Salkantay Trekking

This exciting 5-day Salkantay and Machu Picchu tour begins at the imposing Salkantay Mountain, which means “Wild Mountain.” Throughout the journey, we explore the renowned Humantay Lagoon, known as “The Head of the Gods.” Concluding our unforgettable Salkantay Trekking adventure, we will arrive at the lost city of the Incas, Machu Picchu. A journey that promises astonishing discoveries and unforgettable experiences in the heart of the ancient Inca civilization.

DAY 1: CUSCO | MOLLEPATA – CHALLACANCHA – SORAYPAMPA (HUMANTAY LAGOON)

We begin the day by picking you up from your hotel and embarking on an approximately 4-hour journey, crossing Anta and Mollepata to reach Challacancha, the starting point for our trek. We make a brief stop in Mollepata to rest and, optionally, enjoy a light breakfast. In Challacancha, we meet our support team, who will take care of the equipment and pack mules. We begin the trek to Soraypampa (3,850 masl – 12,631 ft), our first campsite, covering a distance of 7 km in about 3 hours. After lunch at Salkantay Base Camp, we explore the impressive Humantay Lake (4,200 masl – 13,779 ft) and then return to camp to rest.

DAY 2: SORAYPAMPA | SALKANTAY PASS – WAYRACPUNKU – CHAULLAY

After an early breakfast, we begin our hike to the highest point of the trail, the Salkantay Pass (4,650 meters above sea level). After a challenging 7 km climb over three hours, we descend 5 km to Huayracmachay for lunch. In the afternoon, we cross the Amazon rainforest for 10 km in three hours to Chaullay Village (2,900 meters above sea level), our jungle base camp on the way to Machu Picchu.

DAY 3: CHAULLAY | COLLPAPAMPA – THE BEACH – LUCMABAMBA

We begin our hike to the town of La Playa through the Santa Teresa Valley. Along the way, we pass through Colpapampa, known as the “front of the cloud forest,” where you can admire waterfalls, birds, hot springs, fruit trees, and a variety of flora and fauna. After a hearty lunch in La Playa, we hike for about an hour to reach our base camp in Lucmabamba (2,400 meters above sea level), where we will spend the night.

DAY 4: LUCMABAMBA | LLACTAPATA – HYDROELECTRIC – HOT WATERS

We begin our hike early with a steep two-hour climb, offering stunning views of the Santa Teresa Valley and culminating at the Llactapata Inca site, located directly across from Machu Picchu. After exploring these ruins, we continue on a two-hour downhill hike to the Hidroeléctrica train station, where we enjoy lunch. We then visit Intiwatana, an ancient rock used as a sundial in Inca times, before following the train tracks to the town of Aguas Calientes.

DAY 5: AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU

After an early start, we explore Machu Picchu on a two-hour guided tour, admiring temples, terraces, and Inca architectural ingenuity. Additional options include climbing Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain (reservation required), hiking to the Sun Gate, or seeing the Inca Bridge. We enjoy the city for over seven hours, at an altitude of 1,950 m to 4,600 m, from April to November.