Waqra Pukara amazing ruins, day walk from cuzco

Was it a fortress? A sanctuary? An astronomic observatory? Theories abound about the purpose of Waqra Pukara, a massive, horn-shaped Inca site standing above the Apurimac Canyon, located three hours south of Cusco. Discover its enigmatic ruins for yourself on this unique day hike, which will take you far out of the city and off the beaten path! Please be aware this trek may not be suitable for travelers with vertigo.

If you’re looking for a trek off the beaten track, the Wakra Pukara expedition features quiet trails, breathtaking scenery, fantastic rock formations, and isolated archeological complexes far from the crowds of Cusco. The Wakra Pukara site itself is a massive, horn-shaped fortress located high above the Apurimac river, at 4,140 meters above sea level. Spend two days exploring this untouched masterpiece of Incan architecture on a trip you´ll never forget!

In the morning, we will pick you up from your accommodation at approximately 4:00 – 4:30 am. If your hotel or hostel is not located in the city center, we will pick you up from the doorway of our office building. We will begin the one and a half hour, we will make our first stop in Cusipata where we will have our breakfast, then we will continue our trip in our private tourist transport towards the Town of Marcaconga for approximately 1 ½ hours to the place called Punta Carretera.

Here, we will have ten minutes to stretch, organize our things, and make any final preparations for our trek. We will walk across gently rolling terrain for about two hours, observing gorgeous landscapes studded with small glacial lakes along the way.

Once we arrive at the Waqra Pukara Overlook, we will pause briefly to take our first photos of this incredible fortress perched on the edge of a canyon. We will then descend for about forty minutes along a steep, cliffside path into the site itself, while the Apurimac River runs swiftly below.

We will explore the ruins for approximately an hour and a half, climbing through the remains of the temple, taking photos against the incredible canyon scenery, and resting on clifftops in the shadows of the stone walls. When the group is ready, we will begin the ascent back the way we came. We will reach the car after about three hours of trekking, and return to Cusco at approximately 6:00 pm.

INCLUDED:

• Professional guides
• Transportation: We use private buses and minivans; very comfortable and with all the safety accessories according to the number of tourists, our driver has many years of experience.
• Breakfast and lunch Box Lunch.
• Vegetation option available.
• First aid kit including emergency oxygen balloon.

NOT INCLUDED:

• Tip for the guide, Driver
• Dinner 
• Entree fee 

What you need to bring:

• A personal backpack for the day that allows you to introduce all the things that you will take with you, we recommend about 20 to 30 liters. (Suitable hiking clothes: comfortable and waterproof shoes for long walks, long and short pants, dry fit sports shirts, rain jacket or rain poncho).
• A canteen with water (minimum 2 liters).
• Toilet paper, hand sanitizer gel. These two articles are very important.
• Personal medications, within this list also includes muscle relaxants, tablets for altitude sickness and headache
• Blessed for scratches, blisters on the feet that can be generated after several hours of walking.
• A sunscreen, dark glasses, hat or caps.
• Extra battery for the camera.

ALSO POSSIBLE IN A 2 DAYS HIKE TOUR

What do we need when you make a reservation?

• Full name as it is written in your passport.
• Scanned copy of your passport.
• Departing date for the trail.
• We ask for a 40% deposit, sending to us  via visa or Pay Pall online through this website: +5,5 %  or Wetravel 4,5 % (cost credit cards charge us) The balance you will pay at our office in Cusco before the start of the trek. We accept cash USD or credit card (+5,5%)