5-Day Salkantay Classic Trekking

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
Cusco – Mollepata – Soraypampa – Humantay Lagoon
3 stops
1
Mollepata
Today, your trekking adventure to Machu Picchu finally starts! Our guide will pick you up at your hotel in Cusco at 4:30 am. We will drive together with the group to Mollepata (approx. 3 hours), where we will have a nutricious breakfast. We will then drive one more hour to Challacancha (3,380 meters/ 11,090 feet), the starting point of our hike, passing the view point of Hornada Pata where the valley splits into two (Valley of Mollepata and Challacancha). The beginning of the trail will take us through some beautiful valleys.
3 hours • Admission ticket free
2
After a three hour hike, we arrive at our campsite in Soraypampa (3,900 meters/12,800 feet) at approximately 13:30 pm. We will have time to relax and enjoy a delicious lunch prepared by our cook.
1 hour • Admission ticket included
3
Humantay Lake
Later, we will finally visit the famous Humantay Lagoon! After 1.5 hours of hiking, we will arrive at the lagoon (4,220 meters/ 13,850 feet) with incredibly blue-green water and the snowy Humantay Mountain peak behind it, making it one of the most impressive places in the Andes Mountains. We will take some time to admire the breathtaking views and then descent to our campsite in Soraypampa. Arriving at approximately 6:00 pm, we will have tea and dinner, and spend the night in our beautiful cabañas de vidrio.
2 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 2
Soraypampa – Paso Salkantay – Colpapampa
3 stops
4
At 5:00 am we will enjoy a large breakfast so that we have a lot of energy for our hike today. Starting our trek from Soraypampa, we will ascent for 3 hours to the highest point of Abra Salkantay, where we enjoy breathtaking views of the snow capped high Andes Mountains of Salkantay, Humantay, Tucarhuay, and Pumasillo (4,650 meters / 15,250 feet).
3 hours • Admission ticket included
5
Passing through Salkantaypampa and Soyrococha, we will discover a beautiful small lake and then begin our descent towards Huarachmachhay for 3 hours (3,800 meters / 12,470 feet).
3 hours • Admission ticket included
6
There, we will have lunch and then continue our descent for 3 more hours until we reach our campsite in Colpapampa (2,900 meters / 9,500 feet). We will have tea and a delicious dinner prepared by our cook. Tonight we will sleep in our comfortable domes at the campsite
3 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 3
Colpapampa – Sahuayaco Beach
2 stops
7
After a rejuvenating night’s sleep, we start day 3 of our Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu with a delicious breakfast. We begin our 5 ½ hours hike through the Peruvian jungle, passing over many ascents and descents. This part of the trek marks the cloud forest, where we will discover several coffee plantations, orchids and many natural plants used for medicines.
5 hours • Admission ticket free
8
We will arrive at our lunch point Playa Sahuayaca to rest a little. Here you have the option to visit the thermal baths located in Cocalmayo, Santa Teresa (not included). We will return to our campsite at 6.00 pm for tea and a freshly prepared dinner.
3 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 4
Sahuayaco Beach - Llactapata – Hydroelectric – Aguas Calientes
3 stops
9
Today, we will enjoy the sunrise in a lush landscape of rivers, waterfalls, orchids, and many plantations, including banana, avocado, and coffee. We will have a nutricious breakfast and get ready for the next part of our trekking adventure: we will finally hike along a part of the original Inca Trail!
1 hour • Admission ticket free
10
We will walk up along the Inca Trail, enjoying the beautiful views of the Santa Teresa Valley. After a 2.5 ascent, we will arrive at the Inca archaelogical site of Llactapata. Our local guide will share his knowledge about the history of this place. Besides, we will get the chance to get our first glimpse of Machu Picchu Mountain and Huayna Picchu Mountain
4 hours • Admission ticket included
11
Aguas Calientes
We will go downhill for lunch and then continue our hike to Hidroeléctrica. You can choose to walk to Aguas Calientes for around 3 hours, or opt to board a train. Upon arrival in Aguas Calientes, we will enjoy a delicious dinner at a local restaurant in the village on the bottom of the magnificent Wonder of the World. Tonight, we will be staying at a hotel overnight.
3 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 5
Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Cusco
2 stops
12
Machu Picchu
The grand finale! We will wake up very early this morning for our visit to famous Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas. This complex is considered a jewel of the Inca architecture. It is a complete town with different quarters, squares, alleys, buildings, astronomical observatories and terraces. The city was rediscovered on July 24, 1911 by the US researcher Hiram Bingham. We will have a guided tour to see and learn about the Machu Picchu site, a Wonder of the World. After the guided tour, you will have free time to take photos and discover this magical place by yourself. For those who have previously selected to climb Huayna Picchu Mountain or Machu Picchu Mountain, you will do so at your designated time (1st group: 6am to 8am, 2nd group: 9am to 11am). In the afternoon, we will return to Aguas Calientes. We will have some time for lunch (not included), which is the perfect opportunity to explore the local restaurants.
6 hours • Admission ticket free
13
Ollantaytambo
In the afternoon, we will return to Aguas Calientes. We will have some time for lunch (not included), which is the perfect opportunity to explore the local restaurants. We then take the train to Ollantaytambo, leaving at 14:55 pm. On the way back, we can enjoy the incredible landscape of the Sacred Valley. Upon arrival at the train station, we will be picked up by our transfer staff and dropped off at Plaza Regocijo in Cusco.
3 hours • Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
• Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required

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