Prices per person depend on the group size, the larger the group the lowest the price per person
Available discounts (these discounts are not cumulative):
Daily departures are available along the year although due to weather conditions, the recommended period for this trek is April to November.
All private service departure dates are adapted to your request.
To suit group requirements
Departures are available along the year although due to weather conditions, the recommended period for this trek is April to November.
All private service departure dates are adapted to your request.
This amazing trek runs beneath the sacred Salkantay mountain (6.271m/20569ft), one of the highest and most stunning in the Peruvian Andes, passing through Quechua communities and lesser-known Inca ruins, to finally reach Aguas Calientes on the fourth day. The impressive Sacred Inca city of Machupicchu is visited on the last day of the program. This itinerary is an interesting alternative for those not having found spaces on the Inca Trail trek to Machupicchu.
We leave Cusco at 06.00 am in a private transportation and start a scenic bus-ride to our trail starting point at Challacancha. Along the four-hour drive, we cross the town of Limatambo (2100m/6888ft), an important point of access to the city of Cusco during the time of the Inca Empire. We leave Limatambo and drive up a beaten track along the right shore of the Apurimac River, to reach Mollepata (2800m/9184ft), then Cruzpata (3100m/10168ft) and finally Challacancha, where we meet our wranglers and horses. After a short introduction we start our hike, following the paths of the locals on a soft ascent towards the base of Mt. Salkantay (6271m/20569ft). After lunch in Salkantaypampa, we start our sometimes steep 2 hrs ascent to our camp at Soyroccocha, just next to the impressive glacier of Salkantay (4200m/13776ft). This will be a cold night so very warm clothes are essential.
We depart early after breakfast and start a 1,5-hour ascent, which brings us up to the Salkantay Mountain Pass (4525m/14842ft) where, besides enjoying stunning views of the surrounding glaciers and the snow-capped peaks of the Vilcabamba Range with the south face of Salkantay towering above us, we may also observe vizcachas and condors in their natural habitat. From this point, we start descending towards a more tropical climate and into the so-called cloud forest. Along the route, we can see the remains of an ancient Inca path, which is approximately 6 meters wide. A long though easy descent along the Salkantay River, brings us late afternoon to our second camp at Qollpapampa (2890m/9479ft), a beautiful spot with some natural hot springs to relax in.
Today we continue our hike with an easy walk along the Santa Teresa River, enjoying the increasingly lush vegetation, passing waterfalls, passion fruit and coffee plantations. We pass the waterfalls at Coripacchi, the settlement at Wiñaypoko and the Andean community of Lucmabamba. In the afternoon we arrive at our camp at the village of La Playa (2155m/7068ft), where we can refresh in the river before dinner.
After breakfast, we cross the river and start climbing for 2-3 hours up to El Mirador or Abra Q’elloqasa (2860m/9381ft) from where we have an exceptional view of the Lost City of the Incas, the legendary Machupicchu, from a different angle. We enjoy a last lunch in nature at the lookout point of Llaqtapata (2650m/8692ft) from where we can view both Machupicchu and the Salkantay Mountain and take a good rest, enjoying the added value of the Llactapata Ruins, which have recently been restored. A 2-hour descent towards the Aobamba River crossing lush bamboo forests and more orchards and coffee plantations brings us to the hydroelectric plant of Machupicchu from where we board a train that takes us to Puente Ruinas (short, scenic 30-minutes train ride), a campsite located just at the basement of the Machupicchu Mountain. We camp and dine at this place.
We wake up early and board a bus to Machupicchu where we begin a complete guided tour of the Inca citadel that will take approximately two hours. You will then have free time to walk around, climb up the Huaynapicchu Mountain, where one can experience spectacular views of all of Machupicchu, the valleys and mountains that surround it, or visit the Temple of the Moon or the impressive Inca Bridge. In the afternoon, we meet in the town of Aguas Calientes where, if you like, you can visit and relax in its hot springs. From here we take the train back to the city of Cusco, where we arrive after nightfall.
* Departure and arrival times are approximated
** Campsites are subject to change according to our guide’s criteria and the group progress
*** ALTERNATIVE OPTION: A hotel room in Aguas Calientes or Machupicchu can be booked for you for the third night, as an alternative to the campsite at Puente Ruinas. Please beware that in case of choosing this option, the hotel expenses will be charged as extras, and both the dinner on day 3 and the breakfast on day 4 will not be included in the program. Please check the “Optional services to be hired” section in this program
Challenging: An acclimatization period of at least 2 days in Cusco or at elevations above 3000m/9840ft is recommended
(*) Should there be no train tickets available in the direct route Aguas Calientes – Cusco, a train ticket Aguas Calientes – Sacred Valley with an additional private transportation from the Sacred Valley to your hotel in Cusco will be provided. This does not apply for the Hiram Bingham luxury train service
Accommodation in Aguas Calientes or Machupicchu instead of camping at Puente Ruinas campsite: please let us know if you wish us to make the hotel booking and, in this case, your requested hotel category and accommodation, and the number of nights you wish us to book.
Hiking pants and T-shirts are recommended during the day, complemented by sweaters, fleeces and waterproof jackets. It is very convenient to have light raingear available in the daypack (rain poncho or jacket and/or rain pants) as the weather changes easily and rains can suddenly occur. At night, warm clothing is required, down jackets can be useful, otherwise a fleece and a jacket. During the fourth day (if sunny) and in Machupicchu, convertible hiking pants are useful, as can be switched into shorts if necessary. Machupicchu has a warm climate, getting only cold at night. The rest of necessary implements are included in the “We recommend that you bring” list.
Cusco’s climate is divided into two differentiated seasons: the rainy season, from November to April (the heaviest rainfalls occurring usually between January – March); and the dry season, from May to October. The dry season is colder, so temperatures can drop to below 0 degrees at night.
Along the Salkantay route, temperatures range from 10-20ºC during the day if it’s sunny, to 05-10ºC during the day if not sunny and can drop below freezing at night. In Aguas Calientes/Machupicchu, at lower altitude, temperatures are usually warmer though warm clothes are still recommended at night.