Day 1: Cusco – Cachora – Santa Rosa

We’ll take private transport early in the morning (4:00 a.m.) from Cusco to Cachora, an Andean community located 4-5hrs from Cusco at 2800m / ft needed, and the trailhead of our hike. We leave from Cusco at 4:00am in the morning. Arriving at Cachora town at 8:00 a.m. where we will have our breakfast.

After arranging the equipment on the mules and horses and taking in the majestic views of the Padrayoc and Wayna Cachora snow-capped peaks, we’ll begin our day’s hike, covering 21.7km through beautiful changing landscape, from precipices to snowy mountains, to the impressive Apurimac Canyon. We’ll have lunch at Playa Rosalina around 1:00 p.m. and then continue to our campsite for the evening, Santa Rosa.

We will be hiking for around 10 hours today, and we’ll pass by the following places: La Colmena (2870m), La Aguada (2915m), Capuliyoc (2915m) an impressive look out point where we can see all of the Apurimac Valley, Huayhuacalle (2970m), Tinajayoc (2630m), Mirador (2370m), Cocamasana (2330m), Torowisqana (2285m), Chiquiska (1950m) grove place where we can find water, Playa Rosalina (camp in 1550m), La Huerta (2705m) and finally arriving in Santa Rosa (2115m).

Day 2: Choquequirao – Raqaypata

After an early breakfast at 5:00 a.m., we’ll continue our hike to Choquequirao. We should arrive within 5 hours and then we’ll be able to explore the majestic site and observe the three levels of the excavated ruin as well as its housing, terraces and other areas of this late Inkan town. The ruin site is still being excavated, and each time another part is uncovered, we learn more about this last refuge of the Inkas. At approximately 3:00 p.m. we may be able to watch “the flight of the Condors”, but this is weather dependent.

Choquequirao is considered to be the last refuge of the Inka Empire. The oldest reports state that Juan Arias Diaz was one of the first people to explore the area in 1710. Our bilingual guide will explain more about the history and importance of the site after the Spanish arrived in Peru. Later on, we’ll descend to Raqaypata (2910m), where we will camp and have lunch and dinner.

Day 3: Raqaypata – Chiquiska

After an early breakfast, we’ll pack up and start walking back through the Apurimac Canyon to Chiquiska. We may be lucky enough to see the flight of the Condors whilst taking in the exuberant vegetation and the varieties of flowers and orchids.

Passing the same small settlements as on the way to Choquequirao, we will stop in Playa Rosalina where we will have our lunch and after that we’ll continue to Chiquiska, where we will spend the night.

Hiking time: 10 hours

Altitude: 3033-1950m

Day 4: Chiquiska – Cachora – Cusco

After an early morning breakfast at 5:00 a.m., we will walk back to Cachora today, which should take around 7 hours.  On the way back to Cusco, we’ll stop in Cconoc to go to the hot springs, use the showers, and sample some of the local produce, arriving in Cusco around 10:00 p.m.