Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5 Days
+ LLACTAPATA TREK

Your expedition begins with an early hotel pickup in Cusco between 4:20 AM and 4:50 AM. We embark on a scenic drive to the town of Mollepata (2,900m / 9,514ft), located approximately 2 hours from Cusco, where we take a short rest. Afterward, we continue our journey towards Challacancha (3,600m / 11,500ft), which marks the official beginning of our walk while our support crew prepares the equipment.

The trek kicks off with a steady 3-hour hike to our first base camp at Soraypampa (3,912m / 12,834ft). Here, we enjoy a nutritious lunch while admiring the panoramic geography of the surrounding mountains. After a brief rest, we make a steep 1.5-hour ascent towards the legendary turquoise waters of Humantay Lake (4,200m / 13,779ft). After exploring the views beneath the Humantay glacier, we return to the base camp for afternoon tea and a freshly prepared dinner.

The most difficult and physically demanding day of the trek starts with an early 5:00 AM wake-up call and breakfast at 5:30 AM. Our walk begins promptly at 6:00 AM with a challenging 3-hour uphill trek to conquer the highest point of the journey: the infamous Salkantay Pass (4,630m / 15,190ft). Standing beneath the massive glacial peak of Mt. Salkantay (6,271m / 20,575ft), we participate in a traditional Andean ceremony with the entire group.

After capturing incredible panoramic photos at the pass, we begin our descent toward Huayrapunku (3,912m / 12,834ft) for a well-deserved lunch. In the afternoon, we continue our downhill hike as the alpine tundra rapidly transforms into a lush, high-jungle landscape. We complete this rewarding day by arriving at our second camp in Chaullay (2,900m / 9,514ft) for dinner and rest.

We start the day at 6:00 AM with breakfast at 6:30 AM before hitting the trail into the vibrant high jungle. This portion of the trek showcases a beautiful geography filled with active rivers and pristine waterfalls. As we walk, we can appreciate the regional flora and fauna, traversing fertile plantations of orchids, cacao, coca, bananas, papayas, avocados, and granadillas.

Keep an eye out for exotic local birds like hummingbirds, parrots, and the Peruvian Cock-of-the-rock. Our morning trek brings us to our campsite at Sahuayaco Beach (2,064m / 6,771ft) for a delicious lunch. Afterward, we enjoy an immersive coffee tour where local families show us the traditional production and processing of coffee. Optional afternoon activities, such as visiting the Santa Teresa hot springs or a zip-line experience, can be coordinated directly with your guides (not included).

Our day starts early with a 4:30 AM wake-up call and breakfast at 5:00 AM. We begin with a short 30-minute walk to the community of Lucmabamba, followed by an uphill hike of approximately 1.5 to 2 hours to reach the hidden Inka archaeological site of Llactapata. This point provides an impressive panoramic view over the Aobamba and Vilcanota valleys, allowing us to uniquely appreciate about 15% of the distant Machu Picchu sanctuary across the mountain ridges.

After exploring the Llactapata ruins, we descend for roughly 2 hours until reaching the Hydroelectric plant to enjoy our lunch. From Hydroelectric, we complete the last stretch of the journey with a scenic, flat 2.5 to 3-hour walk alongside the railway tracks toward Aguas Calientes town (2,050m / 6,725ft), also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo. We check into our comfortable hostel accommodation and gather for dinner at a local restaurant before our big day.