The trip starts early morning at 4:00 a.m. when your guide picks you up from your hotel in Cusco. After driving for three hours through mountain passes and traditional villages, you will arrive to Capuliyoc (3,200 m), the beginning of your trek. Here, you will have the opportunity to meet the horsemen, porters and chef who will join you for the following five days of your journey. Following a hardy breakfast, your Choquequirao Trek 5 Days starts suddenly, as you take in the outstanding view of the snowcapped Padreyoc peak and deep Apurímac Canyon below you.
This first section is an easier downhill, and zigzags for approximately three hours where you stop to lunch while enjoying breathtaking views and observing wildlife. After lunch, continue downhill for another three hours to La Playa (1,800 m), your first campsite on the lower end of the canyon. Surrounded by fruit trees and the sound of the Apurímac River, La Playa is a perfect place to spend a night under the stars

The challenging section of the Choquequirao Trek 5 Days starts after breakfast, as it is a long uphill climb for approximately four hours as you cross sugarcane fields and native vegetation. The views of the canyon and mountains that surround the area are breathtaking, and condors can often be seen flying overhead. After a long ascent, you will arrive at Santa Rosa, and you will have a chance for a rest here and have the locally made sugarcane liquor. After Santa Rosa, you will continue another hour to your next stop, the top of Marampata (3,350 m), where you will have a delicious lunch looking out over the Apurímac Canyon. After lunch, you will continue two hours on a gentler trail toward the Choquequirao campsite, which is near the ruins. As we get closer to the campsite, you will get sight of the terraces and the stone structures of the citadel glowing in the last rays of golden sun. Dinner will be served to you at camp, and if you have some energy remaining, you can always enjoy a short walk to the viewpoint for an incredible sunset over the Andes.

Today is the very heart of your journey. Following a prompt breakfast, take a thirty-minute walk to the Choquequirao archaeological complex—one of the most expansive and enigmatic Inca sites at which researchers and travelers have studied and explored. You will spend the morning exploring temples, ceremonial plazas, terraces, and water channels under the guidance of your expert leader outlining the history and cultural significance of each!! sector.
After lunch, you will have free time to wander further ranges of the site, including the famous Llama Terraces. The Llama Terraces are a breathtaking design, carved into the face of the mountain, with white stones adorning the slopes symbolizing constellations in the Milky Way. Also, you will visit the Usno ceremonial platform, where you will undoubtedly take in full, panoramic views of the ranges below. The site’s solemnity, isolation, and dignity creates such an overwhelming sense of presence and awe, travelers historically have described it as spiritual. In the evening you will walk back to Camp for dinner, before another night sleeping under the Andean heavens.

After breakfast, you’ll make your way back down toward the canyon. The day starts with a gentle two-hour hike back into Marampata, and you’ll descend steeply for four hours to La Playa. The scenery varies greatly; you’ll walk through dry cactus zone and then lush subtropical vegetation. Local villagers may offer local fruits like cactus pear or grenadillas for you to taste.
After lunch by the river, you’ll hike back uphill for about two hours to Chikiska Camp, located next to a local family home. From Chikiska you can sip on a hot drink, visit with the hummingbirds, or inquire about the life of rural Andean families

The last day starts early for breakfast and a climb back to Capuliyoc (3,200 m), which is about a four hour climb. This final elevation gain provides an opportunity to take a moment in retelling the spectacular journey you have just taken — a true journey through the Andes. Once at the trailhead, you will share your final lunch with your group, recounting stories and saying farewell to the horsemen and Chef.
Finally, you will take the private van (transportation) back to Cusco. Along the way, you will pass through Curahuasi, the town of famous anise tea and beautiful views of the valley. You will arrive at your hotel in Cusco around 6:00 p.m. and that will conclude your captivating trek of Choquequirao 5 Days, which was full of ancient mysteries, breathtaking landscapes, and the spirit of the Inca Trail.