Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

Today’s Highlights: Walking from Sayllapata to Salkantaypampa enjoing the nature over 3,000 masland views of the enigmatic ‘Apu’ Salkantay.

We will pick you up from your hotel at 4:30 a.m. to begin our expedition to Machu Picchu. Then we will drive for three hours in our van (bus) to Mollepata, you will have time to take your first breakfast or purchase what you need for the trek. We then drive to the trailhead to start of trek. If the weather allows, the views from this area are breathtaking. You will be looking at two big mountains, called Humantay (5,900masl -19,356ft) and Salkantay (6,215masl-20,390ft).

Once in Sayllapata( 3,450 masl- 11,318ft) your guide will introduce the team, take a group photo and at around 9:30 a.m., you should be hiking, on your way to the first camp. During the day's hike, you will explore the Andes with alpine views, the entire time. For two hours, you will partake in gradual, uphill hiking along the Salknatay valley, until we arrive to Soray Pampa, located at 3,900mt-12,795ft, where we have lunch with beautiful views of the Salkantay glacier peak and the Salkantay river.

After lunch, we will hike to Humantay Lagoon, this is the highlight of the day where you will be amazed by the crystal and turquoise colors. It takes 1,20 hours to reach the lake. You will be impressed with the view along the way, as you pass by streams, waterfalls from the hillsides and views of both mountains (Salkantay and Huamantay).

At 5:30 p.m., you will get to your campsite, located at the foot of Salkantay mountain, and your trekking staff will have your camp set up with your duffel bags ready. They will provide you with warm water to get washed up and change into something warm. We will have a happy hour with hot chocolate and coffee, followed by dinner. If the weather allows, you will get to enjoy the blue sky, as your tour guide will show you the Inca constellations.

Highlights of today: Hiking next the Salkantay mountain with the top view of the biggest peak. And incredible views of the rain forest and tropical jungle in Chaullay.

After an early wake up with the first daylight at 05:30 am. and a quick breakfast we soon start hiking up to the highest point of the trail: the Salkantay Pass (4650 MASL - 15,255 ft). The distance is a 3km (1.84miles) tough ascent in 2 hours, between the rocky valley bottom and the magnificent Salkantay Mountain (6,215masl-20,390ft). When we finally reach the top we can and definitely will appreciate the spectacular views of the mountains and the imposing snowy peaks of the Salkantay, Humantay, Tucarhuay and Pumasillo.

The Salkantay Mountain is the second highest mountain in the Cusco region and one of the Inca Gods called “Apu”. After reaching the top of the pass there is a 5km (3.1miles) and 2 hours downhill hike towards the camp for our lunch. The walk downwards is on a serpent shape trail and a rocky gravel path to get to the Huayracmachay lunch spot. In the afternoon we will enter the upper part of the amazon jungle, which is also called “the cloud forest”. This is a 10 km (6.2miles) hike in 3 hours on a wide trail in the thick forests. This hike is truly beautiful, there are decorated the hills with colourful sceneries and a lot of wildlife and native plants. The forests are most times of the year warm or have a temperate temperature. When finishing this magnificent hike we finally arrive at Chaullay Village (2900 MASL - 9,514 ft), our base camp in the jungle.

Highlights of today: We will appreciate the landscape, scenery and wildlife. Looking different wild fruits along the way like: banana, avocado, passion fruit, coffee, etc.

At 6:00 am. we will start our trek to La Playa through the Santa Teresa valley. We will be hiking for approximately 6 hours. During the hike we’ll see waterfalls, wild orchids, but also coffee, banana and avocado plantations. Here you can taste the famous passion fruit and granadilla fruit. We will see a village called Colpapampa, also called the “forest cloudy brow” where waterfalls, thermal hot springs, fruit-bearing trees, varied flora and birds can be observed. If we are lucky, we will be able to see the famous bird called “the Cock of the Rocks” this bird is the national bird of Peru.

After lunch at La playa, we will hike for approximately 1 hour to our base camp called Lucmabamba (2400 MASL - 7874 ft). We will explore the tropical forest for a little while and have a lovely visit at an organic coffee farm. Here you can taste the coffee prepared by the local people. Coffee is the main farming industry of the local people here in the jungle and they farm many hectares of coffee to export to the USA, Asia and Europe. Coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia, but it wasn’t until the Spanish invaded Cusco that it was brought to this region. We will also explore an orange and an avocado plantation.

Highlights of today: One of the  best days of the trek. We will   hike  part on the original inca trail and try to get the first view of  Machupicchu

The chef of the trek will wake you up early with a hot cup of coca tea served in your bed. You will get ready for today’s activity while enjoying your last prepared breakfast by the trek chef. We will begin early with the opportunity to enjoy a small part of the famous Inka Trail! After a climb of 2 hours with amazing views of the Santa Teresa valley we will arrive at the Llactapata Inca site right in front of Machu Picchu. This will be the first archaeological site we will see of the Lost City of the Incas and a very special place to enjoy and spend time. We will be able to see not only the Machu Picchu ruins from this spot, but also the Huaynapicchu and the Machu Picchu Mountain. We will explore this Inca site with the guide and he will continue the history lessons

After the Llactapata ruins, we will continue our trek with a 2 hours downhill hike. At this hike you’re always able to have views of Machu Picchu until we arrive at the Hidroelectrica train station which is our lunch place. The most impressive part of this area is the natural waterfall of 300 meters high which generates the electricity for the region of Cusco. We will then arrive at the famous Intiwatana. Intiwatana is an ancient rock used as a sundial in the ancient Inca times. According to history, this old Inca stone used to work with the famous sundial stone in Machu Picchu. After we pass this small Inca site we will reach the train rails. Next to the rails there is a nice path to walk on; this path will take us approximately 3 hours to arrive at AguasCalientes, which is located at the foot of Machu Picchu. This section is very interesting because it is the trail that was used by the American Professor Hiram Bingham who rediscovered Machu Picchu after centuries of it being lost.

Highlights of today: Finally  after 4 days hiking early morning we arrive  to Machu Picchu.

Today is the most important day in your expedition. To get the most out of the day, we encourage every group to have an early breakfast before catching one of the first buses up to Machu Picchu (starting at 5:30 a.m.). The hotel will hold your bags for you, until you return from your tour. The bus will take 30 minutes to get to the top. Once you arrive, your guide will introduce you to Machu Picchu.

You will head directly to a beautiful place to watch the sunrise and to take pictures. Your guide will walk you around the citadel, for two and a half hours, teaching you more of the history and culture of the Incas. You should start heading to the bus line to head back to Aguas Calientes around 1 p.m., as your train will typically leave at 14:30 p.m. You take a two hours train back to Ollantaytambo, followed by a two hours car drive, back to your hotel for drop off.

Machu Picchu mountain can be climbed instead of Huayna Picchu for $60 per person. This hike is more challenging and takes three hours minimum, round-trip. You always have the opportunity to climb to the Sun Gate for free. This is a much easier walk of two hours, round-trip.