The Huchuy Qosqo Day Hike is regarded as the best day trek outside of Cusco. It offers magnificent views of a unique mountain scenery. Taking this day trip travelers will experience the countryside of Cusco in a short period of time, seeing the lifestyle of the mountain people. All this natural beauty is combined with the remarkable Inca site called Huchuy Qosqo (small Cusco).
This Huchuy Qosqo is the shortest hiking trip option in the Peruvian Andes and it is the ideal day hike for those people trying to get acclimated to the high elevation. Our suggestion as a training for multi-day treks in the Andes of Peru. In Huchuy Qosqo one day hike you will have a great hiking time in the wilderness of the nature and after to explore the beautiful ruins of Huchuy Qosqo, you will drive back to Cusco through the Sacred Valley.
The delightful hike to Huchuy Qosqo Peru starts with the pick up of travelers at the hotels in a private transport. The drive is one hour to the Andean village of Tauca the beginning of the day hike from Cusco. Here we start the short trek uphill following a beautiful small side valley, after 3 hours of walk we will reach the highest point of this one day hike, there will be impressive views of the mountains on the opposite way. Enjoying our snacks on the highest point, we will keep trekking downhill for 2 hours until we arrive to Huchuy Qosqo. After a short break our tour guide will show us all the important structures of this interesting place.
After having our box lunch we will walk down to Lamay town in the Sacred Valley (3 hours), from here we will drive back to Cusco.
Huchuy Qosqo, is an ancient Inca site. Located close by Lamay, Peru. The name Huchuy Qosqo is in the Inca language, which means “Little Cusco.” It lies at an elevation of 3,560 meters, overlooking the popular Sacred Valley. Only 4 kilometres away from the picturesque town of Lamay famous for the roasted Guinea Pigs.
There are several trails heading to Huchuy Qosqo. But the most popular ones are the path going from Tauca, Lamay and Pata bamba as the short trip options. Also some people will hike from Tambomachay although this one is harder and longer than any other route. So it is advised for experience and fit hikers.
The altitude of Huchuy Qosqo is 3560 m / 12000 ft. above sea level. But on the way to the famous Inca site, you will reach elevations of 4250 m / 13860 ft. except the one coming from Lamay which starts at 3000 m / 10000 ft and its highest point is Huchuy Qosqo the site.
You will find many hike options for Huchuy Qosqo, starting of one day hike. Sometimes people do multi-day hikes, connected to Machu Picchu, which could be 2 day or 3 day hike depending on the point you start. But the treks to Huchuy Qosqo are the shortest version of the hikes in the Peruvian Andes. Travelers also can combine village homestay in the proximity of Huchuy Qosqo.
Usually from April to November is the best period of time to hike to Huchuy qosqo, great visibility, no much rain and mainly sunny days. But that is the season when the most people come to visit Cusco and Machu Picchu and Huchuy Qosqo is also visited by some of those adventurous hikers. In the wet season is still open to visit the site, if you are interested you should check out weather conditions before to travel there.
