Peru to build aerial tramway to remote Incan ruins of Choquequirao

Published on : Thursday, January 2, 2014

The Peruvian government plans to build the country’s first aerial tramway to allow easier access to remote Incan ruins of Choquequirao in the Peruvian Andes.
“Choquequirao shares some of the same types of Incan ruins as the more famous Machu Picchu, but because you reach Choquequirao only by hiking, you’ll share the magic with many fewer people,” says Chicago Tribune reporter Phil Marty.
Choquequirao is currently reached by 12- to 16-hour hike.
Choquequirao, which means “cradle of gold” in Quechua language, is believed to have been the last refuge of Incan rulers who fled Cusco after their leader Manco Inca was defeated by Spanish conquistadors.
In the article, Phil Marty recommends taking Adventure Life’s 12-day Choquequirao Trek and Machu Picchu tour, priced from US$3,325 per person double occupancy.
The trip explores Cusco (also the gateway to Machu Picchu) for two days before beginning the hike to Choquequirao’s ruins. The trail is at lower elevations than the hike to Machu Picchu but no less challenging. Later in the trip you visit Machu Picchu.
Regional authorities anticipate that the tramway will bring about 3,000 tourists a day after it opens in late 2015.