Page 20 - AMA Summer 2023

EXPEDITIONNEWS
CHOQUEQUIRAO
On par with the splendour of Machu Picchu, but less accessible and less busy, Choquequirao was the refuge of the Vilcabamba Valley Incas in the wake of the Spanish colonisa- tion of South America.
Choquequirao translates to ‘cradle of gold’ suggesting its prominence in Incan society, matching or possibly exceeding the prominence of its better-known sister. It is typically a 4 to 5 day trek to reach Choquequirao, extending to 9 days for those epic adventurers who wish to press on and include Machu Picchu in a single outing.
Sources: www.peru.travel/en/ attractions/choquequirao#gen- eral-information and www.lonely- planet.com
Trekking on day three proved a day of challenges. The first challenge was that of a difficult decision. The planned route took us from Marampata along the trails to Choquequirao where we could spend the
morning exploring the settlement before heading back to a halfway point between night one and two campsites. Instead, a group decision was made to do the planned walk and make it back to night one campsite, therefore gaining a few hours to turn equipment around between treks, an option that our guides hadn’t attempted before. Choquequirao was well worth the trek which was made even more mysterious when covered in clouds. The second challenge of the day came from being the first group to travel to this area since prior
civil unrest in Peru led to the closing of this UNESCO heritage site. Crossing landslides and climbing again through the rainforest we made it there in good time and being the only group in the range we had it all to ourselves. With the reward of great views and a resounding sense of achievement, we were also acutely aware that we were a 2-day walk from the nearest modern civ- ilisation; a risky predicament should any injuries have occurred. The only method of casualty evacuation from such a remote location was by mule, back along our route.
20 / ARMY MOUNTAINEER
This one didn’t end up in a stir fry!