4-Day Choquequirao Adventure via Collpapampa
Duration
4 Days / 3 Nights
Type of Tour
Adventure, Trekking
Difficulty
Moderate
Gruop size
2 min. - 12 max.
Highlights
Discover the magic and beauty of the two best alternative routes in Cusco: Salkantay and Choquequirao.
Enjoy the different ecosystems, from the warm Cusco jungle to the cold Andes.
Discover Machu Picchu in a way you have never seen before, taking one of the most challenging routes from Collpapampa to Choquequirao.
Have a day full of adventures at the beginning of the journey, doing zipline and relaxing in the Cocalmayo hot springs before starting the challenging path to Choquequirao.
Spend the night under the stars in our panoramic dome, where you will enjoy the jacuzzi, the panoramic view of Salkantay Mountain, and the beauty of the Andes.
Enjoy the best food on the route with our experienced cooks, who will make the journey the best experience.
Overview
This is the real challenge for travelers!
With this fantastic 4-day, 3-night itinerary, you will have the best of the two iconic routes of Cusco: Salkantay and Choquequirao. You will start with a day full of adventures, doing zipline and relaxing in the Cocalmayo hot springs. Then, the real challenge will begin as you make your way to Choquequirao and visit Llactapata. Finally, you will visit Machu Picchu on the last day, giving a fantastic ending to the journey.
Dare to challenge your instincts and immerse yourself in the magic of Inca culture, the beautiful landscapes between the Andes and the Cusco jungle. Are you ready?
Itinerary
Today our adventure starts early as we leave Cusco. We will pick you up from your hotel and head to the Cocalmayo hot springs. The trip will take around 6 hours by car to Santa Teresa, going up through the Andes mountain range and finally descending into the Peruvian jungle.
Throughout this route, you will enjoy the beautiful Andean landscapes and the different ecosystems, from the highlands to the jungle.
When we arrive, you will have time to relax in the hot thermal medicinal pools. These are surrounded by amazing vegetation, large trees, and unique mountain views.
After some time to relax, we will continue to our next activity of the day, the zipline! Of course, before this, we will have a filling lunch in the area (not included). The adventure is waiting for us!
As we slide on the zipline, we will have the best views of the valley and enjoy the warm wind on our faces. At the end, we will continue to Collpapampa, a small village in the middle of the mountains where you will spend the night in our panoramic domes. The drive will take almost 2 hours to reach your accommodation, where you can finally rest after your first day of adventures. Here, you will also have a comforting dinner before the second day of the route.
- Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- Accommodation: COLLPAPAMPA SKY DOMES
- Trekking difficulty level: Challenging
Our second day of adventures begins! The route will take us towards Yanama. After breakfast, we will start our journey to Yanama, with a drive of almost 2 hours. When we arrive, we will get out of the car and walk to Yanama Pass, located at 4,650 m (15,256 feet), the highest point of the route. The hike will take almost 4 hours to reach the most beautiful viewpoint in the area.
We will continue for another 5 hours to Choquequirao to visit the archaeological complex. In the afternoon, after enjoying the beauty of the area and learning about its history and incredible energy, we will have lunch among the mountains before returning to Yanama.
The route will show us the impressive snow-capped mountains of Saqsarayoq and Padreyoc, as well as the impressive sacred mountain of Salkantay.
After a few hours, we will arrive in Yanama. From here, our transportation will take us back to Collpapampa, where we will have a well-deserved dinner to recover our energy after an incredible day of trekking.
- Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- Accommodation: COLLPAPAMPA SKY DOMES
- Trekking difficulty level: Challenging
A new day of adventures is waiting for us! Today, after breakfast, we will visit the jungle area of Cusco. We will take a car that will take us to the Lucmabamba area, a warm place that will welcome us to the last part of our hike through the mountains.
We will hike up for almost 3 hours to Llactapata, an archaeological complex that is considered a stone gateway that will welcome us to Machu Picchu from a distance. After our guide’s explanations, we will descend to Hydroelectric, where we will have our last lunch on the route. Our experienced chef will be waiting for us to delight us with some delicious dishes. After filling our stomachs, we will continue for 3 hours along the train tracks until we reach Aguas Calientes, where dinner at a local restaurant will be the perfect ending to this day. Finally, your guide will give you the last instructions for your visit to Machu Picchu, and then you will settle into a hotel in the area to rest in a comfortable bed while the sound of the river relaxes you.
- Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- 3* Accommodation: Ferre´Machu Picchu (included)
- 4* Accommodation: El Mapi or Tierra Viva Machu Picchu (upgrade)
- Trekking difficulty level: moderate
Finally, the most awaited day has arrived! After having breakfast at your hotel, the guide will pick you up and you can take the bus to Machu Picchu for almost 25 minutes. When you arrive, you will start the tour of this world wonder.
You will discover the most important points and areas of the citadel, walking through plazas, viewpoints, and important temples of the Inca civilization. After finishing the visit full of knowledge about the area, we will take the bus down for almost 25 minutes to Aguas Calientes, where you will have free time to have lunch (not included) or explore the town on your own. The return train will take us to Ollantaytambo, where a private transportation will take you back to Cusco, arriving around 7:30 pm.
- Meals included: Breakfast at hotel
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What’s included?
- Pick up at your hotel in the morning of the trek departure
- Private transport from Cusco to Soraypampa (starting point of the trek)
- Entry fee to Machu Picchu
- English speaking, experienced professional guide
- Guided tour of Machu Picchu
- Comfortable tents (sleeping 2 people in a 4 person tent)
- All camping equipment such as: dining tent, table, chairs, kitchen tent and toilet tent
- 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
- Private transport from Ollantaytambo to your hotel in Cusco
- Celebration dinner in Aguas Calientes (restaurant)
- Hotel in Aguas Calientes with private room and bathroom
- Mules and horses (for camping equipment and personal items)
- Pack horse for 7 kgs of your personal items such as extra clothes, sleeping bag etc
- Pillow and comfortable foam mattress
- Boiled water for drinking and washing purposes
Excludes
- Walking Poles: $15 USD per pair per trek (Professional Poles that can be extended)
- Single Suplement: $50 USD
- Vistadome Train Upgrade: $67 USD per person (Return Only)
- Huayna Picchu Mountain: $75 USD per person (Please request when you book your Trek)
- Lunch on the last day in Aguas Calientes
- Huamantay Lake US$70 ech
- Train from HIdro-Electrica to Aguas Calientes: US$45 each
- Tips for the crew, guide, cook and porters of SAM TRAVEL PERU
Packing List
What you have to take with you?
- 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 (you must have reusable, not disposable water bottles)
- Comfortable hiking boots with ankle support
- Sleeping bag (can be rented from SAM Travel)
- Headlamp: essential
- Toilet paper
What to put in your dufflel bag?
As a Direct Local Tour operator, we provide you with a duffel bag at your briefing and INCLUDE an extra pack horse which will carry up to 7 kgs or 14lbs including your 3kg 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.
- 3 t-shirts
- 2 hiking pants at least
- 4 sets of undergarments
- 4 sets of hiking socks
- Bathing suit for the thermal waters
- 2 Fleece/ thermals
- Warm clothes, down jacket 2 nights.
- Summer clothes
- Comfortable shoes for camp
- Quickdry towel. We provide small ones, you might prefer to bring something larger.
- Battery Charger: No electricity along the trek
- Large plastic bags will be provided at the office to line your duffel
- 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?
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 your reusable bottles
- Sun hat
- Sunscreen
- Headlamp: essential
- Wool hat
- Rain gear
- Fleece
- Snacks like chocolate bars, cereal bars or any dry fruits
- Rain plastic poncho
- Gloves
- Camera
- Hand sanitizer
- Toilet paper and small plastic bag for waste
- Extra money for souvenirs, drinks & tips
