With the country’s popularity growing among international tourists, it is becoming difficult to find an authentic, uncrowded adventure in Peru. The Choquequirao trek is just this.
Choquequirao, meaning Cradle of Gold, is an Incan city that was built in the same era as Machu Picchu.
The Choquequirao ruins receive less than a dozen visitors a day – that’s only 5,800 a year compared to Machu Picchu’s 1.2 million.
It can easily be extended to five days, which will give you a full day to explore the ruins and enjoy your time in the mountains.
The trail begins in Cachora (2,900m) and leads down into the Apurimac Canyon.
This is the most difficult day, with 13 kilometres of steep ascent comprising of a series of switchbacks and false summits.