Salkantay Trek Peru

We know how important this vacation is for you. So, we do not want you to have any doubt or any lack during your trip towards one of the wonders of the world, therefore the guide will meet at your hotel 1 to 2 days before to give you detailed and personalized information to answer your inquiries.

We leave Cusco very early, picking you up from your hotel at 4:30 a.m. We will make the trip in our private transport until the town of Mollepata for 2 hours and 30 minutes. Here, we will have a local breakfast in one of the local homes. You will also have extra time to buy the last-minute things that we could have forgotten.

Then we will continue our trip in the vehicle for 1 hour to Soraypampa (3,850 meters – 12,631 feet) from where the trek will start. On the way we will take the detour to go to the Humantay lagoon (4,200 meters / 13,779 feet) that we love with its beauty colorful that is under the snow of Humantay located 3 km round trip. Continuing our gentle walk for 1 hour and 30 minutes we will have lunch. We will enjoy the culinary art of our chef. Then we will go to our first camp Soyrococha (4,492 mt. / 14,737 pies), located at the foot of the majestic Salkantay snowcapped mountain (6,217 mt /6,396 ft.)

• Meals: breakfast, water, snack, lunch, coffee break and dinner
• Accommodation: camping facilities
• Distance: 14km / 8.5 miles
• Hiking time: 6 to 7 hours
• Temperature: minimum -5 ° C (23 ° F) / max. 18 ° C (64.4 ° F)
• Physical difficulty: High 5/5

After having a dazzling night full of constellations, in the morning we will have a hot breakfast to start our 45 minute walk and reach the highest point Salkantay pass (4,650 meters/15,367 feet), here we breathe the fresh air of the glacier and we will fill with pride for having successfully achieved the promotion. While we enjoy the dazzling view. Our guide will explain the customs and traditions of the stacked stones (apachetas) and their connection with the deity Apu Salkantay (6,217metros / 20,396 feet) that rises majesty in front of us.

Then we will descend the steep trail, having a delicious restorative lunch in the small community Rayacnioc (3,350 meters / 10,990 feet). Then we will continue with the adventure down valley for 2 hours and 30 minutes to finish the trek in the Qollpapamapa camp (2,850 meters /9,350 feet).

• Meals: breakfast, water, snack, lunch, coffee break and dinner
• Accommodation: camping facilities
• Distance: 16kms / 10 miles
• Walking time: 8 to 9 hours
• Temperature: minimum 0 ° C (32 ° F) / max. 25 ° C (77 ° F)
• Physical difficulty: moderate 4/5

This day we will have a great opportunity to see the humid forest and along the way we will see peasant families that take advantage of the wild territory to be able to grow their food; as coffee, avocado, banana, passion fruit, etc. We will walk for approximately 6 hours through the valley following the flow of the Santa Teresa River to the Lucmabamba camp (2,050 meters – 6,725 feet), after having a delicious lunch we will have the opportunity to explore, get to know and taste a little of the work done by local people in the area, especially the gourmet coffee of the Andes.

• Meals: breakfast, water, snack, lunch, coffee break and dinner
• Accommodation: camping facilities
• Distance: 16kms / 10 miles
• Walking time: 7 hours
• Temperature: minimum 5 ° C (41 ° F) / max. 26 ° C (35.6 ° F)
• Physical difficulty: easy 1/5

After having a good breakfast, we will continue with the last walking day in our adventure, we will climb a well-preserved original Inca trail protected by the government.

We will cross the rain forest formed by its typical forest and its variety of birds to finally reach the pass of Llactapata and downhill at 15 minutes we will visit the magnificent archaeological center of Llactapata (2,722 meters /8,930 feet), which will leave us astonished with its view of the surroundings of the citadel of Machupicchu, its mountains, glaciers and its history interpreted by our guide.

After enjoying the view, we will continue descending to the Urubamba Valley and have the last lunch prepared by our chef and his team at the Hidroeléctrica train station (1,800 meters/5,905 feet). In this way after lunch and before leaving we will say goodbye to them with gratitude as it is said in our mother tongue SULLPAYQUI and TUPANANCHIS KAMA!

We will continue our walk following the railway in the opposite direction of the course of the Urubamba River for 3 hours approximately. And finally get to the town of Aguas Calientes (2,040 meters/6,690 feet) where we will stay in our hotel, and at night we will have dinner at one of the restaurants in this town. Fully recommended.

• Meals: breakfast, water, snack, lunch and dinner
• Accommodation: camping facilities
• Distance: 20 km / 12.4 miles
• Walking time: 8 to 9 hours
• Temperature: minimum 6 °C (42.8 °F) / max. 29 °C (84.2 °F)
• Physical difficulty: medium 2/5

Being the last day and eager to get to our trekking’s destination, we will get up very early for breakfast to take one of the first buses that depart at 5:30 am for a ride of 25 minutes to Machu Picchu. We will have the guided tour, where we will learn about the history of this wonder, our professional guide will explain for about 2 hours.

Then board the bus back down to Aguas Calientes town, and then board the train. Trains usually leave in the afternoon between 14:55 – 18:20 hours depending on the reservation availability and space in our EXPEDITION service or other requested service (not included). Then we will return to Ollanta Tambo train station.

donde nuestro transporte les recogerá para dejarles en su hotel de Cusco.  El viaje dura 4 horas aproximadamente desde la estación de tren de Aguas Calientes a la ciudad del Cusco.

• Meal: breakfast
• Temperature: minimum 8 ° C (46.4 ° F) / max. 26 ° C (78.8 ° F)