Choquequirao is known as the other Machu Picchu. This archaeological site has recently taken on a high level of importance and curiosity both tourist and cultural, which is driven research in the archaeological site and its surroundings.
Its name comes from the Quechua word "chuqui k'iraw", which means "Cradle of Gold", it extends in an area of ​​2000 hectares, where a set of structures are located above 3100 meters above sea level, and is part of a series of architectural complexes within the Vilcabamba Valley; last Inca resistance site. Its geographical position, its history and attractiveness, as a source of income for the surrounding populations, make it a pleasant and tempting place as an alternative form of cultural tourism.
Choquequirao Peru is located at 3,085 m.s.n.m in the Vilcabamaba Valley. Politically, it is located in the jurisdiction of the district of Santa Teresa, Province of La Convención, Department of Cusco.
It is believed that Choquequirao was part of the complexes built for the Inca resistance, during the Spanish occupation, within the Vilcabamba Valley. These complexes are made up of the archaeological sites of: Ñusta Hispana, Vitcos, Espíritu Pampa, Concebidayoc, Pampaconas and Jabaspampa. The same ones that were articulated by Inca roads with the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu.
The citadel is located in an almost impregnable mountain, which allowed the resistance to be preserved for almost 40 years behind its stone walls. It is not clear who was the promoter of its construction, some presume that it was Pachacutec around the fifteenth century, without clutch others defend that was his predecessor the Inca Tupac Yupanqui. After these 40 years it was forgotten, only in the memory of the inhabitants of the nearby communities, and was invaded and protected by the lush vegetation of the place.
The first mentions about Choquequirao Cusco date from the period of the viceroyalty and the ruins have been visited by travelers and adventurers for several centuries. Subsequently, the citadel has been inspected on multiple occasions.
It was the historian Cosme Bueno, in 1768, the first to publicly announce his existence by making some notes and indications about the site and placing it on the agenda of new explorers. Then the French Eugen de Santiges and Leónce Angrand, did the same in the 19th century. In 1865, Emilio Colpaert is the first to graph the horseshoe path from Cachora to the city within the map of Cusco. In 1911, Hiram Binghan -who discovered Macchu Picchu that same year- confirmed the importance of buildings; However, this researcher was the one who affirmed that Macchu Picchu was the hidden citadel and the most important precinct of the ancient incantation, reason why Choquequirao Peru was assumed as a complex with less historical relevance.
Through the intervention of COPESCO and the impulse to form a multisectoral commission to implement a new design for the development of tourist circuits and to benefit the surrounding populations, works have been carried out that have managed to detect almost 30 archaeological groups and remains of the Inca trail. This will allow increasing the ecotourism activity in the region, generating a sustained development of the inhabitants of the nearby towns. Taking advantage of natural conditions carefully and complying with the rules of conservation and control.
According to the chronicles of the post conquest, Choquequirao served as refuge to the Incas for 40 years, from 1536, during the resistance to the Spanish invaders of the Inca State in Vilcabamba. At the time of the colony, Viceroy Toledo, mention is made of the importance of Choquequirao Cusco, it is possible that in these documents talk about this subject and is mentioned by another name, as in Machu Picchu.
The Choquequirao trek is one of the most challenging in Cusco, for this reason we offer information about the trek to make this beautiful trekking route.
To make Choquequirao tour, normally we offer a private transport service which will take us from the city of Cusco to Cachora (Cusco - Abancay Route) which is the starting point of our Choquequirao trek.
If you want to take this walk on your own you can find bus services on the Cusco Abancay route that leave in the morning from the terrestrial terminal of Cusco or you can also find cars that make the same route from the place called Arcopata, we recommend doing this walk with a travel agency that has your entire trip coordinated and thus avoid inconvenience.
The trek is done at a lower altitude than Cusco, for this reason, we will find a temperate environment for much of the walk, although we feel a little cold on the night of the second day. The rainy and dry seasons still apply to Choquequirao because we have to take into account that it is an Andean zone and we have two well-defined seasons, that of rains from November to March and the dry season that goes from April to November.
The Choquequirao trek has a maximum altitude of 3 035 m.s.n.m in the main square and a minimum altitude of 1,500 m.s.n.m. in Rosalina beach, a point in our favor is that the climate in these parameters are warm and we will not have many problems in terms of altitude sickness.
To make this Choquequirao tour you need a good physical and mental condition, this is a hike where the level of demand is higher than the Inca or Salkantay way, but we have a team of guides and muleteers who will be on the lookout for you and will do this walk a unique experience.
Any age is ideal for this Choquequirao tour as long as it has a reasonable physical shape and has no problems walking. Children under the age of 10 who take part in this trek will be under the responsibility of their parents.
