Ultimate Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5 Days
Overview
The Ultimate Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5 days and 4 nights is the second most popular route to Machu Picchu, also the most challenging and adventurous tours we offer at TreXperience. You will be able to see the Humantay Lake, snow-capped mountains, the cloud forest, coffee farms and finish the trek at Machu Picchu.
Why book with TreXperience
Travel with an authentic Local Tour Operator from Cusco city
We offer complimentary airport pick up and drop off
We are the only company that offers PACHAMANCA demonstration
We offer a real camping experience with tents and hot showers
We camp at Llatapata on day 3, a mountain in front of Machu Picchu
Support Social Project while traveling
Come back to Cusco on the last days in the exclusive Panoramic trains
Why book with TreXperience
Travel with an authentic Local Tour Operator from Cusco city
We offer complimentary airport pick up and drop off
We are the only company that offers PACHAMANCA demonstration
We offer a real camping experience with tents and hot showers
We camp at Llatapata on day 3, a mountain in front of Machu Picchu
Support Social Project while traveling
Come back to Cusco on the last days in the exclusive Panoramic trains
Inclusions
- Safety briefing the day before the tour at 6:00 pm in our Office
- Pick up from your hotel in the morning of the tour
- All transportation during the duration of the trek
- Duffle bag up to 7 kilos for your personal stuff carried by horses
- Professional highly trained mounatin tour guides
- Experience chefs, porters, and horsemen
- Pachamanca Cooking demonstration
- Organic coffee farms tour
- 3 nights camping in the mountains with comfortable equipment
- 1 night in a 3-star hotel in Aguas Calientes
- All meals during the Trek with local organic ingredients
- Entrance ticket to Salkantay and Machu Picchu
- Buses up and down to Machu Picchu
- Panoramic Exclusive train on the last to come back to Cusco
- Accommodation included: 5 nights
- Entry/Admission - Hot Springs (Aguas Calientes)
- Entry/Admission - Llaqtapata
- Entry/Admission - Salkantay Trail
- Entry/Admission - Machu Picchu
What to expect
Itinerary
Day 1: Cusco – Soraypampa – Humantay Lake - Salkantaypampa (13km – 6hrs)
Stop At: Humantay Lake, 08645, Peru
Pick you up from your hotel at 4:30 am and drive you to Soraypampa (3800 m/ 12467ft) – arriving approximately at 8:30 am. After a delicious breakfast, we will start your Salkantay TreXperience! It’s a 2-hour walk up to Humantay Lake (4200 m / 13780 ft) after enjoying the beautiful views of this spectacular turquoise water lake, we will continue to our lunch place where the chef will be waiting to serve you lunch using organic products from the area. Along the way, you will see a variety of flora and fauna such as the Andean goose (the love birds), deer, and vizcachas (which look a lot like a rabbit). After lunch, we will continue climbing for two more hours to reach Salkantay Pampa (3900 m/12795 ft). Once at the campsite we will have the tents ready, get ready for your bed, have tea time, dinner, and after we can stargaze before going to sleep.
Highest altitude: (4200 m / 13780 ft)
Distance: 13 km / 8 miles
Duration: 6 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Duration: 6 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Camping
Day 2: SALKANTAYPAMPA – WAYRAMPUNKU – COLLPAPAMPA
Stop At: Salkantay Trail, Peru
We will wake you up bright and early with a hot cup of coffee or coca tea, while you enjoy the breathtaking views of the highest mountains in Peru. After breakfast, we will start ascending to the highest point of our trek, the Salkantay pass (4630 m /15190 ft), at the summit we will take the time to explore the fantastic landscapes including a beautiful lake at the base of this majestic mountain. From the top, it will be another 3 hour downhill hike to the lunch place at Wayracmachay (3800 m/ 12467 ft). After lunch, we will start descending from the highlands into the cloud forest, experiencing one of the fastest changes in temperature and weather. Along the way, we will see different types of flowers, hummingbirds, and orchids until we arrive at Colpapampa (2770 m / 9087ft). This night we will stay next to a small village.
Campsite Altitude: 2770 m / 9087ft
Highest altitude: 4630 m /15190 ft
Distance: 16 km/ 9.91 miles
Duration: 8 hours
Difficulty: Moderate - Challenging
Duration: 8 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Camping
Day 3: COLLPAPAMPA – LLUCMABAMBA – LLACTAPATA
Stop At: Llaqtapata, Machu Picchu Peru
Day 3 is arguably the most beautiful of your Salkantay TreXperience! After enjoying a delicious breakfast, we will make our way to Lucmabamba (2000 m / 6600 ft), where we have a special PACHAMANCA lunch, this is an ancient way of cooking underground, you will participate actively in the preparation and also visit a local coffee farm and prepare your organic coffee. After lunch, hike up for 3 hours along an ancient Inca trail to reach Llaqtapata; another extraordinary Inca ruins located right in front of Machu Picchu. Here we will take some time to explore, learn about the history of the Incas, and enjoy the beauty of the site. We will reach the campsite at approximately 4:00 pm to watch the spectacular sunset over Machu Picchu. At the campsite, we will have tea and dinner and a special surprise!
Campsite Altitude: 2, 000 m / 6560 ft
Highest altitude: 2600 m / 8528 ft
Distance: 18 km / 11 miles
Duration: 9 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Duration: 6 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Camping
Day 4: LLACTAPATA – HYDROELECTRIC – AGUAS CALIENTES
Stop At: Hot Springs (Aguas Calientes), Signposted from main square, Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu Peru
Llactapata is a very unique and isolated site that overlooks Machu Picchu. Here it's worth getting up early, sit, and watch the sunrise over Machu Picchu: After Breakfast, start a 2 hour downhill to the hydroelectric satiation where we have a brunch and re-energize for the last stretch of our TreXperience. It is then a 3-hour walk along the railway to Aguas Calientes. This section of the trek is steeped in history as it was used by the American professor, Hiram Bingham, to discoverer Machu Picchu in 1911. It is also gorgeous and is home to a variety of endemic birds such us the Rupicola Peruviana (locally known as the cock-of-the-rock), parrots, toucans, hummingbirds, and orchids. Once in Aguas Calientes, your tour guide will take you to your hotel where you will have some time to rest and freshen up. In the evening we will enjoy a final dinner together.
Aguas Calientes: 2, 000 m/ 6560 ft
Distance: 14 km / 8.6 miles
Duration: 6 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Duration: 6 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: 3- star Hotel
Day 5: MACHU PICCHU (LOST CITY OF THE INCAS)
Stop At: Machu Picchu, Peru
On our final day, we have to get up very early to prepare for the highlight of your TreXperience; visiting Machu Picchu – the Lost City of the Incas. We will go straight to the line to wait for the first buses going up to Machu Picchu at 5:30 am to beat the crowds. Your guide will take you on a 2 to 3-hour comprehensive tour of the city before leaving you in Machu Picchu to explore on your own or climb either Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain (tickets must be booked as far in advance as possible). Your guide will explain how to take the bus from Machu Picchu back to Aguas Calientes for lunch (not included) and then take the Vistadopme train and bus back to Cusco. The TreXperience Team will meet you off the train and return you safely to your hotel.
Highest altitude: 2400m / 7874ft
Distance: 6km / 3 miles
Duration: 2 – 3 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Duration: 4 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Not Included
Day 1: Cusco – Soraypampa – Humantay Lake - Salkantaypampa (13km – 6hrs)
Stop At: Humantay Lake, 08645, Peru
Pick you up from your hotel at 4:30 am and drive you to Soraypampa (3800 m/ 12467ft) – arriving approximately at 8:30 am. After a delicious breakfast, we will start your Salkantay TreXperience! It’s a 2-hour walk up to Humantay Lake (4200 m / 13780 ft) after enjoying the beautiful views of this spectacular turquoise water lake, we will continue to our lunch place where the chef will be waiting to serve you lunch using organic products from the area. Along the way, you will see a variety of flora and fauna such as the Andean goose (the love birds), deer, and vizcachas (which look a lot like a rabbit). After lunch, we will continue climbing for two more hours to reach Salkantay Pampa (3900 m/12795 ft). Once at the campsite we will have the tents ready, get ready for your bed, have tea time, dinner, and after we can stargaze before going to sleep.
Highest altitude: (4200 m / 13780 ft)
Distance: 13 km / 8 miles
Duration: 6 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Duration: 6 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Camping
Day 2: SALKANTAYPAMPA – WAYRAMPUNKU – COLLPAPAMPA
Stop At: Salkantay Trail, Peru
We will wake you up bright and early with a hot cup of coffee or coca tea, while you enjoy the breathtaking views of the highest mountains in Peru. After breakfast, we will start ascending to the highest point of our trek, the Salkantay pass (4630 m /15190 ft), at the summit we will take the time to explore the fantastic landscapes including a beautiful lake at the base of this majestic mountain. From the top, it will be another 3 hour downhill hike to the lunch place at Wayracmachay (3800 m/ 12467 ft). After lunch, we will start descending from the highlands into the cloud forest, experiencing one of the fastest changes in temperature and weather. Along the way, we will see different types of flowers, hummingbirds, and orchids until we arrive at Colpapampa (2770 m / 9087ft). This night we will stay next to a small village.
Campsite Altitude: 2770 m / 9087ft
Highest altitude: 4630 m /15190 ft
Distance: 16 km/ 9.91 miles
Duration: 8 hours
Difficulty: Moderate - Challenging
Duration: 8 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Camping
Day 3: COLLPAPAMPA – LLUCMABAMBA – LLACTAPATA
Stop At: Llaqtapata, Machu Picchu Peru
Day 3 is arguably the most beautiful of your Salkantay TreXperience! After enjoying a delicious breakfast, we will make our way to Lucmabamba (2000 m / 6600 ft), where we have a special PACHAMANCA lunch, this is an ancient way of cooking underground, you will participate actively in the preparation and also visit a local coffee farm and prepare your organic coffee. After lunch, hike up for 3 hours along an ancient Inca trail to reach Llaqtapata; another extraordinary Inca ruins located right in front of Machu Picchu. Here we will take some time to explore, learn about the history of the Incas, and enjoy the beauty of the site. We will reach the campsite at approximately 4:00 pm to watch the spectacular sunset over Machu Picchu. At the campsite, we will have tea and dinner and a special surprise!
Campsite Altitude: 2, 000 m / 6560 ft
Highest altitude: 2600 m / 8528 ft
Distance: 18 km / 11 miles
Duration: 9 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Duration: 6 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Camping
Day 4: LLACTAPATA – HYDROELECTRIC – AGUAS CALIENTES
Stop At: Hot Springs (Aguas Calientes), Signposted from main square, Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu Peru
Llactapata is a very unique and isolated site that overlooks Machu Picchu. Here it's worth getting up early, sit, and watch the sunrise over Machu Picchu: After Breakfast, start a 2 hour downhill to the hydroelectric satiation where we have a brunch and re-energize for the last stretch of our TreXperience. It is then a 3-hour walk along the railway to Aguas Calientes. This section of the trek is steeped in history as it was used by the American professor, Hiram Bingham, to discoverer Machu Picchu in 1911. It is also gorgeous and is home to a variety of endemic birds such us the Rupicola Peruviana (locally known as the cock-of-the-rock), parrots, toucans, hummingbirds, and orchids. Once in Aguas Calientes, your tour guide will take you to your hotel where you will have some time to rest and freshen up. In the evening we will enjoy a final dinner together.
Aguas Calientes: 2, 000 m/ 6560 ft
Distance: 14 km / 8.6 miles
Duration: 6 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Duration: 6 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: 3- star Hotel
Day 5: MACHU PICCHU (LOST CITY OF THE INCAS)
Stop At: Machu Picchu, Peru
On our final day, we have to get up very early to prepare for the highlight of your TreXperience; visiting Machu Picchu – the Lost City of the Incas. We will go straight to the line to wait for the first buses going up to Machu Picchu at 5:30 am to beat the crowds. Your guide will take you on a 2 to 3-hour comprehensive tour of the city before leaving you in Machu Picchu to explore on your own or climb either Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain (tickets must be booked as far in advance as possible). Your guide will explain how to take the bus from Machu Picchu back to Aguas Calientes for lunch (not included) and then take the Vistadopme train and bus back to Cusco. The TreXperience Team will meet you off the train and return you safely to your hotel.
Highest altitude: 2400m / 7874ft
Distance: 6km / 3 miles
Duration: 2 – 3 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Duration: 4 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Not Included
Additional information
- Infant seats available
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- Passport name, number, expiry and country is required at time of booking for all participants
- A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.
GlobeTrotting79347
July 2021
We booked with Trexperience based on TripAdvisor reviews, and we’re soooo happy with the value of our experience, especially considering the price. We booked their best seller, the 5-day Sankaltay Trek that ended with a day at Macchu Pichu. Even with park permits, hike permits, hotel stays, train...
We booked with Trexperience based on TripAdvisor reviews, and we’re soooo happy with the value of our experience, especially considering the price. We booked their best seller, the 5-day Sankaltay Trek that ended with a day at Macchu Pichu. Even with park permits, hike permits, hotel stays, train tickets, meals, and guides/porters/chefs & food, camping and hiking gear rental, we basically paid $150/person per day. (*One of the hikes we booked was closed by the government, so I was refunded $225, bringing our average daily total to $135/person per day) There was a ton of communication via email before our trip where every question I asked was answered. Tom/Juan Carlos was easily communicative and had great customer service. He sent us itineraries, packing lists, and when our flight landed later than would fit the suggested itinerary, he adjusted the schedule to accommodate us. Peru was still in the middle of the pandemic (double face masks+face shields in airplanes!!!) so my husband, 18 year-old son and I were the only participants on our trek. The day we arrived in the Cusco airport, a Trexperience driver was there to pick us up promptly. Then we were driven straight to their office where we were served a beautiful meal of fresh fruit, porridge, omelet, and coffee. We transferred our gear from our carry-on luggage to the duffels they provided (only 5 kilos of weight allowed, so we had to pack light!) while they packed the van. Then we drove 3 hours up the mountain on a sketchy dirt road. When we stopped for lunch at a pasture high on the mountain, we were stunned as the chefs brought out a delicious meal of freshly grilled trout, buttery cooked veggies, garlic bread and passion fruit. And basically this is the type of food we ate at EVERY MEAL! Our family are avid hikers/backpackers, but we’d never eaten like that while camping. We’re used to instant oatmeal and dehydrated meals, so to have the luxury of fresh cooked vegetables, salads, fruit, lean meat, and all of it garnished and presented beautifully blew ourselves minds!!! Amilcar was our chef, and specifically request him if you book an expedition. His brother Elias was his assistant, and he was very quick and so pleasant. We often heard him laugh or joke around as meals were prepared or camp was setup. The gear we rented from Trexperience (poles, sleeping bags w/liners, and very comfy sleeping mats) was clean and in very good condition. My favorite finishing touch was Amilchar and Elias gave me a hot water bottle wrapped in polar fleece to put in my sleeping bag each night. I’m usually cold at night while camping and this was the most blessed gift they gave me - the gift of a warm night’s sleep!!!! I could never say enough about the delicious, nutritious and fresh food we ate at every meal. And on our last morning with Amilchar and Elias they made the most delicious cake for us for breakfast! It was moist with dulce de leche in the middle, wrapped in whipped cream. It might be the actual BEST cake I’ve ever had. Our whole support team of guide (Elard), chefs (Amilchar & Elias), and horsemen (Yuri & Nelson) were so pleasant and helpful. We felt peaceful and at ease because of how well and efficiently they worked together. Our guide Elard/Oliver was perfect for us. We’re spiritual but not religious and he shared beautiful history and rituals of the Inca people that resonated with our love of nature and Mother Earth. Elard was very skilled at setting a steady hiking pace and always staying within our sight so we knew where to go. He was fastidious about explaining everything related to our trek: from schedules to local customs to permit processes to weather and ecology. He was calm and kind, intelligent and open-minded, and he couldn’t have been a better fit for us. We appreciated lots of quiet while we hiked, as well as times where we conversed, pointed out wildlife and stopped to take breaks. Highlights of the trek: reaching Salkantay - a truly holy place; experiencing the vast differences of ecosystems within hours of hiking; the afternoon spent at a coffee farm learning the process of growing picking (we got to help!), peeling, drying, roasting, grinding and sipping coffee (also getting to pet their dogs, feed their guinea pigs, eat their tangerines, ask the farmers about their lives and their families) and helping to prepare and then eating pachamanca (food cooked underground - including chicken, beef, potatoes, yucca, and guinea pig); hiking part of the Inca trail, paying 5 soles to swing on a swing where 2 little girls pushed us; camping at Llactapata; relaxing in the thermal pools of Aguas Calientes and of course, visiting Macchu Pichu. I can’t stress enough the care and detail of Trexperience’s employees. The day before we visited Macchu Pichu happened to be my birthday. We stopped at a restaurant for dinner and unbeknownst to me, Elard arranged for the waiter to bring me a dessert while singers in the restaurant sang me happy birthday. It was such an unexpected and touching surprise! When our trek was done, Trexperience arranged for a driver to pick us up from the train station and deliver us to our hostel. Juan Carlos then offered to pick us up on our departure date, take us to a medical facility where we could get a Covid antigen test, and then take us to the airport. None of this was part of the package we bought, but just Trexperience’s/Juan Carlos customer service and going the extra mile(s). When I had further questions about the Covid testing, he called the medical facility to get the info I requested. Again and again we were surprised by the service and attention to detail. We’d book with Trexperience again in a heartbeat if we knew we could have all these same people working with us!!egru2405
May 2022
Our guide Luis was helpful and had always interesting informations for us. He patiently tried to fulfill all the wishes of all guests. He was like a friend and we would go with him again anytime. The food that the chef prepared with the team was delicious and satisfied all special requests.
Our guide Luis was helpful and had always interesting informations for us. He patiently tried to fulfill all the wishes of all guests. He was like a friend and we would go with him again anytime. The food that the chef prepared with the team was delicious and satisfied all special requests.R L
May 2022
The Trek itself is very challenging to say the least. My fault for not doing research but their itinerary was accurate so I had no delusions that it was going to be a walk in the park. What would have been damn near impossible was made so by my guide, Nilo. He was very patient, knowledgeable,...
The Trek itself is very challenging to say the least. My fault for not doing research but their itinerary was accurate so I had no delusions that it was going to be a walk in the park. What would have been damn near impossible was made so by my guide, Nilo. He was very patient, knowledgeable, and you can tell right away he has years of experience. The rest of the team, Zenovio, Martin, Tomas, Samuel, (chef, sous chefs/porters, horseman) were all wonderful. In the moments when I was exhausted, I would literally sot back and watch them hustle and bust their ass to set up or break down camp so fast and efficiently. They were always polite and very respectful. Words cannot describe how hard these guys worked to make sure I had everything I needed at any moment. It was insane. People around the world could take a lesson from them about work ethic and what it means to be a hard worker. I cannot express how much I truly appreciate the effort they gave every day and to think, this what they do for every customer they serve. Again, as I've told them already, THANK YOU SO MUCH!katiegiambrone98
April 2022
We had the most incredible 5 days doing the Salkantay trek. Vincent was the best tour guide we could have asked for, he was funny, informative, attentive, motivational and just all round great! The porters were all so lovely and the chefs cooked up amazing food for every meal! The company have do...
We had the most incredible 5 days doing the Salkantay trek. Vincent was the best tour guide we could have asked for, he was funny, informative, attentive, motivational and just all round great! The porters were all so lovely and the chefs cooked up amazing food for every meal! The company have done a great job organizing this tour, from the moment you get picked up to the moment they drop you off they ensure you’re looked after and that your experience is 10/10!guywalker35
April 2022
Life-changing trip! We did the 8-day tour available on TourRadar, which included a guided tour around Cusco and the surrounding sites on Day 1 and a tour of the Sacred Valley on Day 2. Our local guide Alex was fantastic; he really gave us a great introduction to the local culture and history, as ...
Life-changing trip! We did the 8-day tour available on TourRadar, which included a guided tour around Cusco and the surrounding sites on Day 1 and a tour of the Sacred Valley on Day 2. Our local guide Alex was fantastic; he really gave us a great introduction to the local culture and history, as well as advice for the hike. On the hike, our guides and porters were absolutely incredible. Manolo was our hiking guide. He's local to the area and spoke the Quechua languages, with English and Spanish as second languages. He really took the time to immerse us in the local culture and talk to us about pre-Incan, Incan, and contemporary Peruvian society, and we got to ply him with questions throughout the day and at every mealtime. He had a great command of English, and really looked after us when we were struggling due to altitude sickness. He was hugely knowledgeable - we learnt about local animals, plants, traditional medicines, dyes... Some of our favourite memories from the hike were just listening to Manolo teach us about his culture. We'd also love to give a shoutout to our cooks, Senovio and Julian. They made restaurant-quality food every lunch and dinner, sometimes on the tops of mountains. They even baked us a cake at our campsite overlooking Machu Picchu (and we have absolutely no idea how they managed this)! The tour was really flexible, and Manolo tried to tailor our route according to our pace and how we were feeling on the day. We picked this tour so that we'd get a good balance of hiking, scenery, history, and culture, and it really delivered on all aspects. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking, especially Salkantay Mountain. On the second day of the hike we hiked through about 6 distinctly different ecosystems, from snowy, glacial passes, all the way down into the High Amazon. The hike was hard-going on the first day - we thought 2 days in Cusco would've prepared us for the altitude but it took us a while to adjust. We were told it is harder physically than the classic Inca trail hike, and it wasn't until the afternoon on Day 2 when we really got up to speed. My wife and I are both early 30s and reasonably fit, and we'd trained a fair bit, and still found it challenging, but extremely rewarding. By the time we reached Machu Picchu, Manolo had given us such context for the history and Incan culture that we were really able to take it all in. We booked to climb Huayna Picchu mountain through TreXperience; it was a challenging climb but gave great views over the ruins and the valleys. Thank you so much to TreXperience and the team. They really accommodated us in every way. It's door-to-door service, and the hotels they partner with were clean and comfortable. If you're fit enough this is a 100% recommend. Probably one of the best things I've ever done.P2629FOlaural
April 2022
The Salkantay-Trek with Robinzon and Lourdes was the best experience i could wish for. The whole organization was perfect. The guides were more than just friendly and helpful - they were honestly interested in sharing their culture and tradition with us, they were helping us with altitude sickne...
The Salkantay-Trek with Robinzon and Lourdes was the best experience i could wish for. The whole organization was perfect. The guides were more than just friendly and helpful - they were honestly interested in sharing their culture and tradition with us, they were helping us with altitude sickness and provided good tips, never stopped motivating us and definitely managed to keep the moral at a high! Machupicchu for sure is the main goal at the trip, but the trek through the mountains and the different vegetation areas were just breathtaking. Not missing to say that the food provided was awesome! I wonder how they managed to cook for us on sich a high level in the middle of the wild. Thanks so much guys! I might repeat the whole thing:-)