Group service
Salkantay
Trek
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Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 4 days / 3 nights
Embark on an unforgettable adventure with our Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 4-day service, an experience designed for adventurous spirits. This trek immerses you in the serenity of nature, offering a break from modern life as you journey towards the majestic Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. Furthermore, this unique tour takes you through the high jungle, including a visit to coffee plantations, where you can participate in coffee preparation activities and taste it before you visit Machu Picchu.
Include
What is included?
- Informative pre-trek briefing
- Pickup from your accommodation in the Cusco city center
- Tourist transportation from Cusco to Mollepata (Challacancha)
- Staff in charge of mules and setting up tents
- Horses and mules are responsible for carrying camping equipment and your duffel bag
- Duffel bag for a maximum of 7 kilos (15.4 lbs)
- The cooking team that manages food preparation and cooking equipment
- Professional Guide Service for Salkantay Trek & Machu Picchu
- Dining tent for the group
- Tent for 2 people
- First aid kit and oxygen tank
- Entrance ticket to Machu Picchu (Circuit 1, 2, or 3 – subject to availability)
- 1 night in a Hostel or basic accommodation in Aguas Calientes
- 4 breakfasts, 3 lunches, and 3 dinners are covered (vegetarian food options available)
- Train ticket from Aguas Calientes to the Ollantaytambo train station
- Tourist transportation from Ollantaytambo to Cusco with a final stop at Plaza Regocijo (Historic Center)
Not Included
- Meals: Lunch and dinner on the fourth day
- Entrance ticket to Humantay Lagoon
- Bus ticket from Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes
- Showers and bathrooms along the trail
- Sleeping bag
- Trekking poles
- Travel insurance
- Tips for the guide, cook, and muleteers (optional.)
What to Expect
- Traverse Cusco’s high jungle on the way to Machu Picchu.
- Develop a more significant connection with breathtaking nature.
- Discover excitement and adventure over 4 days on a spectacular route between glaciers and the Amazon.
Itinerary
Day 1: Cusco – Mollepata – Challacancha – Soraypampa – Humantay Lagoon – Soraypampa Camp.
We will begin the Salkantay journey with a 4:00 a.m. pickup from your accommodation in tourist transportation. From Cusco, we will travel via the Anta plateau and Limatambo until we reach Mollepata. Enjoy the views along the way. Around 7:00 a.m., we’ll have breakfast and a brief visit to the town of Mollepata for any last-minute purchases.
The vehicle journey continues for another 40 minutes until reaching Challacancha, where the trek will begin. Prepare for an approximately two-and-a-half-hour hike, ascending through the terrain as the mountain views become increasingly spectacular on the way to Soraypampa. This will be the designated spot for your first overnight camp.
- Accommodation: Campsite.
- Meals: Breakfast and lunch
- Hiking distance: 8 km (5 miles)
- Minimum altitude: 3,350 MASL / 10,990 ft.
- Maximum altitude: 4,200 MASL / 13,779 ft.
- Hiking hours: 7 hours.
Day 2: Soraypampa – Salkantay Pass – Huayracmachay – Chaullay
The day begins with an early wake-up at 5:30 a.m. After a nutritious breakfast to energize you, you will start the steady ascent towards the highest point of the route. Upon reaching Salkantay Pass, you will be rewarded with stunning panoramic views, contemplating the majesty of the snow-capped Apus (sacred mountains) that rise impressively against the sky. Afterwards, you will gradually descend towards the Huayracmachay camp, where a comforting and delicious lunch awaits, carefully prepared by our local cook amidst this natural environment.
Once lunch is finished, you will continue the descent through the captivating cloud forest, an ecosystem enveloped in a mystical atmosphere and teeming with biodiversity. Immersing yourself in a landscape of intense greens and palpable humidity, you’ll head towards Chaullay, our second campsite, to spend the second night.
- Accommodation: Campsite.
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- Hiking distance: 19 km (11.8 miles)
- Minimum altitude: 2,900 MASL / 9,514 ft.
- Maximum altitude: 4,600 MASL / 15,092 ft.
- Hiking hours: 7 – 8 hours.
Day 3: Chaullay – Hidroeléctrica – Aguas Calientes
Start the day with a revitalizing breakfast at 6:00 a.m. The day’s hike begins at approximately 6:30 a.m., departing from Chaullay. Along the way, we will cross a small waterfall of pure mountain water before reaching Playa Sahuayaco. At this spot, located in the lower part near the river amidst stunning natural surroundings, you will savor your last delicious lunch, carefully prepared by our experienced local expedition cook. Once lunch is finished, please take a moment to say goodbye and thank our cook and the other team members who accompanied you on this journey. Then, a one-hour car transfer will take us to Hidroeléctrica.
Next, you will choose two routes to reach Machu Picchu town (Aguas Calientes). The first alternative is to embark on a fascinating hike of approximately 3 hours along the railway tracks, an experience that will allow you to enjoy the surrounding landscape up close. The second alternative, quicker and more comfortable, is a train journey of about 40 minutes. Tickets for this option can be conveniently purchased at the hydroelectric plant itself.
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- Hiking distance: 12 km (7.5 miles)
- Minimum altitude: 2,000 MASL / 6,561 ft.
- Maximum altitude: 2,900 MASL / 9,514 ft.
- Hiking hours: 6 hours.
- Accommodation: Hostel.
Day 4: Aguas Calientes – Visit to the Machu Picchu Sanctuary – Return to Cusco
The day begins very early with a comfortable bus ride that winds upwards for approximately 25 minutes, offering partial views of the mountainous surroundings as you approach the majestic Citadel of Machu Picchu. Once at this historic sanctuary, you will enjoy an exhaustive 2.5-hour guided tour, where local experts will bring the ancient ruins to life, revealing the secrets of Inca architecture, its sacred temples, and its fascinating history.
Afterwards, you will have ample free time to explore at your own pace, capture the magnificence of the surroundings with your camera, and optionally, undertake additional climbs such as the challenging hike to Huayna Picchu. Usually around 1:00 p.m., you will begin the return to Aguas Calientes to enjoy a well-deserved lunch (not included). The day culminates with the train departure at approximately 3:20 p.m. to Ollantaytambo, followed by a bus transfer that will take you back to Cusco, arriving at approximately 9:00 p.m.
- Meals: Breakfast
- Hiking distance (Machu Picchu): 12 km (7.5 miles)
- Altitude of Machu Picchu: 2,450 MASL / 8,038 ft.
- Hours of activity/touring: 6 hours.
- Accommodation: None.
Additional information
What to Bring?
- Backpack
- Sleeping bag
- Sturdy hiking boots
- Warm clothing and hiking pants
- Sun protection: sunscreen, sun hat, and sunglasses
- Thermal clothing: wool socks, gloves/scarf, and a wool hat for cold nights
- Insect repellent
- Rain poncho or rain jacket
- Toiletries/toilet paper / small towel
- Swimsuit for the hot springs (if applicable to your specific plans beyond this trek)
- Water bottle: optional water purification tablets
- Personal first-aid kit
- Original passport
- Extra money for souvenirs, drinks, and snacks
- Trekking poles.
Price
650
Book here
Tour: Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 4 days / 3 nights
Group service
Tour guide
Bus & Train
Camp & Hostal
Meals mentioned
First-aid kit
Group service: Daily departures, in a maximum group of 12 passengers.
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