Hiking and Trekking

The mountains of the Cordillera Vilcabamba rise to form a ragged chain between the regions' two great rivers; the Urubamba and the Apurimac. Along the cordillera's northern side, massive snow peaks collide with lush tropical rain forests.

Located northwest of Cusco, Nevado de Salkantay, the cordillera's tallest peak, is at the eastern end of the chain and rises to 6271 meters above sea level. The name Salkantay means 'Savage Mountain' which may refer to the swirling clouds that rise up from the jungle lowlands and engulf the peak.

The Salkantay to Machu Picchu trek normally takes 5 days and has become popular with trekkers wanting to combine a quieter less trodden route with a visit to the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu. For the first 4 days you will be surrounded with magnificent scenery and rarely see other groups of trekkers. On the fifth day you will enjoy and arrive early on day Machupicchu with all its magnificient .

Choquequiraw means "Cradle of Gold" in Quechua Inca´s language, although this is probably not its original name. It is another "Lost City of the Incas" rediscovered officially late in 20th century located high on a ridge spur almost 1750mts above the raging glacier-fed Apurimac River and surrounded by towering Salkantay and Humantay snow-capped peaks.
Choquequirao was build during the last days of the Inca empire in the government of the Inca Pachacutec 1490, by Tupac Inca Yapanqui, and probably after the Spanish invasion in 1532. Almost 40 years the Inca's held stand against the spanish conquerors (between 1536 - 1572). The construction of the different levels of temples, palaces, canals and aqueducts is really fantastic. "Choquequirao is the city which demonstrates the inspiring example of an elite Inca ceremonial center. A city dedicated for worship to pachamama “andean mother earth”, “the Apus” mountain gods and divinities, the river and the elements of nature." Choquequirao finally burned down and left deserted. This happened probably after the execution of the last Inca, Tupac Amaru I in 1572. By this occasion, the plaster covering the walls, carbonized and disappeared for the most part. At the east side of the complex more then 110 terraces with houses and squares are being revealed. At the west side another 170 terraces are hidden and covered by the forest, in some of these terraces can be seen now an amazing in straight line white color llamas in symetrical order, Until now only 25% is put to overdraft and conserved. With this Choquequirao is the largest Inca-town of the continent and much larger then Macchu Pichu. For the first time in 1710 they mentioned the existence of Choquequirao. The first drawings of the structure of the ruins were made about 1836 by the Frenchmen Léonce Angrand and them by Eugine Sartigues. Only in 1986 there was made a structured plan of Roberto Samanez and Julinho Zapata for the restoration and conservation of Choquequirao. In 1993 the archeologists Percy Paz and Eulogio Auca brought Choquequirao under the Copesco Plan. Choquequirao in short time, has become a primary sightseeing in Perú.

CHOQUEQUIRAW is situated in the spurs of the mountain range of Salcantay, at 3035m.a.s.l. surrounded by the snowcapped Apus of Yanama, Ampay, Choquetacarpo, Pumasillo, and Panta on the rigth site of Apurimac river in the Santa Teresa district, the convention province of the departament of cusco. CHOQUEQUIRAW is an Inca town formed by small sites spread out in rubblework that in its adjoining constructs a complex metropolis similar to those of the other regions placed on the crest of the hill by the same name of CHOQUEQUIRAW

IS IT FOR ME?
This is not only an alternative Inca Trail, it is the most original and exclusive, following paths only recently discovered, as well as variety. It is suitable for anyone with a sense of adventure, curiosity, a little spare energy and no visible signs of vertigo!

SUMMARY
The Tropical Inca Trail is a new route offered exclusively by Travels2Machupicchu, which involves biking, walking and just being. Our multiple terrain trip, includes recently discovered real Inca paths, visited only by our clients, archaeological ruins, an 80km bike downhill through the mountains from Abra Malaga 4350 m. high to the green valleys below and the jungle base of Santa Maria 1250 m. high. The four day, three night trip ends with a dawn view of the valleys below from Machu Picchu.