Where can I buy / rent gear?
It is easy to rent in Cuzco.
Check around in the many outdoor shops & tour operators near the main plazas. Price varies with quality, but expect to pay US$3-6 / item / day for rentals. (i.e. tent, sleeping bag, stove, etc.)
You can purchase basic gear too. Quality, selection & price are, of course, not what you might hope for. Many items cost about double what we pay in Canada.
Best is to bring everything with you to Peru.
The best gear shop of the bunch is Tatoo Outdoors & Travel (Plazoleta Las Nazarenas) — but it is not inexpensive.
Do I need a Reservation to hike?
No. Nada.
The Choquequirao Trek is completely unregulated, so far.
No hassle. No fee. Hike when you want.
This is the biggest advantage of Choquequirao (and Salcantay) over the Inca Trail which often requires a minimum of a 30 day advance booking.
Where else can I get information?
The best source by far is South American Explorers Club in Cuzco. Ask if anyone around has hiked Choquequirao recently. Post a note there if you want to find hiking partners. The SAE will sell you a small booklet called ALTERNATIVE INCA TRAILS INFORMATION PACKET for just a few dollars. This is the best information in print, so far.
There is no good guidebook as of 2005 though the Footprint guides plan to include details in a future edition. Our usual guide, Lonely Planet Trekking in the Central Andes, includes only a paragraph on this adventure.
