Salkantay Trek To Machu Picchu 5 Days

The second day of the trek is the most difficult, as it consists of 20 kilometers of trekking and takes you to the highest point of the trek, 4,630 meters above sea level. The cooks will wake you up around 5:00 am with a cup of hot coca tea as you take your time to repack and get ready for the nutritious breakfast that will be served around 5:45 am. After breakfast, it is time to start hiking up to the 4,630-meter peak. This will take 3 to 4 hours of uphill hiking at a regular to slow pace.
Once you are at the highest point, you will have time to enjoy the mountains, take pictures, learn about the mountain gods, and take part in a small traditional Andean ritual for the Apus mountain god. You’ll then start hiking down for 2 hours before we rest with a delicious lunch and continue for 3 more hours of downhill hiking to the second camp, Chaullay, which is located at 2,900 meters and marks the beginning of the Peruvian Amazons. At Camp Chaullay, we will provide you with your camping equipment, hot tea, and dinner. There is also an optional hot shower offered by locals that can be used for 10 soles. You can also purchase beverages here.

Walking Distance – 22 km / 13.7 miles
Starting Elevation – 3920 meters ASL / 12861 feet ASL
Campsite Elevation – 2750 meters ASL / 9022 feet ASL
Maximum Altitude: 4650 meters ASL / 15255 feet ASL
Difficulty: Challenging.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation: Wooden Camping CHOZAS (Andean Huts)
Adventure: Absolutely, 100%! The raw and breath-taking beauty of this day’s hike along with its challenging nature will quench any wanderlust you’ve been trying to cure!

On the third day, we will wake up in the beautiful (but warm) jungle. We’ll wake you up around 6:00 am with a cup of coca tea as we prepare you for a delicious breakfast. Around 7:00 am, we’ll begin our 5-hour hike along the Santa Teresa Valley, a valley formed by the Salkantay River, to La Playa Sahuayaco. Along the valley, you’ll see plantations for coffee, bananas, avocados, coca, passion fruit, and more. Once we arrive at La Playa Sahuayaco, we will take local transportation to the third campsite, Santa Teresa, which is about a one-hour drive.
At camp, we’ll share a delicious lunch before heading out to the hot springs of Colcampayo (optional addition). Colcampayo is about a 15-minute car ride from camp. We’ll spend a couple of hours relaxing in the natural, clean water of the hot springs before heading back to camp for tea time, a warm dinner, and a group bonfire. All of these activities are optional, so if you’d rather lay back and relax at camp—you are certainly welcomed to!

Walking Distance – 18km / 11.2 miles
Starting Elevation – 2750 meters ASL / 9022 feet ASL
Campsite Elevation – 2400 meters ASL / 7874 feet ASL
Difficulty: Easy.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation: Newly constructed Jungle Domes
Adventure: Absolutely! You will be in the middle of the tropical forest you have dreamt about!

Llactapata is an Inca ruin located along the Salkantay trail, which you will have the chance to visit on the fourth day. From Llactapata, you will catch a beautiful view of Machu Picchu from a unique angle. For this beautiful trek, we’ll start with an early breakfast, around 5:30 am, before taking local transportation for 45 minutes to Lucmabamba. Upon arrival, we’ll start the 3-hour uphill hike along the original Inca trail until we arrive in the Inca ruins of Llactapata. You will have plenty of time in Llactapata to enjoy the views of Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu Mountain, and if the weather is good, you’ll get one more glimpse of Salkantay Mountain. Afterward, we’ll hike downhill for 2 hours, arriving in Hidroelectrical for a nutritious lunch and much-earned rest. The final part of the hike is a 3-hour walk along the train tracks to Aguas Calientes. Once you arrive in the small town, we’ll take you to your hostel where you can shower and rest before our final supper at 7:00 pm in a local restaurant. After dinner, we’ll head to bed, anxious for our final day and ultimate reward: Machu Picchu.

Note: During the rainy season, the hike up the Llactapata Trail is not 100% guaranteed due to safety concerns. When heavy rains are frequent, this trail becomes very dangerous..,

Walking Distance – 18 km / 11.2 miles
Starting Elevation – 2400 meters ASL / 7874 feet ASL
Campsite Elevation – 2000 meters ASL / 6561 feet ASL (Aguas Calientes hotel)
Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner (Plus snacks and afternoon tea time)
Accommodation: Comfortable Hotel
Adventure: Moderate-High! How could it not be an adventure travelling back in time to visit with the Incan people?!

Finally, our tour ends with a visit to the impressive Machu Picchu. You’ll wake around 4:00 am to get ready for the hike to Machu Picchu main entrance. Each person will be given a packed breakfast and we will start the 30-minute walk to Puente Ruinas checkpoint where you will have to show your passport, Machu Picchu ticket, and student ID if applicable. After passing the first checkpoint, we will climb stairs for about one hour to reach Machu Picchu’s main gate by 6:00 am. Once everybody meets at the gate, we enter Machu Picchu and begin our 2.5-hour guided tour of the infamous ruins, where you will learn everything about The Lost City of The Incas. After the guided tour, you’ll have free time to explore Machu Picchu on your own. The time that you will spend in Machu Picchu will depend on how you are going back to Cusco (train or car) and whether or not you want to climb the Montaña Machu Picchu or Huayna Picchu Mountain, which must be booked in advance.

Activity Overview: Touring Machu Picchu with optional hike
Activity Level: Touring: easy, hike: strenuous
Activity Length: 2-5 hours exploring and optional 2-3 hour strenuous hike; Machu Picchu is at 7,972’ elevation