This amazing trek runs beneath the magnificent Salkantay mountain (6.271m/20569ft), one of the highest and most stunning in the Peruvian Andes. . The Salkantay Trek (or Salcantay Trek),was recently named among the 25 best Treks in the World, by National Geographic Adventure Travel Magazine. It is a trek open to everybody, and the most popular alternative to the Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu, and rich in natural scenery. If you are strong, outdoors experienced people you might be interested in our ‘Expreso Salkantay’ version which means that you can do the trek in three days and spend the fourth day in Machu Picchu. (Effectively its 4 day/3 nights and makes an excellent Inca Trail alernative trek.)
Day 1: Cusco – Soraypampa – Huayracmachay
At approximately 4:30am, private transport will pick you up from your accommodation and begin the 2.5hr drive to the village of Mollepata (2,800 mts) At 7am we will have breakfast and a brief look around the village with time for you to buy any last minute provisions.
It is 1.5 hours more to Soraypampa, (3,800mts) and we aim to start hiking from here around 9am. We’ll begin with a gentle climb for 3 -4 hours to Soyrococha, (4400mts). We’ll stop for lunch at the stunning base of Salkantay Mountain with some time to visit the glaciers. From Soyrococha, we’ll climb for 1 hour to the Salkantay “Apacheta” Pass (4,600 mts) where your guide will lead you through some traditional rituals at the highest point of the trek. From here, we descend for 2-3 hours to the campsite Huayracmachay. (3,800 mts) or another 40 minutes downhill walk to the cozy “Andenes” campsite.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation:Camping
Maximum Altitude: 4600mts
Minimum Altitude: 3800mts
Distance Traveled: 14km approx.
Approximate Walking Time: 7-8 hours
Day 2: Huayracmachay- Arrayanniyoc – Challhuay-La Playa
After an early breakfast, we’ll depart around 6-6.30, descending approx 1 -1.5 hr to Arrayanniyoc (3,300 mts). From here we begin to see the changing vegetation- an indication of the high jungle zone, or, “Cloud forest”. It’s possible to see humming birds and varieties of orchids. We’ll continue through the Ceja de Selva with a gradual descent for approx 2 .5 hours to Challhuay (2,920mts), where we’ll observe different kinds of fruits, flowers, and birds, plus coffee and banana crops. Another 1 km gentle walk to Collpapampa (2,800mts) and then a further 40 minutes to Wiñaypoqo (2,600mts) where we will have lunch around noon near the waterfall.
In the afternoon, we’ll gently descend 300mts for approx. 4 – 4.5 hours to the small high jungle village of La Playa (2,300mts) where we will spend the night.
Accommodation: Camping
Maximum Altitude: 3850mts
Minimum Altitude: 3300mts
Distance Travelled:16km
Approximate Walking Time: 8-9 hours
Day 3: LA PLAYA – LUCMABAMBA – LLAQTAPATA – HIDROELECTRICA / AGUAS CALIENTES
At 07:30 am we’ll begin our trek to the village of Lucmabamba, where we see the remains of an ancient Inca trail. We’ll follow this rising trail, where we will see coffee, banana and passion fruit plantations along with a lovely view of the Santa Teresa Valley. After climbing for 4 hours to reach Llaqtapata (2,700mts) we’ll rest and observe the mountain of Machupicchu from afar. Then, 2 hours downhill to the Hydroelectric Plant at (1,870mts) where we’ll have a final lunch with all of our staff. The arrieros, horse and donkey herders, will return to Soraypampa and we’ll continue onward to Aguas Calientes. At 16:00pm, we will take a 45 minute train journey to Aguas Calientes (2,000mts) where dinner and a comfy bed in a hostal wait for you.
* Trekking poles recommended for the entire trek and downhill. Optional evening bathe in the hot springs just 10 minutes walk from the town.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hostel
Maximum Altitude: 3300 mts
Minimum Altitude: 2000 mts
Distance Travelled:12km approx.
Approximate Walking Time: 5-6 hours
Day 4: AGUAS CALIENTES, MACHU-PICHU, CUSCO
Early walk (approximately 1.5 hours uphill from Aquas Calientes) or bus to the Citadel of Machu Picchu. A 3 hour guided tour is included, with plenty of time for solo exploration after. If you’ve booked in advance, you may climb Huayna Picchu, Temple of the Moon, or the Gate of the Sun. Around 1pm, we’ll walk back down the steps to Aguas Calientes for a buffet lunch. At approximately 4pm, we’ll take a train to Ollantaytambo with bus connections to Cusco city around 9:00 pm. Or, a direct train to Cusco departs at 4:30 from Aguas Calientes.
INCLUDED IN THE TREK
- Ceremony with your tour guide and locals
- Collection from your hotel at 04:45 am
- Private vehicle to Mollepata-Soraypampa (start of the trek)
- 2 person Igloo tents (large and comfortable) and a roll pad mattress
- English speaking professional guide experienced in mountains
- Full board meals 4 Breakfast, 3 Lunches, 3 Dinners
- First-aid kit including emergency oxygen tank
- Horses/donkeys to carry tents, food, cooking equipment
- Hot water for washing purposes
- Boiled water to fill your bottles
- Train from Hidroelectrica to Aguas Calientes
- Expedition Tourist Train from Aguas Calientes to Cusco or private transport to Ollanta
- Admission Ticket to Machu Picchu Archaeological Complex
- Guided tour in Machu Picchu, time to explore on your own
- Hotel in Aguas Calientes: Double or Triple Accommodation
- Dining and cooking tents with tables and chairs
- Chef and cooking equipment and kitchen tent:
- Round Trip Bus Tickets
What is not Included:
- Personal Mule for 7 Kg US$ 75 (per trekker)Snacks are reccommended: chocolate bars, dried fruits, nuts, etc
- Lunch and dinner on day 4 (return to Cusco)
- Drinks, bottled water, drinks in Aguas Calientes.
- OPTIONAL UP-GRADES:
- VISTADOME: Train to Cusco instead of Expedition Train, an additional US$36 per personTips for your crew guides cooks, horse herders: suggested US$20-25. Tips are optional but they are a great gesture of
gratitude and a wonderful source of esteem for staff.
We recommend that you bring:
- Backpack
- Sturdy Hiking boots
- Warm clothes and trekking pants (not jeans)
- Layers for variable temperatures, especially at night
- Flash light with extra batteries
- Camera, extra film & batteries
- Sunprotection: sunscreen, sun hat, sunglasses
- Thermals : wool socks, gloves, scarf and wool hat for cold nights
- Insect repellent
- Rain poncho : a good rain jacket
- Toiletries / toilet paper / small towel
- Bathing clothes for the hot springs
- Water bottle : water purifying tablets optional
- Personal medical kit
- Original passport and ISIC student card if applicable
- Extra money for souvenirs, drinks
- Trekking poles
The Salkantay Trek can leave any day of the week, from March through December. We do not run this trek in January or February.
Group Tour:
$555 per person
A group tour means that it is open for other trekkers to join you. This means that your group will have varying hiking and fitness abilities. All our guides are experts on how to keep the trek moving and happy no matter how fast you hike.
Private Tour:
Private tours are available and priced by party size.
2 Trekkers: $635 per person
3 Trekkers: $615 per person
4 Trekkers: $605 per person
5 Trekkers: $595 per person
6 Trekkers: $570 per person
7 Trekkers: $560 per person
8 or more Trekkers: $555 per person
* All our tours are priced in US Dollar.
Student Discount (isic card):
$25 off per person
Student discounts apply to anyone who has a valid Green ISIC card at the time of the trek or who is 16-years-old or younger. For those using an ISIC card to receive the discount, we need to see a copy of the card at booking. For those booking children 16-years-old or younger, we need a copy of their passport at booking time. Please send all to info@redandesperu.com.
Hotel:
Inti Punku Hotel 3 starts (or similar)
This is a 3 star hotel and is based on sharing a room – either double, matrimonial or triple. There is a single room surcharge of $30 if you are booking alone. Rooms all include private bathrooms, with hot showers and wifi. We can also upgrade your hotel, if you prefer something fancier. Please remember that the service you receive in Aguas Calientes may not be comparable to that in Cusco. Below is a list of possible upgrade options, although we can usually work with most hotels in Aguas Calientes.
La Cabana Hotel 3 starts: +$40 pp shared (+$110 for a single)
Casa Andina Hotel 3 starts: $40 pp shared ($110 for a single)
El Mapi Hotel 3 starts: +$70 pp shared (+$170 for a single)
Additional Items:
There are several optional upgrades you can include in this trip. Below is a quick list of prices, but check our Overview section for more details.
Huayna Picchu: $25 per person
Montana: $15 per person
Vistadome Train (one way): $75 per person
