CHOQUEQUIRAO

CHOQUEQUIRAO THE OTHER LOST CITY OF THE INCAS

Legend and history become confused among the mists of the Andes mountains. Choquequirao caught the world's attention as the last bastion of Inca resistance against the Conquistadors. Adventure and history create a new attraction in Peru.

The canyon seems bottomless. From the lookout where the trail begins, the Apurimac river is a greenish-white ribbon speckled with tiny black dots, which you know are house-size boulders. Beyond the canyon, the massive snow peaks of the Cordillera Vilcababamba seem to fill the sky.

The terraces of Inca at Choquequirao are dimly visible on a ridge to the north-east, green and hazy in the distance. To reach it will take two days of hard walking.

Choquequirao is one of those places we have always know about, yet never really known. Unlike Machu Picchu, its name has been mentioned since colonial times. Treasure hunters went there occasionally form the early 18th century onwards, lured by its tantalizing name - "Cradle of Gold". The French scholar Leonce Angrand drew the first maps in 1847. Hiram Bingham went there in 1909, two years before he reached Machu Picchu.

Yet Choquequirao was extremely difficult to reach, its access barred by the roaring waters of the Apurimac, which could only be crossed by means of an oroya - a death-defying cable and basket. All that changed when the Peruvian government built a sturdy footbridge near Cachora in 1994.

Even today the journey is long, but for the growing army of those who love the challenge of the Andes it is everything one could hope for. It starts in Cusco, with a scenic 4 or 5 hour drive along the highway towards Abancay, first crossing the rolling Pampa de Anta with vistas of the Urubamba range, Salcantay, then a stupendous series of hairpins in the descent to Limatambo and the Apurimac. A steep ascent from the river leads past fields of white anise flowers in the balmy climate of Curahuasi, while along the way you can visit the elegant Inca stonemasonry at Tarawasi and the unique Inca sculptures of Sayhuite. The road is paved until the turn-off to Cachora, where a series of hairpins descends into a high Andean valley sloping once again towards the mighty Apurimac canyon, mirador de Capulilloc Cachora is the place to rent mules, guides and saddle horses. The trail is good, but the journey calls for a 4,300 ft. to the Inca ruins. The views are spectacular, and the ecology passes through those radical Andean changes, reaching a hot and arid canyon-floor ecology of tall cactus and thorn bushes at the river. Most hikers camp the first night at the small, wooded site of Chiquisca, about 1,300 ft. above the river. Next day you descent more steep zig-zags to the river, and cross the footbridge. It is vital to leave early, since the canyon becomes extremely hot as the day wears on, and the only way to avoid this is to gain some altitude before mid-day. As you climb the north bank of the Apurimac you reach a world of green slopes and remnant patches of cloud forest which grow more dense and less disturbed by humans as you near Choquequirao. Scattered farmers occupy the few areas of semi-level terrain along the way, including one who grows sugar cane and distills his own firewater - available for sale!.

You see the Inca ruins across a deep ravine long before you reach them, sitting on a ridge, below a forest-covered mountain, gazing down into the immensity of the canyon - a setting more than equal to the splendor of Machu Picchu.

Comparisons with the latter seem inevitable. The place would almost seem to have been constructed to rival that exotically located settlement. Like Machu Picchu, it bears the characteristics of an elite ceremonial center, and certain architectural details suggest that, in fact, the settlement many have been constructed for the emperor Topa Inca.

The present campsite is a sloping area some 20 minutes below the ruins.
Choquequirao is larger than anyone realized until recently, since forest still conceals so much of its ruins. But the arriving visitor reaches the heart of the site via its most prominent feature, a series of enormous, beautifully - constructed terraces. The central plazas display the typically careful Inca planning, with tall, two-story residential buildings, assembly halls, and complexes of ceremonial baths and temples.

The broad ceremonial platform overlooking the site gives superb views of the surrounding snow peaks and a sweeping panorama of the Apurimac canyon. Condors soar low across the ruins each afternoon, and bears are sometimes seen on the pathways near the site. The unforgettable beauty and fascination of the Andes is as powerful here as any place in Peru.

You must simply retrace your steps to take the standard return journey to Cusco - but don't miss a delicious swim in the Apurimac, which you will inevitably cross in the heat of the afternoon.

This magical place, which appears to be almost suspended from the steep western slopes of the Vilcabamba range, is really an excellent example of what Peru has to offer in terms of natural and cultural diversity.

For nature lovers Choquequirao is much more than a set of stone and adobe building on the side of a mountain overlooking the Apurimac valley. This magical place, which appears to be almost suspended from the steep western slopes of the Vilcabamba range, is really an excellent example of what Peru has to offer in terms of natural and cultural diversity. A variety of species and scenery together whit the imposing archaeological remains left by the ancient inhabitants of this area.

Its strategic location means that this singular sanctuary encompasses what could be considered one of the most extraordinary variations of ecosystems anywhere in Peru; in only a few miles it includes mountains permanently covered with snow almost 19 700 feet high and steamy tropical valleys little more than 5 900 feet above sea level.

Seen from air, Choquequirao looks like a great open book with the fast-flowing river Apurimac at its foot and a great range of mountains with its eastern slopes covered with tropical vegetation. On the right bank of the river is a significant section of one of the most important sub-basins in the region, The Vilcabamba range.

CHOQUEQUIRAO Peru tours Operator of trekking: Inca Trail to Machu Pichu - Trekking Huraz - Short Inka Trail - Peru Treks - Trekking to Machu Picchu - Back to top

ECOSYSTEMS, FLORA AND FAUNA
The few scientific studies that have been carried out in this area reveal the existence of numerous well-defined life zones, the most relevant from the ecological point of view being the Andean grasslands, highland dwarf forest and the high jungle or "yunga" on the mountain sides. This great variety of ecological floors or habitats is home to an astonishing diversity of species of flora and fauna, perfectly adapted to the specific conditions of each habitat.

The natural world of Choquequirao begins, then, above 13 100 ft. a.s.l., where the wind blows continually over the plains of ichu grass and the rocks are covered with lichen and moss. The Andean plateau, the puna, is a ancient (it is thought to have developed in the middle of the Tertiary period) as it is hostile to life (the name means sickness - altitude sickness). This is the world of the Andean condor and the taruka, the largest and most elusive of the Andean deer, the Andean fox or atoj and the related añas the playful vizcacha (a rodent native to the highlands) and the small wild cat or oscollo, nor to mention the puma or mountain lion. It is a world of small delicate flowers with recall the ponchos worn by the country people. It is a world where temperature variations are so enormous that only a few creatures manage to survive: burning sun during the day and freezing at night.
If we continue with our imaginary descent we come to a zone where the cold wind from the snowy mountains meets the warm one rising from the valley, to form a strange and exuberant world in miniature. This is the dwarf forest with its twisted trees, where the dimensions of the plants appear to have been inverted by some quirk of nature: here the tress are small and the mosses gigantic, deer such as the pudu or sachacabra, grow to barely 8 inches high while the humming birds are as big as pigeons. This is the land of Bromelias and rare flowers such as the bomarea or sullun sullu. It is also the home of the Andean bear os ucumari and the highland toucan.

Somewhat lower, in the creek beds, it is damp the whole year through and it rains more often than anywhere else in Peru. This is the highland forest, visible only form time to time when the mysterious shroud of mist that covers it opens up to reveal a magical and marvelous view. The climate is benign and temperate: cool nights and warm days, a combination in which the plants produce a symphony of form and color.

Here you cant find flowers that are more beautiful than those of the tropics: gigantic begonias and ferns the size of trees; amazingly shaped orchids (of which there are more than hundred species here, including the spectacular wakanki - meaning "you will weep" in Quechua - and wiñay wayna - always young - and delicate bells full of nectar for which a legion of bees, beetles and humming birds vie; heliotrope resembling wax figures and others of the mallow family which look like the mask used in Andean village ceremonies. This is also the home of the gallito de las rocas, the choro monkey, the quetzal, pato de los torrentes, more than twenty varieties of hummingbird and several dozen species of fruit-eating birds so colorful that they appear to compete for beauty with the forest flowers.

This is one of the most prolific yet least known natural environments, a kingdom of waterfalls and mysterious beings where trees grow almost hanging from the cliffs, taking advantage of the scarce fertile soil that they themselves produce, clinging to the great granite rocks that outcrop in the area.

Finally, at the bottom of the valley where the temperature is regulated by the river running through it, the mountain forest provides ideal conditions for an enormous variety of crops: coca, achiote, maize, cacao, coffee and fruit. This was the Incas' larder from which they took their most prized fruit, and so it is to this day for the people who live nearby. A land of bamboo woods which flower after many decades only to die all at once, as if in response to some strange order; a territory where the valleys widen and the rivers, having exhausted their fury give way to tranquil waters rich in nutrients, which lap at the feet of the mountains. This is, of course, the introduction to the great Amazon forest.

Conservation and threats

From an environmental point of view, the principal value of this ecosystem is the role played by the exuberant forests higher up in the mountains in maintaining the equilibrium of the water system of the region, taking rainwater and conducting it - without causing erosion - to the river Apurimac. If these were to disappear, many species of unique flora and fauna virtually unknown to science would go with them. Above all, however, an irreversible process of environmental deterioration would have begun and this would have devastating consequences for man, such as the destruction of roads and crops, flooding and landslides.

At present the main thread to this natural sanctuary is that of forest fires. Started by farmers in neighboring highland areas, seasonal burning - intended to renew natural pastures - spread out of control, helped by the fragility of the vegetation, to the lower slopes leading to the heart of the mountain forest. The FIRES destroy everything in their path, enormous areas of virgin forest until they are extinguished by the rain. In recent years fires have been of such magnitude that the devastation has even reached the boundary of the nearby sanctuary of Machu Picchu.

CHOQUEQUIRAO Peru tours Operator of trekking: Inca Trail to Machu Pichu - Trekking Huraz - Short Inka Trail - Peru Treks - Trekking to Machu Picchu - Back to top

THE CHOQUEQUIRAO TREK

Classical Choquequirao Trek offer by tour Operator in Peru

SCHEDULE

Choquequirao Trek Day 1: Cusco / Chiquisca
We will leave Cusco at around 7.00 am in our own private bus, and drive towards Cachora. After driving for two and a half hours, we will stop in Tarawasi, where we will visit archaeological remains of an Inca Usno, a place were ceremonies and celebrations to mother earth were conducted. We leave Tarawasi and continue along the road, across the Apurimac River and up again through Curawasi and to Saywite, our second stop an hour and a half later. Here we will visit the famous Inca rock that was believed to be the construction plan for the Tahuantinsuyo Empire, with carvings of animals representing the main deities. (Saywite forms part of the so called route of Wiracocha). From Saywite, we will continue on to Cachora only 30 minutes away and at 2800 masl. Here we will have our box lunch. In the afternoon we will climb for two and a half hours towards the Abra Capuliyoc at 2750 masl, where we will enjoy beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and the Apurimac river canyon. Finally, we will then descend two more hours towards our campsite in Chiquisca.

Choquequirao Trek Day 2: Chiquisca / Choquequirao
We leave Chiquisca as early as 6.00am to go down to the Rosalina Beach, which will take one hour. We will cross the Apurimac river and start climbing towards Santa Rosa, zigzagging up a steep slope. This climb will take an approximated 2h, and it is important that we leave early so that the heat does not make it more difficult than it has to be. During a half an hour break, those who wish may try Cambray, a local sugar cane extract. Afterwards, we will climb slowly for two and a half hours until we reach our lunch spot in Marampata. From here we will walk two more hours to reach the Choquequirao archaeological complex, at about 3:30 in the afternoon. We will set up camp and enjoy some free time to explore the terraces and buildings. When the sun starts to set, you might want to sit and contemplate the canyon, where condors are sometimes spotted.

Choquequirao Trek Day 3: Choquequirao - Rosalina Beach
During the morning, we will enjoy a complete guided tour of the Choquequirao complex. We will visit the high parts (Hanan), and the lower parts (Urin), and some areas that are still covered in wild foliage and ready to be restored into the way it was when the Incas owned it. After the tour we will start our walk back towards Santa Rosa, where we will have lunch. Then we will continue on to Rosalina Beach at 1450 masl. After the 2h descent, we might have time to take a refreshing dip in the waters of the Apurimac River. We will camp and dine here.

Choquequirao Trek Day 4: Rosalina Beach - Cachora
We will leave as early as 6.00am to start the two to three hour climb to Chiquisca to then make our way back to the Abra Capuliyoc. After lunch, we will continue on our two hour return route to Cachora, where there will be a private bus waiting to take us back to Cusco. Estimated arrival time around 9.00pm.

Standard Choquequirao Trek Includes
- Round trip transportation Private bus from Cusco to Cachora
- Professional Guide English speaking.
- Cook In charge of meal preparation
- Horses for carry tents and cooking equipment (including horsemen)
- Meals 4 Breakfasts/ 4 Lunches/ 4 Dinners/ Snacks
- Double occupancy tents (Doite)
- Rolling mattress
- Dinner tent
- Toilet tent
- Kitchen tent
- Tables, seats, table set and fist aids kit.

Things to bring
- Large duffel bag, Daypack, 2000-2500 cu. in. to carry your camera, water bottles, sweater, etc.
- Sleeping bag minimum -5°C
- Clothing midweight fleece or wool sweater, fleece pants or tights, midweight thermal underwear tops and bottom, synthetic or wool, hiking pants, hiking shorts, long-sleeve shirts, T-shirts, underwear and casual socks, hiking socks, liner socks, swimsuit, sun hat, bandana, wool or fleece gloves, rain poncho.
- Sturdy hiking boots, sandals for use in town or campsites
- Water bottle(s) or hydration system, flashlight, pocket knife or multi-tool, 1 roll of toilet paper, sunglasses and retainer strap, sun block and lip balm, toiletry kit, personal first-aid kit (personal medication), insect repellent, several Ziploc plastic bags to put all your clothing and accessories
- Camera, film and spare batteries, reading and writing materials, binoculars.

CHOQUEQUIRAO Peru tours Operator of trekking: Inca Trail to Machu Pichu - Trekking Huraz - Short Inka Trail - Peru Treks - Trekking to Machu Picchu - Back to topp