Cachora, then you will have to take a transport to Abancay and finally, you will have to board a transport to the city of Cusco. This route has a regular duration of 4 days, however, if you are used to hiking you can do it in 3 days. If you are not used to long walks, you can do it in 5 days since it is a trek classified as demanding.

2.- Choquequirao by Huanipaca

The route through Huanipaca to Choquequirao lasts three days, which makes it demanding compared to the route through Cachora.
On the first day, you will have to take a bus from Cusco to Abancay then you will have to go to the town of Huanipaca, in this place we start the walk to Choquequirao, going down to the San Ignacio beach that is located on the banks of the Apurimac River in this place you can spend the night.
On the second day, the hardest road of the route begins as it will be along a narrow and steep road until reaching Choquequirao. At sunset, you can spend the night very close to Choquequirao.
On the third day, we visit the archaeological site and its main attractions, then you will have to take the return path, this time the journey will be descending until you reach the town of Huanipaca.
Whoever decides to take this route will definitely save a lot of time. It is best to carry very little weight.

3.- Choquequirao through Santa Teresa (Yanama)

This is the route that is least known compared to the previous ones, since to get to Choquequirao we will take the route through Santa Teresa.
The first thing you should do is take a bus from Cusco to Quillabamba and get off in the district of Santa Teresa, in this place you will have to take a bus until you reach the town of Yanama, in Yanama you will start the walk going up to the mountain pass ” San Juan” and then you will go down to the Maizal farmhouse in this place you will spend the night and you will be able to observe in front that this is Choquequirao. The next day you will have a short descent and then you will climb a steep path until you reach Choquequirao. If you still have time, it is recommended that you visit the archaeological site, then you can camp very close to Choquequirao. On the third day, you will finish the route to Choquequirao and then take the return path until you reach the Maizal farmhouse, where you will rest. On the last day, you will have to continue with the way back to Yanama and then arrive at Santa Teresa, in
Santa Teresa, you must board a bus to Cusco or if you prefer you will have the option to visit Machu Picchu since you will be close to the Inca city.

Map of the three routes to Choquequirao

What to take on the way to Choquequirao

To get to Choquequirao it is necessary to bring a bottle of water, purification tablets, a tent, a sleeping bag, a trekking garment, canned goods, and cookies.
Granola, some instant soupand a small kitchen, sunscreen, hat, flashlights, rechargeable batteries, trekking shoes