Just when you thought you had seen it all, Cusco surprises us with Choquequirao, a tourist destination cataloged as the «sacred sister of Machu Picchu», which awaits us to discover one of the best adventures in Peru.
Discovered almost the same year as Machu Picchu, the site has not acquired as much notoriety in the world and has never been considered a target to be exploited, to the point that less than 50% of the site has been discovered to date. . .
However, all the mysticism and the low influx of travelers have managed to create a unique experience that gives us so much history, physical fatigue and unpublished photos on social networks.
What is Choquequirao and why has it become the secret jewel of Cusco?
Even the Spaniards themselves could not reach Choquequirao at the time of the conquest, a place kept secret and that even today remains one of the least known in Cusco.
Choquequirao is an archaeological complex located on one of the slopes created thanks to the Vilcabamba mountain range, a site whose construction or evolution in history cannot be specified to this day.
Its name comes from the combination of two words, chuqui and kiraw, which translate as «cradle of gold».
In its time it served as an Inca city, fortress and religious center since there are typical buildings and terraces spread over hundreds of hectares.
At the time of the conquest, Choquequirao was one of the last bastions of resistance and refuge of the Inca Empire until the capture and execution of Túpac Amaru in 1572.
Due to its strategic position, scholars believe that Choquequirao may have been the last bastion of the Inca’s conquest of the jungle.
A region that the Empire had not completely conquered and that was concentrated in a few areas, but no civilizations were created in what we know today as the Amazon jungle.
The jewel of the Incas and Cusco
Choquequirao was the last thing the Incas created, their greatest architectural and cultural expression of an empire considered the best and largest in America.
Due to its geographical location, the site has been little explored by Spaniards, Peruvians and tourists who have taken advantage of Cusco.
But the site has everything to be a unique tourist attraction as it contains the latest Inca knowledge in architecture, engineering and design.
On the site we find the best artistic expressions of the entire Inca Empire in a structure of this magnitude.
Entering the Citadel – Fortress, we will find many surprises throughout the exquisite Inca exhibition located every meter of the route.
In October 2022, National Geographic ranked Choquequirao among the top five adventure destinations in the world. For travelers looking for unique experiences that allow them to live the adrenaline.
In the publication of the magazine, the archaeological complex stands out from the others for the unique characteristics of Inca engineering.
Find out what the world expects in Choquequirao, a place that attracts more tourists every year to discover new photos for their social networks in 2023.
The only way to get to Choquequirao is through the adventure
Like any jewel, access is difficult, few will have the privilege of witnessing the architectural work of Choquequirao.
The only way to access the site is by taking an excursion known as the Choquequirao Adventure Hike. It is a four or three day itinerary to discover the nature, culture and history of Cusco.
It requires good physical condition, being able to walk more than 20 kilometers uphill in a single day and also having the body to go further when reaching Choquequirao.
There are two days to go and two to return, the way back is the easiest once we have achieved our goal of reaching the architectural jewel.
And the best way to get there is with a group of professionals like Kuskandes Trek, an agency and a tour operator, who take care of all the details.
With them we have a cook, shepherds and everything we need to achieve our goal. In addition, they will give us all the Inca knowledge we need to enjoy the experience even more.
Pack your bags and get ready for your next adventure in the jewel of Cusco, Choquequirao.
