Classic Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu – 5 Days from Cusco

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
Cusco - Challacancha - Soraypampa - Humantay Lake - Sky Camp
5 stops
1
Cusco
Your adventure begins early with pickup from your hotel in Cusco around 4:00 a.m.
2 hours • Admission ticket free
2
Mollepata
You will travel to Mollepata, where you can enjoy breakfast before continuing on to Challacancha (3,800 m / 12,467 ft), the starting point of the trek.
2 hours • Admission ticket free
3
There you will meet the team before starting the hike. The trail, about three hours and 7 km (4.35 miles), follows an ancient Inca canal and offers spectacular views of the glacial valley until you reach Soraypampa (3,900 m / 12,795 ft), where our exclusive Sky Camp awaits you.
3 hours • Admission ticket included
4
Humantay Lake
After lunch, you will take a three-hour hike (round trip) to the impressive Humantay Lake (4,200 m / 13,780 ft) with its turquoise waters and snowy glacier backdrop, creating a dreamlike landscape.
3 hours • Admission ticket included
5
Upon your return, you will enjoy a delicious dinner and a magical night under the stars in your panoramic dome, with direct views of the imposing Apu Salkantay.
10 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 2
Soraypampa - Salkantay Pass - Chaullay - Andean Huts
4 stops
6
Wake up to a view of Apu Salkantay while enjoying coca tea and an energy-packed breakfast to start the hike to the highest point of the trek, Abra Salkantay (4,630 m / 15,190 ft).
1 hour • Admission ticket included
7
This three-hour, 7 km (4.35 mile) ascent takes us along the “path of the seven snakes.” At the summit, take in the majestic views of the Andes and feel the sacred energy of Apu Salkantay.
3 hours • Admission ticket included
8
Then, you will descend for about three hours to Huayracmachay (3,850 m / 12,631 ft) to enjoy a hearty lunch surrounded by beautiful scenery. In the afternoon, you will continue to the cloud forest, where the climate becomes warmer and the vegetation more lush. Along the trail, you will observe tropical flora, birds, and waterfalls until you reach Collpapampa (2,850 m / 9,350 ft).
3 hours • Admission ticket free
9
At the end of the day, a hearty dinner and a well-deserved rest await you at our Mountain Sky View Camp, surrounded by nature.
10 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 3
Chaullay - Colpapampa - La Playa - Lucmabamba - Jungle Domes
4 stops
10
The day begins around 6:00 a.m. with hot mate tea and breakfast before starting the hike through the beautiful Santa Teresa Valley.
1 hour • Admission ticket included
11
The trail descends gently between rivers, waterfalls, orchids, and banana, coffee, and avocado plantations, offering a tropical and relaxing atmosphere. You will walk with the possibility of spotting the Cock-of-the-Rock, Peru's national bird, until you reach La Playa, where you will enjoy a typical lunch before continuing for another hour to Lucmabamba (2,000 m / 6,562 ft).
4 hours • Admission ticket free
12
In the afternoon, you will visit an organic coffee farm to learn about the Andean coffee process and taste its unique flavor.
2 hours • Admission ticket included
13
You will end the day with a delicious dinner and rest in our Super Jungle Domes, surrounded by the sounds of nature.
10 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 4
Lucmabamba - Llactapata - Hidroelectrica - Aguas Calientes
5 stops
14
After breakfast, you will begin your last day of hiking towards Aguas Calientes.
1 hour • Admission ticket included
15
In the morning, you will follow an original section of the Inca Trail, ascending for two hours until you reach Llactapata (2,700 m / 8,858 ft), an Inca archaeological site with unique views of Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu. Here, your guide will tell you the secrets of the Inca civilization while you enjoy free time to take photos and explore.
3 hours • Admission ticket included
16
Then, you will descend for an hour and a half to Ahobamba, where you will stop for lunch. You will continue walking for another half hour to Hidroeléctrica (1,800 m / 5,906 ft), passing by the impressive 250-meter artificial waterfall, a source of energy for the entire city of Cusco.
2 hours • Admission ticket free
17
At Hidroeléctrica, you can choose between taking the train to Aguas Calientes (optional) or continuing the three-hour hike along the tracks, enjoying the warm jungle environment. Along the way, you will see the Intihuatana, an ancient Inca solar stone related to agricultural cycles.
3 hours • Admission ticket free
18
Aguas Calientes
Upon arrival in Aguas Calientes, dinner at a local restaurant and a night's rest in a comfortable hotel await you.
10 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 5
Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Ollantaytambo - Cusco
4 stops
19
Aguas Calientes
Today you will experience the most anticipated moment of the trip: a visit to the lost city of the Incas, Machu Picchu. Very early in the morning, you will climb up to the archaeological site to enjoy the magic of sunrise before the crowds arrive.
2 hours • Admission ticket free
20
Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu
During a two-hour guided tour, you will explore the most emblematic places of the citadel: temples, houses, terraces, and water channels. You will be amazed by the advanced engineering of the Incas, who built this jewel on the side of a mountain without modern tools, creating a hydraulic system that still amazes experts. After the tour, you can climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain (optional, with advance reservation) to enjoy unforgettable panoramic views.
2 hours • Admission ticket included
21
Ollantaytambo
Then, you will return to Aguas Calientes for lunch before boarding the scenic train to Ollantaytambo.
2 hours • Admission ticket free
22
Cusco
Finally, our private transportation will take you back to Cusco, where this Andean adventure will end.
Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Service animals allowed
• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Travelers should have a high level of physical fitness
• It's recommended to arrive in Cusco at least 2 days before the trek to adjust to the altitude.

Show 6 more

Tags

Rating