Salkantay is one of the most important mountains found in Cusco. The trek of Salkantay is the best alternative to reach the great sanctuary of Machupicchu and even more beautiful than the famous Inca Trail. Visitors will get to explore villages where locals still maintain age-old traditions and rediscover the mystical beauty of Machupicchu.
- Professional English speaking Mountain Guide
- Pre-Departure Briefing at your hotel
- Collection from hotel to start of the trek
- Private transportation to start of Trek and return
- Entrance into Salkantay Nature Reserve
- Entrance into Machupicchu
- Roundtrip Bus up to Machupicchu from Aguas Calientes
- Expert chef and assistant chef
- All meals except, Lunch/Dinner last day (Buffet Style Peruvian Cuisine). We also cater for vegetarians and various dietary requirements.
- Boiled water to fill in your bottles each morning.
- 7kg Personal luggage allowance to put on the horses –extra clothes, sleeping bag (you just need to carry a small daypack with everything you will need during the day).
- Personal Duffle Bags for your extra luggage to put on the horses
- Spacious tents / Thermarest Inflatable Mattress and pillow
- Toilet tent with portable toilet
- Horses to carry the group equipment (food, tents, tables, etc.)
- Emergency horse in case we need it
- Emergency Oxygen bottle and first aid kit
- Train ticket from Hydroelectrica to Aguas Calientes
- Inca Rail or Expedition train ticket Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
- Hotel on the 4th night of the Trek
- Sleeping Bag (can be rented from us)
- Day 5 lunch in Aguas Calientes
- Hiking poles (can be rented from us)
- Climb up Huaynapicchu Mnt or Machupicchu Mnt – $25 payable in advance for permit
- Gratuities
- Optional Rentals
- Hiking poles – US$20.00 (pair)
- Sleeping bag – US$25.00
- Original passport (if you have acquired a new one after you made your booking, bring both)
- Down or synthetic feather sleeping bag (can be rented from us)
- Clothes (trekking boots, warm fleece jacket, a few t-shirts, socks, sun hat, warm underwear, light long pants, gloves, rain jacket)
- Toiletries (toilet paper, wet wipes, personal towel)
- Sunscreen SPF 50+ recommended
- Head lamp
- Sunglasses
- Camera with spare batteries (batteries run down faster at high altitudes)
- Binoculars
- Trekking poles (recommended especially for the steep descents, can be rented from us)
- Insect repellent.
DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 01: Cusco – Soraypamapa - Salkantaypampa
We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco and first visit the Quillrumiyoc archaeological site. Quillarumiyoc – “the place of the moon stone” in Quechua –was an Inca ceremonial site dedicated to the worship of water, and more impor tantly, to the moon goddess “Quilla.” After two hours driving we will stop briefly in Mollepata for a bathroom break. We will continue to the trailhead which is called Soraypampa (elev. 3,850m/ 12,631 ft.). We will meet our support staff who will organize our equipment, horses, and mules.
The first stop on the hike is at Lake Humantay (4,200 m /13,779 ft.). After a 1.5 hour hike up the slopes that border the plateau, you will be stunned to see the turquoise water of the lake. Here you will have a chance to relax, enjoy a snack, and meditate in the tranquility of this magical spot. Then we descend back to Soraypampa where our staff will be waiting with hot lunch. After a relaxing break, we will start with our hike to our Salkantaypampa campsite.
❊ Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
❊ Accommodation: Camping.
❊ Max altitude: 4,200 m/13,780 ft.
❊ Min altitude: 3,850 m/13,600 ft.
❊ Total distance to walk: 9 km/6 miles
❊ Estimated time: 6 hours
❊ Level of Difficulty: moderate
Day 02: Salkantaypampa – Salkantay Pass – Wayracmachay
After a delicious breakfast next to Salkantay Mountain, we start a 2-hour ascent to the highest pass of the Salkantay Trek. The final and most challenging part of your ascent is conquering the mountain switchbacks that take you to the Salkantay Pass (4,630m / 15,190ft).
After the pass, we descend through fields of giant boulders, often shrouded in fog. After a very welcome hot picnic lunch, we will hike 30 minutes to a fantastic lake below Salkantay Peak. It is the perfect place to take pictures of Pumasillo Mountain, the gorgeous lake, and Humantay Mountain in the distance.
Afterwards, we will continue a 2-hour downhill hike towards the campsite. The walk downwards is on a windy rocky gravel path. We finish the hike in Huayracmachay.
❊ Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
❊ Accommodation: Camping
❊ Max altitude: 4,630 m/15,190 ft.
❊ Min altitude: 3,850 m/12,631 ft.
❊ Total distance to walk: 10 km/6.3 miles
❊ Estimated time: 6 -7 hours
❊ Level of Difficulty: Challenging
Day 03: Huayracmachay – Lluscamayu – Lucmabamba
We will wake up very early in the morning to enjoy breakfast in the shadow of Humantay Mountain then commence a 3.5 hour downhill hike to Colpapampa. During this segment we will be in the cloud forest, one of the most unique ecosystems in the world. The scenery will continue to change throughout our hike. We will enter to the upper part of the Amazon jungle, which is called “the eyebrow of the jungle.” This part of the hills is decorated with colorful scenery, wildlife, and native plants. After about 5 hours of walking we will arrive in the rural Andean town of Collpapampa where we will enjoy a warm lunch and a good rest. After lunch we will continue walking for 3 more hours until we reach Luscamayu. The terrain undulates over rivers and past waterfalls. After this short hike we board the van for a 30 minute ride to reach the Lucmabamba camp. On the way you will visit an organic coffee plantation that produces some of the best organic coffee in the world. In Lucmabamba, the hot air and increased humidity signal that you are even closer to the edge of the Amazon Jungle.
❊ Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
❊ Accommodation: Camping
❊ Maximum altitude: 3,850 m/12,631 ft.
❊ Minimum altitude: 2,050 m/6,725 ft.
❊ Total distance to walk: 17 km/10.6 miles
❊ Estimated time: 7 hours
❊ Level of Difficulty: moderate
Day 04: Lucmabamba – Llactapata – Hidroelectrica – Aguas Calientes
Today we start by taking you to the train station to board the train that will take us to Km 104 on the Cusco – Machu Picchu railroad (starting point of the hike). The first stop on the hike is the Chachabamba Archaeological Complex, located very close to the trail control point. Then we embark upon an 8 km (5 miles) ascending trail, which after 4 hours takes us to the impressive archaeological complex of Winaywayna. We eat a box lunch here.
We then continue to climb to Intipunku. This will take an hour of hiking along a trail of flat stones on the edges of cliffs in highland jungle. From this fabulous spot, we may gaze at the sacred citadel of Machupicchu. From Intipunku we descend to Machu Picchu and then by bus to Aguas Calientes where you will check into your hotel. Dinner will be at a great local restaurant. Breakfast and Box lunch are included. We spend the night in Aguas Calientes.
❇︎ Meals: Breakfast / Box Lunch /Dinner
❇︎ Accommodation: Camping
❇︎ Maximum altitude: 1,900 m/6,230 ft
❇︎ Minimum Altitude: 2,750 m/9,022 ft.
❇︎ Distance to walk: 13 km/8 miles
❇︎ Approximate walking time: 5 hours
❇︎ Level of Difficulty: challenging
Day 05: Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Cusco
It is an early start to Macchupicchu to see the sunrise over this magnificent ancient city! We take the first bus up to Machupicchu and have a fully guided tour of around 2 hours. After the tour you have plenty of time to explore the citadel on your own, and maybe even climb Huayna Picchu or Inca Bridge. Afterwards, you can come back down to the town for lunch. Your extra time in the citadel is dependent on your return train time. In the afternoon we take the train back to Ollantaytambo where our driver will be waiting to take you to your hotel in Cusco.
❇︎ Meals: Breakfast
❇︎ Minimum altitude: 2,040 m/6,691 ft.
❇︎ Maximum altitude: 2,430 m/7,972 ft.
