Yurahmayo in Perú is a mountain with a height greater than 300 meters, located in Cusco.
The Maizal - Yurahmayo - Choquequirao section is narrow, with a section that varies from 1m to 1.50m, it is steeply sloping with abundant vegetation and difficult to transit, also the presence of moisture and water is abundant due to leaks, these characteristics continue until reaching to the Yurahmayo stream or the Choquequirao river.
The condition of the Yurahmayo trail in Perú is fair to poor. The path crossing the Yurahmayo River towards Choquequirao is a horseshoe. There is no adequate signage along the way.
The area does not have major buildings, it lacks buildings for health and safety.
In Yurahmayo in Perú there are houses with one and two floors built with materials from the area, some of which still conserve the construction procedure and the configuration of the houses in the mountains; however, there are new buildings without greater architectural richness. There is no adequate equipment, on the way there are no covered rest areas, much less implemented with furniture such as benches, garbage cans, railings in high-risk sections, etc.
In Yurahmayo in Perú there are complementary services such as inns, camping areas and viewpoints, these areas are suitable homes and land by hand for tourism development.
However, there is no sanitation system, that is, the water is not drinkable, it is only piped, nor is there a drainage system. The area does not have electricity, nor is there a telecommunications system.
Geographic information
- Latitude: -12.9528
- Longitude: -72.6381
The Choquequirao route to Machu Picchu
Archaeologists indicate that Choquequirao and Machu Picchu are sister Inca cities that due to their location possibly had Inca roads that linked these two wonders. In our days is possible to trek this old road by the Choquequirao to Machu Picchu Trek.
CHOQUEQUIRAO was one of the last cities that the Incas inhabited, the type of construction is pirka that differs quite a bit from the Inca city of Machupicchu where the type of construction is Imperial Inca, here we can see how one of the last Inca resistance strongholds still persists at the time with singular beauty.
Like many Inca cities, Choquequirao is divided into 2 sectors, the agricultural sector that is made up of a large number of Andes, and the urban sector made up of buildings that had social functions and ritual centers dedicated to the sun, the moon, and the different deities found in the surroundings of this amazing Inca City.
Other routes to Choquequirao are: Choquequirao Trek 4 Days or the the Choquequirao Trek 5 Days.
MACHUPICCHU is one of the seven wonders of the world, the lost city of the Incas, which receives thousands of visitors per day, has two well-differentiated sectors that are the urban area and the agricultural area, many of the main attractions are within the urban area, highlighting the temple of the sun, the temple of the three windows, the intiwatana or sundial, the temple of the condor etc.
Machupicchu is surrounded by mountains among the main ones is the Huaynapicchu mountain, which can be accessed on foot and in which we can find important archaeological sites and also have an impressive view of the entire historical sanctuary of Machupicchu.
Important Information about the route
- Altitude Cusco: 3,350 m.a.s.l. (Cusco)
- Minimum Altitude: 2,000 m.a.s.l. (Sahuayaco Beach)
- Maximum Altitude: 5,085 m.a.s.l. (Open Sacsarayoj)
- Climate: Semi-tropical, hot and humid days and cold nights with constant rain throughout the year
- Minimum Temperature: Between -5 ° C to 11 ºC Open Sacsarayoj (June)
- Maximum Temperature: Between 20 ºC to 26 ° C Playa Sahuayaco (June)
- Rains: November to April
Choquequirao Trek Itinerary to Machu Picchu
Day 1 - Cusco - Cachora - Chiquisca
Early in the morning, at the agreed time, we will collect all our travelers from their hotel in our private transport and we will go to San Pedro de Chachora, a city in the province of Abancay. At Cachora we will organize our camping and cooking supplies and equipment. We will start our walk around 11:00 am, walking about 2 ½ hours to Capuliyoc (2750 masl), 11.5 km away. In this place we will rest and enjoy our lunch before beginning the zigzag descent to our first camp. Along the way we will have views of one of the deepest canyons in the world, Apurímac, especially from the Cocamazana point of view, from where you can also see Choquequirao and our camp. After Cocamazana the road levels off, with only a very slight descent towards Chikisca (1900 masl). When we get to Chikisca we will take a shower, we will set up camp, have dinner and spend the night here.
Day 2 - Chikisca - Marampata - Choquequirao
After an early breakfast we will descend to the lowest point of the trek, the mighty Apurimac River (1850 masl), whose cold waters are fed by runoff from the snow-capped peaks. Crossing the river by a bridge, we will start walking to Marampata, where we will have lunch. It will take us approximately 5 hours to get from the river to our camp for the night, Choquequirao camp, near the Choquequirao archaeological site.
The area surrounding this famous Inca city, with the roar of the Apurímac River below it, give it the majesty that characterizes this place flanked by dense forest and surrounded by its snow-capped peaks. The cold sections are characterized by having the ichu grass and the warmer sections have varieties of orchids. The fauna of this highly diverse area has adapted to the strong daylight and cold night frosts. They inhabit here the cock of the rocks (the national bird of Peru), foxes, vizcachas, condors, skunks, cougars, hummingbirds, and bears.
Day 3 - Choquequirao - Río Blanco - Maizal
We will share a good breakfast and then we will explore the agricultural terraces at the bottom of Choquequirao and descend to the famous Choquequirao Archaeological Park, one of the last bastions of the Inca resistance. It was Manco Inca who retired to this place, after Cusco fell to the Spanish.
Its temples, fortresses, Inca houses, warehouses, fountains and channels, main square and the ceremonial platform and platforms provide an invaluable view of the Inca world despite the fact that only 30% of the place has been discovered and restored. We will enjoy our lunch on the Blanco River before the hike to the Cornfield, here we will set up our camp for the night.
Day 4 - Maizal - Minas Victoria - Yanama
On the morning of the fourth day we will go up to the Paso de San Juan, with its impressive panoramic views. After lunch, we will descend along a route that takes us past Victoria's extraction wells, where you will be able to distinguish the silver particles. We will continue our route down into the Yanama River Valley, with its lush vegetation and waterfalls, where we will set up our camp for the night.
Day 5 - Yanama - Totora - Collpampa
After a delicious breakfast, we will start our walk, as we ascend along a route to the Yanama pass (4300 masl) that will be a point from where we will see the beautiful landscapes of the Corihuaynachina glacier.
After this point the path is downhill and we will enter Totora Valle. While in the valley we will stop for lunch and pass several small villages along the way. The descent will continue to the Collpapampa valley, where we will build our camp. This is where the jungle brow begins.
Day 6 - Collpapampa - Lluskamayo - Sahuayaco (Playa)
Today we are going to enjoy the landscape by abruptly changing the vegetation that surrounds us, passing through various fruit trees (lemons, bananas, oranges, etc.) and coffee plantations as we descend. Those who wish can relax in one of the natural thermal baths along the way. Our camp today will be the famous Sahauyaco, colloquially known as "La Playa", a riverside paradise with a tropical climate. At this point we are going to say goodbye to our muleteer, who will no longer continue with us.
Day 7 - Sahuayaco - Santa Teresa - Aguas Calientes
In the morning after our breakfast, we will take a local bus to Santa Teresa. At this point, it is a little less than an hour's walk to the Vilcanota River, from where we will continue to the hydroelectric station by train. At the Hidroeléctrica bus stop, we will have lunch and then take the train to Aguas Calientes (known as Machupicchu Pueblo). This is the small but colorful town from where we will go up to the city of Machupicchu. Dinner today will be in a tourist restaurant, and we will spend the night in the reserved hotel.
Day 8 - Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Cusco
On the last day of our adventure we will wake up very early to have breakfast, around 4:00 am, and we will go up to the Archaeological Complex of Machu Picchu. Our goal is to watch the sun rise over the mysterious ruins and avoid the crowds that hit the first trains. Our guide will give us a full two-hour explanation about the place, we will visit the most enigmatic and curious places in Machu Picchu. After the visit we will have free time to take photos and explore the citadel on your own before returning to Aguas Calientes. We will take lunch in this city before boarding the train back to the Imperial city of the Incas of Cusco.
The Choquequirao trek to Machu Picchu is one of the routes that unites two beautiful Inca citadels, each with its own characteristics and a unique beauty, we can also see on the route one of the deepest canyons in the world such as the Apurimac Canyon, in addition to cross two of the sacred rivers for the Incas the Apurimac and the Wilcamayu (Vilcanota).
