Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5 Days 4 Nights 2024

Day 1:Cuzco – Soraypampa – Humantay Lagoon (Meals: L, D) Camp.

We will pick you up at your hotel in Cuzco around 4:30 a.m between 5:00 am. We proceed to drive nearly 3 hours to Mollepata town. During the bus ride, you will see the snow capped mountains of Salkantay and Veronica: the Holy Gods of the Incas, as well as a spectacular view of the colorful valleys below. After two hours of driving, we will make the first stop in Mollepata, a small village where you can grab last minute snacks or breakfast (optional). The drive will then continue until “ChallaCancha� (the starting point of our hike).

Here we will meet with our support staff, organize all the equipment, and Here we will meet with our support staff, organize all the equipment, and have an introductory meeting. At approximately 9:30 am we start our trek to Soraypampa (3900m). After about 3 hours of hiking (9 km), we reach our lunch location and the base camp for the evening. We will have a full lunch, and take a break before trekking up to the breathtaking Humantay Lake (4200m). This is an additional 5 km hike that will take 3 hours round trip- but trust us, it’s worth it! Once we reach the lake, we can observe the Humantay Glacier and the stunning sunset. Soraypampa is located in the middle of the glacier valleys where at night, it is so dark it is a perfect spot to appreciate the constellations and the Milky Way.

• Meals: Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation:Camping
• Maximum Altitude: 3850m/12,000ft
• Minimum Altitude:2850 m/9,300ft
• Distance Travelled: 14 km/8.5 miles

Day 2: Soraypampa – Salkantay Pass – Chawllay. (Meals: B, L, D) Camp

With an early start today in order to make it up the highest pass of the Salkantay trek, we deliver coca tea to your tent and prepare a hearty breakfast to fuel you up for the morning. The distance to the top of the pass is 7 km and should take around 4 hours to complete. During the ascent through the rocky valley, we can observe the magnificent Salkantay peak and may even see chinchillas running around. At the top of the pass, you will see the imposing snowy peaks of the Salkantay, Humantay, and Pumasillo.

Salkantay is the second highest mountain in the Cusco region and one of the main Inca Gods known as “Apu Salkantay�. Hiking to the top is the most difficult part of the Salkantay trek and a great accomplishment! The next 3 hours are spent descending along a gravel and rocky path to reach Huayra Machay, our lunch spot. In the afternoon we will arrive at the upper part of the rainforest, also called a cloud forest. We will cover 9 more kilometers (3 hours) until to get Chawllay Village (2900m) our campsite. The second half of the day, we will observe the thick forest, decorated with colorful orchids and native plants. The majority of the year the weather is warm and pleasant.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation: Camping
• Maximum Altitude: 4650m/15,000ft
• Minimum Altitude: 2900m/9,500ft
• Distance Travelled: 21km/13 miles to Chawllay

Day 3: Chaullay – Santa Teresa. (Meals: B,L,D) Camp

Today we begin our hike toward La Playa, walking through the thick jungle and following the Salkantay River on a gradual trail. En-route we stop at several family hamlets to enjoy local fruits and vegetables (passion fruit, banana, coffee, avocado, mango, orange and papaya). If we are lucky, the famous bird called “the Cock of the Rocks� will make an appearance, as well you will able to purchase Peruvian coffee from the local families. Upon arrive to Playa we will have our deserved lunch, then we will continue by local car for 45 minutes until our camp Santa Teresa. In the afternoon you have the option of going for a soak in the hot springs to relax your sore muscles. It’s about 15 minutes drive to the hot springs and is highly recommended after the hard journey on the mountain. Later that evening we will enjoy a full dinner.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
• Accommodation: Camping Santa Teresa
• Maximum Altitude: 2900 m/9,510 feet
• Minimum Altitude: 2100 m/6,900 feet
• Distance Travelled: Approx 16 km/10 miles

Day 4: Santa Teresa – Aguas Calientes town (Meals: B, L, D) Hotel

After breakfast at approximately 6:00 a.m. We will take you to the base camp of Zip-Line. Here you will get all safety instruction of the experienced guide, You will enjoy the best adventure of Zip-line. Then the transportation will take you to the trail-head Hidroeléctrica. From this place we can observe the back of Machu Picchu Sanctuary, And have the last lunch with all staff. From there, we will keep walking along the train tracks until we reach Aguas Calientes town. Once in town, we check into our hotel and get some much-deserved dinner at a local restaurant.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation: Comfortable hotel
• Maximum Altitude: 2040m/6,700 feet
• Minimum Altitude: 2900m/9,500 feet
• Distance Travelled:12 km

Day 5: Explore the  Magical Citadel of Machu Picchu and return to Cusco

Today the highlights of your expedition “Machu Picchu�. After early breakfast, we will start the hike or catch one of the first buses up to Machu Picchu starting at 5:30 a.m. The hotel will hold your extra bags for you until you return from your tour. The bus will take 30 minutes to get to the checkpoint. Once you arrive, your guide will introduce you to Machu Picchu. You will head directly to a beautiful place to see the sunrise and to take pictures. Your guide will walk you around the citadel, for 1.5 h. Teaching you more of the history and culture of the Incas.

At the end of the tour, you will have free time to yourself, if you arranged to hike Huayna Picchu Mountain (must be booked in advance – Optional hike no mandatory) as it sells out and costs ($90 per person), your guide will show you where to begin this hike, which will take no more than three hours round-trip. You should start heading to the bus line to head back to Aguas Calientes around noon and get your lunch before to catch the train, as your train will leave at 18:20 or 19:00 hrs. Also your guide will inform. After two hours, you arrive at Ollantaytambo station and from there, a bus will drive you to San Francisco Plaza Cuzco. End of our service!

• Departure dates: We have the following fixed departures dates scheduled: Jan/Feb/Mar/..../Aug/Sep/Oct/Nov/Dec 2024
• Common Questions: Salkantay trekking FAQS and Salkantay Packing list