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Business Hours: Monday to Sunday: 9 am 1 pm
(by mornings) - 4pm - 8 pm (by afternoons)
Peruvian Time Zone: GMT - 5 hours
The Vilcabamba to Machu Picchu Trek 5 days / 4 nights
Wonderful best option Alternate to the the Classic 4 days inca trail
Introduction
A spectacular 60 km trek that will lead you to the enigmatic last refuge of the Incas. Choquequirao (3.103m/10178ft) is a huge archaeological complex still under cleaning and restoration process located in the surroundings of the Salkantay sacred mountain (6.271m/20569ft) and the Apurimac River canyon. You will enjoy amazing mountain scenery as well as lots of Andean flora and fauna.
Introduction: Many of you have heard of the Inca Trail , a very popular hike in the mountains of Peru. There is a relatively new trail through this region, and it is the hike to the lost city of Choquequirao. This trail is 20 miles in one direction, or 40 miles round trip, and takes a total of 4 days. This comes out to an average of 10 miles per day. This is rather difficult to maintain, and the trail covers a total of 5 vertical miles (for every 8 miles you cover, you ascend or descend 1 mile (5,280 feet). You can also continue on to Machu Picchu, but that trip takes a total of 8 days, and is even more difficult, but highly recommended.
Background: Choquequirao was the last stand of the Incas. They fled to this city after their stronghold of Machu Picchu was discovered, and the Spanish followed them here and destroyed them.
An alternate to the Inca Trail: The Inca Trail is trekked on by 500 people daily (the maximum allowed by a law passed in 2000), and 1000 people visit Machu Picchu (The end of the 35 mile long Inca Trail) daily. United Nations evaluators just recommended that Machu Picchu be placed on a list of endangered world sites. It is now impossible to go to Cuzco (the city in Peru that is the starting point for either of Inca Trail or the hike to Choquequirao)
and go on the Inca Trail. Now, reservations must be made months (if not weeks)
in advance, and you must be accompanied by a tour guide. The hike to
Choquequirao is now offered by Andean Life,
Tour Operator as third best option Alternate to the Classic 4 days Inca Trail to MAPI.
Please Note: We do offer two options of Services:
1.-Private One
2.-Shared Service
Please find the differences below, thanks.
Prices per person 2009: 2 persons: US$ 490, 3 persons: US$ 470, 4 persons: US$
430, 5 persons: US$ 400, 6 or more persons: US$390.
We can offer a US$ 40 discount to children under the age of 12 years old.
Departures: To suit group requirements From February to December 2009. With this option you can depart on any day of the week that
suits you best including Sundays.
Minimum 02 passengers at the time of departure (actually we are o.k. if you are 02 people, we can leave any day which is fine for your plans)
Group Size: Please note that this is a private group trek. This means that if there are just two of you interested in doing this trek, the trek will be organized just for you. Obviously with more people in your group the cost per person becomes more economical. We do not add other people to you trek and unfortunately it is not possible to join another group. Departures are available throughout the year. However, due to weather conditions, the recommended period for this trek is between February - November.
Prices per person 2009: US$430
Minimum 02 passenger at the time of departure
We can offer a US$ 40 discount to children under the age of 12 years old.
Group Size: Please note that this is a shared service group trek and offers visitors the most economical method to trek the
Choquequirao trek. A Shared service is basically a group that you can just join. You'll be trekking with like-minded hikers from all over the world, a great chance to meet new friends and travel companions
Fixed Departures 2009
Every Monday, Wedesnay and Friday of Every Week.(Between February to December 2009)
What is Included: (in both options,1,2)
Collection from your hotel in the morning
Transportation by bus to the start of the trail (Town of Huanipaca, beggining of the trip)
English speaking professional guide (2 guides for groups of over 7 people)
Igloo tents - 2 persons in each 4-person capacity tent with plenty of space for your backpacks and better comfort. 3 season Ones.
Double thickness foam mattress
Kitchen tent, Dining tent with camp tables and chairs
Accommodations: 3 nights camping
Accommodation for our crew
First aid kit including emergency oxygen bottle
Choquequirao Inca Site entrance fee
Hot water every morning and evening for washing purposes (while hiking)
Cook and Cooking equipment
Excellent Meals (05B,05L,04D + 05 morning snacks)
food includes pancakes, omelets, soups, fresh fruit, avocado, pasta, chicken, fish, meat, rice, all rich in carbohydrates and suitable for trekking, hot drinks including coca leaf tea which is excellent for the altitude
We supply boiled water to fill in your water bottle all the time,(while hiking) if you may need more, please request it with enough time ahead to your crew
Teatime the first three days (tea, coffee, biscuits, popcorn)
Horses days 1-4 (for equipment and personal items, actually your main heavy stuff, will be carried by the horses, it means you only will carry a small day bag, day by day, we included 01 emergency horse to ride on, every 06 persons
including horsemen
Private Bus returning from Cachora Town to Cusco City
Transfer to your hotel
What is Not Included: (in both options,1,2)
Dinner on day 4 of the program.
Personal Drinks
Sleeping bags (4 season) can be hired in our office for US$15 for the 5
day trek, Our sleeping bags are a mummy model and rated at -11 Celsius (12
Fahrenheit).
Tips for the guide, cook and porters
Personal equipment
What you need to bring/carry:
Backpack,
Sleeping bag 4 season suitable for temperatures down to -5C (can be hired from our office for US$15 for the 4 day trek)
Sleeping mattress (we will provide you with this)
Rain jacket or poncho (plastic ponchos can be purchased in Cusco for a few dollars)
Strong, comfortable footwear
One complete change of clothing (you can afford to carry more changes of clothing if you hire a personal porters, see options below)
Sweater and jacket (something warm)
Water bottle, ideally non disposable canteen (boiled drinking water will be provided)
Torch / Flashlight and batteries
Hat or cap to protect you from the sun
Sun block (sun protection cream)
Insect repellent, absolutely the most important item for this hike is bug spray. Anything with a lot of DEET with do the job, anything less is simply not sufficient. Bug spray
MUST be bought in Cuzco, as it cannot be found even in neighboring towns.
Toiletries, towel and toilet paper
Selection of small snacks, chocolate, dried fruit, biscuits, energy bars etc,
Camera, plenty of film and spare batteries, cash in soles and US$
Swimsuit (if you plan on visiting the hot springs at Aguas Calientes after the trek)
Optional: walking Poles /sticks rubber covers necessary (can be hired from our office for US$07 each one for the
5 day trek)
You also need to bring a copy of your passport on the trail.
Options:
(1) Vegetarian Meals. We can provide vegetarian meals or cater for special diets with no extra cost. Just let us know at least 2 days prior to trek departure.
(2) Sleeping bag hire. If you haven't got a sleeping bag or you don't want the hassle of bringing one all the the to Peru with you then we have sleeping bags in our office for rent. The price is US$15 per person for the 4 day trek.
Reservation details: All trek reservations must be made at least 6 days in advance (however 25 days in advance is recommended especially during the months of
May, June, July and August) Payment details: We will require a non-refundable trek deposit of US$150 per person payable within 3 days of Andean Life confirming your trek booking. The deposit is to be paid by Our VISA Payment On-Line, Western Union money transfer and Mail Order System, these are our fastest most secure form of payments in Peru. Further details of how to send the deposit are included with our trek booking confirmation email. The remaining balance is to be paid in our office at least two days prior to your trek departure date. Payment can be made in cash US$, local currency (Peruvian Soles), or American Express Travel Cheques (3%) or by VISA (6% surcharge - VISA's cost not ours).
For a trek deposit Payment by Amex and Master Credit Cards, please let Us know by email and we will send ASAP further details about how to proceed with it, thanks.
Other information:
(1) Luggage storage. When you go on the trek it is best to leave any luggage that you are not going to need behind in Cusco. Nearly all the hotels in Cusco provide a secure luggage deposit. Put any valuables in their safe. Very rarely do hotels charge for this service especially if you are returning to the same hotel after the trek. If there are any problems with your hotel we can arrange to store your luggage at our office.
(2) Time of arrival in Cusco. you will return to your hotel in Cusco for approximately 8:30pm on the 4th day of the trek.
(3) Trek Itinerary: For a detailed description of our 5 day trekking itinerary see below.
Trek Itineray 2009
Day 1: Cusco to Huanipaca
Day 2: Huanipaca- San Ignacion - Choquequirao
Day 3: Exploring Choquequirao
Day 4: Choquequirao - Santa Rosa - Chiquisca
Day 5: Chiquisca - cachora - Cusco
Difficulty degree of this Hike:
Challenging: The route has steep ups and downs, with changes of altitude in one
day of over 1600m/5200ft and usually warm weather during the day due to the
lower altitude vs Cusco. We recommend allowing one-day acclimatization in Cusco
prior to the trek departure. Better to arrive to Cusco two days before in
order to get a right process of aclimatization.
