DESTINATIONS ESCORTED TOURS | PERU
talk TREKKERS
Stu Darnley, national sales manager UK & Ireland, G Adventures
“What makes our Choquequirao trek so special is the incredible sense of solitude and discovery – an alternative to the traditional Inca Trail. Choquequirao welcomes only a handful of trekkers each day. This allows for a deeper, more immersive connection with the Inca ruins and the stunning Andean landscape.”
Rachel Jelley, sales and marketing manager, Sunvil “The guides –
Wachi, Leo, Joe and Cesar – were excellent, and behind them was a team of cooks, mule handlers and support staff who ensured the trek went without a hitch. Their commitment, knowledge and humour brought the trip to life. Doris, Joe’s mum, was the leader of the mule handlers, a dancer and was always present – I was in awe.”
Stuart Barrett, commercial director,
Icelolly.com “The scenery
was spectacular – deep canyons, fast-flowing rivers – and as we climbed, the glaciers and sheer size of the Andes took your breath away. Choquequirao had a peaceful aura and it felt like we were in the clouds above all the chaos of life below. Taking time to enjoy it was quite a spiritual moment I will never forget.”
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: A Quechua woman… and friend; the Inca city of Choquequirao; accommodation was basic but connected everyone to the setting; the trekkers at Machu Picchu PICTURES: Evie Harper; Shutterstock/Erick Manga; Joanna Booth
a dizzying drop plunges all the way to the Apurimac River, the rumble of the water just about audible in the silence. The only sign of the modern world is the distant, diminutive profile of the campsite we left at dawn. We take the train to Machu Picchu the day after we finish our trek and can’t help but compare – the architecture is more immediately elaborate, but we’re constantly surrounded by crowds. Choquequirao’s ruins seem a little more modest but are jaw-droppingly impressive nevertheless, and to have it to ourselves feels like an unbelievable privilege. When our G Adventures team serves us a three-course lunch in the main plaza, I feel like I might be hallucinating.
HITTING THE TRAIL That could be, at least partially, down to tiredness. The first day of this four-day trek sees us stumble sleepily into a minibus at 3am for the five-hour drive from Cusco to the trail head at Capuliyoc. We gaze down to the winding Apurimac River, seemingly pencil-thin at the bottom of the canyon. Today we’ll hike all the way down and start our ascent of the other side, and although it’s a relatively modest 8.6 miles, we drop
Choquequirao’s ruins seem a little
more modest but are jaw-droppingly impressive, and to have it to ourselves feels like an unbelievable privilege
1,500 metres and climb another 700. When a shaman arrives to perform a traditional Pachamama ceremony, asking Mother Earth to bless our endeavours, I have a feeling we may need all the help we can get. Once we hit the trail my nerves dissipate as I’m blown away by the views. At the edge of the rocky path, the ground drops away steeply and the slopes are sleek with long grasses. Clouds are in constant motion, descending then retreating to reveal the densely forested mountains on the other side of the river, where tonight’s campground lies, and behind them even higher peaks, topped with the occasional glacier. The huge shadow of a condor overhead leaves me breathless, as much with excitement as exertion. As we make switchback turns on our descent of the canyon, the temperature rises, a combination of the
² 48 31 JULY 2025
travelweekly.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68
