Tourist impressed with the Choquequirao canyon on the 9-day route to Machu Picchu

Choquequirao & Machu Picchu Route

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Duration
9 Days / 8 Nights
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Price
from US$1200
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Max. Altitude
4700 m / 15420 ft
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Group Size
Open from 4 people Up to 16 People
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Accommodation
Camps & Hostel
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Difficulty
Challenging
  • Cachora
  • Choquequirao
  • Abra Choquequirao
  • Maizal
  • Minas Victoria
  • Lucmabamba
  • Jungle Domes
  • Llactapata
  • Machu Picchu

Choquequirao Machu Picchu Route 9 Days

Discover the 2 great architectural wonders of the Incas on a 9-day trek that will challenge your physical and mental limits to renew yourself from head to toe. If you're addicted to physical activity, you love nature, and you’re passionate about the history of ancient civilizations, this route is perfect for you. Due to the archaeological importance of Choquequirao and Machu Picchu — the largest and best preserved Inca sites that exist in all of South America— and its impressive natural beauty, this route was chosen in 2015 by National Geographic as one of the most beautiful in the entire world. The difficulty of this excursion is comparable to the trek to Mount Everest base camp.

  • Overview
  • Itinerary
  • Inclusions
  • Before You Go
  • Pricing
  • Enquire Now
  Overview

Prepare yourself for a journey through time, leaving modernity and worries behind as you walk through the stone streets of Choquequirao and Machu Picchu. Imagine a lifestyle where great importance was given to the community and where there was a deep love and respect for Mother Nature, or Pachamama. This intense and important connection between human beings and nature allowed the Incas to carry out true wonders of architecture and engineering. Anti-seismic stone cities high up on the mountain. Aqueducts that bring fresh and clean water for 500 years. Agricultural platforms on the steep mountain sides. Be amazed at what the Incas were able to do on this magical tour. In addition, you’ll be able to visit part of the world famous Classic Inca Trail heading to Machu Picchu.

An amazing route in one of the most impressive tourist destinations on the planet.

Itinerary at a Glance

  • Day 0

    Pre-Departure Briefing

    Cusco

  • Day 1

    Cusco | Cachora - Santa Rosa

  • Day 2

    Santa Rosa | Marampata - Choquequirao Archaeological Complex

  • Day 3

    Visit to the archaeological complex of Choquequirao

  • Day 4

    Choquequirao Archaeological Complex | Abra Choquequirao - Pinchaunuyoc - Río Blanco - Maizal

  • Day 5

    Cornfield | Minas Victoria - Abra Victoria - Yanama

  • Day 6

    Yanama | Abra Yanama - Totora

  • Day 7

    Totora | La Playa - Lucmabamba

  • Day 8

    Lucmabamba | Llactapata - Hydroelectric - Aguas Calientes

  • Day 9

    Visit to the archaeological complex of Machu Picchu

Why Take the Choquequirao & Machu Picchu?

  • Explore the 2 largest and most important Inca archaeological sites that exist: Choquequirao and Machu Picchu.
  • Advance on ancient roads built by the Incas and visit other small archaeological centres.
  • Enjoy a wide variety of landscapes and climates. Travel through the snow-capped Andean mountains at more than 4,000 masl / 13,123 fasl and then get closer and closer to the Amazon jungle.
  • First enjoy the tranquility of a route little traveled by tourists and then make new friends among the crowd in Machu Picchu.
  • Get to know the Apurímac Canyon which is the deepest in the American continent and which is located next to Choquequirao.

Relevant information

  • We are a socially responsible tour operator and always respectful of our Mother Earth, or Pachamama. For 10 years we have helped our passengers to take home unforgettable memories of their vacation. We use the best equipment and we have the best and most experienced guides.
  • Remember that we do not operate the Choquequirao-Machu Picchu Route during the months of January, February, and March due to the rainy season that puts the safety of travellers at risk.
  • We recommend that you book your Choquequirao-Machu Picchu package as soon as possible, especially if you travel in high season (May-September). Entrances to Machu Picchu and the Vistadome train service can be easily run out.
  • Remember that our mules and horses will carry your luggage so you can fully enjoy your adventure. During the walk you’ll only need to carry a small backpack with the essential items.
  • The weather during this excursion is extremely variable so we recommend that you wear “layered” clothing so that you can warm and unzip as you please in the middle of the route.
  • Important! Take mosquito repellent with you. You’ll really need it.
  Itinerary
Day 1

Cusco | Cachora - Santa Rosa

We’ll start our adventure very early in the morning. We’ll pick you up at your hotel at 4:30 a.m. and will travel for 4 hours in our private mobility to Cachora. We will stop along the way to enjoy a nutritious and delicious breakfast (price not included) while we contemplate the impressive snow-capped mountains of Salkantay and Humantay in the distance. In Cachora we’ll meet the rest of the team of assistants as well as the animals who’ll carry our belongings and after defining some details we’ll begin the walk. 4 hours downhill awaits us to the lunch point in Chikiska, a beautiful town full of fruit fields. Along the route we’ll be able to contemplate the impressive landscape that the Apurímac Valley offers, as well as two other gigantic snow-capped mountains: Padreyoc and Wayna Cachora. We’ll continue the descent for 2 more hours until we reach the bottom of the valley where you’ll find the fast moving Apurímac river, whose name in Quechua means "speaking God", which is ideal for canoeing thanks to its class 5 rapids. Then, we’ll make a 2-hour ascent until you reach the Santa Rosa camp (1,800 masl / 5,906 fasl) where a delicious dinner and an incredible night of rest await you.

  • Meals: Lunch and dinner.
  • Accommodation:  Camps
  • Difficulty:  Moderate
  • Walking Distance:  11.2 miles
  • Camp elevation:  1800 m / 5906 ft
  • Climate:  Hot during the day, cold at night.
Day 2

Santa Rosa | Marampata - Choquequirao Archaeological Complex

After savoring a delicious breakfast, we’ll continue our journey and start the walk at 5:30 a.m. A 3-hour zig-zag climb awaits us, up to Marampata (3,100 masl / 10,170 fasl) where you can capture impressive photographs of the canyon and the snow-capped peaks. Then a gradual descent of 3.5 hours will begin that will take you to the very archaeological complex of Choquequirao where you’ll enjoy lunch. Our camp will be set up near there. Contemplate your surroundings, feel the energy that this place has stored for 5 centuries, and take advantage to stretch your muscles as we will briefly visit the most important places in Choquequirao. At sunset, enjoy a beautiful sunset that will flood the endless valleys and white glacial mountains with its orange light. When it begins to get dark we will return to the camp to enjoy a dinner that will comfort your stomach and restore your energy.

  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
  • Accommodation:  Camps
  • Difficulty:  Challenging
  • Walking Distance:  6.2 miles
  • Camp elevation:  3030 m / 9940 ft
  • Climate:  Hot during the day, cold at night
Day 3

Visit to the archaeological complex of Choquequirao

We’ll take the day to explore in great detail this incredible Inca site that’s located on the mountains and very close to the deepest canyon in the entire American continent. You can already imagine the incredible landscapes that surround this colossal Inca construction. A 14-minute walk will take us to the Main Square of Choquequirao and then we will visit the most impressive corners of this fascinating place. Much larger than Machu Picchu, Choquequirao shows squares, food stores, temples, and impressive platforms that will make you constantly ask yourself: how were the Incas able to build this on top of the mountains? Don’t miss the famous white stone flames that adorn the platforms practically built on the hillside and that are located in the direction of the mountain that protects that sector the Apu Qoriwayrachina. In many ways, Choquequirao remains a mystery. According to experts, for now, only about 50% is visible. At the end of the day, we will return to our camp and enjoy a delicious dinner.

  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
  • Accommodation:  Camps
  • Difficulty:  Easy
  • Walking Distance:  8.7 miles
  • Camp elevation:  3030 m / 9940 ft
Day 4

Choquequirao Archaeological Complex | Abra Choquequirao - Pinchaunuyoc - Río Blanco - Maizal

Today we recommend waking up before the sun come up to appreciate the magnificent sunrise. See how the flashes of Father Sol or Tayta Inti fill all corners with colour and life. Connect with the closest star of fire and feel his deep affection. Take the opportunity to thank the sacred mountains that surround you and the powerful Apurímac River. In this way we’ll say goodbye to Choquequirao. After breakfast, we’ll begin our ascent towards the cloud forest. We will arrive at the Choquequirao pass (3,300 masl / 10,826 fasl) to descend to the archaeological site of Pinchaunuyoc (2,750 masl / 9,022 fasl) that will surprise you with its agricultural platforms suspended over the abysses of the White River canyon. We’ll continue descending to enjoy our lunch near the river where you’ll be able to appreciate various species of birds, different orchids, and plantations of the sacred coca leaf. Many of our travellers take advantage of this opportunity to take a dip in the cold and crystal clear waters of the river. It will be a pleasure to take a bath after 3 days of trekking! We’ll cross the river and begin a challenging ascent to our camp in Maizal. This will be the most difficult day.

  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
  • Accommodation:  Camps
  • Difficulty:  Moderate
  • Walking Distance:  8.7 miles
  • Camp elevation:  3000 m / 9843 ft
  • Climate:  Humid climate
Day 5

Cornfield | Minas Victoria - Abra Victoria - Yanama

Today you’ll wake up with the unanimous song of the birds that will greet the sun. After recharging your energy with a delicious breakfast, we’ll head down an uphill path covered by lush vegetation. The snowy mountains will surround us once again reminding us of their power and beauty. In case the sky is not clear, you’ll see how the clouds cover the valley below us. In one way or another, the landscape will be extraordinary. 7 hours of ascent await us. This sector of the route is of great historical importance because several archaeological sites are scattered along the way. In addition, you’ll be able to observe some ancient Inca silver mines called Minas Victoria and then ascend to the Victoria pass (4,200 masl / 13,773 fasl). It will be quite a long climb, but the beauty of the route is so great that you won't even notice the effort. We’ll walk through the Amazonian cloud forests and then we’ll go up to the puna that is known for its grasslands or ichhu. Near the top we’ll begin to see cobbled sectors of the road that are original constructions of the Incas. We’ll have lunch observing the immensity of the snowy mountains of Choquetakarpo and Padreyoc. If we’re lucky and the weather allows it, it’s very likely that we can appreciate the flight of the condor whose spread wings reach 3 meters in length. For this reason it’s the largest flying bird in the world. Finally we will make a decent to the Yanama camp (3,500 masl / 11,482 fasl) a small town located at the bottom of a huge valley.

  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
  • Accommodation:  Camps
  • Difficulty:  Moderate
  • Walking Distance:  9.3 miles
  • Camp elevation:  3500 m / 11482 ft
  • Climate:  Mild and windy during the day, cold at night.
Day 6

Yanama | Abra Yanama - Totora

The people of Yanama have known how to preserve the ancestral traditions of the Andes to this day. It’s an excellent place to make new friends and perhaps give some things to the children who’ll come to greet you. You’ll wake up to the relaxing sound of a waterfall and the countless voices that the jungle hides. After breakfast, we will begin a 5-hour ascent to the highest point of the entire trek, the Yanama pass (4,700 masl / 15,419 fasl). On our walk we’ll observe the people of the place lovingly working the land in the potato fields. Along the way, the snowy mountain ranges of Saqsarayoc and Padreyoc will appear with their gigantic bodies of snow. Depending on the season, we may be able to walk on the snow at this point of the trek. In addition, you’ll see, for the first time, the imposing sacred mountain Salkantay, one of the main deities of the region. Later, we’ll descend through a long and mysterious fog-filled path towards the community of Totora. After dinner, enjoy a restful night amid the tranquillity of the place and its indescribable beauty.

  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
  • Accommodation:  Camp
  • Difficulty:  Moderate
  • Walking Distance:  10 miles
  • Camp elevation:  3367 m / 11046 ft
  • Climate:  Temperate and humid during the day, cold at night.
Day 7

Totora | La Playa - Lucmabamba

After a delicious breakfast, we’ll start with a 3-hour descent to Ccolpapampa where you’ll begin to see the trekkers from the Salkantay Route. From here we’ll be able to observe beautiful rivers, impressive waterfalls, wild orchids, and coffee, banana, and avocado plantations. The place is so fertile that it’s full of fruit. Try the delicious flavour of passion fruit and granadilla! If luck is with us, we can see the intriguing national bird of Peru, the “Cock of the Rocks”. We’ll have lunch at approximately noon at La Playa and then we’ll walk for 1 more hour to our camp in Lucmabamba (2,400 masl / 7,874 fasl). We can explore the tropical jungle a little and visit a coffee growing field. If you’re a coffee lover, this place will be heaven for you. Feel the aroma and powerful flavour of one of the best coffees in all of Peru that’s exported to the United States, Asia, and Europe. Since you’ll have free time in the afternoon, we recommend you visit the relaxing thermo-medicinal waters of Cocalmayo (price not included) that are close to there. It’s the best way to recover after so many days of walking!

  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
  • Accommodation:  Camp
  • Difficulty:  Moderate
  • Walking Distance:  11.2 miles
  • Camp elevation:  2400 m / 7874 ft
  • Climate:  Temperate and humid.
Day 8

Lucmabamba | Llactapata - Hydroelectric - Aguas Calientes

The last day of walking has arrived. We’ll walk 3 hours uphill on a section of the original Inca Trail. From there you can see the incredible landscape of the Santa Teresa valley and some coffee and passion fruit plantations. Once we reach the top of that mountain we’ll find the fabulous Inca site of Llactapata from where you can already distinguish the location of the citadel of Machu Picchu. Then we’ll descend for 3 hours to the Hydroelectric train station. Here we’ll enjoy our last lunch on the route and say goodbye to our support team. You’ll receive your luggage inside the duffle bags and embark on a train trip to the miniature city of Aguas Calientes (2,000 masl / 6,562 fasl) where you’ll stay in a comfortable hotel. Before or after dinner, you’ll have the option of visiting the thermo-medicinal waters that exist in the place (price not included). Then, a night of well-deserved rest awaits you because the next morning, very early, we’ll go to the fantastic archaeological complex of Machu Picchu.

  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
  • Accommodation:  Hostel
  • Difficulty:  Moderate
  • Walking Distance:  7.5 miles
  • Hostel elevation:  2000 m / 6561 ft
  • Climate:  Temperate and humid.
Day 9

Visit to the archaeological complex of Machu Picchu

Today this great adventure concludes and we’re sure that you’ll no longer be the same person. As we’ve done every day, we’ll start very early to take advantage of the amazing lights of dawn. Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and then choose between these 2 options: go by bus for 30 minutes to Machu Picchu or walk to the sacred citadel on a mysterious route in the company of your guide. Remember to notify your guide the night before if you decide to walk. Once you have arrived at this impressive site, you’ll take a 2-hour guided tour of the most important places. Machu Picchu is a true architectural and engineering wonder. Discover how granite chaos turns into magnificent buildings that are always in careful harmony with nature. You’ll feel a powerful energy that will finish transforming your spirit after this intense walk. Remember that Machu Picchu is an extremely sacred place. After the guided tour you’ll be able to explore this Inca citadel on your own and feel the presence of the ancient Peruvians. If you have booked the entrance to the Huayna Picchu Mountain, you’ll have the opportunity to stay an additional amount of time. You’ll reach the top after climbing some bleachers that have rock walls on one side and an endless steep face on the other. At approximately 3:00 p.m. You must take your bus back to Aguas Calientes where you can choose one of the restaurants for lunch (price not included). Then collect your bags from the hotel and go to the train station where you’ll board a wagon at approximately 4:20 p.m. After a magical trip to the banks of the Urubamba River you’ll arrive in Ollantaytambo where our private mobility will be waiting for you that will take you back to Cusco. You’ll arrive at the door of your hotel at approximately 8:30 p.m.

  Inclusions

What Is Included?

  • High Quality Service & Safety

  • Pre-departure briefing

    You will meet your guide and group in our office for an orientation before your trek. At this time, we will provide you with the duffle bags which will be carried by our porters. The meeting will be at 6:00 PM the evening before the trip begins.

  • Experienced Guide

    All our guides are graduates of the professional career of Tourism of the National University San Antonio Abad of Cusco. Also, they speak English. As good cusqueños, they feel a great commitment to transmit the knowledge they have inherited from their grandparents. They are very friendly and professional. They’ll make sure you are safe and happy.

  • Medical Kit

    All Cusco Expeditions guides have received specialized training in first aid. We hold mandatory training sessions with our guides every February. Your guide will always carry a first aid kit to face basic emergency situations (altitude sickness, traveller’s diarrhoea, cuts, scrapes, etc.) as well as oxygen. If necessary, we’ll evacuate you from the path as quickly as possible and ensure that you arrive at a clinic for treatment.

  • Customer Service 24/7

    We have telephone service available 24 hours/day for ease of communication and preparation with the agency leading up to your trek.

  • Satellite phones:

    Our main priority will always be the tranquillity of our clients. While all of our guides are prepared for emergencies in the mountains, being a phone call away from any doctor, hospital, or friend helps you feel more secure. Each Cusco Expeditions guides has a satellite phone that can be used anywhere on the mountain to call anywhere in the world. You can also use it even if it’s not an emergency.

What Is Not Included?

  • Travel Insurance

  • Tips for our staff

    Tips are usual on any excursion to Machu Picchu. Although we pay good salaries to our entire team, something extra is always welcome, especially considering the hard work they do. Typically, group participants collect their tips to hand out to the porters and chefs together.

  • Additional costs or delays out of control of the management

    Landscape, bad weather condition, itinerary modification due to a safety concern, illness, change of government policy, political instability/strike, etc.

  • Personal clothing and gear

  Before You Go

We want to make your trip to Peru as memorable and as easy as possible. In this section, you will find speedy answers to all those questions you had in one place. Please read the following information carefully – it will help you with any questions about our services.

Has another question that we haven’t answered here? Drop us a line, and we will get back to you asap!

Briefing or informative meeting

All information meetings are held in your hotel at 6:00 p.m., one night before the tour begins. If you cannot attend, you must coordinate another time at the Cusco Expeditions offices. These meetings last approximately 30 to 45 minutes and there you will be given a small duffel bag, in which you’ll put all the belongings you intend to bring on the trek that won’t be in your day pack.

Duffel bag or canvas case:

ou’ll receive a canvas case or duffel bag during your briefing. The porters will take them on the way and will deliver them to you when you get to each camp. They measure 66 cm / 2 ft. Long x 36 cm / 1 ft. Wide.

A maximum of 5 kg is allowed for each duffel bag that includes the weight of your sleeping bag, mat, clothes and other personal items.

Payment of Trek Balance (in Cusco)

The trek has to be paid for in full by at least 7.30 pm two days before departure. For example, if your tour departs on a Wednesday, then you must come to our office before 7.30 pm on Monday.

It would be much appreciated if you pay the trek balance in cash US dollars or local currency. You can withdraw some money from several ATMs along Avenida Sol (either in US dollars or local Peruvian Soles). You can pay by credit card or PAYPAL online, but you will have to pay an 8% service charge, charged by VISA and PAYPAL. We do not accept bank checks or payment of the balance by traveler’s checks.

Storing your luggage at our Office.

Of course! During the travel, your main luggage can be stored at our office(you can organize briefing day or by email) or at your hotel, both free of charge.

Any equipment that you are not going to need on the trek can be stored safely in your hotel. Nearly every hotel will provide this service. Don’t leave items of value with your bags, put them in the hotel safe and obtain an itemized receipt (In the unlikely case of theft many insurance companies require that you have a copy of the receipt itemizing all the items). Best put items such as credit cards inside a sealed, signed envelope for extra peace of mind.

Pickups:

Cusco Expeditions can pick you up from your hotel, as long as it’s in the Historic Center of Cusco. The pickup time will be coordinated with your guide in the briefing. The pickup time may vary between 30 and 45 minutes due to traffic. Cusco is a very old city, therefore, it has many narrow cobbled streets. Some hotels and Airbnbs may be located on streets without access to cars or on long, steep slopes, making it difficult to transport luggage. We strongly recommend that you book accommodation with good access.

Group tours:

Group tours are made up of different types of people. Physical conditions and ages can vary. By agreeing to be part of a group tour, you also accept that some people may be faster or slower than you. Therefore, each person can go at their own pace on the route. It may be the case that a group wishes to modify the tour; however, it will be the guide who decides, after consulting with all the participants, if said modifications can be made.

Strikes and demonstrations:

Strikes and demonstrations are usually frequent in Peru and this may interrupt some of our tours. Roads can be blocked and train tracks can be taken over. However, we will try to keep your excursion as planned, even if it means leaving the night before the scheduled date. Under these circumstances, tours may also be cancelled. In case of changes or cancellations, all situations will be coordinated with you by our operations department. Your safety is our highest priority and our decisions will be made to protect it.

Lost objects:

You’re responsible for your objects during the tour. Please pay attention to where you leave your things and remember to take everything once you leave our trucks, tents, or restaurants.

  Pricing

The Choquequirao Machu Pícchu 9 days can leave any day of the week, from March through January. We do not run this trek in February because rainy season & maintenance.

  • Group Price

  • Choquequirao route Group
  • 2024 Land Cost
    US$1200
    per person
  • Pre-payment
    US$200
    (Required)
  • Balance
    US$1000
  • This small-group journey is guaranteed to operate with just two guests.

Extensions & Offers

There are several extensions you can include to your Salkantay Adventure:

  • Rainbow Mountain:  $100  $80
  • Sacred Valley:  $100  $80
  • City Tour:  $20

Price Guarantee

Once your booking has been confirmed we guarantee the price will not increase, whatever the circumstances. Before booking please ensure you have read our important tour pricing information

  Enquire Now

Thank you for your interest in having an adventure travel experience in Peru curated by Cusco Expeditions. Please take a moment to complete our short form, so one our friendly Adventure Consultants could provide you all the information for your trip of a lifetime in Peru.

Personal Details

Trip Details

Choquequirao to Machu Picchu 9D
14 years and above
Below 14 years
7 + 3 =
Remember |  One of our Travel Experts will contact you soon to confirm the availability of the trip you chose, give you more information, and/or provide you alternative options. Once availability is established, we will ask for a deposit and a completed online registration to confirm your spot on the trek. Please call us at (+51) 974798405 with any questions or to confirm availability over the phone.

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Our Pledge |  Your privacy is respected and protected. The Cusco Expeditions Company will never share, sell, or make public any of your personal contact information to third parties.

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Feel free to reach us via email at sales@cuscoexpeditions.com or by calling us directly at +51 974 798 405

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Triunfo Street 392, office 212, 2nd floor - Main Square of Cusco, Peru

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Monday - Friday
9:00 am to 8:00 pm
Saturday
10:00 am to 6:00 pm

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Due to the rainy season and trail maintenance, we don't offer this trek during the whole month of february. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you, we are working to provide you a better service!

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Our Focus

Guarantee you the adventure of a Lifetime

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Your Safety is our priority

Cusco Expeditions organized a first aid and rescue course in which all its guides actively participated.

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Expert Local Guides

Our Destination Experts aren't just trip designers, they're true explorers with experience in Peru you won't find anywhere else.

Fantastic Meals
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Fantastic Meals

The food is one of the most important things on the trek, we bring balance and nutritive food along the trail.

Best Groups
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Best Groups

Travelling with us will always feel like travelling among friends and not with a group of strangers in an organized tour.

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Great Experiences & Magical Places

The Journey is the Destination

What better way to explore a magic destination than by following in the footsteps of the people who know it best? To find out the best places to view during your Salkantay Trek, take a look at some of our traveler's favorite places.

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