Itinerary: Salkantay Trek To Machu Picchu
Pre-trek briefing (required)
We provide a full pre-trek briefing at our office or at your hotel in Cusco. This gives you the chance to ask questions about the trek itinerary. Briefings are scheduled for the day before your trek starts.
Please take this into consideration when booking your travel plans to Cusco, to ensure you arrive in time for the briefing.
Day 1: Cusco - Mollepata – Soraypampa – Soyrococha
Early in the morning we will pick you up from your Cusco hotel at 5:00 a.m. and will drive 4 hours to the start of the hike. We will stop to stretch our legs in Mollepata and then will continue to the starting point of the trail, called Soraypampa at 3,883 meters or 12,740 feet.
After a short rest we will have the opportunity to walk to the Humantay lake that lasts approximately 2 hours. In total we will walk around 10 km (6.2 miles) to our camp. Once we arrive at the turquoise lagoon, we will be able to enjoy its beautiful waters. Then we will continue walking for about an hour to our lunch spot called Salkantay Pampa. After enjoying a good lunch and getting some rest, we will hike for about 2 more hours to our camp. Going up slowly we will arrive at Soyrococha which is located at 4,400 meters or 14,435 feet, being one of the highest camps in the Cusco region. Here, it is essential to have warm clothing, thermal clothing and a sleeping bag that can withstand at least -20°C (-4°F) as the temperature can drop below freezing and sometimes it can even snow.
Overnight in Soyrococha
Camp site
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Day 2: Soyrococha - Rayanniyoc - Collpapampa
On the second day, we will walk a distance of 16 km (10 miles) and we will be able to see a wide variety of ecological zones. We will start climbing for 40 minutes until we reach the Salkantay Pass at 4,635 masl (15,200 feet). Here, we can observe the Salkantay mountain, which is the highest snow-capped peak in the area at 6,264 masl (20,551 feet). If we are lucky we will be able to see condors or other animals such as the vizcacha, which is a relative of the chinchilla. We will descend for 3 hours to our lunch site located in Rayanniyoc. On the way, we will be able to see the geography changing, because we start in the puna area where there are no trees, there is only
wild grass and we end up in the cloud forest. After lunch, we will continue descending for 2 hours and enter the tropical forest where we can see orchids and other native flowers, as well as hummingbirds. As we descend we will pass through bamboo forests, until we reach the town of Collpapampa which is at 2,855 masl (9,366 feet) where we will have dinner and camp.
Overnight in Collpapampa
Camp site
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Collpapampa - Lucmabamba
On this day we will walk a total of 16 km (10 miles) and enjoy a cultural afternoon with a local family. After breakfast, we will continue down the valley for an average of 6 hours, during which we will see a lot of vegetation such as bamboo and we will have many opportunities to see birds in the area and some waterfalls. The path descends gradually, and along the way our guide will show you the variety of flora and fauna in the area. We will arrive at our camp located in a small town called Lucmabamba which is 2,008 masl (6,588 feet), and here we will have lunch. In the afternoon, we will do some agricultural activities depending on the time of year. We could pick and roast coffee, pick avocados, oranges, granadillas, and we could also get honey from the beehives.
Overnight in Pacaymayo
Camp site
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Lucmabamba – Llactapata – Hidroelectrica – Aguas Calientes
After breakfast, we will hike for 8 km ( 5 miles) and will need to get up early. From Lucmabamba to our lunch site we will hike for about 5-6 hours. We will start ascending through the lush rainforest for about 2 and a half to 3 hours to the Llaqtapata Pass which is at 2,700 masl or 8,910 feet. Then we will then descend for 15 minutes and arrive at the archaeological site of Llaqtapata where we will stop and have some snacks. This site provides our first view of Machu Picchu from the other side of the valley, and we will learn about how Llaqtapata was an important astronomical center. After resting, we will begin our descent for 2 and a half to 3 hours down the mountain and will stop to eat our box lunches along the way. We will hike down until we reach the hydroelectric station, where we will say goodbye to our chef. We will get our duffle bags and go to the train station to take the train to Aguas Calientes which takes about 45 minutes.
At Aguas Calientes we will check into our hotel and then will have some free time before meeting for dinner at a local restaurant.
Overnight in Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu)
Accommodations: Hotels ⭐⭐⭐ standard (Hotel Hatun Samay, Flower House and others the same category).
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Cusco
Pre-trek briefing (required)
After a delicious breakfast at your hotel. You will meet your guide and take the 25-minute bus ride up to Machu Picchu. You will have a 2 hours and 30 minuts aprox. the tour with your guide. where we will visit the incredible architecture and the mysterious temples left by the Incas.
A professional English-speaking guide will help us understand the sophisticated ideas and technology of this highly advanced culture. The suggested time to descend from Machu Picchu to the town of Aguas Calientes is 13:00 p.m depending on the departure time of the train to be always 30 minutes before the departure of train.
Expedition Train Aguas Calientes - Ollantaytambo or Poroy (Cusco)
Upon arrival at the station you will be waiting for a staff of the company to transfer to their respective hotels in Cusco
Meals: Breakfast
Trip Details
Duration
4N / 5D
Activities
Hiking - Adventure
Difficulty
Moderate to challenging
Hiking Distance
71KM / 44 miles
Minimum Height
1900 m.s.n.m. or 6,232 ft (Pueblo de Santa Teresa)
Maximum Height
4630 m.s.n.m. or 15,190 ft (Paso Salkantay)
Destinations
Machu Picchu
Tour Language
English, Spanish
Accommodation
03 Nights Camping / 01 night Hotel
Meals
04 Breakfast, 4 Lunch, 04 Tea time and 04 Dinners
Starts / Ends
Cusco – Cusco
IMPORTANT: Please Allow 2 - 3 Days for Acclimatization
The services included
- Transportation from your hotel in Cusco to the start of the hike and back to your hotel at the end
- Entrance ticket to Salkantay
- Entrance ticket to Machu Picchu
- Train ticket from Hydroelectric Station to Aguas Calientes
- Train ticket in the Expedition service from Aguas Calientes back to Cusco at the end of the journey
- Round trip bus tickets to Machu Picchu and back to Aguas Calientes
- One night Hotel in Aguas Calientes (⭐⭐⭐ Econimic)
- The tents which are 2-person, 4 season tents designed for maximum comfort
- The mattress
- Duffle bag that you can fill with up to 7 kg or (15 pounds) of your personal gear that the horses will carry
- Other camping equipment, such as a kitchen tent manned by a professional cooking staff, a dining tent with table and chairs, and a bathroom tent
- Experienced tour guide fluent in English, Spanish and Quechua. Our guides are equipped and trained to practice First-Aid, administer oxygen if needed, and conduct radio communication.
- Complete meals and snacks during the trip starting with breakfast on the first day and ending with breakfast on the fifth day at your hotel (the last lunch in Aguas Calientes is not included).
- Our experienced chefs make amazing meals in the middle of the mountains and are also used to preparing dishes for people with different food restrictions or lifestyles, so please let us know your preferences and we will make sure to meet your dietary needs.
- Professional chef who grew up in the countryside and a horseman with horses/mules to carry all of our gear
- One extra horse in the case of an emergency
Not included
- Lunch on the last day in Aguas Calientes
- Sleeping bag or trekking poles (can be rented from us)
- Tips for guide, chef, and horseman (optional)
Prices: Salkantay Trek To Machu Picchu
Group Service
USD $640.00 per person
Private Service
Number of people
Price per person USD
1 - 2 people
USD $760.00 per person
3 - 5 people
USD $695.00 per person
6 - 8 people
USD $635.00 per person
9 + people
USD $640.00 per person
Discount
Children 17 years old and under - $40USD off
* To receive the child discount you must send us a copy of the child’s passport.
Additional Options: Salkantay Trek To Machu Picchu
Huaynapicchu Mountain: USD$70.00
Vistadome Train: USD$45.00
Sleeping Bags: USD$25.00
Trekking Poles: USD$15.00 (1 pair)
Prívate Tent: USD$40.00
What to bring to: Salkantay Trek To Machu Picchu
- Small backpack
- Large backpack
- Warm clothes - Including jacket, fleece, thermal clothes for sleeping, gloves, scarf
- Rain clothes - Jacket and trousers, poncho, hat
- Swimsuit
- Small towel
- Strong, waterproof trekking boots
- Walking poles
- Sandals
- Flashlight
- Camera - Extra batteries as they run out faster under cold conditions
- Suncream, moisturiser
- Insect repellant - Min 20% DEET
- Toilet paper
- Personal first aid kit
- Snacks - Biscuits, energy bars, chocolate, raw fruits, muesli, etc
- Water Bottle
- Cash in Soles/$USD
- YOU MUST BRING YOUR ORIGINAL PASSPORT
How to book: Salkantay Trek To Machu Picchu
To book the tour, please send us an email peruvianpathsandadventures@gmail.com with the information of each person: full name, nationality, date of birth and gender (Copy of your passport) Please include the tour you want to do, the date start, and how many people are in your group.
Tour Map: Salkantay Trek To Machu Picchu
