This 4-day Choquequirao trek is a really spectacular hike. We’ll head down into the narrow Apurimac Canyon and then climb up to the amazing archaeological site of Choquequirao. It’s a leisurely hike, but you’ll be rewarded with fantastic views the entire time, which is just incredible.

The ruins of Choquequirao are right on a mountain perched high above the Apurimac River canyon. It’s a super unique hike in the Andes because the area is so remote. It’s not as big as Machu Picchu, but that’s because it’s still being discovered, excavated, and restored.

Honestly, because it’s still being worked on, it’s probably even more fascinating than other, more famous sites. You’re seeing history as it’s being brought back to life, you know? It’s a truly special and memorable experience.

Day 2: Climbing to the Ruins

After a nice breakfast, we’ll start the day early with a one-hour descent down to the Apurimac River, which is at an elevation of about 1,550 meters. This part of the hike is pretty quick and takes us to the lowest point of the trek.

Then the real climb begins! We’ll spend the next four hours hiking up the back of the mountain, passing through the Santa Rosa area. Once we arrive at Marampata, we’ll stop for a much-needed lunch. From here, you’ll get your first look at the beautiful and mystical archaeological complex of Choquequirao. It’s a huge reward for all that climbing.

In the afternoon, we have about two more hours of hiking. Then we’ll finally get to the archaeological site, where we’ll set up camp. We’ll spend the evening there, so we can watch the sunset and hopefully get to see condors flying majestically right above us. It’s an incredible way to end a long day of hiking.

• Hike Duration: 7 hours
• Lodging: Choquekiraw Camp (3,100 m), 13 km

We’ll be starting really early this morning because the day is going to get hot fast. We’ll take advantage of the cool air in the canyon as the sun rises, which should be absolutely beautiful. We have a pretty demanding three-hour hike to begin the day, climbing up to the viewpoint of Capuliyoc. It’s a challenging way to start, but the views will be worth it.

From the viewpoint, it’s a much easier hike of about two hours until we reach the village of San Pedro de Cachora. This is where we’ll have our last lunch together, which is kind of bittersweet. After that, we’ll get on our private bus to head back to the city of Cusco, arriving sometime around seven in the evening. It’s been an incredible adventure.