Salkantay Trek tour is a 5-day trek, it is a spectacular adventure that connects us with Machu Picchu, the views are made up of glaciers, mountains and the Humantay lagoon, and a lot of vegetation, which makes the trek one of the most beautiful.
We will cross the highest snow of the Vilcabamba mountain range until we reach Llactapata, which is located behind the mountain of Machu Pichu, this road will finally take us to Aguas Calientes, which is located at the foot of the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, from where We will walk to the citadel to appreciate the sunrise. We will visit the incredible Inca archaeological center.
So in this way we will culminate with an unbeatable adventure that will allow us to connect with nature.
SALKANTAY TREK, HIGHTLITHGS:
Humantay lake / Soraypampa / Salkantay Mountain / wayllabamba / LLactapata / Short Inca Trail / huaynapicchu / Machupicchu.
ITINERARY
ITINERARY
DAY 01- CUSCO – SORAYPAMPA – LAGUNA HUMANTAY – SALKANTAY PAMPA.
DAY 02 – SALKANTAY PAMPA – INCA CHIRIASKA – CANAL INCA.
DAY 03- CANAL INCA – LLACTAPATA – KM 82 – OLLANTAYTAMBO.
DAY 04: OLLANTAYTAMBO – INCA TRAIL Km 104 – WIÑAYHUAYNA – PUERTA DEL SOL – MACHU PICCHU.
DAY 05: MACHUPICCHU TOUR – CUSCO.
DETAILED ITINERARY OF THE SALKANTAY TREK AND SHORT INCA TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU
DAY 1
CUSCO – SORAYPAMPA – LAGUNA HUMANTAY – SALKANTAY PAMPA.
Salkantay Trek, We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco between 5:00 am on our private transportation. We started our adventure in the direction of Mollepata, which we passed on our 3-hour van journey to the trail in Soraypampa 3800 km. When we arrive in Soraypampa, you will enjoy a hot breakfast prepared by our trail chef. After breakfast, you will hand over your travel bag to our riders and you will be ready to start your trekking adventure from the Salkantay trek to the Humantay lagoon. This walk lasts approximately 1.5 hours and will take you to the base of Humantay Mountain, where you can enjoy the beautiful crystal clear waters of the Humantay Lagoon. After a while to be mesmerized by the beauty of such an incredible creation of nature, you will begin the walk back to the starting point to enjoy a hot lunch.
After lunch we will have a walk of about 2 hours to our campsite Salkantaypampa which is located very close to the Salkantay mountain where we can enjoy beautiful views of the glaciers.
DAY 2
SALKANTAY PAMPA – INCA CHIRIASKA – CANAL INCA.
After getting up early in the morning, you will enjoy your breakfast and prepare for the day’s walk. You can not help but stop to enjoy the spectacular views of the surrounding glacier peaks and mountains. From SalkantayPampa, ascend slowly for the next 3 hours to reach the Inca Chiriaska, pass located at 5,100 km. Chiriaska Quechua means to cool down, this place is truly cold at most times of the year, but it has some of the best views of the glacial peaks of Salkantay. After taking some time to admire the stunning scenery, you can enjoy a warm drink before continuing your walk. The walk from the pass to Sisaypata to our lunch place will take about 3.5 hours, but everything is downhill. In Sisaypata, you will have the opportunity in the beauty of the Paltayoc peaks.
After lunch, we continue walking for another 3 hours downhill to the camp “Canal Inka”
DAY 3
CANAL INCA – LLACTAPATA – KM 82 – OLLANTAYTAMBO.
After breakfast, you will visit the Inca archaeological site of Paucarcancha before continuing your walk. This day we arrive at an original section of the Classic Inca Trail. While trekking, you will be captivated by the breathtaking views of the surrounding valleys and mountains. In addition, you will also get some of the famous Inca Trail visiting the famous Inca archaeological site of Llactapata. This site is known to have been an Inca village characterized by its houses, water channels and many agricultural terraces that gently skirt the mountainside. From Llactapata, we will hike approximately 1 hour and then stop for lunch.
After lunch, you will hike approximately 2 hours until you reach Km. 82, where you will meet our private van and you will be transferred to the city of Ollantaytambo. where you will enjoy a delicious dinner and we will stay tonight in a hotel in Ollantaytambo.
DAY 4
OLLANTAYTAMBO – INCA TRAIL KM 104 – WIÑAYHUAYNA – PUERTA DEL SOL – MACHU PICCHU.
7:00 AM we will pick you up from your hotel to transfer you to the train station, we will board the train that will take you to the km. 104 the trip is about 1 hour. It is here at Km 104 (2,200 m / 7,217 ft) where we will start the walk, we will pass by the bridge that is on the Urubamba or Willkamayuc River which translated from Quechua means Sacred River, which was very important for them. When you arrive at the control point, you must show the identification documents, whether it is a Passport or Alien Registration Card or a National Identity Document. A 15 minute walk is the archeological center of Chachabamba and Choquesuysuy that are hidden in the semi-tropical forest, after your visit we will start the walk through bleachers ascending until we reach the next place on the way we will observe the sacred valley , water cascades and different types of semi-tropical forest orchids, after 3 hours of walking we will arrive at Wiñaywayna (2,650 m / 8,694 ft) it shows a perfect example of what agriculture was in the time of the Incas, since along its skirts lie a large number of circular terraces, where the Incas cultivated different agricultural products. The name of Wiñaywayna comes from a beautiful orchid that abounds in the area and has as meaning in Spanish “Eternally young” and has more than 20 buildings, one of them the Temple of the Rainbow also called Temple of Fertility, the visit will be 1 hour on average, then you will enjoy the box lunch to replenish energy and continue until you reach the Wiñaywayna control.
In this second part of the tour we will walk for 2 hours through an Andean plan, stone stairs and tambos (“resting places”) until we reach the Inti Punku – Puerta del Sol (2,720 m / 8,923 ft) that during the Incas worked as control of entrance to the Citadel of Machu Picchu; From here you have an impressive panoramic view of Machu Picchu and the entire surrounding valley, then descend for approximately 30 minutes to the wonder of the Machu Picchu world (2,490 m / 8,169 ft) and finally take the bus to Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu Town (2,160 m / 7,086 ft) the trip lasts 25 minutes, here we will spend the night in a very comfortable hotel. If you are not very tired, you have the option of visiting the thermal baths that is 10 minutes from the town, the cost is 10 soles. For those who like to dance or have a drink in a bar, we inform you that Aguas Calientes has a wide variety of bars and restaurants, including an ATM, in case you wish to withdraw money from the bank. Here we will also have a delicious a la carte dinner in a very cozy restaurant in this town.
Hotel night in the town of Aguas Calientes.
DAY 5
MACHUPICCHU TOUR – CUSCO.
This day finally we visit Machu picchu, after breakfast your guide will meet you by you hotel lobby and you go to the bus stop to board the bus, we will drive for about 30 minutes to reach the citadel of Machu Picchu. We will have a 2-hour private, guided tour, to visit the most important places in Machu Picchu. After the visit, you will have free time to visit Machu Picchu on your own (optional, climb the Huaynapicchu or Machu Picchu mountain, this costs an additional $ 35 USD per person). You can also hike to the Sun Gate or the Inka Bridge, for these 02 places there are no additional payments.
At the appropriate time, we will take the bus and descend from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes usual train departure to Ollantaytambo is in the afternoon, followed by car two hours drive to your hotel in Cusco.
INCLUDED
It includes
- Pick up from your hotel in Cusco.
- Private transportation to Mollepata and Soraypampa, starting point of the trek.
- Professional Guide English and Spanish.
- Entrance to Salkantay road.
- Entrance to the Inca Trail.
- Entrance to the citadel of Machu Picchu.
- Horsemen and horses to carry all the equipment, tents, food, kitchen equipment, restaurants and tents, passenger equipment (7 kilos maximum per pax).
- Food 4 breakfasts, 4 appetizers, 4 lunches and 4 dinners. All these meals are prepared by our chef and his assistant.
- Coca tea is served every morning in your tent.
- Boiled water after breakfast, to refill your water bottles.
- Lunch with hot drinks such as coca tea and coffee.
- Oxygen and first aid kit.
- Vegetarian and special diets at the request of the client.
- All camping equipment, including tents for staff.
- Guided tour of 2 hours in Machu Picchu.
- 01 night hotel in Ollantaytambo.
- 01 night hotel in Aguas Calientes
- Ollantaytambo train to km 104 beginning of the Inca Trail.
- Return train to Ollantaytambo and then a private transport to Cusco.
- Transfer to your hotel in Cusco at the end of the tour.
Not Included:
- Sleeping Bag, you can rent in our office ($ 25.00 USD for the entire trip).
- Trekking poles, you can rent in our office (the $ 15.00 USD for the entire trip).
- Lunch on the last day and breakfast on the first day.
- Entrance to the mountain Huayna Picchu (optional $ 75 USD).
WHAT TO BRING
ITINERARY
- Bring original passport “With expiration date not less than 7 months”
- Sleeping bag (can be rented at the agency).
- Mountain boots and sandals (very important).
- Trekking poles (can be rented at the agency).
- Warm clothes: layers of variable temperatures, especially at night. Thermal / gloves / scarves: wool socks / wool hat for cold nights, shirts for the whole walk.
- Front lantern (very important).
- Camera and spare batteries.
- Sunscreen / hat and sunglasses.
- Personal medical kit.
- Insect repellent.
- Rain clothes: a good raincoat and rain pants and a plastic rain poncho.
- Toilet paper.
- Small towel.
- Extra money for drinks and tips, souvenirs, etc (soles or dollars).
- Bath clothes for the thermal waters (optional).
- Water Bottle (Canteen).
SALKANTAY TREK, PACKING LIST FOR SALKANTAY AND MACHU PICCHU.
ESSENTIALS:
- Passport
- Valid, STUDENT CARD (if you booked as a student)
- Immigration Card (given on the plane as you enter Peru)
- Good daypack (the smaller, the better)
- Water storage or water canteen: Water reservoir like Camelbaks are encouraged – but enough for at least 1-2 liters.
- Comfortable shoes (lightweight with good soles), “goretex waterproof for rainy seasons”.
IN YOUR LUGGAGE:
In the train there is a limit of 7 to 8 kilograms as maximum, we recommend to bring only important things.
- 2-3 long sleeve shirts
- 2 pants
- 3 sets of undergarments.
- 3 sets of socks
- 1 Fleece
- 1 Rain jacket and pants “only for rain seasons”
- 1 sun hat
- Sandals “In case you want to visit the hot spring in Machu Picchu town”
- Small Quick Dry towel.
- Batteries Charger for your phone and cameras.
TOILETRIES:
- Sunscreen
- Face moisturizer
- Bug spray
- Hand sanitizer
- Wet wipes
- Toothbrush and paste
- Toiletpaper
- Personal medication
- First aid kit: band aids, moleskin, etc.
INSIDE YOUR DAYPACK FOR VISIT OF MACHU PICCHU:
Daypacks can be any size, but we always recommend the smallest ones, Because Inside Machu Picchu, no bag larger than 25L will be allowed in. If larger, you will need to store outside citadel gates.
- Water canteen:
- Sun hat
- Rain gear
- Camera or Phone Camera
- Hand sanitizer
- Toilet paper and small plastic bag for waste
- Extra Money for Souvenirs, Drinks & Tips
Important information:
- Departure dates: We have groups for the Camino del Inca every day of the year. Less February, when the Inca Trail is closed throughout the month. The month of February you can visit Machu Picchu by train. More is not possible to do the Inca Trail.