Huchuy Qosqo is an archaeological site north of Cuzco, Peru. His name in Quechua means "Small Cusco". It is located at an altitude of 3,600 meters (11,800 feet), above the 3000-meter-high city of Lamay and the Sacred Valley.
The site received its name in the 20th century; previously it had been known as Kakya Qawani. Pedro de Cieza de León, in his Second Chronicle of Peru, affirmed that the palaces were built by Viracocha, the Eighth Inca. Among a large number of buildings, some of stone, some of adobe, is a kallanka (great hall), 40 meters long. Providing water to the site is an Inca built irrigation canal, lined with rocks for about 800 meters.
The site is inaccessible by public road. The two main access points on foot are from Lamay - 3 hours to a steep set of mosquitoes - or from Tauca, Peru - around 3 hours, with a pass at 4400 masl, then mostly downhill, and visit some other ruins . The 2 day route from Tauca to Lamay is described in "Exploring Cusco" by Peter Frost. A series of tour groups also take two days of hiking or horseback riding to Huchuy Qosqo.
Huchuy Qosqo two-day hike allows us to combine interesting archaeological sites, spectacular geography typical of the Andes, where the Urubamba Mountain Range shines its snowy peaks along the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
Day 01 Cusco – Tambomachay – Pumamarca
Day 02 Huchuy Qosqo – Cusco
Distance to travel: 15 km
Walking Time: From 11 a.m. to 12 o'clock included rest and stop for lunch.
Maximum Height: 3,550 meters above sea level.
Difficulty: Moderate and with drops.
Temperature: Cold with winds in the afternoon.
We start in private transportation from the city of Cusco to the Archaeological Park of Sacsayhuaman, Tambomachay sector, where our walk begins. This archaeological center is considered a center of worship to water. From here you can see Puca Pucara, possibly a checkpoint at the entrance to the city of Cusco.
We leave Tambomachay up the stream of the same name, where we can observe the city of Cusco to the vicinity of the Abra Sicllajasa, where we will enjoy the view of the Ccauca ravine, as well as a typical landscape of puna, walking along the side of the mountain in half of a pajonal of Ichu. On our way we will stop at the Qeullacocha lagoon, where we will enjoy our lunch.
We wait for the ascent to Challu Challu, from where we can see the lagoons of Piuray and Qoricocha. We continue climbing in the middle of the puna to reach the Abra Rumicruz from where we will descend to the community of Pucamarca. This beautiful and typical high Andean community will house us as a campsite. Dinner and overnight.
Meals: lunch and dinner
Maximum Altitude: 4247 masl / 13933 ft
Minimum Altitude: 3600 masl / 11811 ft
Distance traveled: 9.75 km / 6.05 ml
Approximate walking time: 5 hr
We leave the community continuing our way of descent, to cross an Inca bridge and a paved passage at the foot of the river that will take us to Huchuy Cosco. Arriving at this archaeological site, we will rest briefly and then start the guided tour of the place. Double jamb doors, three-story houses, mixed construction with stones and adobe; and a spectacular view of the Sacred Valley of the Incas and the Urubamba Mountain Range is what awaits us here.
After descending for 2 hours, we will arrive at the town of Lamay, end of our walk. Here we will take our private transport to return to the city of Cusco.
Meals: breakfast and lunch
Maximum altitude: 4000 masl / 13123 ft
Minimum Altitude: 2959 masl / 9708 ft
Distance traveled: 6 km / 3.72 ml
Approximate walking time: 6 hr
