CUSCO

SALKANTAY TREK 4D/3N

4 days / 3 nightsCUSCO10

Price per personFrom USD 389

Tour overview

A closer look at the journey.

Zone: Special Experience
Difficulty: Ask us
Languages: English
Group: 10

The Salkantay hike to Machu Picchu is one of the most famous hikes in Cusco and is undoubtedly the best alternative route to experience the original Inca trails. This hike takes you through many different types of landscapes. You will have the best chance to see the typical Andean landscape up to the snow-capped mountains, down to the tropical forests and finally venture into the dense jungle. If you are considering a trekking trip to Machu Picchu and want to be off the beaten track, close to Andean communities and appreciate the beautiful and diverse nature of Peru, the Salkantay Trek is highly recommended.

Day 01: CUSCO - MOLLEPATA - CHALLACANCHA - SORAYPAMPA (HUMANTAY LAGOON)

We start the day by picking you up at your hotel or hostel at 05:00 am. We will drive about 2 hours, crossing Anta, to Mollepata and we will end in Challancha. Through the bus wind

Day 02: SORAYPAMPA - SALKANTAY PASS - CHAWLLAY

After an early awakening with the first light of day at 05:30 am. and a quick breakfast, we soon begin hiking towards the highest point of the trail: the Salkantay Pass (4650 MASL

Day 03: CHAULLAY - THE BEACH - SANTA TERESA - HYDROELECTRIC - AGUAS CALIENTES

At 6:00 am. We will begin our walk towards La Playa through the Santa Teresa Valley. We will be walking for approximately 6 hours. During the walk we will see: waterfalls, wild orc

Day 04: THE MOST IMPORTANT DAY - MACHU PICCHU OLLANTAYTAMBO - CUSCO

You are going to visit one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and UNESCO World Heritage Site, Machu Picchu! From Aguas Calientes, we will take a bus to the Inca citadel before e

Day by day

Your itinerary.

The Salkantay hike to Machu Picchu is one of the most famous hikes in Cusco and is undoubtedly the best alternative route to experience the original Inca trails. This hike takes yo

1
Day 1
Day 01: CUSCO - MOLLEPATA - CHALLACANCHA - SORAYPAMPA (HUMANTAY LAGOON)
We start the day by picking you up at your hotel or hostel at 05:00 am. We will drive about 2 hours, crossing Anta, to Mollepata and we will end in Challancha. Through the bus windows you can clearly see the white snow-capped mountains of Salkantay and Huamantay: the holy gods of the Incas. But also the spectacular landscape of the high areas located and the lower valleys with colorful landscapes. After two hours of travel, there will be a brief stop in the town of Mollepata. In Mollepata there are toilet facilities, souvenir shops and an optional short breakfast. When this short break is over, we will soon continue towards Challacancha, which is the beginning of our path. There we will meet our support staff. The staff will organize all equipment, horses and mules. Around 9:30 a.m. We will begin our walk towards Soraypampa (3850 MASL – 12631 ft). The first section of the path is a walk through some deep valleys. In some sections of the trail you can still see the old water channel. The canal still supplies water to farmers in the lower valleys. The start of the hike is a 7 km (4.35 miles) walk in 3 hours to Soraypampa, where we will have our lunch at the base camp. After lunch and a quick nap we continued the walk towards Lake Humantay (4200 masl - 13779 feet). This is a 5 km (3.1 mile) round trip that we will walk in a total of 3 hours. In Humantay Lagoon you can see the bottom of the glacier, and also the most spectacular views of the valley below at sunset. Soraypampa is located in the middle of the glacial valleys and at night the sky is so immensely clear that we can really appreciate the stars, constellations and even shooting stars.
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Day 2
Day 02: SORAYPAMPA - SALKANTAY PASS - CHAWLLAY
After an early awakening with the first light of day at 05:30 am. and a quick breakfast, we soon begin hiking towards the highest point of the trail: the Salkantay Pass (4650 MASL - 15,255 feet). The distance is a tough climb of 7 km (4.34 miles) in 3 hours, between the rocky valley floor and the magnificent Salkantay mountain (6200 masl – 20,341 feet). When we finally reach the top we can and will definitely appreciate the spectacular views of the mountains and the imposing snow-capped peaks of Salkantay, Humantay, Tucarhuay and Pumasillo. Cerro Salkantay is the second highest mountain in the Cusco region and one of the Inca Gods called "Apu". After reaching the top of the pass, it is a 5 km (3.1 mile), 2 hour downhill hike to the campground for our lunch. The hike down is along a snake-shaped path and a rocky gravel path to reach the Huayracmachay lunch spot. In the afternoon we will enter the upper part of the Amazon rainforest, also called "the cloud forest." This is a 10 km (6.2 mile) hike in 3 hours on a wide trail in the thick forests. This hike is really beautiful, the hills are decorated with colorful landscapes and lots of wildlife and native plants. Forests are warm most times of the year or have a temperate temperature. At the end of this magnificent hike we finally arrived at Chaullay Village (2900 masl – 9,514 feet), our base camp in the jungle.
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Day 3
Day 03: CHAULLAY - THE BEACH - SANTA TERESA - HYDROELECTRIC - AGUAS CALIENTES
At 6:00 am. We will begin our walk towards La Playa through the Santa Teresa Valley. We will be walking for approximately 6 hours. During the walk we will see: waterfalls, wild orchids, but also coffee, banana and avocado plantations. Here you can taste the famous passion fruit and passion fruit. We will see a town called Colpapampa, also called "the cloudy eyebrow of the forest" where you can see waterfalls, fruit trees, varied flora and birds. If we are lucky, we will be able to see the famous bird called “Cock of the Rocks”, this bird is the national bird of Peru. After lunch at La playa, we will take local transportation to the Hidroeléctrica train station. Here you will have two options: 1) If you are exhausted, you can take the train to Aguas Calientes. 2) If you still feel like walking, you can walk from Hidroeléctrica to Aguas Calientes for about 3 hours along the train track. Once in Aguas Calientes we will go to the accommodation that is included in the tour. At 7:00 p.m. We will have dinner at a local restaurant. All expenses in Aguas Calientes are covered by the company. Includes: breakfast, lunch, dinner and hostel accommodation (optional hotel)
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Day 4
Day 04: THE MOST IMPORTANT DAY - MACHU PICCHU OLLANTAYTAMBO - CUSCO
You are going to visit one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and UNESCO World Heritage Site, Machu Picchu! From Aguas Calientes, we will take a bus to the Inca citadel before entering and gazing in awe at the incredible construction. Once at the complex, you will enjoy a tour of approximately two hours with your guide and you will visit the most important parts: houses, temples, terraces, crop fields, among others. You will truly be amazed by the ingenuity of the Incas, which to this day remains a mystery. After your incredible guided tour of the citadel, you will have the opportunity to enjoy one of the additional hikes to Huayna Picchu Mountain (2720 m / 8924 ft) or Machu Picchu Mountain (3000 m / 9843 ft); These tickets must be reserved in advance. You will be able to contemplate an incredible view of the citadel of Machu Picchu, one of the best panoramas in the world. You should make sure to return to Aguas Calientes to enjoy lunch before taking the train back to Ollantaytambo. Your train time will depend on availability. In Ollantaytambo, our private transportation will be waiting to transport you back to your accommodation in Cusco. Now you can enjoy a well-deserved rest, although your heart will fly high in the Andes like a condor for many years.

Trip details

Included and not included.

Included

✔ Pre-departure briefing
✔ Transportation
✔ Personal tents
✔ Experienced guide
✔ We offer private campsites
✔ Camping equipment
✔ Free entry to Machu Picchu.
✔ Foam mats or sleeping pads
✔ Accommodation
✔ Pack mules
✔ Trekking cook
✔ Meals
✔ Tea time = happy hour
✔ First aid kit
✔ Train tickets

Not included

✖ Free entry to the Salkantay Trail (S/.10 per person)
✖ Sleeping bags
✖ polish
✖ Last day: lunch and dinner
✖ Clothing and personal equipment
✖ Bus up/down to MP. Citadel
✖ Travel insurance
✖ Tips for our staff

Prepare well

What to bring.

This is a practical starting point. Confirm the tour-specific packing list before departure.

◼ Your passport and/or ISIC card (if you are a student).01
◼ A backpack to carry your personal things.02
◼ Sleeping or sleeping bags.03
◼ Hiking boots with ample ankle support.04
◼ Trekking poles with rubber tips, no metal tips are allowed on the Inca Trail trail.05
◼ Thermal underwear for trekking.06
◼ Gloves or gloves, wool socks, wool hats for cold nights.07
◼ Flashlight and extra batteries.08
◼ Cameras and extra batteries - binoculars.09
◼ Wear a hat to protect the width of your face from the sun from the edge.010
◼ Sunscreen and sunglasses.011
◼ Repellent.012
◼ Rain clothing, raincoat, rain poncho.013
◼ Toiletries, toilet paper, small towel.014
◼ Water purification tablets are optional, because they provide boiled water.015
◼ Swimsuits for use in hot water.016