CHOQUEQUIRAO TREK FAQs

Yes. We rate this trek as difficult and you’ll be hiking along rough terrain as this route is still relatively new. There are some difficult ascents and descents and you’ll be walking many hours a day until you reach the site. Once you get to Choquequirao, you’ll be able to take things a little easier.

On the Choquequirao Trek, you’ll be walking for about 6 or 7 hours on an average day. If you want to get a good idea of how far you walk and for how many hours at a time, check out the full Choquequirao itinerary on our site. Here is a quick summary of the distance you cover each day on the Classic 5 Day Choquequirao Trek:

• DAY 1: 13 km/8.08 mi
• DAY 2: 7 km/4.35 mi
• DAY 3: 2.5 km/1.55 mi
• DAY 4: 13 km/8.08 mi
• DAY 5: 8 km/4.97 mi

For all our trekking routes, we provide you with accommodation. On the Choquequirao Trek, you’ll be sleeping in tents. We also give a sleeping mat for comfort.

All our equipment is of the highest quality and we only use the most reputable brands. If you would like, we do have a few items on offer to rent in advance or at the briefing. These are:

• A sleeping bag for 41°F (-5°C) and a sleeping bag liner.
• Thermarest luxury air mattress.
• Adjustable walking sticks.

You can also take these items with you if you already own them. Just keep the weight restrictions in mind.

Yes. If you feel like you might need to ride a horse sometimes, you can rent an extra one during the briefing or when you book. Otherwise, you can also rent them at certain points along the route.

No. Our horsemen and animals will carry your duffle bag for you. You only need to take a 20 or 30-liter backpack to carry the essentials you’ll need during the day.

The Choquequirao Trek doesn’t tend to sell out in advance because not so many people hike it. However, we still recommend booking as far in advance as you can to ensure that the tour company you travel with is able to organize it for the dates you want.

If you leave it to the last minute, they may be fully booked on other routes and not have enough staff available to accommodate you on the Choquequirao route.

The Choquequirao Trek is difficult and you’ll be hiking along some rough terrain and challenging ascents and descents. You won’t be going up to such high altitudes as you do on other treks and only go slightly higher than the city of Cusco.

However, there are plenty of things you can do to get yourself physically prepared and enjoy the trek to the max.

• Before you leave home, do plenty of cardiovascular exercise. You’ll need to include plenty of hikes over varied terrain and for a few days at a time.
• Make sure you eat a well-balanced diet to give your body all the nutrients it needs.
• Arrive in Cusco 2–3 days before your trek begins. This will help you avoid altitude sickness as much as possible and ensure you feel good for the trek.
• Assure you bring great quality hiking boots that are worn in. New ones could mean you suffer lots of blisters and pain.

Yes. For the first morning, you’ll need to take water in a reusable bottle. After this, you’ll have the opportunity to fill your bottle at every meal. We provide clean and safe water.

We recommend you take a bottle you can refill or a Camelbak. Plastic bottles aren’t a good idea as they can ruin the route and we believe in sustainable tourism.

When trekkers hike with Salkantay Trekking, a lot of them state that the food was a highlight. This is because all our chefs are professionally trained and do an outstanding job of cooking very tasty meals in the middle of the trekking routes.

We understand how important excellent nutrition is when you’re hiking. You’ll be exerting yourself physically and need a well-balanced diet to keep your energy levels high. This is why we’ve partnered with top chefs and nutrition experts to come up with the best menu possible.

For every meal, we’ll give you various dishes for you to choose from like a buffet. All the ingredients we use are fresh and local. You’ll get to try some mouthwatering local dishes, too.

Don’t worry if you suffer from allergies or prefer to eat a special diet, you just need to let us know when you book or at the meeting and we’ll make sure you get a balanced diet as everyone else.

In addition to these delicious meals, you’ll get a cloth bag to put the snacks in we give you each morning. You carry these with you to eat when you feel a little hungry or need an energy boost. Every afternoon, we also give you teatime with drinks and snacks before dinner.

It’s safe to say you won’t be going hungry on the Choquequirao Trek!

Yes. There’s the odd point where you can buy snacks and water. You should also always take extra cash in case of an emergency. We recommend S/300 more or less.

No. You don’t need a permit for the Choquequirao Trek as you do for others. There’s an entrance fee to the site when you get there. If you trek with Salkantay Trekking, we’ll include and buy this for you.

Yes, you can. But, we recommend that they be at least 9-years-old. The Choquequirao Trek is challenging in many parts and it would be too difficult for smaller children—you could end up carrying them a lot of the way.

We don’t have a specific amount that we recommend you tip your trekking team, but it’s always highly appreciated. The amount you decide to give is up to you depending on your experience.

The maximum number of people that will be in your group is 8. We like to keep our group sizes small so that you enjoy more peace and quiet and get to spend as much time with your guide as you like to ask questions. You also don’t need to worry about being at the back of a large group when the guide is explaining something. You always enjoy front-row spots.

To get the best idea of what to take on the trek, check out our detailed Choquequirao Trek Packing List. You’ll need enough clothes for the number of days you travel. You also need to take essential items like a passport, camera, water, snacks, portable charger, etc. Don’t forget your sun protection!

We provide you with a duffle bag at the meeting to pack all your clothes and bits and pieces you need on the trek. We’ll carry this for you.

However, you will need to take a small backpack for the daytime as you don’t have access to the duffle bag except for at the campsites. A 20L backpack is sufficient to carry snacks, water, a camera, fleece, rain jacket, etc.

Yes. We understand that when you’re traveling in another country, you like to keep in contact with friends and family back home. At the campsites we have wifi. However, there is an extra charge of 10 soles for each device you connect.

Yes. At each campsite, you have the opportunity to charge your devices.

On the trek, you’ll be sleeping in our own private campsites. This gives you plenty of peace and quiet to unwind after a long day on the trail.

Yes. You’ll surely be feeling hot and sweaty after hours of walking and might want a shower. At every campsite we have showers. Cold ones are free or if you would like a hot shower, you’ll need to pay between 5 and 10 soles, depending on the campsite.

For the moment, Salkantay Trekking offers five versions of the Choquequirao route. These are over 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9 days. We call them the following:

• Choquequirao Route 4 Days
• Classic Choquequirao Trek 5 Days
• Choquequirao & Machu Picchu Route 7 Days
• Choquequirao & Machu Picchu Route 8 Days
• Choquequirao & Machu Picchu Route 9 Days

The Choquequirao Trek cost will vary depending on who you travel with. Below, we’ve summarized the price of the five Salkantay Trekking Choquequirao Treks. These prices are based on the cost per person for a group tour:

• CHOQUEQUIRAO ROUTE 4 DAYS — $450 USD
• CLASSIC CHOQUEQUIRAO TREK 5 DAYS — $500 USD
• CHOQUEQUIRAO & MACHU PICCHU ROUTE 7 DAYS — $1000 USD
• CHOQUEQUIRAO & MACHU PICCHU ROUTE 8 DAYS — $1200 USD
• CHOQUEQUIRAO & MACHU PICCHU ROUTE 9 DAYS — $1500 USD

Yes. At every campsite there are bathrooms and at certain points along the route. Make sure you take toilet paper as most places won’t have this.

Unlike other routes, the Choquequirao Trek isn’t overly busy. This means that it doesn’t matter when you travel tourism-wise as you likely won’t see many other trekkers.

If you opt for one of the Choquequirao and Machu Picchu routes, then you might want to consider the high and low seasons. The busiest time of year is June and July. From November to April is the rainy season.

For this reason, we recommend going in May or October. This way, you get to enjoy the best weather and also avoid large crowds at Machu Picchu.

If you start to feel ill while on the trail, all our guides are highly trained in this kind of situation. We’ll also get you back to Cusco as quickly as possible to help you get some rest and seek medical attention if needed.

Yes. You can join us if you’re traveling by yourself but it must be on a day when we already have a trip planned. With the costs involved, we can’t start a new group with just one person. As long as two people are already signed up for a specific date, you can join their group.

Weather in Cusco is often unpredictable. There are specific wet (Nov–Apr) and dry (May–Oct) seasons, which give us a better idea of when to expect heavy showers. The wettest months of the year are January and February.

You don’t go up to any extreme altitudes on this trek, so most of the time, the temperature along the Choquequirao route is warm and mild. You should see plenty of sun—so make sure you use SPF 50+ sunscreen.

Whether you travel during the rainy season or not, you always need to ensure you carry a rain jacket or lightweight poncho as you never know when the clouds will open and the rain will fall.