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5 days / 4 nights
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The Salkantay trek 5 day hike is the perfect alternative to the Inca Trail for those who do not want to book their trek months in advance or for those visitors who were not able to get some spaces available for the Inca Trail due to the limited spaces available.
The Salkantay Trek is a more affordable, less busy and improved trek compare to the classic Inca Trail.
This trek takes place in the same area as the Inca Trail, and immerses you within amazing landscapes such as snow-capped mountains, lakes, cozy villages , tropical valleys, mountains and jungle.
This tour also exists in 4 days / 3 nights version . On a 4 days Salkantay trek version you will travel directly to Hidroelectrica on day 3 instead of staying in Santa Teresa. If you prefer to do the Salkantay Trek in 4 days /3 night click here
Departure time: 5am on day 1
Pick from hotel in central Cusco between 4:30-5:00am
Itinerary
Day 1: Cusco – Mollepata – Challacancha – Soraypampa (Humantay Lake)
Day 2: Soraypampa – Salkantay Passage – Huayracmachay – Colpapampa
Day 3: Colpapampa -Sahuayaco Beach – Santa Teresa
Day 4: Santa Teresa – Hidroeléctrica – Aguas Calientes
Day 5: Machu Picchu – Cusco
More details of the itinerary can be found on the itinerary section below.
You will be picked up with a shared tourist van from your hotel in Cusco minutes before 5am. You will leave Cusco at around 5am towards Mollepata. There you will have your breakfast at around 7am. After the breakfast you will continue the journey to Markhuq'asa which is the starting point of the trek.
During your walk you will be able to enjoy the typical landscape of the Peruvian Andes. Then after few hours you will make a break and a lunch will be provided once you arrive to the area called Soraypampa (located at 3,900 meters above sea level). This amazing area is located down the Salkantay mountain which is one of the highest Peruvian Andes mountains.
Then in the afternoon you will continue your trek to the Humantay lake where you will be able to enjoy the beautiful landscape, relax and swim if you are brave enough.
After the visit you will return to the base camp where you will have your dinner and stay for the night.
On this second day you will wake up early in the morning and have a breakfast before starting your trek towards the highest point of your tour, the Abra Salkantay.
Once arrived to the Abra Salkantay you will have enough time to take a rest and envoy the amazing panoramic views.
Later you will go down in direction of the Collpabamba valley.
During the way between Abra Salkantay and the Collpabamba you will notice that the weather and landscapes will change until becoming a less cold mountain jungle with rivers coming from glaciers. In this valley you will be able to see a great variety of Orchids.
You will arrive to Collpabamba in the later in afternoon. There you will have your dinner and stay for the night in the campsite.
On the Day three you will wake up early and have a breakfast. Then you will start a hike to Sahuayaco Beach which is a small town. During the trek you will be be able to see rivers, waterfalls, more orchids but also coffee and bananas plantations.
You will take your lunch in Sahuayaco and then will take bus towards Santa Teresa.
In Santa Teresa you will be able to take a refreshing and relaxing bath in its thermo-medicinal waters. You will spend the night in this town.
On this day you will walk from Santa Teresa to Hidrolectrica and you have your lunch in a restaurant there. Then you will continue your trek following the railways until you arrive to Aguas Calientes (also now as Machu Picchu Town). The whole trek takes approximately 6 hours and you will arrive around 4pm at Aguas Calientes.
In Aguas Calientes you will have free time for some shopping or going to the traditional hot spring before having your dinner.
You will spend the night in a basic private room in a local hotel (you can upgrade your hotel from Basic room to superior room).
On this final day, you will have an early wake up to enjoy one of the most best moment of your trek and probably one the most important of trip in Peru, Machu Picchu. You will have to option to go Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes: you can walk around 1 hours 30 minutes or you can a bus from Aguas Calientes to the Machu Picchu entrance gate (the bus tickets is not included but you can book the tickets on the extras section before checkout).
Once arrive to Machu Picchu you will be able to see the sunrise by arriving at 6am at the entrance gate. Then you will have a 2 hours guided tour that will let you discover about the history and secrets of the citadel. If you book in advance and want to extend your visit you will be able to hike the Huayna Picchu or hike the Mountain (the Huayna Picchu or Mountain ticket is not included but you can upgrade your ticket on the extras section before checkout - 26USD).
After your visit you will go back to Aguas Calientes by foot or by bus if you book a Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes bus ticket in advance. Then you will take a train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo (included in your pack) and from there you will take a shuttle bus back to Cusco (included in your pack). In Cusco you will be dropped off in Plaza Regocijo or near.
Get by email a list of times of departure and arrival of all services available.
Good fast service. We booked last minutes tickets for the Machu Picchu and mountain without issues
Pick from the hotel to transport terminal and then directly to Ollantaytambo. Perfect service
Transport from Cusco to Machu Picchu within our budget, and met nice people. Jose the driver is amazing.
Good fast service. We booked last minutes tickets for the Machu Picchu and mountain without issues
Pick from the hotel to transport terminal and then directly to Ollantaytambo. Perfect service
Transport from Cusco to Machu Picchu within our budget, and met nice people. Jose the driver is amazing.
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