Choquequirao
Machu Picchu without the crowds (for now)
Welcome to Choquequirao
The insider's travel guide to ChoquequiraoMachu Picchu 2.0: at least, that’s what many visitors say about this mountaintop citadel in Peru’s rugged Vilcabamba region. And indeed, if any Inca ruin can give the more celebrated site a run for its money, it’s this one. Choquequirao is situated on a levelled hill saddle some 60 miles as the crow — or condor — flies from Cusco. The site occupies seven square miles, three times the size of Machu Picchu, with well-preserved walled terraces, plazas, and a variety of temples, halls and other buildings, all set against a backdrop of simply incredible views over the thundering Apurimac River below.
Choquequirao has received much more attention in the last few years, with far more agencies in Cusco now offering four- to nine-day treks to the site. But it’s a tough hike and not many people go there, for now at least. That could all change in the next few years, with plans being made to build a cable car to Choquequirao, opening up access to the site and bringing far more tourists. For now, at least, it’s still possible to arrive at Choquequirao and see only a handful of fellow tourists, or perhaps none at all.
The Choquequirao atlas
3 picks Places & Experiences You Won't Find Elsewhere-
Pay your respects to = when you visit Choquequirao. Archaeologists suspect that Choquequirao may have been an important centre of water worship, perhaps dedicated to Mama Cocha, the Inca goddess of the sea, rivers and lakes. The Incas were expert hydro-engineers, capable of building complex water channels and aqueducts in even the roughest terrain. You can see such constructions at Choquequirao, with man-made water channels feeding the agricultural terraces and providing water to what are believed to be water shrines at the site.
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Look along the agricultural terraces, particularly in sector VIII of Choquequirao, and you’ll see white motifs of llamas and human figures built into the masonry. There are at least 25 such images, mainly of adult llamas with their young. The human figures may represent shepherds.
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Difficulty: StrenuousDistance: Approx 64km (40m)Duration: Four to five days depending on paceMax elevation: 3,300 metresAccommodation: Cabins or campingStart/end point: Capuliyoc Until recently, relatively unknown and vastly overshadowed by the “sister ruins” of Machu Picchu, the Choquequirao complex is a true hidden gem that receives just a handful of visitors each year. This splendid isolation is down to the ruins’ absolute lack of access: no luxury train and bus connections here, just a gruelling three-to-four day trek over challenging, but hugely rewarding, terrain. The roundtrip distance is 64 kilometres, not counting how much you walk around the ruins themselves.
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Learn more about Mama Cocha and water worship
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Marvel at Choquequirao's rock art
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Choquequirao trek
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