Peru is opening up Machu Picchu’s ‘sacred sister’ Choquequirao to visitors

Machu Picchu has become a travel buzz word of late with every discerning traveller making sure to tick the ancient Peruvian city off their bucket list.

And with limited numbers allowed on the trail – 500 per day, 300 being porters and guides – climbing Machu Picchu takes months of planning.

This may be why Peru is opening up the Incan city’s little-known ‘sacred sister’, Choquequirao.

Located just 40 miles from Mach Picchu and dating back to the 15^th and 16^th centuries, Choquequirao is currently only accessible to people willing to make a five-day hike.

Therefore it receives far fewer visitors, just 5,800 per year compared to Machu Picchu’s 1.2million.

However, the Peruvian government is hoping to change that by adding a new road to the city from Machu Picchu and adding in cable cars that can take holidaymakers directly to the ancient site.

Sitting 3,050 metres above sea level, Choquequirao covers 1,800 hectares filled with terraces, stairways, plazas and temples.

The £60 million investment scheme was pledged by the Peruvian president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski as part of the government’s plan to double the number of tourists per year to seven million by 2021.

By adding the road and cable car, the government hopes to bring 150,000 visitors to Choquequirao – eventually increasing to half a million.

However, more visitors to Choquequirao could see it face deterioration like we’re seeing with Machu Picchu.

To combat this deterioration, the Peruvian government allotted two time slots for visitors to visit the famous ruins and lessen human impact on the ancient city.

An alternative adventure in Peru could be abroad the new Belmond Andean explorer - South America's first luxury sleeper train.

Departing from Cusco, the capital of the Inca Empire, the train travels across the lofty Andean plains to the white city of Arequipa. You can choose from one of four unforgettable journeys that will lead you along one of the highest train routes in the world.

With Choquequirao and the Belmond in the mix, Peru is a must-visit destination of 2018.