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Choquequirao
The
Cradle of Gold |
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Choquequirao sits in the saddle of a high Andean ridge, 3000m./10,000
ft. above sea level and 1,500m./5,000 ft. above the roaring waters
of the Apurimac River. Ringed by spectacular snow-capped peaks and
flanked by plunging, thickly forested slopes, the city is an inspiring
example of an elite Inca ceremonial center, dedicated to the worship
of the mountain gods, the river and the elements of nature.
Choquequirao has been called “Machu Picchu’s sacred
sister”, because of the striking similarities of design and
ceremonial architecture to its famous counterpart above the Urubamba
Gorge. Yet it remains an enigmatic place whose history is a matter
of speculation. One theory of its origins holds that it was a royal
estate built for the emperor Topa Inca, perhaps in an attempt to
rival his father Pachacuti’s spectacular domain at Machu Picchu.
For centuries Choquequirao lay shrouded in obscurity, protected
by its remoteness. Unlike Machu Picchu, people knew it was there
– it was first mentioned in a Spanish document of 1710, later
visited by various explorers and treasure hunters, and roughly surveyed
in the 19th century by the French consul in Lima, Leonce Angrand.
Finally, in 1909, the indefatigable U.S. explorer Hiram Bingham
–the future scientific discoverer of Machu Picchu -- explored
and mapped the site.
Today we can trek to Choquequirao via a modern footbridge across
the Apurimac River. The journey is as awe-inspiring as ever, taking
us through an astounding range of ecological zones, from Andean
farming valleys, descending through a hot and arid canyon environment
featuring kapok trees, cactus and agaves, and climbing again to
a region of lush cloud forest, beneath the dizzying snowcaps of
the Cordillera Vilcabamba.
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Choquequirao
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