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CHOQUEQUIRAW
- This “lost city” fascinated 19th
century explorers and Hiram Bingham visited it
two years before he discovered Machu Picchu.
Difficult to reach, the ruins are rarely visited
by travellers.
- The southern approach to
Choquequiraw from Cachora requires a steep
descent from almost 3200 metres down to the
Apurímac river at 1200 metres, followed by an
even steeper ascent up to the ruins.
The site is
perched a magnificent 1150 metres above the
Apurímac, surrounded by densely-forested
mountain slopes in the shadow of the huge,
snowcapped Salkantay massif. In recent years,
the ruins have been partially-cleared by
Peruvian archaeologists, and can be easily
explored by those intrepid enough to undertake
the demanding trek required to get there.
- The area of Vilcabamba and
especially Choquequiraw was the refuge of the
last Incas when Cusco was abandoned by the last
Incas after the arrival of Spanish invaders in
1536. There they remained until the last Inca,
Tupac Amaru I, was captured in 1572.
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Choquequiraw |
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