5 Days Salkantay Trek Machu Picchu

An outline of the schedule: 5 Days Salkantay Trek Machu Picchu

Day 01: Cusco – Soraypampa – Humantay Lake – Soyroccocha

Day 02: Soyroccocha – Apacheta Pass – Colpapampa

Day 03: Colpapampa – the Hot Springs – Lucmabamba

Day 04: Lucmabamba – Llactapata Inca ruins – Aguas Calientes

Day 05: Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – and back to Cusco

The reasons you will like this tour:

• Trek across the Peruvian Andes and take part in one of National Geographic’s 25 «World’s Best Treks.»
• Admire breathtaking views of the Humantay and Salkantay glacier peaks as well as breathtaking landscapes with wildlife, rivers, cloud forests, verdant valleys, waterfalls, and mountains.
• Make your own espresso by roasting some coffee beans from nearby fields. What a wonderful idea!
• To get your first glimpse of the renowned Machu Picchu, hike a little stretch of the old Inca Trail to the Llactapata ruins.
• With your personal hiking guide, see the magnificent Machu Picchu citadel and its environs.
• Horses, muleteers, your own personal cook, and a private trip leader are all included.
• Experience authentic camping away from the masses in natural settings.
• Hike the five-day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu with a local tour company run by knowledgeable local guides who have been approved by the Peruvian Ministry of Tourism.

First Day:

Day 01: Cusco – Soraypampa – Humantay Lake – Soyroccocha

Our tour guide will arrive at your hotel at five in the morning to take you up in a private minivan. After about two hours of driving, we will arrive at the town of Mollepata, where we will pause for breakfast for about half an hour. Following the little pause, we will drive for about a another hour until we arrive at the Soraypampa trailhead (3,880 m / 12,726 ft). We will greet our muleteers and horses when we get to the trailhead, get our bags ready for the journey, and introduce ourselves. Great views of the snow-capped peaks of Salkantay (6,271m/20,574ft) and Humantay (5,900m/19,356ft) will be available from that location.

After that, we will veer off the typical Salkantay track and ascend for two hours and thirty minutes to Humantay Lake (4,300 m/14,108 ft). Surrounded by breathtaking views of the mountains, this stunning glacial lake is crystal blue and situated at the base of the snow-capped Humantay summit. A delicious lunch will be served as we make our way back down to the trailhead. Our first campsite, Soyroqocha, is situated on a glacial moraine with a tiny lagoon at an elevation of 4,450 meters (14,596 feet), and we will go there for three hours after lunch by following a bridle route along the stream’s banks and the Altiplano Valley. One of the most spectacular parts of the first day of our Salkantay trekking schedule is definitely the view that opens out in front of us on this portion of the path. Our tents will be our resting place once we have feasted our eyes and taken those wonderful pictures. After our tea break, which includes cookies, popcorn, hot chocolate, milk, coffee, and other teas, we will have supper shortly after. Following that, you will have a revitalizing briefing for the second day, and we will retire to our tents for a restful night’s sleep. Breakfast is not included but all meals are.

Second Day:

Day 02: Soyroccocha – Apacheta Pass – Colpapampa

To start you going in the morning, we will serve you a nice cup of coca tea. Then, we will eat a hearty breakfast while watching the dawn from the top of Salkantay. In order to reach the highest crossing, Salkantay crossing, which is 4,632 meters (15,193 feet), we will next begin a one-hour and thirty-minute hike. During this time, we will have the chance to view vizcachas, the elusive Andean chinchillas that like jumping and scuttling among the rocks. The enormous snow-capped mountains that dominate the surrounding valleys and the nearby Salkantay mountain (6,271m/20,574ft), the second-highest peak in the Cusco area and one of the Apus, will be breathtakingly visible from the highest pass. After soaking in the scenery and relaxing, we will begin our two-hour and thirty-minute trek downward to Wayracpampa (3,850m/12,631ft) and pause for lunch. The descent is lengthy and gradual, and the views are stunning. We’ll leave the throng behind after lunch and keep going until we reach the cloud forest, where we can observe the diverse sceneries. as well as see the altitude forest, the temperature shift, and the swift and striking transformation of the Andes into the verdant high jungle. Lush sceneries, native flowers and plants, orchids, and birds will all be visible as we descend. Trained personnel will greet you and take you to your tent so you can relax when we reach our second camp, Collpa (2,750m / 9,020ft). Lastly, we’ll enjoy supper, tea, and relaxation. Every meal is provided.

Third Day:

Day 03: Colpapampa – the Hot Springs – Lucmabamba

Our chef will be preparing a delicious breakfast for us today before we start our journey through the verdant forest to the next campground. In addition to the amazing diversity of species, including birds, insects, butterflies, orchids, and bromeliads, as well as the incredibly abundant flora and fauna, we will enjoy a more relaxed trek along the track that has more downhills than uphills. As we descend gradually for around four hours to La Playa Sahuayaco (2100 masl/6890 fasl), the Amazon brow will give way to fruit trees, avocado, banana, and coffee plantations. After leaving the settlement of Playa, we will continue to walk for around an hour to the next camp, Lucmabamba (2050 m / 6724 ft), which is the start of the Inca Trail to the Inca ruins of Llactapata and a great place to escape the crowds. We will get the chance to see the fruit and coffee farms that are next to the camp in the afternoon. We will discover the various varieties of coffee beans and the manufacturing of organic coffee, which is gaining popularity globally, during our excursion. Following this, we will engage in a hands-on coffee-making session where we will learn about the whole coffee manufacturing process, from harvesting the coffee beans to peeling, roasting, and grinding. We shall then savor a freshly made cup of coffee and the results of our own effort. Our cook is going to make our last meal later. Every meal is covered

Four Day:

Day 04: Lucmabamba – Llactapata Inca ruins – Aguas Calientes

On our journey to Machu Picchu, we had another fantastic day. After breakfast this morning, we will climb a little uphill portion of the old Inca Trail to arrive at our next destination, the three-hour-long Llactapa Ruins. We will descend to the intriguing but mostly covered ruins of Llactapacta (2,700m/8,858ft), an Inca archeological site just in front of Machu Picchu, following a hike through the forest and intriguing views across the Santa Teresa valley. We will discover the mysteries of the old society and the remarkable site at Llactapata, the first Inca site we will visit on our hike from Salkantay to Machu Picchu. Our first thrilling view of Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu, which are poised atop the mountain saddle in front of us, will come from Llactapata. Seeing such a significant Inca monument from the summit of a far-off mountain is an amazing sight and an odd sensation. As you snap as many pictures as you like to share your amazing experiences with friends and family back home, your guide will also tell you everything there is to know about the Incas’ history.

Following our admiration of the breathtaking history and surroundings, we will stroll a little distance to our next lunch, which will be held in a charming location. While taking in the vistas of the Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu ruins on the other side, we will savor our final supper of the trek. Following lunch, we will begin our two-hour and thirty-minute descent to the Hidroelectrica train station, from which we will board a 45-minute train to Machu Picchu Pueblo. When we get there, we’ll go to our hotel and check in. Our party will have a celebratory dinner at a nearby restaurant in the evening. Following the meal, we will receive a thorough briefing and suggestions for the following day. Lastly, we will head back to our hotel to recuperate. Every meal is covered

Fifth Day:

Day 05: Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – and back to Cusco

We will ride a bus to Machu Picchu’s main entrance for thirty minutes after eating an early breakfast at the hotel in Machu Picchu Pueblo. Depending on your circuit, you will receive a private guided tour of this amazing and ethereal location for two hours this morning. Walking through the many parts of the city, including temples, granaries, terraces for farming, homes, and the solar observatory, is part of your private guided tour. Your guide will explain the actual significance of this special location. After the trip, if you have a Wayna Picchu mountain permit, you will ascend the mountain; nevertheless, spots are limited. You will ascend Machu Picchu Mountain in the unusual event that permits for Wayna Picchu are unavailable on the day you want to depart. In order to acquire an additional ticket, please inform us at the time of booking whether you want to climb one of these mountains. Following our tour of Machu Picchu, we will return to Aguas Calientes via bus, where we will celebrate our successful completion of the Salkantay Trek with Inca Kola or Pisco Sours. Lastly, we will travel to Ollantaytambo by rail. From Ollantaytambo, you will be driven to your Cusco accommodation in a private vehicle. The adventure’s conclusionnd relax in its hot springs. From here we take the train back to the city of Cusco, where we arrive after nightfall.

What is covered by the five-day salkantay trek machu picchu

• Pre-departure briefing
• Collection from your hotel in the morning and transfer in private transportation to Challacancha (starting point of the trek)
• Personal tents: 2 people in each 4-people-capacity tent, to allow for higher comfort and a safe keeping of backpacks. Our tents are 3-season, highly maintained to ensure an excellent performance in field.
• One inflatable sleeping pad per person
• One pillow per person
• Dining tent with tables and chairs
• Kitchen tent
• Toilet tent with biodegradable toilet facilities
• English speaking professional and official tourist guide (2 guides for groups of over 8 people)
• Chef and cooking equipment
• Pack animals (to carry tents, food and cooking equipment) days 1 to 3
• Pack animals to carry personal gear up to a maximum of 9kg per person (including sleeping pad and sleeping bag) days 1 to 3
• 1 emergency horse every 8 persons days 1 to 3
• Accommodation for all our staff
• Meals (04B, 04L, 04D + daily morning snack + daily tea service except last day). Vegetarian or special menus are available at no extra cost
• One textile snack bag per person, to avoid the usage of plastic bags that contaminate our environment
• Filtered boiled water from lunch time on 1st day onwards
• Bio-degradable personal hand soaps
• Bio-degradable dishwashing detergents used by our kitchen staff
• Others: hot water every morning and evening for washing purposes / boiled water to fill in your water bottle every morning and night, and at lunch time if requested with enough time ahead
• First-aid kit including emergency oxygen bottle
• 1D Machupicchu entrance fee
• Train ticket from Aguas Calientes to Cusco (Expedition service)
• Transfer train station-hotel in Cusco
• 24-h guest service: please ask for the emergency number available during your time of visit

What is not covered by the five-day salkantay trek machu picchu

• Breakfast on the first morning.
• Lunch in Aguas Calientes on day 2
• Entrance to the hot Springs.
• Tips and extra spends