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Glamping Salkantay. You are on your way to Machu Picchu, you are in the middle of the Sacred Mountains overlooking gigantic rock walls reaching thousands of meters into the sky. You are miles away from the next civilization. Miles away from busy life. And all you hear is a soft breeze and the sound of a small river making its way down to the dense jungle. All you see is stunning lagoons turquoise as the Caribbean Sea, snow-glazed glaciers and endless seeming valleys.
The diverse Salkantay Trek takes you away from the crowded paths, into an experience you won’t forget. Be prepared to discover the land of the Incas and encounter some of the most beautiful scenery of Peru. Experience overwhelming mountain landscapes, the vivid rainforest shining in countless shades of green and small authentic villages you pass on your way.
This five-day long hike to Machu Picchu guarantees you amazing views of untouched nature. Be prepared to take an antique Inca-Trail, to camp near the breathtaking Salkantay-Pass under the Andes night sky and to get a taste of Peruvian coffee visiting local plantations.
Your hotel located in Cusco City.
(For hotels located in the Sacred Valley, you must confirm us before making your hotel reservation so that we can guide you).
The walking sticks are not included, but if you prefer we can arrange to provide you a pair of basic poles (Standard Brand) without any charges; you just need to ask in advance to your travel specialist.
Your trip starts with an early pick-up from your Cusco hotel. To gain energy for your first day have some breakfast at your hotel or bring it with you. Once satisfied one of our experienced guides will escort you on a 3.5 hour ride to the north-west, passing snow-capped mountain peaks and characteristic nature scenery. On our way we will drive by Mollepata town (2803 mts/9196.2 ft), a beautiful village in it is a daily routine, and a dirt road leading to our first destination: Soraypampa town (3920 mts/12860.9 ft). Before we start our exciting hike you will get professional instructions. In case you need walking sticks we will equip you with a pair and give you guidance on how to use them properly. If you feel energized and motivated there’s the possibility to take a three-hour trip around beautiful Humantay lake. But keep in mind the sooner we leave for our campsite, the more time we have to embrace the scenery on our way, since we have to arrive before it gets dark outside.
Right at the beginning of our hike we will take a marvellous path winding through a deep valley, giving you overwhelming panoramas of the snow-glazed peaks. Both the gigantic Salkantay mountain (6271 mts/20574.2 ft), meaning “Wild Mountain” in the Quechua language, and the Humantay (5862 mts/19232.3 ft) or the “Head of Gods”, will immediately raise your attention. Combining these views with the characteristic flora and fauna of the area, will guarantee you photos that leave friends and family stunned. After about 3.5 hours of hiking we will reach Salkantaypampa (4154 mts/13628.6 ft) where our well-deserved lunch waits for us. After lunch a 2.5-hour path will take us to our luxury campsite named Soyrococha (4480 mts/14698.2 ft). Before dinner, you will have some time to relax in your cozy bedroom tent. Finally, your cook will prepare a delicious dinner with regional, organic ingredients for you. After a long first day you have earned your night under the tranquility of the Andes stars, and your comfortable bed is waiting for you in your tent.
A delicious breakfast early in the morning ensures a successful continuation of our hike. And one thing is for sure: day two brings at least as many unique views as our previous day. Likewise, we will cover more distance. In about 1.5 hours we reach Salkantay Pass (4638 mts/15216.5 ft) where Salkantay Mountain (6271 mts/20574.2 ft) awaits us with its stunning presence. And what could make this view even more corny? Right, a glass of champagne. One that you will very likely remember for a pretty long time. For experienced hikers with a lot of energy, at this point there is the possibility to do a one-hour hike around the gorgeous turquoise lagoon Salkantaycocha with a fantastic panorama. Don’t forget to bring your insect repellant. Since the increase of the abundant and lush colorful endemic vegetation on our hike, the quantity of mosquitos increases.
Our descent leads to Wayracmachay (3906 mts/12814.9 ft) where we will have lunch following 3.5 hours of hiking. Afterwards the trail passes sites like Andenes and Chaullay, that are rich of vegetation of all sorts of beautiful flora species, such as wild orchids or bromeliads. After 4 more hours of hiking we reach our luxury campsite Collpapampa lying in the warm and cosy climate of the rainforest. A delicate, rich dinner will ensure you have a sound sleep to be ready for more adventures the following day.
Before we start our way to more exciting trails and incredible landscapes, we will make sure your batteries are at full power as a nourishing breakfast is prepared and our excitement rises for the upcoming – some would say the most beautiful – hike of our three remaining days.
We will wander through the dense woods of the rainforest. Magnificent plants and animals will attract your notice. All the diverse sounds and colors almost seem unreal. After we made our way through the thickness of the green unknown, we will come upon a secluded valley filled with coffee, cacao and diverse fruit plantations. Banana, Papaya and passion fruit are just some to be named. In the farming villages of Wiñaypoco (2650 mts/8694.2 ft) and Lluscamayo (2420 mts/7939.6 ft) you will have the chance to talk to locals and experience their lifestyle first hand. Lastly we will arrive at our final campsite named Playa Sahuayaco (2100 mts/6889.8 ft) just to find our well-organized staff waiting with our lunch.
Right after lunch there will be plenty of time for – no surprise – a hot shower and a relaxing massage. But our exciting program is not done yet. A knowledgeable guide will give us a private tour of the close by coffee plantations. Then we will move on for the fabulous dinner served in our dining tent. Since this is the final day of some of our crew, we suggest to share a last toast and compare all the photos we have taken. Cheers, Skol, Prost or as we say in Peru: Salud!
We are getting closer to our final stop Machu Picchu, but first a succulent breakfast, for we have the biggest part of our trip right ahead of us. After a short ride by bus that will be waiting for us, we arrive at a hidden trail. You will set foot on paths that the Incas used during their golden times. We are at Lucmabamba (2062 mts/6765.1 ft). 3.5 hours of hiking are ahead of us, but the reward is big: Llaqtapata archaeological site (2736 mts/8976.4 ft) which is almost fully covered by the vegetation of the forest. Its function is still unknown until today, which makes the ruins even more mystical. Still, an experienced guide will tell you all about Llaqtapata that is known so far. In addition, you will have breathtaking views over the surrounding mountain range, and you will encounter Machu Picchu for the first time. Stunningly from the distance.
It is time to have a delicious lunch with exceptional views over Veronica Mountain and Vilcanota River. The picturesque Llaqtapata Lodge Viewpoint (2570 mts/8431.8 ft) is conveniently located nearby the archaeological site. You will be surprised with homemade dishes, that consist of locally grown vegetables and fruits. 2 more hours of hiking down to the Hydroelectric train station (1771 mts/5810.4 ft) and we get some rest. Parallel to the train tracks a path with diverse flora and fauna leads to Aguas Calientes town. 3 more hours and we finally arrive at our destination. After such a long day you will be taken to your selected accommodation in Aguas Calientes. Once settled at the hotel and coordinated with your guide the pick-up time for the following day, you may want to have a restful sleep in a lush room.
On our final day we will get up once more before the sunrise. If the weather is good enough we will be able to see the sun rise over the Lost City of the Incas, Machu Picchu. In high season (April to July) there sometimes is a long queue to get up to the World Wonder, but with a qualified guide by your side who has plenty of information to share, time will pass like no time. All of the effort you put in the last days, all of the hour long hikes and the early mornings will definitely be worth it when you enter the gates of the breathtaking Machu Picchu citadel (2430 mts/7972.4 ft).
Surrounded by steep rock walls and lush vegetation, the most famous sight of this continent will not fail to impress you. You will hear about the myths escorting the citadel, the history of its buildings and of course, about the millenary culture of the Incas. After the tour you will have the opportunity to explore the site on your own, take the perfect photo or even discover Machu Picchu from a different perspective. You can choose to hike Huayna Picchu Mountain for a great panoramic view and uncover different nearby archaeological sites. You can climb Machu Picchu Mountain to enjoy this ancient wonder from the highest vantage point, or you can just embrace the atmosphere of the World Wonder. . When you are satisfied with you visit, a delightful lunch included in our program.
After you have enjoyed lunch, you will be going back to Aguas Calientes in a 30-minute bus ride to board your wagon to Poroy train station. After your arrival, you will be transferred back by our View Latin America representative in our private vehicle for a 40 min ride to your Cusco hotel After all the experiences of the past days, all the fascinating landscapes, the vivid rainforest and local coffee plantations, after visiting Machu Picchu, we are sure you will have gained memories for a lifetime.
