We leave from Cusco between 4:30 and take a scenic morning bus-ride to our trek starting point at challacancha Along the 3-hour drive, we will pass through the town of Limatambo (2100m/6888ft), an important point of access to the city of Cusco, where the Tarawasi ruins are located. The road continues up a beaten track along the right shore of the Apurimac River and crosses the town of Mollepata (2800m/9184ft) and the small community of challacancha (2750m/9020ft), the starting point of the trek, where we meet our wranglers and horses. After a short introduction, we’ll start the hike up through the vegetation between the dark hills. The beginning of the trail is slopping up with some flat stretches, appropriately called the “training section” of the trek.

Go at your own pace, this day is flexible. If you arrive early enough, you have the option to hike up to the small lagoon at the bottom of Humantay Mountain to come back to the campsite called Soraypampa. (3,500m/11480ft).