9 Nights / 10 Days

Cusco & Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

Itinerary: Cusco & Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

Day 1: Lima - Cusco (In)

When you arrival in the City of Cusco our staff Peruvian Paths and Adventures will be waiting for you at the airport and then take you to your chosen hotel. At the hotel, you will be greeted with the typical coca tea for acclimatization. Our staff will help you check in and give you all the information and recommendations such as: Banks, Restaurants, Exchange Houses and others. Finally have a free afternoon to rest and acclimatize.

Optional: Presentation of typical Andean music and dances at the Qosqo Native Art Centre (6:30pm to 8.00pm) The entrance ticket is included in the package.

Overnight in Cusco

Accommodations: Hotel 3 ⭐⭐⭐ Economic (Hotel San Francisco Plaza, Rojas Inn, and others in the same category)

Accommodations: Hotel 3 ⭐⭐⭐ (Hotel San Agustin Internacional, Hotel Siete Ventanas, and others in the same category)

Accommodations: Hotel 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Hotel San Agustin El Dorado, Hotel Jose Antonio Cusco, and others in the same category)

Day 2: City Tour in Cusco

Breakfast at the Hotel

After a delicious breakfast at the hotel we will pick you up at 8:00 a.m. we will take a bus to start the visit of the city of Cusco. The first stop we will do will be in the Main Square of Cusco or also known as Plaza de Armas, Continuing with the tour we will move to the Temple of Koricancha or Temple of the Sun, where we can appreciate the very fine work that the Incas performed on the stone. Then we will take our bus to leave the city of Cusco and visit the archaeological site Sacsayhuaman, where every year in June, the Sun Festival ‘Inti Raymi’ is held, in the Winter Solstice in the Hemisphere. It has a strategic location that offers a complete view of Cusco City to visitors. We will also appreciate the Archaeological Centers of Qenqo, Tambomachay and Pucapucara. Back to the City of Cusco approximately at 13:00p.m.

Overnight in Cusco

Accommodations: Hotel 3 ⭐⭐⭐ Economic (Hotel San Francisco Plaza, Rojas Inn, and others in the same category)

Accommodations: Hotel 3 ⭐⭐⭐ (Hotel San Agustin Internacional, Hotel Siete Ventanas, and others in the same category)

Accommodations: Hotel 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Hotel San Agustin El Dorado, Hotel Jose Antonio Cusco, and others in the same category)

Meals: Breakfast

Day 3: Tour to Maras Moray & Salt Mine And Chinchero

Breakfast at the Hotel

Pick up from your hotel at 08:00 a.m. We make our first stop at The Andean Animal Refuge where we will find llamas, alpacas, condors, and pumas. Continuing our tour we visit the most important archaeological sites in the Sacred Valley. Here we will have a guided tour exploring the sites for around one hour. This place is best known for having the largest Inca cemetery in the area, and also has religious temples, agricultural terraces, and irrigation systems. Then we go to the colonial town of Pisac where we visit a silverware workshop and learn the process of making silver. Also, we will walk through the traditional markets where you can find a lot of handmade crafts, here we will have time to buy souvenirs. We then go to the town of Urubamba where we stop at a restaurant to have a buffet lunch. To complete our day’s tour, we visit the Archaeological Centre of Ollantaytambo which is another important site in the Sacred Valley having temples and gardens. Also, in this place one of the greatest battles of Spaniards with Incas was celebrated. Also in this place one of the greatest battles of Spaniards with Incas was celebrated. Finally we will begin the return in our mobility and will leave us at the ascent point to the Sky Lodge Pachar

Overnight in Cusco

Accommodations: Hotel 3 ⭐⭐⭐ Economic (Hotel San Francisco Plaza, Rojas Inn, and others in the same category)

Accommodations: Hotel 3 ⭐⭐⭐ (Hotel San Agustin Internacional, Hotel Siete Ventanas, and others in the same category)

Accommodations: Hotel 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Hotel San Agustin El Dorado, Hotel Jose Antonio Cusco, and others in the same category)

Meals: Breakfast

Day 4: Cusco - Sacred Valley - Cusco

Breakfast at the Hotel

Pick up from your hotel at 08:00 a.m. We make our first stop at The Andean Animal Refuge where we will find llamas, alpacas, condors, and pumas. Continuing our tour we visit the most important archaeological sites in the Sacred Valley. Here we will have a guided tour exploring the sites for around one hour. This place is best known for having the largest Inca cemetery in the area, and also has religious temples, agricultural terraces, and irrigation systems. Then we go to the colonial town of Pisac where we visit a silverware workshop and learn the process of making silver. Also, we will walk through the traditional markets where you can find a lot of handmade crafts, here we will have time to buy souvenirs. We then go to the town of Urubamba where we stop at a restaurant to have a buffet lunch. To complete our day’s tour, we visit the Archaeological Centre of Ollantaytambo which is another important site in the Sacred Valley having temples and gardens. Also, in this place one of the greatest battles of Spaniards with Incas was celebrated. Also in this place one of the greatest battles of Spaniards with Incas was celebrated. After this, we will start to head back to Cusco, and on the way we will stop at another local village called Chinchero where we will see the remaining Inca buildings and terraces here that were important for the administration of farming. We will then return to Cusco and will drop you off at your hotel around 6:30 pm.

Overnight in Cusco

Accommodations: Hotel 3 ⭐⭐⭐ Economic (Hotel San Francisco Plaza, Rojas Inn, and others in the same category)

Accommodations: Hotel 3 ⭐⭐⭐ (Hotel San Agustin Internacional, Hotel Siete Ventanas, and others in the same category)

Accommodations: Hotel 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Hotel San Agustin El Dorado, Hotel Jose Antonio Cusco, and others in the same category)

Meals: Breakfast

Day 5: (1st Day Salkantay Trek) Cusco - Mollepata - Soraypampa - Soyrococha

Breakfast at the Hotel

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 6: (2nd Day Salkantay Trek) Soyrococha - Rayanniyoc - Collpapampa

Breakfast at the Hotel

On the second day, After a delicious Breakfast 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: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 7: (3rd Day Salkantay Trek) Collpapampa - Lucmabamba

Breakfast at the Hotel

On this day , after a delicious breakfast 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 and visit to hot spring (opcional)

Overnight in Lucmabamba

Camp site

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 8: (4th Day Salkantay Trek) Lucmabamba - Llactapata - Hidroelectrica - Aguas Calientes

Breakfast at the Hotel

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 Town, Upon arrival we will, enjoy a delicious lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch we will say goodbye to our chef and you will have time to relax before continuing towards the town of Aguas Calientes. Final Hike to Aguas Calientes. The last part of the day involves a 3-hour walk along the railway from the Hydroelectric station to Aguas Calientes, the base town for Machu Picchu. Throughout this walk, you can also see parts of Machu Picchu from the valley. Upon arrival in Aguas Calientes, the guide will take you to the hotel for the night, where you can rest, shower, and prepare for the last dinner in the town. Dinner in Aguas Calientes: Dinner is planned around 7:00 p.m. at a local restaurant in Aguas Calientes. After dinner, make the final preparations for the next day’s adventure in Machu Picchu.

Overnight in Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu)

Accommodations: Hotels 3 ⭐⭐⭐ standard (Hotel Hatun Samay, Flower House and others the same category)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 9: (5th Day Salkantay Trek) Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Cusco

Breakfast at the Hotel

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.

Train Expedition from 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

Overnight in Cusco

Meals: Breakfast

Day 10: Cusco - Lima

Breakfast at the Hotel

After having breakfast at the hotel our company staff will be at the hotel with two hours of knowledge to transfer the hotel to the airport and take your flight with ease to your country of origin.

Transfer from the hotel to the airport in Cusco

Flyht from Cusco to Lima

Meals: Breakfast

IMPORTANT: Please Allow 2 - 3 Days for Acclimatization

The Package include

City tour in Cusco - (Group service maximum 16 people per group)
Tour to Maras Moray & Sald Mine And Chinchero - (Group service maximum 16 people per group)
Tour to Sacred Valley of the Incas with Buffet Lunch - (Group service maximum 16 people per group)
Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu - Private Tour Guide speaking English/Spanish - (Private Service)
Entrance Ticket for all Archaeological complexes
Entrance Ticket to Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu.

Transportations

Accommodations

Meals

Prices: Cusco & Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

Hotels

More recommended tours

Alternative trips that may interest you

Tours in Lima, Paracas, Ica & Nazca - Peruvian Paths & Adventures

Classic Nazca Lines Flight

“Nazca Lines Overflight”. This tour that flies over the impressive Nazca lines, gives tourists a 35-minute flight to sight or observe the geoglyphs. You will be able to see the famous figures of the Hummingbird, the lizard, the owl man (also known as the astronaut), the spider, and many more.

> Read More

Tours in Lima, Paracas, Ica & Nazca

Lima, Peru’s capital, is the gateway to exploring the country. This tour covers its pre-Hispanic, colonial, and modern history, followed by visits to the Paracas National Reserve, the desert oasis of Huacachina, and the mysterious Nazca Lines, ancient geoglyphs spread across the desert sands.

> Read More

City Tour Modern and Colonial in Lima

Lima, capital of Peru, is located on the central coast along the Pacific Ocean. It serves as the gateway to destinations like Cusco, Machu Picchu, Puno, and Arequipa. Renowned for its gastronomy, Lima also offers rich cultural activities and vibrant tourist experiences.

> Read More

Tour Cañon of the Colca - Peruvian Paths & Adventures

Tour Cañon del Colca

Discover the stunning Colca Canyon, one of the world’s deepest canyons. Observe the majestic Andean Condor at Cruz del Cóndor viewpoint. Experience nature, learn about ancient cultures from a professional guide, and enjoy a delicious Andean lunch made with fresh local ingredients.

> Read More