The famous Salkantay Trail to Machu Picchu (or Salcantay Trek), is considered one of the 25 best excursions in the world by the National Geographic Adventure magazine, it is a walk open to everyone, without limitation of spaces or permits (at least for now). This trek connects the city of Mollepata, Cusco with Machu Picchu, the Salkantay Trek is an ancient and remote trail that is in the same region as the Inca Trail, where huge snow-capped mountains collide with lush tropical forests. Located less than fifty kilometers northwest of the city of Cusco in the southern central area of Peru by the Vilcabamba mountain range and rising 6,271 meters above sea level (20,574 feet). Salkantay is an excellent ice cap summit worshiped for thousands of years by local Indians. The name Salkantay is a Quechua word meaning "Wild Mountain". Our classic Salkantay Trek is a custom design alternative to the traditional Inca Trail. Out of the ordinary, this is a cutting edge experience for adventure travelers looking for more privacy and authenticity. With more spectacular views, the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu offers solitude and silent contemplation as a sacred path deserves.
- Departures: Every day.
- Operable: All year.
- Make your reservation in advance.
DAY 1: CUSCO, MOLLEPATA AND SORAYPAMPA:
Walking time between 7 to 8 hours.
We will pick you up from your Hotel at 4:30 am to go by bus to the town of Mollepata, which is two hours from the city of Cusco where we will stop for breakfast and buy coca leaves, bamboo sticks and other things, then we will start the trek of approximately three hours to reach Cruzpata where we will have lunch appreciating the Snow peak of Humantay which is at 6,000 meters above sea level and then continue with the trek for about 5 hours, finding a variety of flora and fauna in the route, finally we will be arriving at the camping area of Soraypampa to spend the first night, in front of the snow-covered mountains of Humantay and Salkantay.
DAY 2: SORAYPAMPA AND CAMPING IN CHAULLAY:
Walking time between 8 to 9 hours
After breakfast we will start the trek and ascend from 3,700 meters above sea level to 4,600 meters above sea level to the Salkantay pass where a traditional payment ceremony will be held for the Apu Salkantay with coca leaves, where all the members of the group will participate and the master of ceremony will be the guide; After this ritual we will be descending and on the way we will be passing through the community of Huayraq Pampa - Rayanpata, from this point to the camping area corresponds to the high jungle, in this area we will be seeing a diversity of flora such as a variety of bamboos, ferns, mosses, palms, orchids, etc. likewise we will be seeing a diversity of birds to finally reach the Chaullay camping area (1900 m.a.s.l.), where we will be spending the second night.
DAY 3: CHAULLAY AND CAMPING IN SANTA TERESA:
Hiking time between 5 to 6 hours.
This day we will get up at 6:00 am to start the hike at 7:40 am. From this point we will be descending to the jungle and in the course of our trek we will be observing different waterfalls and water formations (stalactites). Seeing a variety of fruits of the jungle such as papaya, passion fruit, avocado, banana, orange, coffee plantations, coca plantations, etc. We will also be seeing a variety of birds such as quetzal, parrots, tucanetas, hummingbirds and others, passing through some communities such as Collpachaca, Lluscamayo and finally Sahuayaco Beach where we will have lunch and have a little break to later take the bus from this place to the district of Santa Teresa (place for camping), optionally from this place we will be taking the bus to go to the thermal baths of Santa Teresa called Cocalmayo (optional, not included), where we will be enjoying and at the same time relaxing our muscles for a lapse of an hour and a half to return to our camp and finally dine.
DAY 4: SANTA TERESA AND NIGHT IN AGUAS CALIENTES.
Walking time from 3 to 4 hours.
We will have Breakfast at 8:00 am, then we will be visiting the district of Santa Teresa that for now this little town is an important nucleus for all the walkers that arrive from Choquequirao, Santa Maria, Salkantay and Vilcabamba, which makes that in a very close future might be a small cosmopolitan city like Aguas Calientes. Later we will be taking the bus to go to the small town of the Hydroelectric where we will have lunch and after we will have a three hour walk along the right border of the Urubamba River passing through Mandor place where the American explorer Hiram Bingham arrived and got contact with the farmer Melchor Arteaga who led him from this place to Machu Picchu, if we are lucky we will be seeing the cock of the rocks bird that represents the jungle of Peru and finally we will be arriving at the town of Aguas Calientes, where we will pass the night in a hotel.
DAY 5: AGUAS CALIENTES, MACHUPICCHU AND RETURN TO CUSCO.
Full day
We get up at 5:00 am to have breakfast and then take our bus to the Archaeological group of Machu Picchu where we will observe the sunrise, then we will have a guided tour in the citadel of Machu Picchu for approximately two hours, culminating the guided tour we will have free time so that we can explore the place, take pictures and enjoy the immense stone structures made by the Inca civilization, after all we will be returning to the town of Aguas Calientes to take our train back to the city of Cusco arriving at about 8:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
End of services.
WHAT IS INCLUDED?
INCLUDED:
- Bilingual professional guide.
- Train ticket Aguas Calientes - Ollantaytambo.
- Transportation (Bus from Cusco to Mollepata, Santa Teresa to Hydroelectric and Ollantaytambo to Cusco)
- Food (04 breakfasts, 04 lunches and 04 dinners).
- Hotel in Aguas Calientes.
- Horses to carry the camping equipment.
- Camping equipment (tents and air inflatable mattress or camping mats).
- Cook.
- Entrance ticket to MACHU PICCHU.
- First aid kit.
- Entrance to the salkantay park.
- Roundtrip tickets for the Bus to go up and down from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu.
NOT INCLUDED:
- Sleeping bag.
- Tips
- Extra Porter (If you want you can request this service for the cost of US 75 dollars, maximum load capacity 15 kilos)
WE RECOMMEND TO BRING:
- Comfortable hiking shoes with a good sole, preferably not new.
- Personal hygiene items.
- Personal medicine kit (bandages, cotton, bandages, alcohol, aspirin, pills for stomach problems, pills to prevent altitude sickness).
- Photographic camera.
- Sleeping bag.
- Walking stick with rounded rubber tip.
- Hat or cap
- Long sleeve shirts
- Bottle of water and pills to purify the water.
- Small Knife
- Dehydrated fruits, candies and chocolates
- Gloves, scarf, wool stockings.
- Raincoats or rain ponchos in the rainy season.
- Flashlights, batteries and spare bulbs.
- Long pants.
- Insect repellent.
- Sunscreen.
- Sweaters and a warm jacket.
- Backpack (approx 50 to 70 liters) for walks.
- Towel and toilet paper.
- Underwear.
- T shirts
- Warm clothes in case of cold weather (sweater and jacket).
- Swimwear.
- Some local money for the hot shower in the last camp.
COST OF THE SALKANTAY TREK TO MACHU PICCHU, GROUP AND PRIVATE SERVICE |
|
| Cost per person in group service | US $ 360 dollars. |
| Private Service 1 passenger | US $ 1060 dollars. |
| Private Service 2 passengers | US $ 700 dollars |
| Private Service 3 passengers | US $ 600 dollars. |
| Private Service 4 passengers | US $ 590 dollars. |
| Private Service 5 passengers | US $ 500 dollars. |
| Private Service 6 passengers | US $ 490 dollars. |
OPTIONAL SERVICE:
- One extra night in Aguas Calientes single or double room USD 75 dollars (If you want a higher category hotel check with the agency).
- Additional entrance ticket to Machu Picchu with Huaynapicchu for an additional day USD 70 Dollars.
- Additional entrance ticket to Machu Picchu for the additional day: USD 52 dollars.
- Bus tickets to go up and down from Aguas Calientes to Machu Piccchu and vice versa USD 26 dollars round trip.
- 1 Extra Porter (14 kg) to help you with your personal luggage $ 70.00. The extra Porter can be shared by 2 people.
- Additional mattress x 01 unit: USD $ 15.00
- Additional tent x 01 unit: USD $ 25.00
- Sleeping bag x 01 unit: USD $ 20.00 per person.
- Walking Stick x 01 unit: USD $ 10.00 per person.
DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE:
Special Discounts for people who belong to the Andean Community group (Perú, Colombia, Ecuador and Bolivia).
Inca Trail Treks and alternative treks to Machu Picchu
- Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu 4D/3N
- Short Inca Trail 2 days 1 night Machu Picchu
- Inca Jungle trek to Machu Picchu in 4 Days
- Lares Trek to Machu Picchu 4 Days/3 Nights
- Ausangate & Rainbow Mountain Trek 4D/3N
- Trek Ausangate & Sivinacocha 7D/6N
- Choquequirao Trek 4 Days / 3 nights
- Salkantay Trek & Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 7 days y 6 nights
- 6 Days Tour in Cusco: Cusco city tour & Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
- 7 Days Tour: Cusco, Sacred Valley of the Incas and Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
