Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 4D/3N (Cabins and Domes)

Itinerary

DAY 1 – Cusco – Mollepata – Challacancha – Soraypampa – Laguna Humantay (Cabañas)

The Salkantay tour starts with pick up at 5am from your hotel in Cusco.

Your private transportation will take you on a 2.5 hour drive through the lush valley of the Apurímac River, until we reach the mountain town of Mollepata at 2,803 m / 9,200 ft. Here you will stop for a hearty breakfast at a local restaurant in the town square, before continuing on to the start of the hike.

After breakfast, you will be transported a further 30 minutes up the valley to the start of the hike at Challacancha. From here you’ll say goodbye to your driver, load the horses up with your belongings, and follow your guide along the mountain trail for 3-hours until you reach the campsite at Soraypampa at 3,850 m / 12,631 ft.

After a freshly prepared lunch, made by our personal chef, you will leave your belongings at camp and ascend up the mountain trail for 1-hour until you reach the turquoise waters of Humantay Lagoon at 4,180 m / 13,714 ft. On a clear day, the glacial waters of the lake reflect the breathtaking snow-capped peak of the Humantay mountain that towers above. Once you have soaked up your moment with Humantay, your guide will lead you back down the valley to enjoy a hot cup of coca tea at the camp in Soraypampa.

In the evening, the chef will prepare dinner at camp, whilst you enjoy the beautiful stars of the southern sky and embrace the energy of the surrounding Andes mountains. And when you are ready, you will return to your comfortable cabaña for the night to sleep.

•  Food : Lunch and Dinner
•  Walking Distance : 10 Km / 6.21 mi
•  Starting Altitude : 3,800 m / 12,467 ft
•  Accommodation : Cabañas at 3,900 m / 12,795 ft
•  Difficulty : Challenging
•  Highest Altitude : 4,200 m / 13,780 ft

DAY 2 – Soraypampa – Salkantay Pass – Wayracpunku – Chaullay – Loreta La Playa (Geodesic Domes)

Day 2 will begin with breakfast at the Soraypampa camp, prepared fresh by our personal chef.

After breakfast, you will embark on the most challenging day of the Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu. Beginning with a leisurely 1-hour stroll through the valley until you reach the foot of the mountain at Salkantaypampa. Here you will have one last opportunity for a toilet break before the path ascends up the mountainside to the Salkantay Pass. For the following 4-hours, you will zigzag up the trail until you arrive the summit at 4,650 m / 15,252 ft. Although the climb will be difficult, you are welcome to take as many breaks as you need, and the views from the top are definitely worth the hike! From the summit you can happily find yourself a quiet corner to rest, and embrace the snow-capped peak of Salkantay as it towers above you at a whopping 6,217 m / 20,717 ft!

After completing the highest point of the 5-day trek, you will descend down the other side of the mountain for 2-hours until your feet discover flat ground again, and the lunch stop at Huayracmachay. Delightfully, your chef will be waiting with hot tea to warm your chilly bones and a delicious lunch to re-energise you for the afternoons’ trek.

After lunch, the surrounding ecology begins to change as you leave behind the treeless highlands of the glacial mountains and journey down into lush green tropical valleys. The afternoons hike through the Chaulley Valley will bring with it cloud forests, river crossings, and tropical vegetation. At around 5pm, you’ll arrive at the town of Chaulley at 2,900 m / 9,514 ft, where you transport will be waiting to take you to your Geodesic Dome overlooking the river in Loreta La Playa.

•  Food : Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
•  Walking Distance : 22 Km / 13.67 mi
•  Starting Altitude : 3,900 m / 12,795 ft
•  Accommodation : Geodesic Domes at 2,900 m / 9,514 ft
•  Difficulty : Challenging
•  Highest Altitude : 4,630 m / 15,190 ft

DAY 3 – Loreta La Playa – Santa Teresa – Hydroelectrica – Aguas Calientes (Hotel 3***)

Day 3 will begin with breakfast at the Ecolodge in Loreta, prepared fresh by our personal chef.

After breakfast, you will have an opportunity to get to know the local area, in particular a coffee plantation located alongside the Salkantay River. Here you will learn about the cultivating, harvesting and processing of local coffee beans, finishing with a refreshing coffee tasting session. On your way back to camp, you will also pass by a variety of other plantations such as coca, tea, bananas, passion fruit, avocado and papaya.

After exploring the abundance that the tropical valley has to offer, you will return to camp for a freshly cooked lunch before departing by car along the 90 minute drive to Hydroelectrica at 1,900 m / 6,233 ft. From here you will begin the afternoons’ 3-hour hike along the train tracks that run adjacent to the Urubamba River. Along the way, you will take a brief stop at the Intihuatana archaeological site, which is home to an ancient sundial once treasured by the Inca empire.

Once you have followed the railway line to its natural end, you will find yourself in the town of Aguas Calientes or Machu Picchu town. After checking into your hotel, you will be treated to a well deserved dinner in a local restaurant and a comfortable bed for the night at the foot of the iconic Machu Picchu!

•  Food : Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
•  Walking Distance : 10 Km / 6.21 mi
•  Starting Altitude : 2,900 m / 9,514 ft
•  Accommodation :  Hotel at 2,040 m / 6,692 ft
•  Difficulty : Moderate
•  Highest Altitude : 2,900 m / 9,514 ft

DAY 4 – Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Ollantaytambo – Cusco

After taking breakfast in your hotel, your guide will meet you at reception and escort you the bus station where you will board the tourist bus to Machu Picchu. The scenic route from Aguas calientes takes you on a 30 minute bus ride up the mountainside to the entrance of the Inca citadel. Once inside, you will be taken on a 3-hour tour of Machu Picchu, journeying through its rich history, as you make your way through the Inca city with your personal tour guide. Aswell as visiting the famous sites of the temple of the sun, the central plaza and the stepped terraces, you will have plenty opportunity to take the bucket list photos you came for atop the panoramic viewpoint of Machu Picchu.

Before boarding the bus back down the mountain, your guide will also allow you time to explore the mysteries of the sanctuary alone.

Once you have regrouped with your guide and taken the bus back to Aguas Calientes, there will be time to take lunch in one of Machu Picchu towns’ many restaurants (optional extra), before boarding the train back to Ollantaytambo. There you will be greeted by your guide and private transportation who will take you on the 2-hour drive back to your hotel in Cusco. Arrival time in Cusco is approximately 6.30pm.

*There will also be time to climb Huayna Picchu Mountain or Machu Picchu Mountain in this tour after your guided tour of the Inca citadel. However please be aware, this will be an extra cost of $70 USD per person and will involve an extra 2-hours hiking. Return to Cusco will therefore be aboard a later train and arrival time in Cusco will be approx 8.30pm.*

•  Food : Hotel Breakfast
•  Walking Distance : Around Machu Picchu
•  Starting Altitude : 2,720 m / 8,924 ft
•  Transportation : Train and private car back to Cusco
•  Difficulty : Easy