Choquequirao vs Machu Picchu: Which Inca City Should You Visit?

Quick answer: Machu Picchu is the more complete and spectacular site, and it is easy to reach by train. Choquequirao is wilder and much quieter, but you can only reach it on a demanding 4-day trek. If it is your first time in Peru, see Machu Picchu. If you have already been, or you want an Inca site almost to yourself, Choquequirao is one of the most rewarding treks in the Andes.

Choquequirao vs Machu Picchu at a glance

Visitor numbers: how crowded is each site?

Visitor numbers are the biggest difference between the two sites.

• Choquequirao: about 8,000 visitors a year, according to ProInversión figures reported by Gestión in 2025. In April 2026 the state news agency Andina put it at up to 9,000 a year, most of them foreign travelers. That is a few dozen people a day in the dry season, spread over a very large site.
• Machu Picchu: under Ministerial Resolution 000285-2025-MC, the citadel admits up to 5,600 visitors a day in the 2026 high season (19 June to 2 November) and 4,600 a day before it.

In other words, Machu Picchu can receive in less than two days of high season as many people as Choquequirao receives in a whole year. At Machu Picchu that means timed entry, one-way circuits and tickets that sell out. At Choquequirao it means no queues, no fixed circuit and long stretches without seeing anyone.

History: two sites of the same empire

Both cities were built by the Incas in the 15th century and are usually linked to the reigns of Pachacuti and his son Túpac Inca Yupanqui. Machu Picchu was a royal estate above the Urubamba river. Choquequirao, above the Apurímac canyon, was a ceremonial and administrative center and an entrance point towards the Amazon. After the Spanish conquest, it is believed to have been one of the last refuges of the Incas of Vilcabamba.

Unlike Machu Picchu, Choquequirao was never completely forgotten: travelers described it in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Hiram Bingham visited it in 1909, two years before he reached Machu Picchu.

The experience on site

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is the most complete Inca city in existence. Visits follow fixed one-way circuits with timed entry, and the busiest viewpoints can be crowded in high season. In exchange, everything is restored and accessible, and the view of the citadel with Huayna Picchu behind it is unforgettable.

Choquequirao

At Choquequirao you can walk the site with your guide for hours and often stand alone on the main square. Large sectors are still covered by vegetation, which gives it the atmosphere Machu Picchu must have had a century ago. The terraces decorated with more than 20 white stone llamas are unique in Inca architecture.

Getting there

Machu Picchu is reached by train from Ollantaytambo or Cusco to Aguas Calientes and then by bus, or on foot along the Inca Trail. Choquequirao has no road or train: you drive about 4 hours from Cusco to Capuliyoc and hike two days down into the Apurímac canyon and up the other side. A cable car is planned, but as of 2026 it is still in the tender process and works are not expected before 2027.

For every access option, including public transport to Cachora, read how to get to Choquequirao.

Difficulty and fitness

You can visit Machu Picchu with almost any fitness level. The Choquequirao trek is for experienced hikers: about 40 km with a descent of almost 1,400 m and a climb of more than 1,500 m, in the heat of the canyon. Read our Choquequirao trek guide for the full route and difficulty.

Which one fits you?

Use this list to decide. If most of your answers fall on one side, that is your site.

Choose Machu Picchu if:

• It is your first trip to Peru and you want to see the most famous Inca site.
• You have only one or two days available from Cusco.
• You are traveling with young children, older relatives or anyone who cannot hike for several days.
• You prefer a hotel bed and restaurants to camping.
• You want a moderate hike: the Short Inca Trail (about 11 km) or the Inca Trail in 1 day end at Machu Picchu with a night or a train back.

Choose Choquequirao if:

• You have already seen Machu Picchu and want a different Inca site.
• You have at least four days and you are used to long, steep hikes.
• You enjoy camping and do not mind basic facilities.
• You want to explore a large site without circuits, timed entry or crowds.
• You want to see it before a cable car brings many more visitors.

Choose both if:

• You have about two weeks in Peru, or 7 to 9 days for the long trek that links the two sites.

Can you visit both?

Yes. Many travelers do Machu Picchu first and add Choquequirao on a second trip, or combine them on a long trek of 7 to 9 days that links both sites. With two weeks in Peru, a good plan is:

1. Two days in Cusco to acclimatize.
2. The Choquequirao trek in 4 days.
3. One rest day in Cusco or the Sacred Valley.
4. Machu Picchu on the Short Inca Trail or by train.

Plan Choquequirao for the dry season. In 2026 the park was closed because of heavy rain from 1 February to late April (it reopened around 22–23 April), so a trip in February or March is not guaranteed.

Visit the other lost city of the Incas Choquequirao Trek 4 Days / 3 Nights 4 Days · From $475 See itinerary & dates →

Frequently asked questions

Is Choquequirao bigger than Machu Picchu?

The archaeological complex extends over a very large area, much of it still unexcavated, so it is often described as larger than Machu Picchu. The restored part you visit is smaller and less complete.

Is Choquequirao worth it if I have seen Machu Picchu?

Yes. It shows a different side of Inca architecture, like the llama terraces, and the experience of walking an Inca city almost alone is very different from Machu Picchu.

Which is higher, Choquequirao or Machu Picchu?

Choquequirao, at 3,064 m (10,052 ft), is about 600 m higher than Machu Picchu at 2,430 m (7,972 ft).

Can I visit Choquequirao in one day?

Not at the moment. Without a road or cable car, the minimum is a very hard 3-day trek; 4 days is the recommended option.

How many people visit Choquequirao each year?

About 8,000 to 9,000 a year, according to figures reported by Gestión (2025) and Andina (2026), most of them foreign travelers. Machu Picchu can admit up to 5,600 people in a single day of high season.

How many visitors does Machu Picchu allow per day?

Up to 5,600 a day in the 2026 high season (19 June to 2 November) and 4,600 a day before it, under Ministerial Resolution 000285-2025-MC. Book your tickets or tour well in advance for those months.

Do I need to book Choquequirao tickets in advance?

No. There is no daily quota: you pay the entrance ticket at the control point on the trail. On our tour it is included. What you do need to plan is the trek itself, and the season.

Which is better for a first trip to Peru?

Machu Picchu. It is the most complete Inca site, it fits into a short itinerary and you can reach it without a multi-day trek. Keep Choquequirao for a second trip or for a longer stay.

Which is harder to visit?

Choquequirao, by far. It takes about 40 km of hiking with big climbs in the heat of the canyon. You can reach Machu Picchu by train and bus, or on the Short Inca Trail, which covers about 11 km with an elevation gain of around 550 m.

Can I see Choquequirao and Machu Picchu on the same trek?

Yes. A long trek of 7 to 9 days links both sites, crossing high passes. Most travelers prefer the 4-day Choquequirao trek plus a separate visit to Machu Picchu by train or on the Short Inca Trail.