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Choquequirao, Peru: splendid, more remote than Machu Picchu

Choquequirao (choh-kay-kee-rau) an Inca site similar to Machu Picchu in southern Perú is more remote and less visited than Machu Picchu, because the only way to get there is by two day trek (and of course two days back) from Cachora, where guides will lead you.

The site occupies the area around a truncated hilltop of Sunch'u Pata. The mean elevation here is 10,010 ft / 3,050 m, measures nearly 4,500 acres / 1,800 hectares and overlooks the Apurímac River canyon.

Quote:

The common trail head begins at the village of San Pedro de Cachora, which is approximately a 4-hour drive from Cuzco, along the Cusco-Abancay route. Another access point is from Huanipaca village, whose crossroad is located on the same route Cusco-Abancay, 4–5 km beyond the Cachora crossroad. Huanipaca offers a 15 km trail, half distance less than Cachora trail (31 km). Link to Wikipedia article.

I’ll never make it there, but it’s here in case someone is looking for a more remote yet spectacular Inca archaeological site beyond Machu Picchu. Strong trekkers can actually do both in ~11 days of trekking.

IMAGES: Apurimac a toda pagina (link)

Wow! Looks fascinating and well worth a visit. Let's hope they don't improve access to the site, so that it won't become overrun with tourists as has happened at MP.

Another archeological site worth visiting is in the north: the mountaintop fortress of Kuelap, near Chachapoyas. The site itself is accessible by (unpaved, and dangerous) road and, since a few years ago, by cable car. However, because there is no commercial air service to Chachapoyas, getting there from Lima is a chore, so it's not yet nearly as popular as MP. Highly recommended.