Peru

Choquequirao Also known as Machu Picchu’s sister. It’s a unique trekking, one of 25 world’s best destinations to visit in 2023. Ranked by National Geographic’s annual list. If you want to feel yourself like an authentic and adventurous explorer avoiding crowds you should consider this option. In this ultimate guide to Choquequirao, you will find everything you need to know, how to get there, trekking information, recommendations, prices and some useful local tips. Unlike its sister Machu Picchu, Choquequirao is a much more quieter experience. It only receives 20 visitors per day and Machu Picchu has a maximum capacity of 4044 visitors each day. Why the difference is huge? The only way to arrive to Choquequirao is walking, 2 days for going and 2 for coming back. There is a project a long time ago (since 2013) to build a cable car to Choquequirao, so the government can replicate the massive tourism of Machu Picchu. The cable car doesn’t have a start date yet, but it’s on negotiations. So, it is better to go there as soon as you can before a horde of tourists arrive. Choquequirao meaning Choquequirao, translated as “cradle of gold” in Peru’s Indigenous Quechua language. Built in the late 15th century by Incas, and expanded over the next century Choquequirao is believed to have served as an administrative hub for the region, as well as providing a local military centre.  Choquequirao is believed to be at least three times larger than Machu Picchu. Currently, it is estimated that only 30% of Choquequirao is exposed to the visit the rest is covered in vegetation. This archaeological site has many things in common with Machu Picchu such as its strategic location, Inca terraces, temples and a main square. If you want to know how to get to Machu Picchu, check this article. Who discovered Choquequirao? Some people knew the existence of Choquequirao before the American explorer Hiram Bingham (the discoverer of Machu Picchu) arrived in 1909 who was looking for the Inca treasure.  Its importance has only recently been recognized since it’s offered as a replacement of the traditional Inca Trail that needs to be scheduled 6 months before. Best time to go to Choquequirao The best time to travel is between May to September. Choquequirao (and actually all Mountain area in Peru) has two stations: Rainy season (from October to April): it is characterized by frequent fluvial rainfall. The sun is not so intense but the rain can harm the walk. Dry season (from May to September): it is characterized by the lower frequency of rains. The days are hotter and the nights are colder. Even if you are coming on the dry season, you should bring a rain proof jacket, weather in the Andes can be changeable. If you want to know about the weather in other regions of Peru, check this  article to know Best time to go to Peru. Getting to Choquequirao The most common way to get to Choquequirao is through San Pedro de Cachora or simply also known as “Cachora”. In Peru we really love to make names shorter. Cachora is a small village 165km from Cusco, 5 hours away. So, it’s better to go out between 5-6 am. By public transportation From Terminal terrestre in Cusco take a bus towards Abancay (40 Soles/US$12), ask to stop at the turn to Cachora (desvío a Cachora) which is in “kilómetro 154”. 2. Then you have to take a shared minibus (combi) to Cachora, for 5 soles/US$1.5 pp. 3. From Cachora you have to go to El mirador de Capuliyoc. You can start the trek right away or you can take a taxi to the starting point. If you decide to walk, you should know is 7 Km/ 4.3 miles, around 2.5-3 horas more. In my case, I hired a tour to Choquequirao that also has a hotel, so I left Cusco at 8 am with no rush. I arrived to Cachora at 2 pm and I stayed there overnight. I stayed at Inka dream choquequirao, a double room cost S/116- USD$ 31 per night.  Go to Choquequirao with a tour or not? Well, that depends on what type of hiker you are. If you are an experienced hiker, it wouldn´t be an issue for you to carry your own stuff. Besides, the path is well signed. If you not used to hike with a heavy backpack, I would say this is not a good moment to start. The trekking is hard, so it would be better for you to hire a tour. What includes a tour? It usually includes transfers from Cusco, muleteers, lunches, dinners and the entrance tickets for Choquequirao, tents and sleeping bags. So, you don’t have to pay for anything extra. In any case, make sure and ask the agency what is included. Tours starts at US $450 pp (4 days), then as everything in Peru you can find a wide range of prices. I even saw some agency tour charging US $1200 pp for 2 people. Keep in mind, you can negotiate prices in Peru but that will be more effective if you speak some Spanish, if not it’s unlikely you will get a big discount, but at least you can try right? Altitude Sickness Choquequirao is at 3033m/ 9950 ft, Machu Picchu is a little lower 2430m/ 7972 ft. Since you will do a trekking for 4-5 days, I strongly recommend to be at least 3 days in The Andes. In my case, since I get really sick every time I go to the Mountains, I need minimum 4 days. So, it really depends on how your body reacts. It is a really good idea to visit first Cusco which is higher 3,400 meter above sea level (11,154 ft) and then go to Choquequirao. Check this article for a complete High Altitude Acclimatization tips. MY CHOQUEQUIRAO trekking EXPERIENCE As I always said, please note the estimate times I’m giving are relative, the main goal is you to have an idea of how long lasts

Laguna 69 is an iconic hike in Peru, its rare blue color stands out from the landscape. In recent years, this place has become one of many impressive hikes in the Andes. In this guide, I will share all the details you need to know for hiking Laguna 69. LAGUNA 69 HIKING TOUr You should know the popularity of Laguna 69 and its difficulty are not related. This hike is famous for its unique beauty. We will see this point later. Before talking transportation options I think is better to ask yourself some questions in order to verify if you are ready or not for this hike.  The most important thing you should know is Laguna 69 is at 4600 m/ 15091 ft which is a little bit less than the Mont Blanc (4809m/15777 ft). So, there is nothing to underestimate.  You should ask yourself the following questions: Are you in good physical condition? Are you acclimatized? Have you ever gone hiking at a similar altitude? If you answered 2/3 questions yes, you are ready. In my case, the only “no” was the acclimatization but I didn’t had another option, I just had 4 days in Caraz. I perfectly knew I was going to struggle and still I decided to do it. Another important thing to keep in mind is the elevation. Lots of people didn’t expect it. the trailhead starts at 3900 m/ 12795 ft and when you arrive to Laguna 69 is 4600 m/ 15091 ft. I strongly recommend to visit Laguna Paron first, it is way much easier. How to go to laguna 69 Now that you have evaluated your personal situation you can choose what is the better way for you to get there. A tour to Laguna 69 is the cheaper and convenient choice. It costs around S/60/ USD$ 15. Please note the entrance fee to the Huascaran National Park is not included in any service. Commonly the group tour is around 25-30 people. An option for going independently is to book a private taxi. From Caraz cost S/180/ USD$ 46, with 2 hours of waiting, then the taxi driver charges S/10/ USD$2.59 pp per extra hour. If you are a fit hiker you should know with a tour, you will probably wait 1-2 hours in the bus for the slower ones. If you are not short on money you may consider this alternative. In my case this wasn’t appealing because I knew I wouldn’t be fast. Taking public transportation is easy for going in but the return is another story. Colectivos timetable are unreliable. Some people said last colectivo from Cebolla Pampa to Yungay leaves at 3.00 pm, others said 4 pm. One hour of difference is a lot, especially in a high altitude hike. So I just skipped this option. Please note the entrance fee to the Huascaran National Park is not included in any service. My experience with Laguna 69 tour Laguna Llanganuco View As the bus was going out from Huaraz and I stayed in Caraz, I had to catch it in Yungay at 7 am. I was there 15 minutes earlier and  at 7.45 am there was no bus. I called to the travel agency and they told me  the bus will pass soon. It showed up at 8.30 am. Later, I knew some passengers were late and the bus was stopped by a police man. I’m sharing this experience, so you can be aware that the tour can be late. Maybe this is something unusual but sometimes it happens. As it was planned, we made 2 stops: for taking breakfast and for taking pictures at Laguna de Llanganuco. Enjoying the turquoise colour of Laguna Llanganuco The travel guide only spoke Spanish so some people couldn’t communicate with him.  He told us to come back from whatever we were at 12.30 in order to be at 3.30 in the parking lot. Many people didn’t follow this indication, so they kept walking to Laguna 69 in their own pace. The slowest person came back at 5.45 pm. Some people criticized the guide that he was responsable for not leaving cebolla pampa on time. Two girls were extremely worried because they had to take the bus to Lima in the night and then taking an airplane to get back to their countries.   I truly advice you, don’t make a tour or a hike the same day you have to travel, especially if you are coming back to your country. A lot of things can happen when you go hiking. In despite of everything, I still think going with a tour is more convenient because you don’t have to worry of being at an exact time to catch the last colectivo. Travel time: 12 hours approx. It starts 5 am from Huaraz until 6-7 pm. How hard is Laguna 69? The trailhead starts at Cebolla Pampa at 3900 m/ 12795 ft above the sea. If I have to divide this trail, I would say it has 3 parts. FIRST PART At the beginning the trail is flat with short elevations. I made this first part in 1 hour. Second Part This is more challenging since the trail goes up. There is another Laguna before Laguna 69. Its name is Laguna 68. Some people also make jokes around and call it “Laguna Consuelo” because for it can be seen as a consolation prize for those who can’t go farther. Once you arrive here, you only have 1/3 left to  Laguna 69. This second part took me 1h 30 m. Laguna 68 THIRD PART When you pass the Laguna 68 you walk a short flat section. I promise you, it’s a relief for your legs. There is a sign that indicates Laguna 69 is 1 km away. This is actually not much but the steep incline makes it difficult. This is the hardest part of the hike. Honestly, I hesitated a lot when I saw the inclination. At this point, I had headache

In this hiking guide you will find different ways to get to Laguna Paron with pros and cons, what you should bring and of course all the details you need to know about the hike. As a bonus track, I will share information about 2 more Lagunas in the area that aren’t commonly known. It’s up to you to judge if they are worth it or not. Where is Laguna Paron located? Laguna Paron is in Ancash region Peru, in Huascaran National Park, 32km away from Caraz and 100 km from Huaraz. It’s the largest lake in the cordillera blanca and is above 4200 meters above sea level. Check this article If you want to know How to get to Huaraz from Lima. Laguna Paron is perfect for the first hike in this area. It is relatively easy and it is high enough to acclimatize your body and also your mind ^^. In case you are doubting where to stay, read this article Stay in Caraz or Huaraz? How do you get to Laguna Paron Good news, there are options for everybody: for travelers on a budget, for solo adventurous or even for a small group that want some privacy. 1. Travel agency tour If you want to go to Laguna Paron and don’t have to worry about the transportation, this is the best option. It’s a day trip, if you are in Huaraz, it  takes 9h approx. (8 am to 5 pm) and if you are in Caraz 6h (9.30 to 3.30). Price: S/60- USD $ 16 per person. Please note this cost doesn’t include neither lunch nor entrance fee (S/5- USD $ 1.30). Pros: This is the cheapest and best option if you are not really into hiking. Cons: If you like to have some flexibility when you travel, you should keep in mind as an organized tour you have to abide a schedule. Once you arrive to the lake, you will have 2 hours for exploring the area by your own.   2. Public transportation If you are planning to get to Paron by your own, I suggest you to be patient. Sadly, in Peru our public transportation has unreliable timetables. So keep in mind, that you will probably have to wait some minutes. If you are in Huaraz, take the first colectivo (normally at 5 am) to Caraz (1h30m). Then from the bus station, take the second colectivo to Pueblo Paron (45m) for S/10/ USD$2.61 pp. Once you arrive there, you have to walk 15 minutes to the entrance gate. After that you  hike up about 10 km to Laguna Paron. The last ride from Pueblo Paron is supposed to be at 4.30- 5 pm. So you  need to keep an eye on time. Pros. You can go explore Laguna Paron as you want to. Cons. If you don’t come back to Pueblo Paron on time, you risk to be stranded there. In my case I didn’t want to take that risk. If I had a tent I would have stayed one night at Laguna Paron and the day after I would have gone with no rush. 3. Private transportation I asked for this option just for curiosity, since it wasn’t expansive I chose it. I’m pretty sure this alternative is always available with all travel agencies. Keep in mind if you are in Huaraz, it will cost more (for the distance).  I hired a taxi through Pony’s expedition which I highly recommend. I paid S/190/ USD$ 49.55, the taxi driver picked me up at the hotel in Caraz. This cost included 2 hours of waiting. After that, the taxi driver charged S/10- USD $2.60 per hour for each passenger. In my case, we were 2 persons, so we paid S/20- USD$5.20 per hour.  Pros. Most agencies tours have the same schedules, they usually arrive at 11 am -1 pm to Laguna Paron. Sometimes, this can be crowded. Especially if it’s the weekend or even worse a Peruvian National Holiday, please check this article to know those dates. The taxi picked me up at 5.30 am, I arrived at 7.00 am there. At that time, I literally just saw one camping couple, I really enjoyed a peaceful place. Cons. If you are traveling solo probably this isn’t affordable. Beyond Laguna Paron Usually travel agencies don’t talk about the lakes beyond Laguna Paron. Probably it’s because you will not pay for a tour and as far as I know is their core business. As I said before tour operators only gives you 2 hours to explore this place, this isn’t enough time to go hiking other lagunas, unless you are  a very outsanding athlete (I’m not😬). However it’s possible to visit on a day trip Laguna Artesoncocha and Laguna Congelada at your own pace. Laguna Paron Hiking Guide Once you are at Laguna Paron, you can go to the right if you want to see the mirador or go to the left is you want to go to Laguna Artesoncocha/Laguna congelada. It takes 2-3 hours to skirt Laguna Paron. Almost at the end of the Laguna you will see 2 paths, take the one that goes up. No one explained me this, so I just continued to go straight. It wasn’t a sign neither. When I arrived at the end of the path, I realized the only way to go farther was swimming for a little while. I said no way. I went up instead of coming back to the fork. This was a mistake, I waste time and spent too much energy climbing the rocks over there. In case this happen to you, you know what to do. Once you arrive to a flat land, keep straight until you find a sort of a bridge. Cross the bridge and keep going in the direction of Piramide de Garcilazo Nevado.  How do you know which one is? It’s very simple, is the one with a perfect triangle form You will see a rocky landscape. Beware almost all are loose rocks, so

Rupac means in Quechua “a place of fire”, I promise you once you will see the sunset there, it will make a lot of sense its name. Spoiler alert! You will see how the sky turns red. The ruins are pre-inca civilization and were built between 900- 1200 CE, they belong to Atavillos Culture. In this travel guide to Rupac Peru, you will find options how to get there (private and public transportation),  best time to visit, essentials to bring and of course hiking details. WHERE IS LOCATED RUPAC Peru Before saying its location, I need to explain you briefly a couple of things… Lima department (departamento) has 10 provinces (provincias). One of those provinces, is also called Lima/ Lima Metropolitana with 43 districts, the most popular are Miraflores, Barranco, Surco, Centro de Lima etc. Rupac is located in the province of Huaral, belonging also the department of Lima. So when someone is saying Rupac is in Lima, it is absolutely correct. WHY YOU SHOULD GO? I suggest you to go only if you have some free days in Lima. Keep in mind that you will need 2 full days to visit Rupac. The ruins are not too high, so if you want to test how your body will react in the altitude, Rupac is a smooth start. BEST TIME TO GO TO RUPAC Rain season: December- April Dry season: May- November May is the best moment to go, especially if you want to see “El colchón de nubes” (cloud´s mattress). If you want to hire a muleteer (arriero), don’t go there the first week of august. I went there on August 7th and everybody was Celebrating a local holiday. I will give more details later. Another thing you should know, Rupac is crowded on weekends, particularly on national holidays. So, if you are looking for a quiet night in the middle of the nature, avoid to go on holidays such as semana santa, fiestas patrias. Check this Peruvian National holidays calendar. How to get to rupac peru Public transportation I suggest you to take this option if you are with someone local or if you speak some basic spanish. If it´s not your case you will probably have some difficulties to communicate with people. There is not a direct public transportation to go to Rupac, so you have to take 2 vehicles. Time travel: 6 hours approx. Go to Gran terminal Terrestre in Plaza Norte and buy a bus ticket to Huaral. It will cost around S/ 8 – S/14 pp/ USD$2.00- USD$3.55. For all I know, it is not possible to book tickets in advance, so you have to go the bus station and buy them directly. Try to be there early in the morning to avoid the traffic that is very intense near the bus station. It is better to check the estimated time to arrive with a gps (waze, google maps) so you can get an idea how early you need to leave your hotel. The main bus company that goes to Huaral is Z buss. Travel time: Lima- Huaral  2h 30m approx. Once you are in Huaral, you have to go to the “colectivo station” which is located between Av. Los Naturales y Av. García Alonso 942, next to the gas station Primax. In Peru, we call “colectivo” to a small transportation. It is a car shared with other passengers. You have to go towards “Pampas”. Actually the village´s name is “Pampas El Salvador” but all Peruvians we really like to make abreviations, especially with names. So everybody will get you if you just say “Pampas”. It costs around S/25 soles / USD $6 pp. The colectivo stops at La Florida where you have to pay S/10/ USD$2.55 for the entrance to Rupac. Travel time: Huaral- Pampas 2h.30m  approx.    Watch out: Colectivos Pampas- Huaral are running only on weekends and national holidays. In order to assure you to have a transportation to getting back, is better to ask the driver to pick you up. Pampas El Salvador is also called a Ghost Town since no body lives there. An extra tip, if you arrange a deal with the driver, don’t pay him in advance. You risk to be abandoned there with less soles.    PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION​ A spontaneous parking lot in Rupac I suggest you to leave your hotel at 4-4.30 am so you can avoid North Lima´s Traffic. Huaral has the last gas station so it is better to check if you have enough to arriving and coming back from Rupac. Another important thing is charge your mobile phone in the car, there is not internet connection outside Huaral.  Google maps still works, once you had already put the destination, though. Once you go through Huaral, take Los Naturales avenue, this road takes you to the Mountains. After some minutes you arrive to Acos, be careful with the thick mist over there. I will tell you later what other things you should be aware of. Right before “Oscar Vargas Avendaño bridge” take the road with the sign “Zona Turística la Florida- Pampas- Rupac”. This part of the road is not paved and narrow. From this point you go up. At La Florida you have to pay for the entrance fee S/10/ USD$2.55 pp, 30 minutes later you arrive to Las pampas.  Total Travel time: 5 hours. You have to leave your car at Pampas. It doesn´t exist a private garage over there but like mostly small villages in Peru, it is safe. When I went there, I left my friend´s car and we didn´t have any problem. RUPAC Peru HIKING DETAILS Total distance. 14 Km/8.6 miles. The trail ends at the same point where it starts. Each person is different. The duration’s hike depends how fit you are. I will describe 3 hiker’s types, so you can identify what group you think you belong to get an idea how long is this hike. Fit hikers. If you do exercises regularly and you are not carrying anything (or you