Exploring Choquequirao, Peru's Other Machu Picchu

 Exploring Choquequirao takes about a  day's hike from the town of Cachora outside of Cuzco metropolis. Choquequirao, or "cradle of gold" within the Inca language Quechua, is located almost 1750 meters above the raging Apurimac River. Much bigger than Machu Picchu, overlaying 1810 hectares, the web page is notion to have been constructed with the aid of the son of Machu Picchu's creator.

Choquequirao changed into possibly built during the reign of the Inca king Choquequirao Trek Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui. Led by using Manco Inca Yupanqui, the Incas maximum probable used the website as a shelter when the city of Cuzco became under siege in 1535.

The city turned into first noted in 1710 by means of Spanish explorer Juan Arias Diaz and again in 1768 via Cosme Bueno, however it become forgotten afterwards. In 1834 Eugene de Santiges rediscovered the website online. In 1837 Leonce Agrand mapped the location. Hiram Bingham visited Choquequirao in 1909, about 2 years earlier than he got here upon Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu is more well-known than Choquequirao, in large part due to Choquequirao's former inaccessibility. Before a bridge become built over the Apurimac river some years ago, it'd take first-rate attempt via mountainous terrain over approximately two months to sooner or later reach the ancient metropolis. With the bridge, accessibility to Choquequirao is tons more affordable and this wonderful site is gaining in reputation as archaeologists find out greater about its records.

Choquequirao has aqueducts, water channels, living quarters, ceremonial regions, sacred temples, administrative homes and terraces. To the Incas, Choquequirao turned into an important religious, political and economic center. These brilliant ruins are built on the mountain ridge of sacred Salkantay and are remnants of the Inca's very last days.

Getting There

It is best to avoid the trek to Choquequirao at some point of the wet season from December to March. From Cuzco city a tour will take you to the metropolis of Cachora. From there you may want to stroll, or journey a horse, 30 kilometers to Choquequirao. This trek gives a wider variety of habitat than the well-known Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and you may move the bridge over the Apurimac river which makes the trek viable.