Choquequirao Peru

Choquequirao: The Machu Picchu That Hasn’t Been Ruined Yet

The proposal to build a cable car to Choquequirao has been discussed in Peru since the early 2000s. If it goes ahead, the site, which currently receives 30 to 50 visitors per day and requires a 4-5 day round-trip hike to access, would receive tens of thousands per year. The Peru government and various development interests argue the revenue would benefit the local communities and fund conservation. Conservationists and trekkers argue that what makes Choquequirao significant is precisely the inaccessibility that guarantees solitude. This debate has no obvious resolution, and as of 2025 the cable car has not been built.

What this means practically: if you want to visit a major Inca citadel in near-solitude, in a landscape that feels genuinely remote, Choquequirao is the place to go while the situation lasts.

The Site

Choquequirao (roughly “cradle of gold” in Quechua) sits at 3,103 metres in the Apurimac canyon, which drops 1,500 metres below it. The site is around 30-40% excavated; the remains include ritual platforms, terraces, residential compounds, and the distinctive llama terraces, stone walls with llama figures inlaid in the facing, unique in Inca architecture. The site is believed to have been built under the Inca ruler Tupac Yupanqui in the late 15th century and may have functioned as a royal retreat or a centre for control of the surrounding coca-growing valleys.

The Trek

The standard access is from Cachora, a village reached from Abancay. The route descends 1,500 metres into the Apurimac River gorge and climbs back up on the far side to the site, then reverses. Round trip typically takes 4 nights/5 days with camping at designated sites. The ascent from the river to the site gains 1,500 metres and the heat in the canyon makes this demanding. Hiring a guide and muleteers in Cachora significantly reduces the physical load and adds genuine historical context.

Longer routes connect Choquequirao to Machu Picchu through 8-10 days of trekking; this is considered one of the best long-distance treks in South America and requires advance planning.

Practicalities

Abancay (the nearest sizeable town) is 4 hours from Cusco by road, or 30-45 minutes by small plane to the Abancay airstrip. Getting to Cachora from Abancay is a further 2 hours by taxi. Arrange logistics from Cusco through a licensed tour operator; the combination of remote access, altitude, and limited infrastructure makes local expertise valuable.

The site entrance fee is around 20 PEN (about USD 5). Camping is in designated areas near the site. There is no accommodation on site itself; bring a tent and food for the trail days.