Choquequirao Trek, Cusco, Peru
Awesome ! We have just returned from a very tough 5 day, 4 night trek to the Inca archaeological site of Choquequirao. A round trip of about 75 km in total, and the first 10km unrepresentative of the rest of the terrain, the hike was mostly extremely tough up and down steep mountain sides. One morning was straight up a zigzag path for six km with a significant gain in altitude. The site itself, although not as expansive as the more famous Machu Picchu, is very impressive and the Inca people had chosen one of the steepest and least accessible mountainsides to build their houses and agricultural terraces. The trek itself was great with just Heather and I supported by a team of a cook, horseman, assistant guide and two horses with an accompanying young foal. The horses and mules are extremely tough having to carry heavy loads. Our main guide who spoke some english, and we met two days before the trek, called in sick the morning we left. We were challenged for the rest of the trip trying to 
communicate effectively in spanish. The team of three looked after us incredibly well. What a pleasure to arrive at a campsite and have the tents set up, and meal cooked (The food was excellent). The site of Choquequirao is also spectacular because it is surrounded by high jungle, and the bird and insect life suddenly increases when you enter the area. We saw a flock of parrots, their emerald green plumage shining in the sunlight, but are still trying to identify the species. We were fortunate as well to see our first Andean condor fly past us and down into the valley below. The Andean condor is the biggest flying bird in the western hemisphere and can live up to 50 years.
Awesome ! We have just returned from a very tough 5 day, 4 night trek to the Inca archaeological site of Choquequirao. A round trip of about 75 km in total, and the first 10km unrepresentative of the rest of the terrain, the hike was mostly extremely tough up and down steep mountain sides. One morning was straight up a zigzag path for six km with a significant gain in altitude. The site itself, although not as expansive as the more famous Machu Picchu, is very impressive and the Inca people had chosen one of the steepest and least accessible mountainsides to build their houses and agricultural terraces. The trek itself was great with just Heather and I supported by a team of a cook, horseman, assistant guide and two horses with an accompanying young foal. The horses and mules are extremely tough having to carry heavy loads. Our main guide who spoke some english, and we met two days before the trek, called in sick the morning we left. We were challenged for the rest of the trip trying to 
communicate effectively in spanish. The team of three looked after us incredibly well. What a pleasure to arrive at a campsite and have the tents set up, and meal cooked (The food was excellent). The site of Choquequirao is also spectacular because it is surrounded by high jungle, and the bird and insect life suddenly increases when you enter the area. We saw a flock of parrots, their emerald green plumage shining in the sunlight, but are still trying to identify the species. We were fortunate as well to see our first Andean condor fly past us and down into the valley below. The Andean condor is the biggest flying bird in the western hemisphere and can live up to 50 years.
