5-Day Salkantay Trek Tour to Machu Picchu

Name: 5-Day Salkantay Trek Tour to Machu Picchu
Brand: Machu Picchu Tours
Availability: InStock

A mix of Andean mountains, glacier lakes, the jungle and Machu Picchu.

from $595

Group size

2 - 10

TripAdvisor

95% excellence

Expert Guides

1000+ tours

Why you'll love this tour

Challenge yourself and hike in a small-group tour through Andean mountains and jungle.
Stay in comfortable, high-quality tents and enjoy excellent food prepared by professional chefs.
We include both-way shuttle bus tickets to Machu Picchu that others charge you for additionally.

"The food was excellent, the guide was passionate and took care of each traveler, the service & communucation with exploor was really good!"

jakobwutzl
5/5

5-Day Salkantay Trek Tour to Machu Picchu

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5-Day Salkantay Trek Tour to Machu Picchu quantity

p. person

Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain
Sleeping bag & hiking sticks included

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SKU: N/A Categories: Machu Picchu Tours, Cusco Tours

Itinerary

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Day 1: Visit of Humantay Lake

Total trekking distance: 10 km / 6.2 miles

Trekking time: Approx. 6.5 hours

Level of difficulty: Moderate

Lodging: Sky dome (3900 m / 12,795 ft)

Early in the morning from 4:00 am onwards, you will be picked up from your accommodation in Cusco. After 2 hours of being on the road, we will stop in the small town of Mollepata for 30-45 minutes to have breakfast. Afterwards, we will continue to the starting point of the trek, from where we hike (8 km/5 miles, 3.5 hrs) surrounded by beautiful mountains to the Sky Camps in Soraypampa.

Once we arrive at the camp facing the impressive Salkantay mountain, we will enjoy lunch and rest for a while so that we can prepare ourselves for the hike to the beautiful Humantay lake (ascent of 2 km/1.25 miles, 2 hrs). For this hike, you can also rent a horse for S/ 70. When reaching the crystal-clear lake, there will be enough time to take some memorable photos and to discover its surroundings. As we hike in the afternoon, most of the tourist groups will be gone already so we will have the lake almost to ourselves! Afterwards, we will descend to the igloos to have dinner and gaze at the night sky full of stars.

Day 2: Crossing the Salkantay Pass (4,650 m/15,255 ft.)

Total trekking distance: 22 km / 13.7 miles

Trekking time: Approx. 10.5 hours

Level of difficulty: Challenging

Lodging: Andean Huts (2900 m / 9,500 ft)

At approximately 5:30 am, your guide will knock on your door and wake you up with a hot coca tea. Then, it’s time to enjoy breakfast and start hiking towards the trail’s most elevated point, the Salkantay Pass. Get ready for hiking on a rocky and steep trail that will reward you with breathtaking views of the snowcapped Salkantay mountain and its surrounding landscape.

As this part is quite demanding, your guide will make sure everyone follows the pace and make enough breaks if necessary. Having passed the Salkantay pass, we will descend a bit further to have lunch. Watch how the entire flora and fauna changes while hiking 2.5 hours to the next campsite in Chaullay.

Day 3: Welcome to the Jungle

Total trekking distance: 18 km – 11.2 miles

Trekking time: Approx. 6.5 hours

Level of difficulty: Easy

Lodging: Jungle domes (2000 m / 6,560 ft)

At 6:00 am, we will start the trek heading towards the small town of La Playa. On the way, we will see rivers, waterfalls, wild orchids, coffee plantations (we will also visit an organic coffee farm) and typical fruit plantations. The climate changes completely and you will feel the heat as we enter the subtropical jungle.

After lunch in La Playa, we will continue 1 more hour to the campsite located in Lucmabamba. You can stay in the jungle domes or visit the hot springs of Cocalmayo. The hot water is perfect for your body to relax after some tiring days of hiking. If you want to add some adventure to your itinerary, you can also do zip line. Both activities depend on the weather conditions as sometimes heavy rains or landslides may not allow it.

Day 4: Inca Trail

Day 5: Machu Picchu

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Included

Salkantay trek briefing
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Professional bilingual guide
Entrance ticket to Machu Picchu and both-way shuttle to Machu Picchu
Expedition train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo (train schedule depends on availability) and transport to Cusco
Accommodation in dome on first night and other comfortable accommodations with mattresses for night 2 and 3
Night 4: hotel in Aguas Calientes with private bathroom, hot water, wifi, breakfast and luggage storage
Camping equipment, such as kitchen and dining tents with tables, chairs, and complete cooking equipment, carried by horses.
Chef and assistant that will prepare delicious Peruvian dishes every day
Food: 4 breakfasts and morning tea, 4 lunches, snacks and 4 dinners (dietary or vegetarian/vegan options are available at no extra cost)
Boiled water to refill your water bottles.
Bags to carry your personal belongings (including sleeping bag) up to 7 kg / 15 lbs. that will be carried by mules. You will get the bags during the briefing.

Not Included

Sleeping bag and hiking sticks (can be added – please select option to include it when ready to book)
Entrance ticket to Humantay (S/ 20) and to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain (if selected above)
Train from Hidroeléctrica to Aguas Calientes (optional, $34)
Breakfast on day 1, lunch and dinner on day 5 in Aguas Calientes
Travel insurance

Reservation & Cancellation Terms

Terms of Reservation

Please contact us before making your reservation, indicating your preferred date.
The same applies if you want to include Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, please contact us before making your reservation.
There could be additional costs, delays, or modifications of the itinerary that are not under our control, such as bad weather, safety, health problems, changes in government policies, political instability, strikes, etc.
Recommendations:
- Arrive to Cusco at least 2-3 days before the trek starts (unless you are coming from higher ground, e.g. Puno) in order to get used to the altitude and to avoid possible problems related to the altitude sickness.
- Have a good level of fitness (this is a physically demanding hike)
- Bring a portable power bank, a small light backpack with a 2l-refillable water bottle, a hat, gloves and a raincoat
- Wear hiking shoes, trekking clothes and a hat
- Bring light, coca leaves, bug repellent, sunscreen and a swimsuit and a towel if you want to go to the thermal baths on day 3.
- We recommend taking aprox. 350 Soles (around $100) if you want to rent horses or make use of other services that are not included, such as breakfast on the first day, Wifi, hot water, etc. It’s better to bring Soles and not Dollars due to a much lower exchange rate.

Terms of Cancellation

Once the tour has been booked, there won’t be any refunds.

FAQ's

What is the highest point during the tour?

Is the trek difficult and do I need any physical preparation?

Do the domes have heating?

Is there any possibility to take showers?

How many days do I need to be acclimated before starting the trek?

Read all the FAQ´s

Overview

This 5-day Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu is one of the most stunning tours in Cusco and an excellent alternative to the Inca Trail. Get ready to experience glaciar lakes, snow-capped mountains, the jungle, Inca ruins and -of course- Machu Picchu. All of this while being accompanied by our destination expert guide and a team of chefs and porters that will make your experience an unforgettable one. Prepare yourself for a challenging but rewarding few days of hiking in the Andean mountains with your friends or your partner!

Small groups and private tours

Destination expert guides

1000+ 5* TripAdvisor Reviews

95% excellence rating & over 18,000 happy clients

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5-Day Salkantay Trek Tour to Machu Picchu

5-Day Salkantay Trek Tour to Machu Picchu

Itinerary

Included

Not Included

Hotels

Terms of Reservation

Terms of Cancellation

FAQ's

Related Blog Posts

The Ultimate Salkantay Trek Packing List

Treks to Machu Picchu: Which One To Choose?

Altitude Sickness: All You Need to Know and How to Avoid It

Why choose us?

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