Black Diamond

Cordillera Oriental (Peru)

The majority of tourists coming to the Peruvian Andes go to the trekking to Machu Picchu - the ancient incas town. But just a few people know that besides of Machu Picchu there is another ancient incas town in Peru, which overcomes Machu Picchu in size and its significance. This town is called Choquequirao (in Quechua - Chuqi K'iraw means "golden cradle"), it is a partially excavated ruins of the Inca Empire in the south of Peru. Ruins are located in the mountain ridge Cordillera Vilcabamba at an altitude of 3085 meters above sea level. Architecture and structure of Choquequirao is very similar to Machu Piccu's but it is much less explored by scientists. In contrast to Machu Picchu, Choquequirao is impossible to reach by transport - the only available way is a two-day hiking from the village Kachora located not so far from the Cusco.