Santa Teresa: Trails, Choquequirao and Cocalmayo

The town itself has restaurants, travel agencies, and taxi services. Which activities you plan to focus on depends on whether your trip centers mainly on Choquequirao, hiking, cultural trails, or thermal waters.

Routes to Choquequirao

The tourist route to Choquequirao is a multi-stop itinerary passing through Quillabamba, Santa Teresa, Totora, and Yanama. Santa Teresa is therefore part of an itinerary to this archaeological destination. Santa Teresa is part of this itinerary. Separate from this route, the Abra San Juan–Paso Choquequirao footpath is located in the district of Santa Teresa. This footpath is approximately 13 kilometers long, has viewpoints and rest areas, and provides access to the Choquequirao National Archaeological Park. For your planning, note that the distance refers only to the footpath; the tourist route, by contrast, comprises the sequence of four places.

Historic trails in the district

The Santa María La Antigua–Cocalmayo section of the Inca Jungle Trail belongs to the old Inca road network and primarily connected areas of what are now the districts of Santa Teresa and Huayopata. It was one of the important roads of the ancient Inca state. Another historic section, Choquetakarpu–Choquequirao of the Qhapaq Ñan, was a main route in the road network of the ancient Inca state. It is part of the Vitkus–Choquequirao section of the Andean road system, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site; the section is located in the district of Santa Teresa.

Nature and other excursions

The loop trail at Catarata de Chaquiorco passes through a natural forest with diverse flora and fauna, including orchids and birds; it was established in the district of Santa Teresa. The Inca trails of the Llactapata route, considered to be more than 500 years old, also pass through the municipal area of Santa Teresa.

A four-day Inca Jungle tour to Machupicchu combines trekking, mountain biking, rafting, and ziplining; a large part of the tour itinerary is in the district of Santa Teresa. It brings together several activities over four days, making it a different travel format from a single footpath. If you plan this tour, check the current itinerary and operating status in advance.

Hot springs and services in town

The Cocalmayo hot springs are located near Santa Teresa. Four pools contain underground medicinal water at a temperature between 38 and 44 °C. The facility includes toilets, showers, changing rooms, a viewpoint, and kiosks. Cocalmayo offers a different focus from the hiking and cultural trails: here, the thermal waters and associated bathing facilities take center stage.

Santa Teresa has restaurants, travel agencies, taxi services, and parking. A tourist information office and handicraft sales complement the services in town. There are also accommodation establishments without a specified class or category.

Discover more destinations: Huarocondo, Chillca, Manire, San Pedro, Ocongate, Oroya, Maras, Yucay.

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