Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu




Of all the trekking options to Machu Picchu, no one can compete with our five-day Salkantay Trek itineraries for scenery. This spectacular route passes through cloud forests and mountain passes and is dotted with azure lagoons. This showcases the natural beauty of the area.
Then, at the heart of any guided tour of Salkantay to Machu Picchu is the Salkantay Mountain, which at 6,271 m (20,574 ft) is the highest peak in the Vilcabamba mountain range and the twelfth-highest mountain in Peru.
On this Salkantay Trek, learning about the cultural significance of Salkantay Mountain cannot be understated. It is an "apu" or Sacred Mountain for the local inhabitants who live along the Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu route, close to the Salkantay pass.
Our 5 Day Salkantay Trek trip begins in Soraypampa, covering the flank of this sacred mountain, offering some of the most awe-inspiring views in Peru. We then hike to the Humantay Lake, one of the most picture-perfect lagoons in the region. Salkantay is one of the more challenging alternative routes to Machu Picchu, simply because of the high altitudes in the Cusco region.
With any Salkantay Trek versus Classic Inca Trail comparison, the Salkantay Trek receives far fewer trekkers than the classic Inca Trail, so you can walk through this natural and remote paradise comparatively free from fellow humans.
However, you might have to share the stunning scenery with Andean condors and other local wildlife on the Salkantay Trek. We will find ourselves in a world of nature, especially in the dry season.
Your tour guide will be happy to help you with plantlife identification on the Salkantay Trek as well as assist you with the Salkantay trekking permits and regulations. Your guided trek will take you through traditional Peruvian villages along Salkantay Trek, and our team of porters and mules will carry your duffle bags, so you can fully enjoy your trek to Machu Picchu in South America.
Reputable tour operators like Valencia Travel will provide a safe Salkantay trekking experience as you trek to Machu Picchu, on our guided tours of Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu, leaving you back in your hotel in Cusco or the Sacred Valley. Check out our Salkantay Trek group discount packages here!
Our Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu begins when we pick you up from your hotel in Cusco around 5 a.m. We will travel in our private car to Soraypampa, which takes approximately four hours. It’s a lengthy trip, but it’s necessary to arrive at this relatively remote region. Along the way, you will be able to enjoy the wonderful scenery, including views of the Izcuchaca and Limatambo mountain ranges.
Eventually, we’ll arrive at the colorful Andean village of Mollepata, where we will make a short stop to make some purchases such as water, rain poncho, and snacks for your trip. Then we will continue in our private bus for 1 hour more where we will meet our mules, muleteers, and cooks.
Here our chefs will prepare our breakfast before starting our Salkantay Trek. After enjoying our breakfast and receiving our snacks, we will walk approximately 4 hours, including a visit to the Humantay lagoon, until we reach our Salkantaypampa campsite. This is where our chef awaits us with a delightful dinner prepared with local ingredients. We’ll set up camp and later have dinner, surrounded by mesmerizing scenery.
Hiking Time: 4-5 hours approx.
Hiking Distance: 7 Km / 4.35 miles.
Lowest Point: 3,900 m / 12,795 ft.
Highest Point: 4,200 m / 13,780 ft.
We will wake early today on The Salkantay Trek and have breakfast around 5:30 a.m. We have a long day of trekking ahead of us, on our guided tour of Salkantay to Machu Picchu, through some of the most incredible scenery and natural beauty in all of Peru. This will be our most challenging day, as we ascend to the highest point on the Salkantay trek.
We first make the climb to a mountain pass at 4,650 m (15,200 ft) – the highest location on the Salkantay trek. From here, we’ll have sublime views of two huge snow-capped mountains: Salkantay on the right and Tucarhuay on the left. After a rest and time to enjoy the views while hiking in the Andes, we will continue our walk downhill on our Salkantay trek, through a dramatic cloud forest towards Huayracpunku, also known as Huayracmachay, where we will have lunch. We’ll then set off again, trekking for about three hours through jungle-like scenery until we reach our second campsite, Colcapampa, at 3,000 m (9,800 ft). If our group has made good progress, we might have time to push on to alternative campsites at Challway or Andenes. Wherever we decide to stop, we’ll set up the camp and prepare a big meal, a well-deserved reward after a hard day of trekking.
Waking at 6: 30 a.m., we’ll have a hearty breakfast before setting off. Today, much of our trekking takes us through a region of jungle known as the “ceja de selva” or eyebrow of the jungle: the swathe of jungle that lies between the Andes and the Amazon rainforest.
Next, we’ll cross the Lluskamayo River on the Salkantay to Machu Picchu route, to find ourselves in a world of waterfalls, tropical fruits, and colorful birds. If we’re lucky, we might even see a cock of the rock, Peru’s national bird. The temperature will be much warmer here, and the various waterfalls and creeks provide plenty of opportunities to cool down with a refreshing splash in their crystalline waters.
We’ll stop for lunch and then continue trekking for three more hours, until we reach our last campsite at the village of La Playa, at 2,060 m (6,759 ft). At La Playa, you’ll have plenty of free time to relax and enjoy the nearby hot springs: the perfect way to soothe those aching muscles! Later we’ll have dinner and then turn in for the night, relaxed and ready for our final day of the Salkantay Trek.
On our final day of trekking, we’ll have breakfast at 6:30 a.m. before setting off towards Llactapata. It will be a steady three-hour climb, and as we ascend we’ll have wonderful views of the Santa Teresa Valley below us. Eventually, we will reach Llactapata, Inca ruins near Salkantay, which may have served as an important rest stop and roadside shrine on the journey to Machu Picchu, which is connected via the Inca Trail. From here we get our very first glimpse of our final destination: Machu Picchu in the distance, an inspiring sight indeed!
After a rest and time to take photos, we will continue along a downhill trail for about two hours, passing plantations where coca, bananas, and other crops are grown. Eventually, we’ll reach the Hydroelectric Station, a well-known point along the Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu, where we’ll have lunch. Then we will walk for a couple more hours until we reach Aguas Calientes, the lively town that sits below Machu Picchu.
After checking in to your hotel you’ll have some free time, so you can explore the town and, if you like, visit the nearby hot springs. We’ll have dinner in one of the many great restaurants in Aguas Calientes, and then you can return to your hotel for an early night before our final day and our tour of the magnificent Machu Picchu.
Hiking Time: 8-9 hours approx.
Hiking Distance: 18 Km / 11.19 miles.
Lowest Point: 2, 060 m / 6,759 ft.
Highest Point: 2,800 m / 9,186 ft.
To best appreciate Machu Picchu, we’ll wake up early in the morning so we can get to the citadel in good time. You’ll have time for breakfast first, and then your guide will pick you up from the hotel at around 5:40 a.m. We’ll then walk to the bus departure point for the short but zigzagging ascent up the road to Machu Picchu.
We’ll then pass through the gates to the Machu Picchu archaeological site. Here you’ll begin your guided walking tour with an experienced and highly knowledgeable guide. Our tour of Machu Picchu will last about two hours and will take you to all the most famous and spectacular parts of the extensive archaeological complex. These include the House of the Guardian, the Intihuatana, the Temple of the Sun, the Sacred Plaza, and other key locations. (It will depend on the circuit that the Ministry of Culture determines).
As we walk around, we’ll have spectacular views of the agricultural terraces of Machu Picchu and across to the surrounding mountains and plunging gorges.
Once we’ve finished our tour of Machu Picchu, we’ll take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes where you can relax and have lunch (not included) before we board the train back to Ollantaytambo/ Poroy. Upon arrival at the station, we’ll be waiting to take you back to your hotel in Cusco, where you’ll end your incredible Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu.
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