Choquequirau Trekking and Acobamba Abyss Rafting
“Aside from the exhileration and adrenaline rush one would expect from this adventure. I had no idea how much I would love the added fringe benefits of beautiful surroundings, great company, comaraderie and new friendships.” – Eve Alldrigre
CHOQUEQUIRAU. ACOBAMBA ABYSS. LOWER APURIMAC RIVER - 12 Days
Bio Bio Expeditions is proud to introduce our new Peru hiking trip to Choquequirau in combination with white water rafting through the Acobamba Abyss on the Apurimac River, the cutting edge of adventure!
We begin our hike to Choquequirau arriving in Cusco. Peru where everyone has the opportunity to explore this historic Inca city and acclimatize to the 11,000-foot elevation. A two-hour excursion up to the ruins of Sacsayhuaman is led by one of our local guides. 20,000 men were employed in the construction of this sacred site over a period of fifty years and it has been said that these ruins are one of the most astounding megalithic structures of the ancient world.
After exploring the color and history of Cusco, we travel by van to Cachora where our mule wranglers , mules and horses are packed up and we begin our 3200m hike down into the Apurimac canyon. Camping at Chiquisca, we continue 1800m up towards Choquequirau (Golden Cradle), the sister city of Machu Picchu in Peru which has only recently been discovered lying deep within the jungles of Peru. This is a rugged trek, but the bonus is being able to explore the ruins in relative solitude as opposed to the crowds at Machu Picchu.
After exploring the ruins at Choquequirau, we descend to the lower Apurimac River and plunge down the wild Class IV and V rapids of the Acobamba Abyss made famous by Joe Kane's book Running the Amazon. Well known as the source of the Amazon, the mighty Apurimac River is at its finest in the chasms of the Acombamba Abyss. It is here that the river makes its final plunge to the jungles below with a thundering descent into the canyons formed below the snow capped peaks of Salcantay and Quishar, the backbone of the Cordillera Vilcabamba.
We spend six days rafting from the high Andean dry lands through misty cloud forests, emerging at the lower jungles. Along the way, we have a portage at Pahuaj, where the river goes through a narrow, impassable strait. We descend through the Andes into high jungle with tributaries and waterfalls adding more volume to the Apurimac. As we continue downriver into the jungle we start to see more wildlife such as flocks of parrots, cormorants, gulls, and monkeys. After our takeout, we ascend to Ayacucho, a charming colonial city with many churches where we end our journey as we fly out to Lima, the capital of Peru.
To Reserve Your Spot email us at info@bbxrafting.com or call 1-800-246-7238 now!
Cusco is a hustling and bustling thriving marketplace where goods and services of all kinds meet the eye. The city impacts all the senses as the sounds greet our ears and aromas of spicy local kitchens tantalize our noses. Merchants smile and make a sale with characteristic cheerfulness. A good place to take it all in is the central Plaza De Armas, where you can enjoy a beer or a cool drink and watch the bustling city action from the balconied terraces above.
Many ancient Inca trails cris-cross the Inca empire in the Vilcabamba Mountain Range, which includes the sacred mountain. Salcantay. (20.574 feet). This part of Peru holds some of the most important history of the Incas. It is here that for the 40 years after the conquistadores conquered Cusco, a strong Inca resistance took place. This high Andean range contains a whole network of trails interconnecting different cities such as Machu Picchu. Choquequirau and Espiritupampa (Plain of Ghosts), the last capital of the Incas in exile.
Seldom seen by tourists, the “lost Inca city” of Choquequirau, fascinated and eluded 19th century explorers. Nestled in a magnificent cloud forest, 1550 meters above the Apurimac River, this city shares many similarities with the popular Machu Picchu. Abandoned for centuries, both were overlooked by the Spanish chroniclers of the 16th and 17th centuries.