Choquequirao Trek
Small group experience (max 8)
Moderate
4-day journey
Up to 4,840 m
Ethical porter support
Cultural immersion

The Choquequirao trek is perfect for those looking to escape the crowds or seeking something more than Machu Picchu during their trip. The trek takes you to Machu Picchu’s sister city, Choquequirao (The Cradle of Gold), which sits high above the Apurímac Valley.
With a great variety of flora and fauna, beautiful landscapes and a visit to an important Inca site, Choquequirao Trek is the adventure of a lifetime.
When you book your Choquequirao Trek with Llama Path, you’re choosing the best. Don’t believe us? Check out our reviews on TripAdvisor!
Useful Information
- Starting altitude – 2900m / 9515ft.
- Highest altitude – 3050m / 10,005 feet
- Walking distance – 64 km / 40 miles
- Longest day – Day 1, approximately 25 km / 15.5 miles
- General difficulty – Difficult
Very Important: Campsites may vary depending on booking time, weather conditions, or restrictions implemented by the Peruvian government for security reasons.
Day 1: Cusco - Cachora - Santa Rosa
Our first day begins in the town of Cachora, a 4-hour drive from Cusco. Leaving Cachora, the road leads down to the Apurímac Valley, offering fantastic views of snow-capped peaks in the distance. The Apurímac Valley unfolds before us throughout the day, and after a few hours of hiking, we'll get our first glimpses of Choquequirao, perched on the opposite side of the valley. The area around Choquequirao is rich in wildlife, and we'll see a wide variety of flora and fauna as we descend into the valley.
Our campsite for the night is located in Santa Rosa (2200m / 7215ft.), which is on the other side of the Apurímac River. As the campsite is a little further ahead than most groups, it's one of the quietest places to camp on the entire trek, so we can enjoy the beautiful scenery around us without distractions.
Day 2: Santa Rosa - Choquequirao
Today is probably the most difficult day of the trek. To reach Choquequirao, we have to make our way back to the opposite side of the Apurímac Valley, which involves ascending about 800 m / 2624 ft over a distance of 14 km / 8.7 miles through hot and humid conditions. It's quite challenging, but the views today, combined with the incredible variety of flora and fauna found on this side of the valley, make it all worthwhile.
Throughout the day we'll see a wide variety of bromeliads, orchids, and bamboo groves; we also hope to spot birds such as quetzals, toucans, and a variety of hummingbirds. After approximately 5 hours of hiking, we'll arrive at our campsite near Choquequirao (3050m / 10,005 ft) and settle in for the night. If the weather is clear, the sunset views from here are incredible, and we might even be lucky enough to see condors soaring over the valley below.
Day 3: Choquequirao – Chiquiska
Today's focus is exploring Choquequirao. Waking up early, you'll head out for a guided tour of the site, during which you'll be shown the most important and interesting sections of the city and learn about Inca culture and the close relationship between Choquequirao and Machu Picchu.
Compared to Machu Picchu, little is known about Choquequirao, even though it has been known for a long time. Originally discovered in the 17th century by the Spanish, it was abandoned and forgotten until recent years when tourism raised the city's profile and exploration began. Even with this increased interest, only 25% of the city has been explored, and many of its secrets still await discovery.
After your tour, you will begin the return hike to Cachora along the same route you came by. Our campsite for tonight is Chiquiska (1800m / 5905ft.) at the base of the valley next to the Apurímac River.
Day 4: Chiquiska - Cachora - Cusco
Today is the final leg of the hike as we head back to Cachora. On our return to the valley side, we'll have our last views of Choquequirao in the distance before arriving in Cachora in the afternoon and taking the bus back to Cusco.
Includes:
- Professional guide who speaks Spanish
- Tour guide assistant for groups of 9+
- Chef
- Mules to carry cooking and camping equipment and 7 kg of their personal items.
- Pick-up from your hotel
- Bus transport to and from Cachora
- Water (excluding the first 4 hours of the hike where you must bring your own)
- 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 snacks, and 3 dinners. If you have a dietary request, such as vegetarian food, please let us know.
- Dining tent with tables and chairs
- Tent for 4 men for every 2 hikers
- Sleeping mattress
- Oxygen bottle
- First aid kit
Does not include
- Sleeping bag (can be rented by us)
- Breakfast on day 1 and lunch and dinner on day 4
- Bribes
- Travel insurance: It is strongly recommended that you purchase travel insurance for the duration of your trip.
What you need to bring:
- Hiking boots
- Waterproof jacket / rain poncho
- A warm jacket
- Hat and gloves
- T-shirts
- Comfortable pants
- Sun hat
- Crema solar (factor 35 o superior)
- Insect repellent
- Toiletries and hand sanitizer
- Personal medication
- Camera and camcorder
- Flashlight with spare batteries
- LLAMA PATH TERMS AND CONDITIONS
- DEFINITIONS The definitions below will apply throughout these terms and conditions:
- 1.1. Client: means a person who books a trip offered by Llama Path and includes all participants for whom the person may book a trip on behalf of:
- i. Day Tour: Means any trip offered by Llama Path that lasts only one day.
- ii. Deposit: means
- a. For trekking: USD 300 per participant, deposit required to proceed with the reservation and if the client wishes to do Machu Picchu Mountain or Waynapicchu the deposit will be $385 for all Inca Trail treks or $325 for any other alternative route such as Salkantay, Lares, Huchuy Qosqo etc.
PLEASE: Make sure to add the fees associated with your PayPal/VISA transaction (approx. 4.5%). Llama Path will send you a receipt indicating the exact amount we received from you and the balance due upon your arrival in Cusco.
- b. For Peru itineraries, 50% of the total itinerary price must be sent to proceed with the booking.
- c. For day trips, 50% of the total trip price.
- In the event of cancellation by one or more participants in a private tour , the final price will be adjusted based on the final number of participants . The price originally quoted is based on the group size confirmed at the time of booking; therefore, any reduction in the number of participants will result in a recalculation of the total cost per person.
- 2. Llama Path means a licensed professional tour operator based in Cusco, Peru and includes the employees and people associated with the company.
- 3. Peru Itinerary means a multi-day trip offered by Llama Path where hiking is not the main activity.
- 4. Terms means these terms and conditions that may be updated by Llama Path from time to time.
- 5. Trek means a journey where trekking is the main activity.
- 6. Trip means any trip taken or trip offered by Llama Path and booked by a customer.
- 7. Acceptance The client accepts that the client will be subject to these terms and conditions at the time of payment of the deposit.
- 8 Application and Terms These terms will apply to all trips from the date the deposit is paid until the date the trip is completed, unless the trip is changed, cancelled or terminated earlier, in accordance with clauses 7, 8 or 9 of these terms.
- 9. Price: Prices for all trips offered by Llama Path are displayed at Llama Path offices and on the Llama Path website and may be updated by Llama Path from time to time. All prices are based on double occupancy; an additional charge will apply for single occupancy.
- 10. Payment
- i. Deposit The customer can pay the deposit using one of the following methods
- Paypal. www.paypal.com The option to "send money" to the address deposits@llamapath.com must be selected as a purchase of services, not a personal payment.
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- Balance : After the deposit payment, the balance due for a trip is due as followsFor day hikes and excursions: no more than 48 hours before the first day of the hike, at the Llama Path offices. Payments can be made in cash in US dollars or Peruvian soles (using the exchange rate of the day). If a client cannot comply with this clause, Llama Path must be notified at least 48 hours before the trip and will have sole discretion as to whether late payment is permitted.For Peru itineraries: no less than two weeks before the start date of the trip, using the PayPal method described in clause 5ai. If a Client is unable to comply with this clause, Llama Path must be notified at least two weeks before the Trip, and will have sole discretion as to whether late payment will be permitted.AVAILABLE DATES : When a Customer submits a booking request to Llama Path, they must provide a range of dates they are available to travel. Llama Path will prioritize the Customer's preferred dates; however, the Customer authorizes Llama Path to use any of the dates within the range provided by the Customer to book a trip.GROUP DISCOUNT : A group discount will be applied when four or more people book a trip together, and this discount will be USD $20 per person and will only apply to the following trips: Inca Trail 4 days / 3 nights group service; Lares Trek 4 days / 3 nights group service; and Salkantay Trek 5 days / 4 nights group service.Please note that the group discount will not apply if a cancellation results in fewer than four people in the original group.
- STUDENT AND UNDER-18 DISCOUNT : A discount will be offered to students aged 25 and under, and to those under 18, on the date the trip begins. The discount amount will be communicated by Llama Path. Students must send a copy of a valid university ID to Llama Path at the time of booking. The ID must be valid for the duration of the trip, and the physical ID must be presented upon arrival in Cusco.TRANSFERS: The Client is not authorized in any way to transfer a Deposit, even to another Trip, date, to another person, or to the balance of another Trip or person.
- CANCELLATION:If a trip is canceled or the client wishes to leave a trip for any reason, the deposit and any remaining balance paid are non-refundable, as the deposit is used to purchase all the permits and services required to run the tour. If the trip has been paid for in full, there may be components that the client can still use, such as the entrance fee to Machu Picchu, the train ticket, and the bus ticket.Refunds will be provided for day trips as follows:100% refund of the deposit if Llama Path receives notification of cancellation at least 30 days before the date of the Day Tour;50% refund of the deposit if Llama Path receives notification of cancellation between 15 and 29 days before the date of the One Day Tour;No refund of the Deposit will be provided if Llama Path receives notice of cancellation less than 15 days before the date of the Day Tour.
LLAMA PATH CHANGES: The Client acknowledges that traveling to Peru requires flexibility, patience, and an understanding that changes may be necessary. Llama Path may alter a trip itinerary at any time due to any circumstances beyond its reasonable control and will not be liable for any such changes.
- FORCE MAJEURE: Llama Path is not responsible for any force majeure event or circumstance beyond its control, including, but not limited to, acts of God, civil or military unrest, extreme weather, technological disruptions, labor strikes, or acts of war or terrorism. The Client acknowledges that Llama Path may need to alter, or even cancel, a Trip in response to a force majeure event or circumstance, and will not be liable for any such alteration or cancellation.
- PROTEST OR STRIKE EARLY DEPARTURE: In the event of a protest or strike that may affect a Trip's itinerary, Llama Path, at its discretion, may decide to depart early to provide the best possible service. In such cases, Llama Path will charge an additional fee to cover the extra costs incurred, the amount of which will be determined by Llama Path based on the circumstances.
- HOLIDAY OR ELECTION SURCHARGE : When travel takes place on one or more of the following days due to holidays or elections in Peru, a surcharge per person, per trip will apply: December 22, 23, 24, 25, 29, 30, 31, January 1, and any election day. The surcharge will be determined by Llama Path and covers staff fines for missing elections or serves as a bonus for staff who do not have a holiday.
- EVACUATION: If a Client is unable to complete a Trip, the Client will be responsible for the costs of return transportation to Cusco or the final destination of the Trip in the event of a medical emergency. Any other losses, damages, or costs related to the Client's evacuation from a Trip and any additional emergency services will also be the Client's responsibility. The Client agrees to comply with all decisions made by Llama Path guides in all circumstances where a Client must be evacuated from a Trip for any reason.
- CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITIES
- Insurance: Llama Path strongly recommends that the Client purchase adequate travel insurance to cover cancellations, delays, medical expenses, emergencies, disruptions due to unforeseen circumstances, and loss of or damage to personal belongings or equipment that may occur in connection with a trip. The Client acknowledges that they are responsible for all losses or damages suffered, except as expressly provided in these Terms.
- Risk: The client acknowledges that travel is adventurous and inherently involves a certain amount of personal risk, especially travel. The client accepts responsibility for all risks associated with a trip and agrees not to sue or hold Llama Path or any of its employees liable in any way for any loss, damage, or injury suffered by a client in connection with a trip.
- Authority Guidance: The Client agrees that the Llama Path guides have full and final authority over all matters and decisions related to the Journey, and the Client will act in good faith to follow such authority and advice from the Llama Path guides.
- Preparation: The Client acknowledges that although Llama Path will act in good faith to assist them during the Journey, it is the Client's sole responsibility to ensure that the Client is properly prepared for the Journey with the correct equipment and any special dietary or food requirements they may require.
- Passport validity: The client must ensure their passport is valid for at least six months from the date of their arrival in Peru. This is a requirement of the Peruvian government, and failure to comply may result in being denied entry to the country.
- Visa to visit Peru: it is the client's responsibility to ensure that they arrange and comply with any visa requirements, if any, necessary for their entry and stay in Peru;
- Acclimatization: The Client acknowledges Llama Path's strong recommendation that the Client remain in Cusco or another high-altitude city above 3,000 meters for at least three days before beginning a trek. This will help minimize any potential effects of altitude sickness.
- Equipment: Llama Path requires the Client to pay an additional fee to hire certain items of equipment that a Client borrows for a Trek. These prices are listed on the Llama Path website and may be updated by Llama Path from time to time at its sole discretion.
- LIMITATION OF LIABILITY : Llama Path's total liability to the Customer is limited, to the maximum extent permitted by law, to the amount of money paid to Llama Path by the Customer. Llama Path will not be liable for any further loss or damage suffered by the Customer, unless expressly stated in these Terms.
Private service prices 2019
- 2 people US $975 per person
- 3 people US $ 875 per person
- 4 people US $775 per person
- 5 people US $ 685 per person
- 6 people US $ 645 per person
- 7 people US $ 615 per person
- 8+ people US $ 595 per person
Optional extras:
- Sleeping bag US$30
- Hiking pole US $8
- Inflatable mattress US $25
- Individual store US $30
Machu Picchu Extension:
- 1 day trip From USD 475.00 (depending on group size, train class, etc.).
- 2-day, 1-night trip from USD $575 per person (depending on group size, train class, hotel, etc.)