General
Huchuy Qosqo Trek
Huchuy Qosqo trek is a great choice if you have only a few days or you are looking for a suitable trek for your family. Hike an off the beaten path starting in Cusco which was the capital of the Incan empire, and ending at Huchuy Qosqo ( little Qosqo); You’ll be able to walk, enjoy and experience the real Andes in a short time. There will also be many opportunities to learn about the local traditions, culture, and history as you pass through local communities, Incan ruins and embrace the spectacular views of the Sacred Valley from many vantage points.
This is a perfect shorter trek to get Machu Picchu if you are an adventure lover and have short time in Cusco.
Join us for the adventure of a lifetime – give us a call at +51 984 464 391 or shoot us an email at info@perusummit.com to learn more or book your spot today!
This trip is officially operated by Peru Summit, a 100% local tour operator based in Cusco.
Highlights:
- Your own private guide, porters, delicious camp cuisine prepared by your personal cook.
- Spend the last day at Incomparable Machu Picchu, “Lost City of the Incas” with a private guide.
- Soak in views of snow-capped Andean peaks and awe-inspiring ruins sites.
- Travel & Trek with someone who hiked the Inca Trail for over 300 times, Salkantay Trek for over 200 times, Choquequirao Trek for over 150 times, Ausangate Trek for over 100 times, Lares Trek for over 50 times, Huchuy Qosqo for over 30 times, being at Machu Picchu for over 600 times.
- Direct & official local tour operator with headquarter in Cusco, accredited by the Peruvian Ministry of Tourism.
Group Size: We need a minimum of 02 people to depart. Family groups, friend travelers, couple travelers or even if you’re a SOLO traveler, you are welcome to our adventure. Prices are per person which are based on two people who might share a room / tent. The itinerary is described and based on shared services; however, you are looking for a private service, that would be upon request.
The Smallest Groups en Route—Averaging Just 4 Travelers!
Could you imagine trying to hike silently along an isolated trail, carefully not disturbing shy wildlife, with 10 or 20 other travelers? Or walking on a remote area to explore the pristine wilderness with dozens of other tourists at your side? We know meaningful nature encounters must be undertaken in small groups. That’s why our trips come with an average of just four travelers, by far the smallest groups in the tourism industry across the country. This not only guarantees you more personal close-up wildlife experience, but a less-impact presence on the earth’s brittle natural places we love.
Besides, Machu Picchu offers one of the world’s most spellbinding travel experiences. But it’s also a world-renowned destination, and touring the site in a big group with multitudes of tourists shoving for photos, and competing to hear the guide, your once in a lifetime visit to this World Heritage Site may lose its magic. Our Machu Picchu Trips are scheduled with an average of just four travelers, allowing for a deeper exploration of the lost city of the Incas, with our Local Experts / Tour Leaders.
We Deliver on Our Promises
We are very confident the quality of our journeys will get your expectations and that you will savor the best possible of cultural travel experience, nature travel experience, and adventure travel experience if you are dissatisfied, we’ll happily give you credit for an extra trip or for a future journey. It’s, to our knowledge, the best guarantee in the travel business!
Think Green, Think Global for a Better Place for Everyone
Traveling with us you are making a big difference in favor of the environment, our trips are rated as eco-friendly trips to ensure that fragile ecosystems are protected and maintained for future human generations, also maintain ecosystem and environment integrity through considering a sustainable and ethical business model. Making genuine and sustainable itineraries often translates to real costs, with a host of responsible travel practices that underpin our prices.
Service Level: Upgraded.
Physical Grading: 1 2 3 4 5 6
MODERATE TO STRENUOUS: Full-day hikes (5-7 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many hikes. Altitudes no greater than about 13,000 feet.
Activities: Hiking / Trekking, Cultural Adventures.
Accommodations: 4 season Black Diamond tents designed for 4 people which are used only for 2 people, come with sleeping pads “Therma-Rest”, and Pillows.
- 3 star Hotel in Aguas Calientes Town / Machu Picchu Town.
Important Note: While we expect the tour will run as the itinerary describes. Participants should accept that there is the possibility of changes, being necessary liable to local conditions, e.g, strikes, natural desasters, these changes might be at the discretion of your travel company.
Price:
- With Machu Picchu (3 days): From US$ 650 per person
- Without Machu Picchu (2 days): From US$ 450 per person
The price is subject to a 3-star hotel in Machu Picchu town; however, you want to have four-star or five-star hotel we would provide you that class hotel, so you would add the difference to the total balance. Besides the price is based on two-person. Whether you would like to take a private service, our service would increase in US$120 with two-person, US$100 with three-person, US$80 with four-person or more, these prices are applied to each person. We need a minimum of two people to run the tour. We guarantee that your tour will be limited to a maximum of 8 people. To ensure a private tour with us, our price increases US$350 with two-person, US$300 with three-person, US$250 with four-person or more, these prices are applied to each person.
The Best Fare For The Best Trip
We don’t believe any other tour companies make comparable trips when you take into account our unique itineraries and signature itineraries, impressive locations, small groups and quality Trek Leaders / Tour Leaders. But, should you come across a similar itinerary or matching itinerary of our quality at a cheaper price, even within 45 days after booking with us, we will happily refund the difference. It’s how we deliver our promise.
You Book, You Go…Don’t Worry… We Won’t Cancel!
While other tour companies generally cancel their trips due to low participation of travelers or pass their travelers to other big groups tour operators, we guarantee that we will never cancel a trip because of low signing-up or participation for the departure date neither get our travelers to other tour operators! This makes to our travelers the assurance and peace of mind to know their travel plans are insured and guaranteed.
Request a Quote: We can customize this private trek just for you. Any detail can be tailored – activities, length, hotels and other destinations. Call us at +51 984 464 391 or request a quote, Here.
Acclimatization: Please allow a minimum of 2 days in Cusco before your hike begins to Huchuy Qosqo Trek.
Ready To Book?…
Itinerary
Day 1, Cusco – Tambomachay – Pumamarka
We go to your hotel in Cusco at 6:00 am to pick you up, we will then have a half-hour drive to the beginning of the pathway which is Tambomachay (it was a religous center during the Incan times), the hike starts at this point going gradually up to Sicllaqasa pass (4,000m / 13,123 feet), from this pass, we will keep walking on the nice path until reaching the Ccauca highland valley; in which, the valley still keeps some ancient Incan ruins; the path leads up to the next Queullaqocha pass (4,200m / 13,780feet), this place is a Kodak spot, because from this place we’ll have stunning views around, we’ll see massive mountains further away such as: Veronica, Pitusiray, Chicon, Sawasiray. Our hike continues and after a while, we’ll see the Queullaqocha lagoon and we walk close by, where we’ll see highland birds. Afterwards we’ll hike up to the next pass called Challu Challu (4,230m / 13,878feet), from this point we’ll have some awesome views of Chinchero Plateau, Piuray lagoon, Qoricocha lagoon. Subsequently we’ll ascend to the last pass known as Rumicruz (4,250m / 13,944 feet), and we’ll arrive to the Incan rock quarry, which was the main rock source for the construction of Huchuy Qosqo, eventually we’ll arrive to Pumamarqa highland rural community (3,800m / 12,467 feet), where we camp. In the evening we will have tea time, subsequently dinner.
Hiking distance: 12 km / 7.45 miles
Hiking time: 7 – 8 hours
Highest point: 4,250m / 13,944 feet
Lowest point: 3800m/ 12,467 feet
Day 2, Pumamarka – Huchuy Qosqo – Machu Picchu Town
In the morning we’ll wake up with hot coca tea provided by our Quechua chef to start the day nicely. After having breakfast, we’ll leave the campsite to continue with our hike to Huchuy Qosqo Incan site. Walking downhill toward the Leon Punku ravine, we’ll see the remains of the Incan bridge and remains of the Inca trail, from this point we have stunning views of the mountains, valleys, and we’ll arrive at Huchuy Qosqo that is located at an altitude of 3,600m / 11,811 feet. Huchuy Qosqo is an Incan archaeological complex that is comprised by temples, palaces, ceremonial center, crops terracings, and granaries, where you’ll get a rich history lesson delivered by your trek leader, after that, we’ll take the pathway that leads to Lamay, where we’ll have our last lunch, and say goodbye to our Quechua team. We will then drive for 1 hour and 20 minutes to Ollantaytambo train station to take the train to Machu Picchu town.
Hiking distance: 4 km / 2.48 miles
Hiking time: 3 – 4 hours
Highest point: 3800m/ 12,467 feet
Lowest point: 3100m/ 10,171 feet
Hotel: Cabaña Hotel, Tierra Viva Machu Picchu
Day 3, Guided Tour at Machu Picchu – Cusco 
Today a great breakfast at the hotel makes us ready for a full morning exploration of Machu Picchu on a private tour with your Trek Leader. We’ll take the bus to Machu Picchu early in the morning for an amazing tour until 12:00 pm (Machu Picchu permits will be issued for the first group which is from 6:00 am to 12:00 pm). After a great time at the Incan emperor’s palace, we’ll take the bus down to Machu Picchu town (Aguas Calientes town), where we’ll have lunch (not included). In the afternoon we’ll take the train back to Ollantaytambo train station and/or Poroy train station, as of this place continue driving to your hotel in Cusco by our transportation.
Note on Itinerary
Although we do our very best possible to adhere to the schedule above, this itinerary is subject to change for several reasons beyond our control, including strikes, weather, natural disasters, and terrain conditions. On some occasions, these conditions may demand us to deviate from our original schedule, in which case we will provide the best available alternative options. And we’ll make a great experience of it!
Weather
Average daytime temperatures in and around Cusco generally range from 55º – 75º F with evenings cooling down into the 40º and 50º. Much of this itinerary takes place in the mountains, where weather can change very quickly and evening temperatures regularly drop into the 30º and 40º. As our treks are planned during the “dry season”, days are typically clear and pleasant, with afternoon clouds occasionally building and leading to small amounts of rainfall, and morning temperatures usually range from 35º and 45º with some frost on the tents, and frosty plains in some locations. While April and November departures may experience slightly higher amounts of rainfall, all-day rain is unusual. We will be hiking over multiple mountain passes which are over 14,104 ft, so should you be prepared for unpredictable mountain weather.
Peru Summit Includes
- Transportation from hotel to Tambomachay, beginning of the pathway.
- Transportation from the end of hike to Ollantaytambo train station.
- Round trip bus tickets in Machu Picchu town.
- Round trip train ticket back to Cusco at the end of our journey.
- One night hotel*** in Machupicchu town.
- Camping Equipment 4 season tent (04 people tent for 02 people, Therma-Rest mattress and air pillow.
- Other camping equipment, a dining tent with table and chairs, and a kitchen tent, manned by a professional cooking staff.
- Transportation from the train station to the hotel in Cusco.
- Trek leader/ Local guide
- Meals: Breakfast (2), lunch (2), dinner (1), and snacks.
- A professional Quechua chef.
- Quechua porters that carry your 7-kg / 14-pound personal items.
Peru Summit Does Not Include
- Sleeping bags (available for renting)
- Trekking poles (available for renting)
- Extra expenditure during the trek, such as: soda, alcoholic drinks, extra snacks, tickets for the hot Springs in Aguas Calientes.
- Gratuities for the guides, porters or muleteers, and other staff.
- Travel Insurance and things of a personal nature – laundry and telephone calls, personal taxis, souvenirs etc.
- Travel and health insurance (bring copies with you please), we highly recommend to get an insurance of trip cancellation, interruption; an insurance to protect your travel investment, Included with your pre-departure package, bring your travel insurance to cover trip cancellation, interruption, baggage loss and delay, emergency medical evacuation insurance and emergency medical expense insurance. Any unexpected situations occurred during the journey and which are beyond our control, including changes in scheduling trains or flights, delays, strikes, cancellations, missed connections, etc. it should be covered by the passenger as a whole. Also, if you for physical reasons of health cannot continue the trek or walk, and will need emergency evacuation then all charges incurred such as transportation, hotel, ambulance, doctors, medication, hospitalization, etc. will be at passenger’s expense.
Suggested Reading List
We have created a custom comprehensive listing of Huchuy Qosqo and Peru travel books for this trip.
Trek Gear List / Trip Checklist
- Original passport and Student ISIC card (if applicable), and some copies.
- Travel insurance (and some copies)
- Sleeping bag (or you can rent one from us).
- Backpack to carry your things.
- Phone and Camera charger and adapter.
- Bathing suit
- Camera
- Torch or headlamps.
- Deet or mosquito repellent ( recommendable 30% deet).
- Hiking poles ( or you can rent one pair from us)
- Rain gear (especially if traveling in the wet season, from October to March).
- Comfortable hiking clothes, including warm clothes for the nighttime.
- Good hiking boots with protector ankle or similar, and one pair of flip-flops or light sandals.
- Sunblock and sunglasses.
- Hiking long sleeve T-shirts.
- Hiking trousers.
- Thermal underwear.
- Hiking socks.
- Water bottle or canteen.
- American dollars and peruvian soles in cash.
- Sun hat, cap, and warm hat and gloves for the nighttime
- Toilet paper, and face tissue paper.
- Crédit or debit card.
- Anti-inflammatory tablets (e.g. Ibuprofen).
- Personal first-aid kit (should contain lip salve, Aspirin, Acetazolamide (diamox), Band Aids, Anti-histamine, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, re-hydration powder, extra prescription drugs you may take).