The trek to Huchuy Qosqo is something you should try to fit in time for when visiting Cusco. It’s a beautiful route far less traveled, and you get to see some exciting things. Today we’re going to look at ten reasons why this trek needs to be one of the activities you choose when in town, so let’s get on with it.
If you are a person who doesn’t like crowds and enjoys being surrounded by pure nature instead of a group, this is the hike for you. The groups tend to be very small, or it may even just be you. You also rarely see others along the way. It’s perfect for some peace while walking.
You will also get a much more personalized tour this way. You’ll be able to speak more with the guide and ask all the questions you want. It’s basically like a private tour for the same price as a group tour. This leads us nicely to our next point.
If you are desperate to do a trek but don’t have the funds for the Inca Trail, this is a great option. The cost is considerably lower because you don’t end up in Machu Picchu on the shorter versions. Other treks factor the price of Machu Picchu into them, and then the Inca Trail has its permit on top of that. So they can work out expensive.
To save a hole in your pocket, go for this one for one day or the two-day Patambamba version.
Even if you go for the trek that ends up in Machu Picchu, it’s only three days. There are also one and 2-day options. This is perfect for the tourists who don’t have a lot of time in town but still want to see Huchuy Qosqo and Machu Picchu while doing a trek.
Even though we still recommend a day in Cusco beforehand to get accustomed to the altitude. Any hike at this altitude will be more challenging than one at a lower level or even sea level. You will need to take all precautions.
Huchuy Qosqo is an incredible archaeological site that very few visitors get to see. Many people like to get opportunities like these, and going on this trek is a beautiful way to see something different.
More and more agencies are starting to do this tour, so it’s a good idea to do it now while it’s still not so well-known.
Throughout the route, you will get some perfect photo opportunities. You will be high up in the Andes, so obviously, you have some fantastic landscapes around you for the backdrop of your pictures.
The archaeological site is also something special that you can capture, and don’t forget the quaint villages you’ll pass through and the family you will stay with if you do one of the more extended versions. You’ll want some reminders of the evening you spend with them.
At Huchuy Qosqo, you will see something unique; a two-story building that was extremely rare back in the Incan times. You will note that all sites have something that sets them apart from the others, and at Huchuy Qosqo, this is it.
It’s pretty incredible to think that something like this was constructed in the middle of the hills all those thousands of years ago. When you enter the building and stand inside, you will feel like you’ve been swept back in time!
It’s an excellent opportunity to experience a few of Peru’s many micro-climates. It has more than most countries globally, and you can often witness a few just in one day. Along this route, you will feel a little chilly in the morning but have your breakfast and hot drinks to warm you up!
You will then start to get warmer as you walk but will head up to the highest point in the mountains, where you will undoubtedly feel the temperature get a little colder. Once you get to the site itself, you are in the open and the sun tends to shine through. Finally, as you head down from the site, you will feel it get very warm as we head to Lamay, in the middle of the Sacred Valley. You will see why the Incas named it this!
Of course, visiting all the other more popular sites around the city will mean that you’ll get a pretty good idea of who the Incas were and what they did. Well, doing this trek, you’ll get to learn even more.
This is an excellent trek for a history buff to add to your knowledge and see another side of the Incan culture while witnessing more of their incredible architecture.
One of the most important reasons to do any trek is to have fun! It would be best to take in the local culture and enjoy the beautiful nature that surrounds you along the way. Getting to know your guide and group will mean making new friends and sharing experiences.
There are not many better reasons to decide on an activity other than the fact that you will enjoy yourself. There’s no doubt that you will have fun along the route and with the families, you spend the night with on this trek.
So we’ve let you in on a whopping ten reasons you should book this trek when in Cusco. There are even more, and we could go on all day, but why don’t you sign up and see for yourself what this beautiful route has to offer and discover more about the Incan culture as well as get an incredible insight into the lives of the folk that lives in the hills.
Huaynas Expeditions is a local travel company in the city of Cusco – Peru. They specialize in adventure tours around Cusco.