Salkantay Short Trek To Machu Picchu: 4-Days from Cusco

Cusco | Mollepata

We will pick you up at your hotel around 05:00 am for your 5-day Salkantay trek . We will drive for about 3 hours passing through Anta and as the day gets brighter we will be able to see the white snow-capped mountains of Salkantay and Veronica, we will arrive at Mollepata. Here we will enjoy a delicious breakfast.

Soraypampa | Humantay Lagoon

Then we will continue to Soraypampa , where you will meet our team the cooks and the horsemen, as well as do a final check of the equipment, we will begin our hike until we reach Laguna Humantay (4200m/13779ft). The first part of the trail is flat and then uphill until we reach the lake. We will explore it for about 30 minutes and then hike back to Soraypampa , Here our lunch will be ready relax and take the time to rest.

Salkantaypampa

After lunch, we will continue hiking to Salkantaypampa (4150 m / 13615 ft). Salkantaypampa is located in the middle of the glacier valleys, where at night it is very dark and there is no ambient light, making it a perfect place to appreciate the constellations in the sky.

Salkantaypampa | Salkantay Pass

Our cook will wake you up at 5:00 am with coca tea brought to your tent. Then, we pack up quickly, enjoy our breakfast and immediately start hiking to the highest point of the Salkantay trail (4620 masl / 15,255 ft). The distance is 7 km which we should complete in 4 hours. During the ascent through the rocky valley, we can observe the magnificent Salkantay peak (6217 masl – 20,341 ft). Once we reach the top of the trail, we will enjoy spectacular views of the mountains and the imposing snow-capped peaks of Salkantay , Humantay and Pumasillo .

Huayracmachay

Salkantay is considered the second highest mountain in the Cusco region and one of the main Inca gods known as “Apu Salkantay ”. Hiking to the top is the hardest part of the whole hike. The next 3 hours we spend downhill on the snake trail along a rocky and gravel road to reach Huayracmachay , our lunch spot. In the afternoon we will reach the top of the rainforest, also called “cloud forest”.

Chaullay

We will cover 9 km in 3 hours until we reach Challway (2900 masl – 9,514 feet) our base camp. The second half of the day during the descent, we will observe the thick forest that is decorated with colorful orchids and native plants. Most of the year the weather is warm and pleasant.

Chaullay | Colpapampa | La Playa

Around 5:30 am, wake up with coca tea! Next, we have breakfast and then start walking directly to the beach; walking through the thick jungle and following the banks of the Salkantay River on a gradual path. Along the way, we stop at several family-run hamlets to enjoy the local fruits and vegetables (passion fruit, banana, coffee, avocado, mango, orange and papaya).

Lucmabamba

The trail distance is 16 km and the walking time is 7 hours to reach Lucmabamba , our base camp. Lucmabamba is a small town surrounded by coffee trees and can provide basic facilities (toilets, electricity, shopping and souvenirs) and serves as our lunch point.

Hydroelectric | Aguas Calientes

After lunch we take a local bus for one hour to Hidroeléctrica from there we continue walking along the train tracks until we reach Aguas Calientes. Upon arrival we check into a hotel and then have a celebratory dinner with our guide and a final briefing for our experience the next day.

Aguas Calientes

After breakfast at your hotel, you and your guide will head to Machu Picchu. You will need to get up before dawn to make sure you beat the crowds and have a wonderful sunrise at Machu Picchu. You will walk a short distance from your hotel to take a bus that will take you on a 25-minute ride to the very entrance of the Inca citadel. You will arrive just before the sun rises and paints the city of the Incas in gold.

Machu Picchu

After you have been amazed by the unique beauty and taken your first pictures, our expert guide will take you on a 2-3 hour guided tour of the site. You will visit all the important parts of Machu Picchu and learn a lot from your guide. After the tour is over, you have a few more hours to explore on your own or climb Huayna Picchu. If you have booked in advance, you will need up to 3 more hours to climb and experience more impressive views of the entire Inca city from the top of Huayna Picchu mountain.When you are ready to leave, it will be time to take the bus that will take us to Aguas Calientes. You will have time to select a restaurant of your choice to have a bite to eat before taking the train back.

Ollantaytambo | Cusco

At the time indicated on your ticket, you will board the train that will take you back to Ollantaytambo.

Here your driver will be there to pick you up and take you back to your hotel in Cusco.