+51 973 250 586 info@treksincusco.com
+51 973 250 586 info@treksincusco.com

Choquequirao to Vitcos Trek (8 Days)

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Tour Details
Choquequirao to Vitcos Trek

Choquequirao Vitcos Trek is a historical trek from Cusco. On this eight days trek, you will be retracing the footsteps of Incas. The journey begins with a Classic Choquequirao Trek from Cusco.

After visiting the lost city of Incas, we will be trekking on a trail that was highly important to Incas. We will be hiking along the Vilcabamba Mountain Range. We will then be reaching the highest point of the trek at 4600 metres above sea level.

You will have an entrancing view of the snowcapped Andean peaks as you will be descending down to Vitcos. Vitcos – Rosaspata was the last stronghold of Incas.

Choquequirao:

It was built by Pachacutec during the same era as Machu Picchu. Choquequirao in Quechua means “Cradle of Gold”. It is often referred to as the the sister city of Machu Picchu. It is located quite remotely, this was the reason the Spanish conquistadors could not invade it. 

Vitcos:

Vitcos Rosaspata was the last stronghold of Incas. After winning the battle of Ollantayambo in 1537, Manco Inca was certain about a following fierce-some attack by Spanish troops. He left Ollantaytambo as it was closer to Cusco. Manco Inca moved to Vitcos Rosaspata and then to Vilcabamba. 

If you want to culminate the eight days Choquequirao Vitcos Trek at Machu Picchu, check out our Choquequirao Vilcabamba Trek to Machu Picchu. If you want to get a deeper insight of the last refuge of Incas, you can continue with our Vilcabamba Espiritu Pampa Trek.

Why Treks In Cusco?

Treks In Cusco is a specialised outdoor travel company based in Cusco, Peru. Our guides are tourism professionals with an extensive knowledge about history and culture. Our crew have excellent mountaineering skills and have knowledge on first aid. 

This is a high altitude trek with the highest point of the trek at 4600 metres above sea level. We recommend you to spend at-least 2-3 days acclimatising in Cusco before the trek. You may choose to experience our Cusco City Tour or Sacred Valley Tour while you are acclimatising to get an introduction to Incas history.

Departure & Return Location

Cusco Hotel Transfer

Departure Time

0400 AM

Price Includes

  • Pre trek briefing
  • Hotel transfer to the trailhead at the beginning of the trek in private car
  • English/Quechua/Spanish speaking professional guide (you will have an assistant guide for groups over 6 people)
  • Entrance ticket to the archaeological complexes at Choquequirao and Vilcabamba.
  • Tents – 2 people in a 4 person tent which allows for greater comfort, and also storage of backpacks
  • One textile snack bag per person, to avoid the usage of plastic bags that contaminate our environment
  • Bio-degradable personal hand soaps
  • Horses (for equipment and personal items) including horsemen. They carry camping equipment, food and kitchen utensils. We provide duffel bags at your briefing for your personal items (up to 7 kg/15 lbs per person)
  • Basic foam mattress
  • 1 emergency horse which can be ridden if you are feeling ill or if are a little slower
  • First-aid kit including emergency oxygen bottle
  • Toilet tent
  • Toilet paper, pack-in & pack out
  • Meals (optional vegetarian food). Our professional cooks prepare meals that incorporate elements of the western diet and also traditional Peruvian delicacies. (Please communicate with your guide/cook during the trek if you have a preference for certain types of dishes).
  • Others: hot water every morning and evening for washing purposes / boiled water to fill in your water bottle every morning and night, and at lunchtime, if requested with enough time ahead
  • Dining tent with camp tables and chairs & Kitchen tent for the cook to prepare meals
  • Cook and Cooking equipment (Assistants are provided for larger groups).

Price Excludes

  • Dinner on the last night.
  • Sleeping bags – If you haven’t got a sleeping bag or you don’t want the hassle of bringing one all the way to Peru with you, then we have sleeping bags for hire.
  • Any Private Expenses

Recommended To Carry

  • A light day pack with a change of clothes for the whole period of the trek – prepare for a vast range of changes in temperature.
  • Sandals or plastic slip on thongs are also good to give your feet a chance to breathe in the evenings if you wish to carry them.
  • Warm clothes, including jacket, fleeces, gloves, scarf and beanie/touk. Thermal clothing is also recommended, especially for sleeping.
  • Sleeping bag (we can hire these to you).
  • Hat or cap to protect you from the sun, rain, and cold.
  • Sunblock.
  • Insect repellent – minimum recommended 20% DEET – although no malaria risk has been reported.
  • Snacks: biscuits, energy bars, chocolate, raw fruits, muesli, etc.
  • Non-disposable canteen (Nalgene type) and water for the first morning.
  • Your own medical kit with any special medications that you might require, paracetamol, second skin for blisters, etc.
  • Cash in soles and/or USD.
  • Original passport.
  • Strong footwear, waterproof trekking boots recommended.
  • Flashlight/headlamp and batteries.
  • Camera and batteries (batteries consume more quickly under cold conditions).
  • Water container and water for the first morning. Important notice: plastic water bottles are no longer allowed into Machu Picchu. Plastic water containers (ie. Nalgene) or metal ones are recommended.
  • Optionally: water- sterilizing tablets in case you pick up water from streams or rivers along the route. Otherwise, we provide filtered boiled water, which is safe to drink and has not reported any health problem so far.
Itinerary
Choquequirao to Vitcos Trek

Day 1Cusco — Capuliyoc — Marampata

Between 0330 and 0400, we will be picking you up from your hotel in Cusco. Then in our private transport, we will be transferring you to Capuliyoc. It is a small Andean town. Capuliyoc is a four hours dive away from Cusco. We will be stopping here for breakfast. We will be organising your personal belongings and camping gears on a mule. 

After the breakfast, we will be hiking for twenty minutes to a view point. From here you will be having captivating view of the Padreyoc. It is a snowcapped peak, a part of Vilcabamba mountain range. Along the route, you will also be having a spectacular view of the Apurimac river. Then, we will be hiking down the hill for three hours along the Apurimac canyon. This section of the trek will offer you sight of different plantations. Some of these plants are used for medicinal purposes. Our local expert will be giving you a detailed explanation of this. 

On this route, you may also get to see the flight of the Andean condor. We will then descend to a hamlet named Chiquisqa. Here we will be stopping for lunch. 

After lunch, we will be continuing our descent for 45 minutes to a place along the Apurimac river called Playa Rosalinas. This area is the border between Cusco and Apurimac. 

From here, we will be climbing up the hill to Marmapata. It nestles at 3500 metres above sea level. On this section of the trek, we will be passing through many Andean farms. We will be spending the nigh at our campsite in Marmapata. 

  • Hiking distance: 15 Km. / 9.3 mile.
  • Hiking time: 7 hours approximately.
  • Meals: Lunch, Dinner.
  • Maximum Altitude: 2850 metres / 9350 ft. 
  • Minimum Altitude: 1475 metres / 4839 ft. 

Day 2Marampata — Choquequirao

We will be waking you up to a fresh cup of coffee or tea. Then we will be serving you breakfast. After breakfast, we will be hiking to the archeological complex of Choquequirao. Here our local expert will be giving you a detailed tour of the complex. On this full day tour of Choquequirao, you will be visiting the prime sites in the archeological complex. This includes, the main plaza, faring terraces, ceremonial centre and more. 

After the tour, we will be returning to our campsite for lunch. Later we will be visiting a waterfall in the jungle. 

We will then return to the campsite for dinner. 

  • Hiking distance: 8 Kms. / 4.9 miles.
  • Hiking time: 6 hours approximately.
  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
  • Maximum Altitude: 3106 metres / 10190 ft. 
  • Minimum Altitude: 2850 metres / 9350 ft. 

Day 3Choquequirao – Pinchayunuyoc – Rio Blanco

Early in the morning we will be visiting the archeological complex of Choquequirao again. We will then hike up to the Llama sector. This is one of the fascinating sights in the complex of Choquequirao. It is some 20 minutes up hill hike away from the complex. 

From here we will be hiking 40 minutes up the hill to Pinchayunuyoc farming terraces. Here our local expert will be giving yo a guided tour. Then we will descend to Rio Blanco (White River). It is at (1990 meters / 6525 feet). We will be camping here for the night. 

Tip: You can make the most of your evening by swimming in the clear waters of this river. Also, make sure to have your insect repellent here. 

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
  • Type of accommodation: Camping
  • Maximum Altitude of the day: 3,300 m
  • Minimum Altitude of the day: 1,800 m
  • Distance you will be hiking: 14 km
  • Duration of trek: 9 hours

Day 4Rio Blanco - Maizal

After the breakfast, we will start with one of the most challenging part of the Choquequirao to Vitcos Trek. We will be climbing up the steep hill to a point called Maizal. You will have an enchanting view of the valley and Apurimac canyon from here. As this section of the trek is an arduous one, we will be stopping here for the night. 

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
  • Type of accommodation: Camping
  • Maximum Altitude of the day: 3,000 m
  • Minimum Altitude of the day: 1,800 m
  • Distance you will be hiking: 15 km
  • Duration of trek: 7 hours

Day 5Maizal - Yanama

You will be waking up to the sound of chirping birds. We will prepare your breakfast. We will then start the trek to Yanama. On this section of the Choquequirao Victos Trek, we will be passing through lush tropical vegetation. Here you will be able to see some native flowers. These includes different types of orchids.

We will then be trekking along a section of Qhapaq Ñan, an original Inca Highway. This is no longer in use. Through this route, we will be hiking up to Victoria Pass. This section of the trek will be taking us through Victoria Mines which is abandoned after colonisation. The pass nestles at 4150 meters / 13,610 feet. Here you will be able to see the flights of the Andean condors. 

From here, we will be hiking down the hill to Yanama. It is a three hours hike. Yanama is a village at 3650 meters / 11,970 feet. We will be camping here for the night. 

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
  • Type of accommodation: Camping
  • Maximum Altitude of the day: 4,150 m
  • Minimum Altitude of the day: 3,000 m
  • Distance you will be hiking: 10 km
  • Duration of trek: 7 hours

Day 6Yanama - Kelkamachay

We will be starting quite early in the morning. We will be trekking along some scenic mountain routes to our lunch camp. Our lunch camp is snuggled between the craggy mountains.

From the lunch camp, it is a two hours trek to our campsite in Kelkamachay.

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
  • Type of accommodation: Camping
  • Maximum Altitude of the day: 4,100 m
  • Minimum Altitude of the day: 3,000 m
  • Distance you will be hiking: 20 km
  • Duration of trek: 10 hours

Day 7Kelkamachay - Huancacalle

After breakfast, we will be leaving our campsite in Kelkamachay. Then it will be a 3-4 hours climb to the highest pass of Choquequirao Vitcos Trek, Choquecatarpo pass at 4600 metres | 15091 feet.

From here we will be descending to Huancacalle (2900 metres | 9514 feet. Along the way we will be stopping for lunch at a place called Laguna.

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
  • Type of accommodation: Camping
  • Maximum Altitude of the day: 4,600 m
  • Minimum Altitude of the day: 2,900 m
  • Distance you will be hiking: 20 km
  • Duration of trek: 9 hours

Day 8Huancacalle - Vitcos Rosaspata - Cusco

This will be quite a relaxed day of the Choquequirao to Vitcos trek. We will start the day with a visit to the archeological complex of Vitcos Rosaspata. Here our guide will give you a detailed tour of the complex. We will also be visiting Ñustahispana (White Rock). This rock was sacred to Incas.

After the tour, we will be returning to our campsite in Huancacalle. After lunch, we will be taking our private transport back to Cusco.

  • Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
  • Maximum Altitude of the day: 4,350 m
  • Minimum Altitude of the day: 1,200 m
  • Distance you will be hiking: 6 km
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1 Review
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Jaoson

Group Traveller

We were a group of four trekkers. I must admit this was the highlight of our South America trip. The trek is very interesting. Carlos is a wonderful guide. Highly recommended.

January 13, 2020