Huchuy Qosqo Trek 2 Days, is easily the shortest trek in Peru and best suited for those with limited time, but who would like to do a bit of walking before exploring Machu Picchu. Huchuy Qosqo is an Inca archaeological site located north of the city of Cusco; Its name in Quechua means “Little Cuzco“. It is located at an elevation of 3,600 meters (11,800 feet), above the 3,000-meter-high city of Lamay and the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
This Huchuy Qosqo Trek 2 days, is one of the most favorite short trekking destinations in the Cusco region for its wide range of panoramic views along the paths. It is a lifelong dream of passionate hikers, as the quest provides an opportunity to witness a beautiful mountain range from the end.
The tests to the fascinating place are made up of ascents and descents that cross lush lowlands, alpine forests, rivers, picturesque communities, temples and Inca palaces. The trek route is laden with panoramic views of majestic mountain ranges that add brilliance to the splendid beauty of the region. Huchuy Qosqo Trek takes you to explore the treasure of the Andes in a short time, it is perfect for people who do not want to spend a lot of time in the mountains, but want to feel the charm of the Andes.
The early morning pick up from your hotel in Cusco will be at 7:30 am. We will drive to Tambomachay (3800 m / 12,467 ft), an archaeological complex located in the Sacsayhuaman Archaeological Park. Tambomachay is made up of a series of ceremonial water fountains, believed to have been dedicated to a cult of water.
The day’s hike will begin at this point and continue through puna landscapes and over the Sicllaccasa pass at (4100 m / 13186 ft) where we will have spectacular views of two valleys. On your right, you will see the capital of the Incas, Cusco, surrounded by impressive mountains. Your tour guide will inform you about how and where the Incas arrived in this area and about its conquest by the Spanish. There are two Inca sites at the bottom of the valley and to your left will be a beautiful landscape of mountains and farmland.
From the pass we will follow the slope of the valley, heading towards the top to cross to the other side. It is about a 45 minute walk to the upper end of the valley. Once we get there, we will cross a small stream that divides the valley and start our way to our lunch spot at Lake Qoricocha. The landscape at the lake is quite arid because the entire area is a high puna between the mountains and is covered with hardy Andean grass called Ichu. It is possible to observe a variety of birds, such as Andean geese, lapwings and partridges, among others.
After lunch, we will continue to our camp in the town of Patabamba (3700 m. / 12139 ft). We will go to the top of one of the ridges and as we descend, we will skirt the Qoricocha lake (golden lake). It is about a two and a half hour walk to the village, where we will be greeted by groups of locals who are always happy to welcome us into their community.
Later, we arrive at the camp and have a steaming cup of coca tea, we will visit one of the local families to learn about their way of life. If you have brought any gifts with you, you can share them with the family at this time. After visiting family, we will have time to relax and your tour guide will teach you more about the Andean way of life. In this tour of Huchuy Qosqo trek 2 days.
After an awakening coca tea and nutritious breakfast. We will continue our Huchuy Qosqo trek 2 days.
The first trail will take us to the small town of Sihua and then to the Pukamarca pass (4150 m – 13615 ft). Here you will have a splendid viewpoint of the Urubamba mountain range and the Sacred Valley. After reaching the top of the pass, it is a walk downhill for approximately 30 minutes to the community of Pumamarka for lunch.
After this, you will continue your trek to the Puma Puncu canyon (“the door of the puma”). From here, you will walk along an original Inca trail, which has been restored as part of the Qapacñan project. This trail will take you to the isolated and mysterious Inca site of Huchuy Qosqo (“Little Cusco”) perched above the Sacred Valley of the Incas at (3600 m / 11,811). Once at the site, your guide will lead you around and show you all the incredible Inca buildings on the site, such as sacred temples, storehouses, Inca terraces for agriculture, and the Inca reservoir used to store water during the dry season.
After your guided tour of the site, we will begin our 2-hour walk downhill to the village of Lamay (2800 m – 9186 ft) up the Urumbamba River in the Sacred Valley, where a bus will be waiting to take us back to your hotel in Cuzco. And with this, we finish the Huchuy Qosqo trek 2 days.
We had an amazing time on our trek to Huchuy Qosqo via Patabamba. After a lovely chat, he made us a snack and tea to take for a walk on the trail (Calca side) to enjoy the amazing sunset view. Dinner was amazing, super fresh and delicious and we really enjoyed the cozy home atmosphere while chatting in the kitchen. Our group lives in the area and have done many homestay visits on treks and this was by far the best. We will be back soon for another getaway. Thank you PERU TREK.
The Huchuy Qosqo trek is the shortest and easiest of the alternative treks to Machu Picchu.
The route is located just north of Cusco, making it easy to access and ideal for visitors who don’t have a lot of time in the region or who would like to do a bit of walking without doing a lot of exercise. Thanks to PERU TREK travel agency for making this incredible trip.
I started at Lake Qoricocha and walked 12 km before reaching Huchuy Qosco. The walk is relatively easy and the views of the sacred valley are fantastic. There are hardly any tourists around. The best views are just above the ruins, when you follow the path uphill and after that head towards Machu Picchu. An incredible experience, thanks to the company PERU TREK.
