Alternative Trek to Machu Picchu
Huchuy Qosqo Trek (small Cusco) to Machu Picchu is perfect if you are looking for a one-day walk in the mountains observing the beautiful landscapes and wildlife of the Urubamba Mountian Range in the Andes. Huchuy Qosqo Trek is one of the excellent and popular alternative treks to Machu Picchu.
On this trek, you will see impressive Andean mountains, birds, creeks, and sacred lakes, as well as the magnificent archaeological site of Huchuy Qosqo. You will pass through different communities and have the opportunity to see their customs, agriculture, clothing, and language.
Huchuy Qosqo trek & Machu Picchu begins when we’ll pick you up from your hotel at 07:00 a.m and drive you to Tambomachay (3,800 masl) an Inca temple of the water cult which has ceremonial fountains. From here, we will be going to start hiking through the Puna landscapes and over the Sicllaccasa Pass (4,020 masl). On the other side of the pass, we will hike along a trail that leads to Ccauca Ravine and admire archaeological remains and wild crops such as quinua.
We’ll continue on to Quelloca Pass (4,185 masl) where we will enjoy views of a lake with the same name and the snow-capped mountains of Veronica, Pitusiray, Sawasiray, and Chicon. Continuing the trek, we will pass Queullococha Lake where we could see huallatas, ducks, and small fish.
Then, we’ll climb towards the Challu Challu pass (4220m). Later, we’re gonna ascend to the fourth pass at Rumicruz (4,230 masl), to enjoy the Vilcanota Mountain Range. At this point, we will have lunch before continuing to an Inca stone quarry (4,220 masl), the place where the rocks were extracted to build Huchuy Qosqo. Finally, we will descend to the Pucamarca Community (4,010 masl) where we will set up the campsite and have dinner.
Early in the morning, we will leave the camp and walk downhill to the Leon Punku Ravine where we will find remains of an Inca bridge and trail. Then, we will hike to Huchuy Qosqo (3,600 masl) which was an important center in the time of the Incas. From this place, we will be able to admire the Sacred Valley of the Incas and the Sacred River from above. Once we arrive at Huchuy Qosqo, we will have a guided tour for two hours approximately; the tour will end about lunch time.
After that, we will continue the trek to Lamay (2,800 masl) where our transport will wait for us and travel one hour to the train station of Ollantaytambo and take the train to the picturesque town of “Aguas Calientes/Hot Waters”; the train ride will be two hours through the Sacred Valley surrounded by stunning mountain scenery.
Once we arrive to the town of “Aguas Calientes town” we will have accommodation in the hotel; in the evening, you could go to relax to the natural thermal bath and be ready for the next day.
Today we arrive at the long-awaited finale of our trek, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site – Machu Picchu! We will wake up early after a refreshing night at our hostel to beat the crowds to the top of Machu Picchu and enjoy its serenity in the soft morning light.
The Machu Picchu entrance check point is open from 06:00 AM until 17:00 PM. We will hike up to Machupicchu (a bus ride is optional for $12.00) and enter the hidden Royal Citadel of the Incas. Here we will have a 2-hour guided tour through this incredible ancient city to visit temples, terraces, palaces, priest’s houses, the sundial, the industrial sector, and the farming fields. Be amazed at the engineering ingenuity of the Incas which was so far ahead of their time and still partially a mystery today! Without having modern tools or even steel and iron to work with, the people who built this city were genius in organizing this community in a sustainable and beautiful way on the side of a mountain, even bringing water in canals through its streets for the people to use. When a Peruvian guide showed this site to Hiram Bingham, it was almost unrecognizable, covered in thick vegetation and in a state of disrepair. It has since been cleaned and restored and is now protected and treasured by the world at large!
After this tour, you are free to climb up to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain (Be sure to book in advance to get tickets for these!). Each mountain takes approximately 3 hours to hike up and down. Another lower-impact option for which you do not need an extra ticket is to trek to the Sun Gate, the main entrance from the Inca Trail (this takes about 2 or 2.5 hours round-trip). Another option is walking to see the Incan Bridge. You will be able to stay and enjoy this magical city for more than 7 hours before hiking back down to Aguas Calientes for the train ride at 18:20 hrs (subject to availability) to Ollantaytambo. A private bus will pick up our group and drop you off at your hotel in Cusco at about 21:30 hrs. Rest your feet and your body now, but we can assure you your heart will still be soaring for weeks and years to come!.
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