CODE: XA-18
ROAD: Closed
ALTITUDE: 1500 - 4600meters
HIGH-SEASON: From May to November
DURATION: 13 days and 12 nights
The trek that will lead us from Choquequirao to Machu Picchu, passing through Vilcabamba is an absolute must for those who love to explore landscapes, tenting to learn a bit more about the Inca history and to rediscover their lost past. We will visit these three important Inca capitals while crossing some of the most impressive landscapes this part of the Andes has to offer us.
This is a physical trek because of the large change of altitude during the trek, sometimes in hot temperatures and with heavy climates as can be found there.
We'll hike trough a lot of different landscapes that will take your breath away Going from deep canons, cloud-forests or snow-peaks through high fields, the entrances of the jungle, lakes and a lot more The whole is covered with signs of Inca-presence, ruins of different importance.
Because of all these different altitudes and therefore climates, we'll come upon an incredible variety of fauna and especially flora with some plants yet unknown to science.
The occidental light of the Cordillera of Vilcabamba bathes the landscapes in a beautiful emerald shine at certain hours of the day. Hidden in foggy clouds appears now and then before our eyes great constructions of impressive Inca walls and terraces with perfectly curved stones seem to reach for the sky.
We'll have the opportunity to visit some of these Tambos (resting-places and food supplies along the Inca Trail) on the way such as for example Vitcos Rosaspata, Ñustahispana, the Cave of Quellqamachay or Inca Tambo.
Not only will we be amazed by the enormous variety of plants and flowers on this trek, it is also the natural habitat of three important spiritual and symbolical animals in the Andean culture The snake represents the world below, the puma that represents the earthly world and of course the condor, the largest bird of prey in the world, representing the heavenly world.
We will also be able to appreciate meeting with local people that continue to live and work their lands the ancestral way. They hold on to their ancient traditions and wear typical clothes that seem to be out of time.
The river that slingers through the landscape and that is known by the Incas as Wilkamayu will lead us through a gigantic garden with an incredible amount of orchids until the majestic Inca ruins of Machu Picchu (2400m) A historical and religious capital, an agricultural and astronomic center floating in the sky, hidden by clouds Mystical and wonderful.
1 st Day - Cusco - Cachora - Chiquisca (2850m - 2800m - 1930m)
At dawn we'll take a transport to the west of the Inca archeological capital Cusco and from there to the village of Cachora (2850m). We'll have the opportunity during this bus-ride to admire the majestic snow-peaks of the Tucarhuay (5880m), Salkantay (6264m) and Humantay (5217m).
We'll enter the valley of Limatambo and Curahuasi with a very gentle climate and tropical vegetation, on the road to Cachora-village. Cachora will be where we'll meet with our expedition team such as our porters and horsemen and our exit-point for this trek
We'll start hiking direction the Apurimac Cañon while passing the Capuliyoc-pass (2800m) with impressive views over the Padreyoc snow-peak (5771m). From here we'll be going down to our campsite Chiquisca (1930m). We'll be hiking about 7 hours. Included are our lunch-box and diner.
2 nd Day - Chiquisca - Playa - Choquequirao (1930m - 1550m - 3030m )
Early in the morning we'll hike down to the Choquequirao-bridge or beach (1550m) from where we'll be walking straight up for the toughest part of the trek until the community of Choquequirao, halfway between the Santa Rosa-communities and Marampata (2850m). Near the entrance of the Choquequirao-site (3030m) we'll be surrounded by majestic snow-peaks like the Padreyoc, Qorihuayrachina, Pumasillo, Panta and Ampay that are all over 5000meters high. Our camp site will be at Choquequirao. We'll be hiking about 8 hours. Included are breakfast, lunch and diner.
3 rd Day - Choquequirao - Choquequirao-pass - Rio Blanco (3030m - 3270m - 1900m)
Watching the sunrise over Choquequirao is an impressive sight even more with the explanations of a professional tour-guide concerning the ruins and recent excavations. Soon we'll start hiking again on an Inca Trail to the Choquequirao-pass to the archeological site of Pinchaunuyoc (2450m) in full restoration. Before the sun sets we'll be hiking down to the deepest part of this trek, run through by a river called Blanco (1900m) on which's shore we'll camp. Our trekking time will be about 6 hours. Included are breakfast, lunch and diner.
4 th Day - Rio Blanco - Maizal (1900m - 3000m)
We'll rise in the morning in order to hike upwards a fair amount of the path before the weather gets too hot. On the trek we'll have some time to recovery, because pathway is really step through the forest to the community of Maizal (3000m). This is our camp site.
Our trekking time will be about 5 hours. Included are breakfast, lunch and diner.
5th Day - Maizal - Paso san Juan - Yanama (3000m - 4170m - 3530m)
Early morning, we have the second part step the atmosphere is more tropical and the trail isn't always in a very good shape which is the reason why we'll take our time until we arrive at the San Juan-pass (4170m). The climate should be terrific to observe the Vilcabamba mountain-chain with snow-peaks that are over 5000meters high. The last part of the trek we'll hike down to the community of Yanama (3530m) where we'll camp.
We'll be hiking about 7 hours. Included are breakfast, a box-lunch and diner.
6 th Day - Yanama - Yutupata - Quellccamachay - Lazuna pampa (3530m - 3300m - 3900m)
The trek in the morning will be going up and down through the forest of Yutupata (3300m) and continue upwards on an Inca Trail to the next campsite called Lazuna pampa (3800m), situated at the foot of the Choquetacarpu snow-peak. We'll be hiking about 7 hours. Included are breakfast, lunch and diner.
7 th Day - Lazuna pampa - Choquetacarpu pass - Azulccaca - Huancacalle (3900m - 4600m - 3800- 3100)
The hill to climb today is quite steep which is way we'll do it in zigzag up to the highest point called the Choquetacarpu-pass (4600m) which will be the highest point. From this point it's not far down to the campsite called Huancacalle (3100m). We'll be hiking about 8 hours. Included are breakfast, a lunch-box and diner.
8 th Day - Huancacalle - Vitcos & Ñustahispana ruins - Abra Azutina - Inca Wasi (3100m - 4000m - 3650m)
In the morning we'll be climbing down upon the archeological remains of Vitcos Rosaspata and Ñustahispana, buildings from the last Inca dynasty ruled by Manco Inca. We'll arrive in the Huancacalle-area, where we'll take another Inca Trail direction the Machu Picchu sanctuary.
Afterwards, we'll hike up to the highest part called the Azutina-pass (4000m) and from there we'll hike downwards for a while on an Inca Trail through the valley to our campsite called Inca Wasi (3650m). We'll be hiking for about 7 hours. Included are our breakfast, lunch and diner.
9 th Day - Inca Wasi - La playa - Raqachaca - Hatun pampa (3650m - 3500 - 3700m - 4000m)
This will be a quite day where we'll visit the Racachaca community (3700m), learning about their habits and traditions. Afterwards we'll be hiking upwards to the campsite called Hatun pampa (4000m). We'll be hiking about 5 hours. Included are our breakfast, lunch and diner.
10 th Day - Hatun pampa - Abra Yana cocha - Tullu tacana - Soyro cocha - Mojon - Mutuypata (4000m - 4500 - 4550m - 4410 - 4500m - 3250m)
On our way up we'll enjoy magnificent views for the simple fact that we're at the first high of this trail called the Yana cocha-pass (4500m), the second highest Tullu tacana-pass (4550m) and at the last one Mojon-pass (4500m) with a length of over 3 kilometers going up and down. We'll continue on this Inca Trail surrounded by majestic snow-peaks and beautiful mysterious lakes that keep their many secrets, through the yunga-area and tropical forest to our campsite called Mutuypata (3250m). We'll be hiking about 9 hours. Included are our breakfast, lunch and diner.
11 th Day - Mutuypata - Yanatile - Santa Teresa (3250m - 2200m - 1830m)
Following the Mutuypata-forest and the Sacsara-river we'll hike down on a trail that will lead us to the Yanatile-community (2200m). This community is very rich in growing coffee and fruit. We are now very near the deep part of this valley and the shore of river Wilcamayu, also known as Vilcanota. Near here there's a village called Santa Teresa where we'll spend the night in a hotel. An option is also to visit the hot baths nearby. We'll hike about 5 hours. Also we have the service truck from Yanatile to Santa Teresa.
Included are our breakfast, lunch and diner.
12 th Day - Santa Teresa - Aguas Calientes (1830m - 2050m)
Today we'll be able to sleep a bit longer for those who want because today we'll start hiking only at 9h00am. Soon we'll come upon a typical transport of this area, the cable-car that will allow us to cross the river Wilcamayu safely. During this hike you'll be able to appreciate as well the falls of Mayumbamba as the sight of Machu Picchu-mountain with different Inca Trails. Continuing through this warm and humid climat we'll be arriving at the Hydro-Electrical station (1900m) which will be the place to take the train to Aguas Calientes (2050m), the tourist-town beneath the ruins of Machu Picchu where we'll spend the night in a hotel. Our trekking-time will be about 3 hours. Included are our breakfast, lunch and diner.
13 th Day - Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Cusco
The sunrise over Machu Picchu is a breathtaking sight. Therefore, after an early rise and breakfast, we'll take the first bus up to the ruins (2400m), at 6 ‘o clock. After enjoying the sight and taking pictures of an almost empty Machu Picchu we'll have a guided tour with a professional Machu Picchu-guide. After this tour that will last for about two hours you'll have plenty of time to wonder around the ruins by yourself And for the bravest among us there is always the ascension to Huayna Picchu or the nearby Temple of the Moon. We'll all meet afterwards to go down to Aguas Calientes (2050m) where we'll take our train back to Cusco .
The climate in Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu is rather warm and humid with mosquitoes.
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