Start point

from Cusco City

Service

Private Service

Type

Trekking

Time

5 days

Tour to Salkantay + 5-Day Trek in Machu Picchu

Discover the incredible experience of the Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu

With this Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu you have a challenging experience in the face of nature and physical capacity, with the opportunity to travel around 72 km in just 4 days; as well as the pleasant reward of passing through the Salkantay Snowy Mountain (6,710 m / 22,014 ft) until reaching one of the 7 Wonders of the World, the famous Machu Picchu.

During the tour you will observe unique landscapes, from mountains and glaciers to a tropical jungle with a great diversity of flora and fauna; You will have the opportunity to get in touch with farming communities and taste their products.

This spectacular excursion is an alternative to one of the routes with the highest demand such as the Inca Trail – Machu Picchu. As an addition to the tour of the Machu Picchu Citadel, you can choose two more circuits that suit your tastes, the type of experience you want, as well as the budget. The Entrance Ticket to the extreme adventure Machu Picchu + Huayna Picchu, which includes the visit to the Inca City + the Huayna Picchu Mountain, whose summit is located at 2,693 m.s.n.m. (8,835 feet); or choose the highest altitude excursion, Machu Picchu + Machu Picchu Mountain located at 3,082 meters above sea level (10,111 feet).

As part of the private tour we offer you an unbeatable gastronomic service by our private professional chef in the mountains; You can adapt the schedule and enjoy the tour with your private group and our professional guide.

itinerary

Route

Itinerary of the trek from Salkantay to Machu Picchu:

DAY 1:

Cusco – Challacancha – Humantay – Soraypamapa

Our adventure starts at 4:00 when a professional guide passes by the hotel for the transfer to Mollepata, where there is a brief stop to buy some last-minute supplies such as snacks, sunscreen, water, among others need items.

The tour is resumed for 30 more minutes to Challacancha (3,675 m / 12,057 ft) to start the walk to Soraypampa where you enjoy a delicious lunch.

After having lunch, the excursion is resumed for 1.5 hours until reaching the Humantay Lagoon, which offers a special landscape between the Humantay and Salkantay Snowy Mountains. At the end of the day you arrive at Soraypampa (3,850 m / 12,631 ft) to spend the night in this camp.

DAY 2:

Soraypampa – Abra Salkantay – Wayraqmachay – Chawllay

On the second day, after tasting breakfast, start the ascent to the highest point (4,650 m / 15,367 feet) in the Salkantay pass, from where you appreciate the second highest mountain in Cusco (6,217 m / 20,717 feet). In this imposing place there will be time to enjoy the majestic landscape of the glaciers.

We will descend for approximately 1 hour, until we reach Wayraqmachay for lunch and continue to Chawllay, our second camp.

DAY 3:

Chayllay – Lucmabamba – Santa Teresa

This day begins with a delicious breakfast and a downhill walk with an initial destination to Lucmabamba, where you visit one of the local families, to learn about their culture and taste crops such as passion fruit, oranges, bananas, and other crops in the area.

At this point, lunch also corresponds and you have the opportunity to buy local products such as coffee, chocolates, among other items from the Andean region. You can also enjoy the thermal baths of Santa Teresa or Cocalmayo, an optimal place to rest among rock formations and bushes, after this walk.

DAY 4:

Santa Teresa – Llactapata – Aguas Calientes

After breakfast, we start the walk to Llactapata, a place full of coffee plantations and artisan mills of local families that detail the way of cultivation, harvesting and processing in an artisanal way.

Once reached the Llactapata pass, the excursion descends towards the Hydroelectric station, where it is necessary to have lunch, and then continue the adventure by train to Aguas Calientes. Tonight you rest in a comfortable hotel in the tourist town and have dinner in a local restaurant.

DÍA 5

Machu Picchu – Cusco

Once you have had breakfast, start the tourist bus transfer to Machu Picchu. Upon arrival, the experience will be gratifying before a guided tour that allows you to know the most important places of the Inca Citadel, including the main temples, stairways, squares, roads, among other amazing spaces of this architectural complex, such as the Intiwatana.

After the guided tour, you have free time to explore this extraordinary World Heritage Site on your own. Our guide will indicate where and at what time they will meet again for the return.

After connecting with the majesty of the Inca Historical Sanctuary, you will have free time to have lunch in Aguas Calientes and explore the town, and then take the train back to Ollantaytambo, where private transportation will wait for you to Cusco with arrival around 9:00 p.m. .

Giving yourself the time to travel is knowing how to enjoy life’s opportunities. We have many adventures ready, waiting for you to live them!

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Includes

Price of the Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu includes:

Briefing one day before the tour.
Transfer from lodging in the historic center of Cusco. Sometimes, access is limited by the narrow streets of the city, if that is the case, the guide will suggest a nearby pick-up point.
Return to the lodging (private tours) or Plaza “Regocijo” (One block away from the Plaza de Armas in Cusco).
Professional guide in English, Spanish, Portuguese (ask for availability for this or other languages).
Professional chef
04 breakfasts, 04 lunches, 04 dinners, (vegan and vegetarian options available)
Tourist transport (round trip) Cusco – Ollantaytambo.
Dining tent, camping tent, sleeping bag and mats
Entrance ticket to Machu Picchu.
Tourist Train tickets (round trip) Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes in Expedition category. (You can upgrade the train category with extra charge)
Tourist bus ticket (round trip) Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu.
First aid kit and oxygen.

Not include

Price of the Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu excludes:

Transfer from hotels outside the city of Cusco (ask for extra costs to pick up from the Sacred Valley or other places).
Tip for the guide.
Drinks except for water during the walk.
If you want to add an additional hike, mention it at the time of booking. Entrance ticket to Huaynapicchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, check availability with Guru Explorers.
Entrance ticket to hot springs in Aguas Calientes.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner or other food not specified in the itinerary.

What to bring?

What to Bring to the Salkantay Trek?

It is recommended to bring: comfortable shoes, light clothing, a hat, wool hat, gloves, sunglasses, sunscreen, rain gear (especially in November – April).
Personal hygiene Items: toilet paper, toothbrush, toothpaste, wet towels, water, personal medication.
Insect repellent (important for this tour)
Passport or DNI. (Mandatory).
A clean set of clothes for after the trek.
ISIC card if you are a student.
Travel insurance, mandatory.
Flashlight or small headlights.
Bathing suit and towel (optional for the hot springs in Aguas Calientes).
Photo camera.
Cash (local currency).

Considerations

What considerations should you have when doing the Salkantay Trek?

This tour includes porters (loaders or luggage carriers) exclusively for camping and logistics, it is recommended to pack as lightly as possible, as you will carry your luggage yourself. If you want to hire a porter, communicate it at the time of booking.
Use a backpack for trekking. You cannot enter Machu Picchu with backpacks over 25 liters. Larger luggage can cause problems, putting at risk the loss of the tour without possibility of refund. (we recommend that it be as small as possible)
You must choose the Entrance Tickets to Machu Picchu in the purchase process. Prices vary if you are not part of the Andean Community (Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia).
The passport information provided must be accurate and up to date on the date of the tour. If you have changed your passport, notify the new data 14 days in advance, otherwise there will be an additional charge of 15 USD.
It is possible to upgrade the train ticket category. (See options)
The train schedule and access to Machu Picchu may vary depending on availability (we recommend making reservations as far in advance as possible).
For the transfer from Cusco, you should consider that sometimes, access is limited by the narrow streets of the city; if this is the case, the guide will suggest a nearby pick-up point.
Minors must be accompanied by an adult.
Due to environmental, climatic or other factors, beyond our control, the travel itinerary may vary. If so, it will be notified promptly.
“Guru Explorers” values your time and strives to respect the tour schedule; however, they may vary for reasons beyond our control (weather, natural disasters, field conditions, among other demonstrable

Not allowed:

Pets

Smoking.

Large suitcases or bags.

Difficulty: Moderate – High

Not recommended for:

People in wheelchairs.

Terms and Conditions

Important considerations:

To book the tour, it will be necessary to pay a deposit of 250 USD per person. With this we will be able to make the purchases of the entrance tickets to the attractions and the trains. The difference must be paid before 30 days from the start date of the tour.
The passport information provided must be accurate and up to date on the date of the tour. If you have changed your passport, notify the new data 14 days in advance, otherwise there will be an additional charge of 15 USD.
In the event that the passenger decides to abandon the walk during the journey, he will be responsible for the extra expenses that may be incurred, such as food or transportation. However, you will have the option to rejoin the group on the last day for the visit to Machu Picchu and return to the city of Cusco.
There will be no refund in case of delayed flights; train delays, bad weather or other external factors.

Cancellation Policies:

Take the following into account:
- The deposit is non-refundable.
- There are no refunds for entrances to Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu Mountain.
Cancellations within 30 or more days in advance, will receive 50% of the amount paid, not including the deposit or extra tickets such as Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu.
Cancellations within 29 days in advance or less will not be subject to refunds.

Date changes:

Date changes are subject to the availability of train tickets and entrance to Machu Picchu.
For date changes notified 15 days or more in advance, an additional charge of 130 USD will apply.
It will not be possible to make date changes 14 days or less in advance.

Why choose us

We want to be part of that experience that you will live in the trek from Salkantay to Machu Picchu. If you are still wondering why choose us, we would like you to read 7 outstanding characteristics of our service:

QUALITY:

When you go to a teacher, it is because you want to answer all the questions. In a matter of travel, money, time and enjoyment, you have to choose the best options available and that is what “Guru Explorers” is all about, giving you the perfect balance for the adventure you DESERVE.

EXPERIENCE:

To become “Guru Explorers”, we are still world travelers, but experts in Cusco, Lima, and the most important destinations in Peru. We lived bad and good experiences, valuing that the main difference lies in the details, so we know what elements are essential for your trip. We are travelers and we strive to enhance your experience!

TRANSPARENCY:

We are here to provide you with the best and most accurate information and description of our tours. We are not supporters of hidden costs, that is why we provide the necessary information so you can choose the inclusions or upgrades you are looking for.

SECURITY:

You entrust us with your time, your money and your expectations and that is why we fine-tune every detail to guarantee the trip you dream of.

FLEXIBILITY:

Although we have pre-established packages; they can be adapted to your needs and to make plans that are suited to you, so that you can visit any place in Peru, with the expertise of “Guru Explorers”. We adapt trips for special occasions such as your corporate trips, honeymoon, birthday, social, cultural or sports event during your visit to Peru, offering you complete advice to achieve and exceed your expectations.

PASSION:

Before being tour guides, we are travelers, explorers, adventurers; That makes us passionate about creating the best experiences in the time you invest for yourself and those you love.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY:

We promote Responsible and Sustainable Tourism, not affecting the traveler, nor exploiting the communities that receive it or their environment. We create more human and respectful experiences of Heritage.

Do you want a different trip to Salkantay? We won’t keep you waiting!