ITINERARY
Day 1: Cusco – Capuliyoc – Playa Rosalinas – Santa Rosa
We start the day early. Pick-up is at 5:00 a.m. for the nearly 5-hour drive to Capuliyoc, the starting point of the trek. Use the drive to rest and recover some sleep. Once we arrive, you will have time to prepare your last belongings, buy snacks from the local kiosks, and get ready for the hike.
The descent from Capuliyoc to Playa Rosalinas takes about 3 to 3.5 hours. The trail is rocky and dry, typical of this desert area. You will walk among trees and pass through small forest sections until you reach the deepest part of the canyon: Playa Rosalinas. Here you will have a short break and enjoy lunch to recover your energy. From this point, the exciting part begins: the uphill climb.
Start the ascent to our campsite at Santa Rosa. This section also takes about 3 hours. Walk at your own pace, as the heat and weather will be your biggest challenge. Enjoy beautiful views of the river while making your way up. Along the trail you will find small local shops where you can buy a snack or a drink to keep going.
When you arrive at Santa Rosa, you will camp in the middle of the mountains and end this challenging first day.
• Meals included: Lunch, Afternoon Tea, and Dinner
• Accommodation: Tents
• Distance: 15km
• Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging
Day 2: Santa Rosa – Choquequirao
Your guide will wake you up for this incredible day through the mountains and forests. After breakfast, you will hike for about 2 hours to Maranpata (2,850 m / 9,350 ft). Enjoy the beautiful scenery and observe the different types of plants and wildlife. Along the way you may see colorful birds, trees, waterfalls, and wonderful mountain views.
From Maranpata, continue for about 2 more hours with some uphill and downhill sections through the jungle until you reach Choquequirao. You will have lunch near the archaeological complex and relax in the peaceful silence of the mountains.
After lunch, you will enjoy a private guided tour of this fascinating site.
During the tour, explore the most important areas, including palaces, temples, ceremonial water fountains, the impressive Usnu (ceremonial platform), agricultural terraces, the famous llama terraces, and much more. Your guide will share the fascinating history of this incredible place. Finally, spend the night in this magical setting.
• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Afternoon Tea, and Dinner
• Accommodation: Tents
• Distance: 8km
• Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging
Day 3: Choquequirao – Yanama – Collpapampa
Day 3 of our adventure begins with breakfast in Choquequirao. From here, we hike through the Apurímac Valley toward Yanama, a small village surrounded by mountains. Along the way, you will notice how the landscape changes from the dry desert to the beautiful cloud forest, with breathtaking views all around you.
After arriving in Yanama, we will have lunch and continue to the mountain pass, the highest point of the trek. From there, private transportation will take us down through the cloud forest to Collpapampa, where we will stay in our exclusive panoramic dome camp. Here you can enjoy dinner, relax in a comfortable hotel-style bed, and take a hot shower after several days of hiking.
• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Afternoon Tea, and Dinner
• Accommodation: Panoramic Domes
• Distance: 12km
• Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging
Day 4: Collpapampa – Llactapata – Aguas Calientes
After another hot drink enjoyed in your comfortable dome, you will have the last delicious breakfast prepared by our chef. From here, we take local transportation to Lucmabamba, then walk along the ancient and remote Inca Trail for about 3 hours to Puncuyoc Pass (2,700 m / 8,858 ft).
Along the way, enjoy incredible views of deep valleys and fruit plantations. We then arrive at the Llactapata Inca Ruins, located directly across the valley from Machu Picchu. Here you will have time to admire the amazing views of Machu Picchu, Huayna Picchu, the surrounding mountains, and the Aobamba Canyon.
From Llactapata, we descend for about 2 hours to the hydroelectric station, the main power source for Cusco. Nearby, we enjoy lunch before taking the train to Aguas Calientes, where we will have dinner and spend the night at the hotel.
• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
• 3★ Accommodation: Hotel Ferre Machu Picchu
• 4★ Accommodation: El Mapi by Inkaterra
• Distance: 15 km / 9 miles
• Time: Approximately 6 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
Day 5: Machu Picchu
This is the day you have been waiting for!
After an early breakfast at the hotel, take one of the first buses to Machu Picchu to enjoy the unforgettable sunrise over the citadel. It is a truly amazing experience that you will never forget.
Your guide will lead a tour of about 2 hours, showing you the most important areas of the citadel. Learn how Machu Picchu is divided into three main sectors: agricultural, residential, and religious.
After enjoying the incredible views, take the bus back to Aguas Calientes for lunch (not included). Depending on your train schedule, you may also have time for shopping, sightseeing, or visiting the local museum or hot springs.
The Expedition Train departs at 2:55 p.m. or 3:20 p.m., following the beautiful Urubamba River to Ollantaytambo. Near Aguas Calientes, the canyon becomes narrow and the river flows through impressive whitewater sections. If you look high up the canyon walls, you may even spot Wiñay Wayna from the train.
At Ollantaytambo, our driver will meet you at the train station and take you back to your hotel in Cusco in our private vehicle. Arrival at your hotel is around 7:00 p.m.
- Meal included: Breakfast
- Difficulty: Easy
What is Included for the Ultimate Choquequirao Trek to Machu Picchu 5 Days ?
Included
- Pre-trekking briefing with your guide at the office
- Pick-up at your hotel in the morning of the trek departure
- Private transportation from Cusco to Capuliyoc
- Entry fees to Machu Picchu and Choquequirao
- English speaking, experienced professional guide
- Guided tours of Choquequirao and Machu Picchu
- Comfortable and 4 season roomy tents (only 2 people in a 4 person tent)
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary (optional vegetarian food with prior request)
- All camping equipment such as: dining tent, table, chairs, kitchen and toilet tent
- 2 Bus tickets from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu and return to Aguas Calientes
- First Aid kit including emergency oxygen bottle
- Train ticket from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
- Transfer from the train station back to your hotel
- Celebration dinner in an Aguas Calientes restaurant
- Hotel in Aguas Calientes with private room and bathroom
- Pack horses (for equipment and personal items) including horsemen – 7 kgs of your personal items such as extra clothes, sleeping bag will be carried by our horses
- Provision of a horse in case of emergency such as illness, to ensure trek can be completed by all participants
- Boiled water for drinking and washing purposes
- Clean water to fill your bottles at each mealtime
- Taxes
Not Included
- Sleeping bag adequate for temperature of minus 10°C $25 USD
- Air Mattresses $25 USD
- Trekking Poles $20 USD
- Entry fee to Huayna Picchu Mountain $75 USD
- Additional horse for extra personal luggage in addition of the 7kg allowance
- Optional upgrades (train and hotel)
- Meals not indicated in the itinerary
- Tips for the cook, horsemen and guide
**Huayna Picchu is an optional trek within Machu Picchu Citadel which does not include a guide. The climb is usually done on your own after your tour of Machu Picchu Citadel. If you would like the extra hike to be guided, please request in advance. There is an extra cost for this extra guided tour.
Best Price for 2027.
The Choquequirao Trek to Machu Picchu 5 days is available on almost any day that suits your schedule! We only need a minimum of two people in order to book!
Group trek
- -$877 USD per person
Private trek
- -$1,257 USD per person
*** If you are ONLY 1 person, please ask for the price.
***This price includes the extra pack horse which will carry your belongings up to 7 kgs. We will provide you a duffel bag that you can put your things in.
***We provide large Eureka 4 person tents for each 2 trekkers.
Packing List
WHAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE WITH YOU FOR THE CHOQUEQUIRAO TREK
- Original passport (it has to be the same you have used for booking your trek)
- Valid university card (if you booked as a student)
- Good daypack (the smaller, the better)
- Water storage: 2-3L reusable bottles (please do not bring disposable)
- Comfortable hiking boots with ankle support
- Sleeping bag (can be rented from SAM Travel)
- Headlamp: essential
- Toilet Paper, hand sanitizer and small plastic bags
WHAT TO PUT IN YOUR DUFFEL BAG FOR THE CHOQUEQUIRAO TO MACHU PICCHU 7 DAYS
As a Direct Local Tour operator we provide you with a duffel bag at your briefing and INCLUDE an extra pack horse who will carry up to 7 kgs or 14lbs including your 2.5kg sleeping bag, mattress and extra clothing. By Peruvian law, a duffel bag must not weigh more than 7 kilograms (15lbs). This limit is set to protect the health of the porters or horses. All bags will be weighed before being accepted. If you require more than 7 kilograms, it will then be your responsibility to carry the extra weight with your day pack. In this 7 kilos, please count 2 kilos for your sleeping bag and 1 kilo for your sleeping pad. This leaves you about 4 kilos for your personal gear.
- 2 t-shirts
- 2 hiking pants at least
- 4 sets of undergarments
- 3 sets of hiking socks
- Bathing suit for the thermal waters
- Fleece/ thermals
- Warm clothes, down jacket — 2nd campsite temp around 3º C
- Waterproof gloves (even if they are ski gloves, take them)
- Comfortable shoes for camp
- Quick dry towel. We provide small ones, you might prefer something larger
- Small bottle of soap: we provide warm water each day to wash.
- Battery Charger: No electricity along the trek
- Large plastic bags will be provided at the office to line your duffel bag
- Sleeping bag: It has to be at least -15ºC – This can be rented from us.
TOILETRIES
- Face moisturizer
- Hand sanitizer
- Wet wipes
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Personal medications
- First aid kit: band aids, moleskin, etc.
WHAT TO PUT IN YOUR BACKPACK FOR CHOQUEQUIRAO TREK
We highly recommend a small backpack 30 to 40L for hiking in the day. A big backpack will not be allowed into Machu Picchu. The remainder of your belongings will be in your duffel bag at camp.
- Water: Please supply your own water until the first lunch spot, then we will provide you with cold boiled water at every meal time. Please bring reusable bottles.
- Sun hat
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellent
- Headlamp: essential
- Wool hat
- Rain gear
- Fleece
- Snacks like chocolate bars, cereal bars or any dry fruits
- Rain poncho
- Gloves
- Camera
- Hand sanitizer
- Toilet paper and small plastic bag for waste
- Extra money for souvenirs, drinks & tips
