The Choquequirao trek is a 4- to 5-day out-and-back hike from Capuliyoc, 10 km beyond the village of Cachora, down into the Apurímac canyon and up the far wall to the Inca site of Choquequirao at roughly 3,000 to 3,050 m. It covers about 60 km return. The hard part is not altitude but the canyon: about 1,500 m of descent and 1,500 m of climbing in each direction, much of it in hot, exposed sun. No permit is needed and there is no daily cap; you pay a Ministry of Culture ticket of S/60 at the park. Strong hikers can continue for another four to five trekking days over the Yanama pass (about 4,660 m) to Machu Picchu.
This guide covers the route day by day, how hard it really is, when to go (the site closed for the rains in February 2026), fees, getting to the trailhead, campsites, safety, the real status of the cable car on 8 October 2026, and what our 11-day Choquequirao to Machu Picchu trek includes. For distance and elevation data only, see the Choquequirao trail data page.
Choquequirao trek quick facts
| Fact | Choquequirao trek |
|---|---|
| Start / end | Capuliyoc pass (about 2,900 m), 10 km above Cachora, Apurímac region |
| Distance | About 60 km return from Cachora; roughly 58 km from Capuliyoc |
| Duration | 4–5 days to the ruins and back; 8 trekking days to Machu Picchu |
| Lowest point | Apurímac river, about 1,450–1,550 m |
| Highest point | The ruins, about 3,000–3,050 m (Yanama pass, about 4,660 m, if you continue to Machu Picchu) |
| Permit | None, and no daily limit |
| Entrance ticket | S/60 general, S/30 university students, S/25 minors (Ministry of Culture tariff) |
| Best months | May to September; the park can close in the rainy season |
| Our trip | 11 days Cusco to Cusco, from $1,180 per person |
What is the Choquequirao trek, and why walk it?
Choquequirao is a 15th- and 16th-century Inca settlement on a ridge spur of the Vilcabamba range, about 1,500 m above the Apurímac river. The name is usually translated as “cradle of gold”. It is linked to Manco Inca’s resistance after the failed siege of Cusco, when the Vilcabamba region became the last Inca refuge. Archaeologists put the excavated share at 30 to 40 percent, a figure from 2009, and restoration still continues sector by sector.
The site you walk into has plazas, a great hall (kallanka), water channels and steep agricultural terraces dropping toward the canyon. Its best-known feature is the terrace set in sector VIII, where archaeologists documented 25 llama figures built in white stone into the dark terrace walls. They sit well below the main plaza, down long flights of terrace steps, and groups that rush the visit often skip them.
There is no road. The only way in is on foot or by mule, and that keeps numbers low: Peruvian press reports put Choquequirao at around 8,000 visitors a year (Panamericana, July 2025). Machu Picchu admits more than that in two days under its 2026 high-season cap of 5,600 visitors a day. That quiet is the reason to go. The price is two hard days of canyon walking to reach it.
Route options: out-and-back or on to Machu Picchu
- Choquequirao and back, 4 days. Cachora or Capuliyoc to the river and up to Marampata on days 1–2, the ruins on day 2 afternoon or day 3, and out the same way. Fast, and it leaves little time at the site.
- Choquequirao and back, 5 days. The version we recommend if you are not continuing: a full day at the ruins and the return climb split over two days.
- Choquequirao to Machu Picchu, 8 trekking days. After the ruins the route drops to the Río Blanco, climbs to Maizal, crosses the old Victoria mines and the Yanama pass, joins the Salkantay route at Collpapampa and reaches Aguas Calientes via Llactapata. This is the route of our 11-day trip (8 trekking days plus Cusco days).
Another access climbs from the Huanipaca side of the canyon, near where the proposed cable car would start. Most groups, including ours, use the Cachora–Capuliyoc route, the one the Ministry of Culture reopened in April 2026.
Day-by-day: the classic 5-day Choquequirao trek
Distances are walking distances from published trail measurements; elevations differ by 50–100 m between sources, so treat them as approximate. Times are for a steady group pace.
Day 1: Cusco to Cachora and down to the Apurímac river
The drive from Cusco to Cachora is about 165 km and takes around four hours, leaving Cusco before 6 a.m. From Capuliyoc (about 2,900 m) the trail drops roughly 1,500 m in 9 km of switchbacks to Playa Rosalina on the river, at about 1,450–1,550 m. Most groups camp at Chiquisca (about 1,800–1,900 m), above the river, or cross the bridge and climb 3 km to Santa Rosa. Expect 6 to 7 hours, most of it downhill and hard on the knees.
Day 2: The climb to Marampata and Choquequirao
This is the hard day. From the bridge the trail climbs about 400 m to Santa Rosa and then about 1,100 m in only 2.4 km to Marampata (about 2,900–3,000 m), a farming hamlet where families sell drinks and meals. Start at first light: by 10 a.m. the canyon wall is in full sun and there is little shade. From Marampata it is a near-flat 3 km to the campsite below the ruins.
Day 3: A full day at the ruins
Upper plaza and kallanka in the morning light, then the long stairs down to the llama terraces and back. The site is large and steep; a full day is not too much. Camping inside the park, near the ruins, is included in the entrance ticket.
Days 4 and 5: Back across the canyon
The return reverses the profile: about 1,500 m down to the river, then about 1,500 m up to Capuliyoc. Splitting the climb with a night at Chiquisca or Santa Rosa makes day 5 a 3- to 4-hour walk out, followed by the drive back to Cusco in the evening.
Choquequirao to Machu Picchu: the 8-day crossing
Continuing to Machu Picchu turns a canyon hike into a high-mountain traverse. After the ruins the trail climbs to a pass at about 3,300 m, drops some 1,400 m to the Río Blanco (about 1,900 m) and climbs 1,100 m to Maizal (about 3,000 m). The next day passes the abandoned Victoria silver mines on the way to a pass of about 4,000–4,200 m before Yanama (about 3,600–3,700 m). Then comes the high point of the whole route, the Yanama pass at about 4,660 m, and a long descent to Collpapampa (about 2,870 m), where you join the Salkantay route.
From Collpapampa the walking is easier and busier: coffee farms around La Playa and Lucmabamba, the Inca site of Llactapata with its view across to Machu Picchu, then the hydroelectric station and the track along the river to Aguas Calientes. Our Salkantay trek guide describes this last section in detail, since both routes share it.
Check the route before you pay a deposit. On 28 March 2026 the park chief reported the Río Blanco section “not passable” while the Cachora route reopened, and the Santa Teresa access was still awaiting a technical review in late April (Andina). Ask any operator, us included, to confirm in writing that the Río Blanco to Maizal section is open for your dates. You also need Machu Picchu tickets for a fixed date and circuit, booked well before you start walking.
How hard is the Choquequirao trek?
Hard, and in a different way from most Cusco treks. The ruins sit at about 3,000 m, below Cusco itself, so altitude is a minor factor on the out-and-back. What makes it hard is the shape of the canyon: roughly 3,000 m of descent and 3,000 m of ascent in five days, on dirt switchbacks with loose stones, and in strong heat on the lower slopes during the dry season.
- The descent hurts first. 1,500 m down in 9 km on day 1 is what causes sore knees and toenail damage. Poles and well-fitted boots matter more here than on any climb.
- The climb to Marampata is the crux. About 1,100 m in 2.4 km. A fit hiker takes 3 to 4 hours, and there is almost no flat ground on the way.
- Heat and water. The lower canyon is dry forest with little shade. Two litres is not enough between water points on a hot morning; carry three.
- Altitude only on the Machu Picchu route. The Yanama pass at about 4,660 m is higher than anything on the classic Inca Trail. See our altitude sickness guide before you commit.
Who should think twice: anyone with knee problems that flare on long descents, and anyone who has not walked 6 to 8 hours with a daypack on consecutive days. If that is you, our Lares trek guide describes a gentler first multi-day trek. The 12-week training plan was written for the Inca Trail, and its stair and descent work is the right preparation here too.
Mules can carry your bag, and in an emergency they can carry you; there is no road access for a vehicle between Capuliyoc and the ruins.
Best time to do the Choquequirao trek
May to September is the dry season and the reliable window: clear mornings, firm trails, cold nights at the ruins and hot afternoons in the canyon. June to August is the busiest stretch, though “busy” here means dozens of trekkers on the trail, not thousands. April and October are shoulder months with some showers and fewer people.
November to March is the rainy season, and at Choquequirao the rain closes the park, not only the views. In 2026 the Ministry of Culture’s Cusco office suspended entry by all access routes from 1 February, for an initial 30 days (El Peruano). The Capuliyoc–Cachora route did not reopen until 15 April 2026, after maintenance on the mule trail (Andina). Do not plan February or March, and treat December, January and early April as subject to closure at short notice. For the regional pattern, see our Peru weather guide.
Choquequirao entrance fee and permits
There is no permit system and no daily cap, so you can book a Choquequirao trek a week before you go, unlike the Inca Trail. You do need an entrance ticket to the Parque Arqueológico de Choquequirao, paid in soles at the park control on the trail. The latest official tariff we could find on 8 October 2026 is the Ministry of Culture’s published schedule (RM 000451-2024-MC, annex):
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| General | S/60 |
| University or technical-college student (card required) | S/30 |
| Minors | S/25 |
| Age 60+, teachers, people with disabilities, volunteer military service | 50% of the general rate |
| Support staff (cook and kitchen assistant) | S/50 |
Bring cash in soles from Cusco; do not count on card payment on the trail. On a guided trip the ticket is normally included; it is on ours. If you continue to Machu Picchu, that ticket is separate and must be bought ahead for a fixed circuit and time; our guide to the Machu Picchu circuits explains the choices.
Getting to Cachora and Capuliyoc
Cachora is about 165 km west of Cusco on the road to Abancay. Guided groups travel by private van, about four hours, usually leaving Cusco between 5 and 6 a.m. so the descent starts before the heat.
Independently, take a bus from Cusco’s main terminal toward Abancay and get off at the Cachora turn-off, then a shared car or minibus down to the village. From Cachora the trail runs 10 km, mostly level, to Capuliyoc, where the canyon view opens and the descent begins. Spend the night before in Cachora if you arrive after midday. If you are new to the region, our Cusco travel guide covers the acclimatization days before you leave.
Campsites and facilities on the trail
Each stop between Cachora and Marampata is a basic campsite: a flat terrace, a cold-water tap, a toilet, sometimes a shower, and a few shelves of drinks and snacks. Fees, where charged, are a few soles per tent. The main ones, downhill to uphill:
- Chiquisca (about 1,800–1,900 m): where most groups sleep on night 1, above the river.
- Playa Rosalina (about 1,500 m): on the river by the bridge; hot, and full of biting sandflies at dusk.
- Santa Rosa (about 1,950–2,100 m): two sites a few minutes apart; the upper one has better facilities.
- Marampata (about 2,900–3,000 m): hamlet with meals and drinks, 3 km before the ruins.
- Choquequirao campsite: inside the park below the ruins; no shop, so carry what you need.
Facilities change from season to season. Tap and stream water is not safe to drink untreated anywhere on the route; use a filter or tablets, or drink the boiled water a trek cook provides.
Safety on the Choquequirao trek
- Mobile signal is patchy to absent in the canyon and at the ruins. On our trip the guide carries a satellite phone; if you go alone, tell someone your dates and carry a satellite messenger.
- Evacuation is by mule or on foot to Capuliyoc, then hours by road to Cusco. Travel insurance must cover emergency evacuation; read the trekking clause.
- Heat exhaustion is the most common problem: start climbs at first light, add electrolytes to your water, rest in shade.
- Loose stones on the switchbacks. Step aside on the uphill side when mule trains pass.
- Sleeping altitude. On the out-and-back you sleep lower than Cusco. On the Machu Picchu route, the night at Yanama sits about 600–700 m above Maizal; the CDC recommends raising sleeping altitude by no more than 500 m a day above 3,000 m (CDC Yellow Book). Arrive with at least two nights in Cusco behind you.
Our trek health and safety guide covers insurance, evacuation and first aid in more detail; most of it applies here.
The Choquequirao cable car: status on 8 October 2026
There is no cable car to Choquequirao, and none can run in 2027: construction would only start that year if the contract is awarded on time. The project is a public-private partnership run by ProInversión, Peru’s investment agency, to link Kiuñalla, in the Huanipaca district of Apurímac, with the ruins across the canyon: a line of more than 10.6 km that officials said in April 2025 would cut the trip to about 20 minutes (Exitosa).
- Stage: tender. In April 2026 five bidders had bought the right to compete (Gestión).
- Award: ProInversión said in June 2026 it expects to award the contract between October and November 2026, with civil works from 2027 (Andina). We found no award announcement as of 8 October 2026.
- Cost: reported as US$261 million by Andina and US$441.57 million by Gestión; the two figures have not been reconciled publicly.
- Track record: earlier targets for the award (2025, then early 2026) were missed.
What it means for you: plan on the trek. If the award happens this year and construction starts in 2027, several years of building would still lie ahead. The walk in from Cachora will not disappear when a cable car opens, but the quiet at the ruins likely will.
Guided tour or independent?
Both are legal. Independent trekkers need a tent, stove, food for several days (though Marampata and the canyon campsites sell meals) and the legs to carry it all up the canyon. Many hire a muleteer and mule from Cachora for the bags and walk light.
A guided trip makes sense if you want the ruins explained by someone who knows them, the logistics (transport, mules, meals, tickets) handled, and a satellite phone and first-aid kit in the group. It matters more on the Machu Picchu route, which is remote for four days and needs Machu Picchu tickets and the return train arranged in advance.
What our 11-day Choquequirao to Machu Picchu trek includes
Our Choquequirao to Machu Picchu trek runs 11 days from Cusco: two Cusco days for acclimatization and a briefing, eight trekking days with seven nights of camping, Machu Picchu on day 10, and departure on day 11. We are a Cusco-run operator, and we keep one guide for every six trekkers on every route.
| Hotel category (Cusco / Aguas Calientes) | Per person, double or triple | Per person, single |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | $1,180 | $1,180 |
| Standard | $1,390 | $1,390 |
| Premium | $1,565 | $1,869 |
| Luxury | $1,920 | $1,920 |
- Included: airport transfers, 3 nights in Cusco and 1 in Aguas Calientes, transport to Cachora, a guide trained in wilderness first aid, cook and assistant, mules for all camping gear and food, 10 kg of your own gear carried by the mules, tents, dining and toilet tents, foam sleeping pad, all trek meals, emergency oxygen and a satellite phone, the Choquequirao ticket, the Machu Picchu ticket, bus and 2-hour guided tour, the train to Ollantaytambo and the transfer to Cusco.
- Not included: flights, travel insurance with evacuation cover, sleeping bag (rental $35 for the trek), trekking poles, lunch in Aguas Calientes on day 10, and tips for the crew.
- Departures: any day, minimum two trekkers. The tour page shows the current deposit.
Only want the ruins and back? Write to info@incatrailreservations.com and we will quote the 5-day out-and-back for your dates.
What to pack for the Choquequirao trek
Pack for two climates on the same day: canyon heat at 1,500 m and frost at the ruins. The essentials that matter more here than on other Cusco treks:
- Trekking poles for the 1,500 m descents.
- Three litres of water capacity plus a filter or tablets.
- Sun protection: wide-brimmed hat, SPF 50, long sleeves for the exposed switchbacks.
- Insect repellent for the river campsites.
- A warm layer and a sleeping bag rated to about -5 °C for the ruins campsite and, on the Machu Picchu route, Yanama.
- Blister kit and spare socks: the descents are where feet fail.
The full list, by trek, is in our Peru trekking packing list. For how Choquequirao fits among Peru’s other routes, see the Peru trekking guide.
Plan your Choquequirao trek
- Pick your version: 5 days to the ruins and back, or 8 trekking days through to Machu Picchu.
- Pick your months: May to September; avoid February and March, when the park can close.
- If you are continuing to Machu Picchu, confirm the Río Blanco section is open and book Machu Picchu tickets for a fixed date.
- Book two nights in Cusco before the drive to Cachora.
- Train for the descents: stairs down as well as up, with a loaded daypack.
Our 11-day trip page lists live departures, and we answer route questions at info@incatrailreservations.com.
Fees, closures and the cable car were checked against the sources linked above on 8 October 2026. Rules for Peruvian archaeological parks change by ministerial resolution, sometimes mid-season.