The Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu is an alternative to the Inca Trail and considered by most to be the best alternative route (¡and maybe even better!). This magnificent trail is perfect for adventurers who wish to become personally integrated in changing ecosystems from one day to the next. You will walk through sweeping, magical landscapes of a snowy mountain paradise to a tropical jungle where you will find a wide range of animals and medicinal plants and flower varieties. Witness with your own eyes a living, but ancient, culture in remote villages hardly ever seen by foreigners!
In order to complete the Salcantay Trek, you need to have a reasonable level of fitness, but age shouldn’t be a barrier. The most important thing is to be well-acclimatized to the altitude. The highest you will trek the entire time is (4, 650 MASL – 15092 FASL). Two days of acclimatization before the trek is ideal for visiting the city of Cusco, its nearby Inca ruins, and the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
Itinerary
DIA 1: CUSCO-MOLLEPATA-SORAYPAMPA- SOROY COCHA LAKE
Leaving the hotel at 5:00 AM we will travel by bus to Mollepata (2,100m altittude), stopping on way in the archaeological complex of Tarawasi, an Inca Temple. Mollepata is an attractive small town constructed on the slopes of the upper part of the Apurimac river. From Molllepata we will continue by bus to Soraypampa, hen we will start the trek to the humantay lake, one of the most beautiful of Cusco, and then return to Salkantaypampa, lunch. Here we need to check our luggage, pack the mules, and begin the long ascent to our campsite next to soroy cocha Lake.
The ascent is approximately 4 hours long, and on our way we will be able to appreciate typical Andean flora and fauna. The impressive Salkantay Mountain will be above us during this stretch, and we will be camping just below the Salkantay glacier. For this reason it is recommended passengers bring a down sleeping bag, good for sub-zero temperatures.
DIA 2: SOROY COCHA LAKE – QELQEMACHAY – COLCAPAMPA
We will begin this day by climbing for one hour to the Huayracpampa pass (4.460m). After a brief break and picturetaking session we will begin a long descent towards Santa Teresa. We will lunch in Qelqemachay. During this long descent we will be able to literally see the changes in vegetation as we go from high mountain areas down to tropical jungle with its dense forest. We will camp in Colcapampa close to the thermal baths
DIA 3: COLCAPAMPA – PLAYA
The trail this day is very beautiful. The vegetation is very dense and we will see a variety of orchids and impressive water falls approximately 80 meters high. We will camp in Playa
DIA 4: PLAYA – LLACTAPATA – AGUAS CALIENTES
Today we continue through the sub-tropical vegetation on our way to the village of Lucmabamba, where an original Inca trail still remains to this day.
A gradual uphill climb through lush sub-tropical forest brings us to Llactapata (2700m), where we enjoy a stunning view of the backside of Machu Picchu amongst its neighboring peaks. In the afternoon we will continue the walk for 2 hours until to Aguas Calientes Hotel
DIA 5: AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHUPICCHU – CUSCO
We take the first bus (6:00am) from Aguas Calientes to the Machupicchu ruins. Our guide will thoroughly guide you through the ruins, and In the afternoon we will take the train to Cusco. A representative of our agency will meet you at the train station and take you to your hotel
Include / No include
Included
- An Expert Guide with expert knowledge of the area and its customs.
- Assistant guide depending on the numbers of passengers greater than 8 passengers
- Warm meals during the trip. Meal schedule is as follows: Breakfast, snack, lunch, tea, dinner
- Personal tents. (with double floor)
- Bath tent
- Kitchen tent
- Water boiled after the second day
- Dining tent
- Cooks and kitchen personnel
- Tables
- Benches
- Packhorses (to carry the tents, food and cooking equipment)
- Entrance ticket to Machupicchu
- Entrance ticket to Tarawasi
- Entrance Ticket trek to salkantay
- Entrance ticket to Llactapata
- Transfer to start trek
- Transfer train to hotel upon arrival (Transport tourist class)
- Packhorses for your personal equipment personal
- Riding horses
- First-aid kit
- Oxygen
- Bus Machupicchu- Aguas Calientes (02)
- Duffel bag
- Radio communications
- Mattress air thermarest
- Train back to Cusco class : Backpacker
Not included
- Dinner 5 day
- Sleeping bag
- Tips
- Hotel
