The Choquequirao Trek is a great alternative to the Inca Trail. Escape the crowds and enjoy 4 days and 3 nights of adventure, ancient ruins and spectacular scenery. You’ll plunge deep into the Apurimac valley and then climb back up again to reach the impressive Choquequirao ruins, making this 4 day Choquequirao tour one of the best treks in Peru.
High quality personalized experience
Unique, off-the-beaten track routes
Experienced staff
Verified sustainability practices
$20 of every trek donated to Threads of Peru
We offer you the opportunity to personalize your Choquequirao 4 day trek and make your experience more comfortable through our Optional Extras and Upgrades. All options are available during the reservation process; please ask your sales consultant for more information.
See What to Bring for our comprehensive recommendations on what to pack for your trek.
Weather in the Andes is highly changeable, but then you throw in the complications of a steep canyon and changing 1500m altitude every day, and you need to be very well prepared.
Unlike many of the other treks in the Cusco region, it can get really quite hot and humid down in the Apurimac canyon. But – conditions can be freezing at the Choquequirao Ruins! Therefore, it is very important to be prepared for vastly changing temperatures throughout your Choquequirao trek. Nights 1 & 3 can be quite warm, but night 2 can fall below freezing.
Being flexible and layering is vital. (Let’s say doing an outfit change behind a bush on a mountainside is memorable, but not easy!)
Make sure you have thermals, a winter hat (toque or beanie), mitts and scarves for the night at Choquequirao, but much lighter clothes for while down in the canyon.
We recommend convertible trekking pants made of quick-dry fabric for the hike. These usually zip off at the knee – great for those really hot parts deep in the canyon. Their special design also allow for a great range of motion, and the many pockets can be quite handy!
When it comes to footwear, water-resistant trekking boots with a high top are the best hiking boots to take on this 4 day Choquequirao trek. If you’re not ready to invest in specialist hiking boots, at a minimum hiking shoes will suffice.
Bug spray is also a must! The warm weather makes it ripe for insects, especially at the campsites near the river.
There are cold showers at some of the campsites along this route so you may also want to bring a flip flops and a towel!
For more help with what to pack, check out our blog How to Prepare for a Trek in Peru.
As the leading Choquequirao trek operator, our guides are all chosen for their detailed knowledge of the route, and of Inca culture, as well as for their personality. In addition to being professional guides, they receive frequent training from Apus Peru such as handling group dynamics and mountain rescue.
As the Choquequirao region is inaccessible by car, and the terrain very steep, it’s of benefit to have a trek guide with you who is experienced, knowledgeable and quick-thinking, able to alter routes at a moment’s notice if necessary.
Get to know our team!
At Apus Peru, we put people before profit. Safety is paramount and we have a comprehensive risk assessment policy that covers a wide range of details, from vehicle maintenance to illness and evacuation on the trail.
There are many treks, including our Choquequirao tours, that have special safety considerations during the rainy season. As heavy rains can make the trail unsafe, Choquequirao is one of the treks which we will not operate in the wet season under any circumstances.
Want to join the Choquequirao 4 day trek? Ready to confirm a departure date of your own, but interested in having others join you? Then Trekkers Wanted is for you! Our innovative Trekkers Wanted system matches people up who are interested in hiking the same trek, bringing costs down and multiplying the fun for everyone!
Read more about Trekkers Wanted, post your trek or search for confirmed departures!
We rate the Classic 4 day Choquequirao trek as difficult.
(See how we rate all of our treks in the Cusco region!)
We often get asked about the Choquequirao trek difficulty and it’s important to be realistic about what to expect. In comparison with other treks in the Cusco region, the Choquequirao tour is not what we’d describe as a high altitude trek. The highest point of the whole route is the Choquequirao ruins themselves, at 3050m (10,007 ft).
That said, this is by far one of the most challenging treks in the region as you descend 1500m the first day, climb over 1500m on the second day, and then after reaching the ruins, turn around and do it all over again on days 3 and 4!
It should also be remembered that while this is not “high” by Cusco Standards, the starting point at Cachora and the ruins of Choquequirao are still high altitude (nearly twice the altitude of Denver, Colorado!)
If you are trying to assess whether the Choquequirao trek is right for you, take a look at this review, or check out our blog on Choquequirao trek difficulty.
Remember all treks in the Cusco region are difficult for most people due to the high altitude and extremely steep mountains.
Even the fittest person will find the hike to Choquequirao a test! Everyone who plans to tour Choquequirao should embark on a training plan. We do have a many older people who successfully complete this trek, but they are extremely fit and well prepared.
Without doubt, anyone who is not fit should train in consultation with a medical and fitness professional. What this will entail depends on each person and their own abilities. Remember the difficulty of the Choquequirao trek is the steepness of the trail.
In short, the better your fitness, the easier and more rewarding the trek will be.
See our Trekking Tip #3 for how to get ready for your trek.
There is one simple and easy way to prepare yourself for the high altitude around the Cusco area: Spend at least 3 nights at high altitude, like Cusco city, Lake Titicaca or the Sacred Valley.
As Choquequirao is not super high altitude, most people can get away with just 2 nights’ acclimatisation prior to heading out on the trek.
Not only is there so much to do and see around Cusco, but especially if you are able to get out and do several hours’ hiking, it will get your body prepared for the challenge facing it!
Also, be kind to your body! Get lots of rest upon arrival at Cusco, stay away from alcohol, and eat healthily. This will help your body to be as prepared as it can be for the difficulty of the Choquequirao trek.
Read more about Altitude and How to Acclimatize before starting your trek.
The Choquequirao trekking tour is best done in the dry winter months in the Andes, from May to August. During this time, there is little rain but temperatures are low. Cold nighttime temperatures are not as much of a problem on this trek as they are on other, higher altitude treks, but you should be prepared for a cold night at the ruins.
December through March is the rainy season in Peru and we do not operate any of our Choquequirao tours during this time.
Given the steep sides of the Apurimac canyon, the heavy rainfall can loosen the mountainsides and there is a high risk of landslides. This has resulted in death and injury of tourist groups in the past and for this reason we won’t trek in the wet season.
The shoulder seasons for trekking Choquequirao are the months of April, September, October and November. Trekking during these months is weather-dependent. For example, April can still be very slippery and wet if it was a particularly wet rainy season; by the same token November can be hazardous if heavy rains come early.
In general September and October should be ok, though with some rain encountered.
Read more about the best time to hike and take note of our wet season trekking policy.
The average daily hiking time is about 6-7 hours per day, for an average person. In reality, the daily number of hours trekking depends on your fitness, the other members of your group, and also the habits of those in your group (for example, avid photographers can take longer).
Our Choquequirao trekking guides are also experts in planning around the personal needs of groups and so for fitter groups many do about 8 plus hours on day 3, but then just a couple of hours on day 4.
The Classic Choquequirao trek (4 days) includes 3 nights of camping. You are accompanied by a trained field team who set up our North Face tents, lay out the beds and boil water for you to wash your hands and face. Having good quality, well maintained equipment that keeps out the rain and mosquitos is important to having an enjoyable trek experience!
Go luxe! You can also choose our Comfort Camping option for a full-on luxury camping experience.
Also on your Choquequirao tour will be a chef and at least one assistant. It’s quite fascinating to see how our chefs whip up nutritious quality meals on the trail! Our chefs receive annual training in order to offer you some really impressive meals. This is not basic trail food, but fully catered for trekking.
We can cater for all types of dietary requests with adequate preparation and clear communication. We receive a lot of vegetarian guests and our cooks have become quite adept at preparing vegetarian and vegan options!
Read more about What to Expect on the Trail, including more about meals and equipment.
Without doubt, the Choquequirao route is amongst our favourites, and as our founder loves the area, we already offer a number of unique Choquequirao tour routes available!
Indeed it is! They’ve been talking about it for years, but it seems like it is finally going to happen. The latest information from the government is to expect the cable car to Choquequirao to be operational sometime in 2022.
So, if you want to experience Choquequirao in the relative absence of other tourists, you better go now! For more, read our blog about why you should trek to Choquequirao now.
Apus Peru treks are organised so that all you carry on the Choquequirao tour is a light day pack. In your day pack, you should carry things like your water bottle, some extra layers, camera, sun hat, beanie, sunscreen and insect repellent.
Water is very important on the trek. You should start the day with 2L; you will have a chance to refill at lunchtime, and again in the evening. If you are the type of person that gets thirsty, start the day with 3L! We also provide an ample range of snacks which will fill up the average person – if you have hollow legs, you might need to bring some of your own!
At your briefing, you will be supplied with a duffel bag that you can pack with up to 8kg (17 lbs). All of the camping equipment needed on the trek is also carried by mules.
In order to answer whether this trek is right for you, ask yourself the following questions:
For more information about what this region has to offer, check out our Choquequirao homepage.
The 4 day Choquequirao Trek begins and ends in Cusco. Travel to/from Cusco is not included in the price of your trek.
Travel Direct…
…or Take the Long Way
If you’re still not sure if Choquequirao is right for you, or want to read more about the area or other people’s trekking experiences, check out these helpful articles from our blog:
It was all great, lifetime experience. Herberth is an excellent cook, I was amazed at every delicious meal. Vegetarian – perfect.
The trek was marvellous and we all loved it and the unending knowledge Arturo has of Cusco, the Inkas, times to be at places to avoid the crowds, etc, made for a really lovely time and it’s quite obvious this is his passion.
It would be great if he could go and experience the Condor Lodge so he knows the set up, the program etc, as we would thoroughly recommend that as an add on to all interested parties.
Hope to be back trekking with you in the near future
Trek: Ran like clockwork. Arturo and the support team were wonderful. Enjoyed the views. Did not really expect the heat in the canyon, but otherwise very enjoyable. Seriously, loved the ruins, the cloud forest, interaction with locals, and also the Condor Lodge.
Before the trip: Claire was wonderful. Always responded quickly, kept us well-informed.
The guide: Arturo is a wonderful guide. I particularly liked his ability to make plans to avoid the crowds or make the best of the weather. Very thoughtful and considerate. [I especially noticed] Arturo’s social conscience and values and what he told us about Apus. Good environment care by the trek team.
Apus Peru put together a wonderful trekking experience for us. I travelled with a friend, both of us in our 60s, and with 5 other trekkers from various places. The scenery was spectacular, the hiking difficult but as expected, our guide was very good, and the food was outstanding. I would highly recommend Apus Peru.
Four of us hired Apus-Peru to guide us on a day trip in Cusco, a four day trek to Choquequirao and a one day trip to Machu Picchu. Everything was done smoothly and professionally from the transportation to the meals to the hiking arrangements. Our guide was very knowledgeable and shared personal experiences with us so that the surroundings and history came to life. The trek was indeed challenging as they warned, but the destination at Choquequirao was worth the effort.
