Communities Ollanta and Rumira Sondormayo
the Route of Queuña is located in the Conservation Area of Choquechaca in the community of Ollanta and in the Conservation Area of Qosqocahuarina in the community of Rumira Sondormayo.
The area extends along the central part of the Vilcanota Mountain Range, near the archaeological complex of Ollantaytambo that keeps the history, culture and tradition of the Inca period. That is the reason that motivates the conservation of these spaces and for being a useful tool for tourism.
The Patacancha micro-basin is in this area, whose river of the same name is supplied by the lagoons of Chucchayccocha and Azulccocha, which are found in the headwater of Rumira Sondormayo. Simultaneously, it is supplied by other lagoons that belong to the communities of Patacancha and Rumira Sondormayo, offering biodiversity and landscape environments to the tourist.
The Private Conservation Areas of Choquechaca and Qosqocahuarina stand out not only for the enormous biological diversity, but also for the lagoons, wetlands and bogs of great ecosystemic interest. Caring for this biodiversity will allow it to become a buffer zone for the comprehensive care of the entire archaeological park of Ollantaytambo.
The ecosystem of both conservation areas has forest formations of native species in the highest parts, which constitute a unique habitat in diversity of flora and fauna, including endemic birds, of which three species are Critically Endangered: Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant,White-browed Tit-Spinetail and Royal Cinclodes.
And, in plants: the Escalllonia resinosa (chachacomo), Myrcianthes (unca), Cytharexylum, Polylepis (queuña) and the Alnus (aliso), of restricted distribution, but of great ecological, systematic, and bio-geographic interest.
Geographic Characteristics
The Private Conservation Area of Choquechaca is located between 3,800 and 5,000 m.a.s.l., while the ACP Qosqocahuarina is distributed through its diverse altitudinal gradient.
Tourist Aspects
The main activity is passing through its paths within the two conservation areas, being the main attractions: the forests of Polylepis of Choquechaca, Qosqocahuarina, lagoons in the Pumamarca archaeological center, and terraced areas. The tourist circuits are:
The Route of Queuña – Pumamarca
The tour can take one day starting from Ollantaytambo, about 20 minutes by car to the community of Pallata, where the trek through the ACP Choquechaca begins, appreciating the landscape of flora and fauna. After 4 hours of walking, you will arrive to the camping area of Pumamarca to spend the night or return to Ollantaytambo. In case of camping, the next day after breakfast, you return by an Inca trail that passes through the archaeological centers of Media Luna, Muñaypata, and, finally, to Ollantaytambo.
The Route of Qosqocahuarina
The tour takes 3 to 4 days. It starts in Ollantaytambo. By car it takes an hour to the sector of the Yanamayo pass, where guides and muleteers await you.
The first day starts from the Yanamayo pass to the Azulcocha sector, where the camping area is. The second day, after appreciating the beauty of the landscape and the biodiversity, you camp in the Alancoma sector. The third day you arrive at Pumamarca where you can finish the walk, or take a fourth day to continue to Ollantaytambo. The route, in its larger part, is walked over 4,000 m.a.s.l, and, then, descend to 2,800 m.a.s.l. There are also alternatives of one-day-trek to the Sondor sector or the Qosqocahuarina forest. The community offers services directly, because it has all the right equipment.
