Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5 Days
Awaken your spirit with San Pedro ceremonies, connecting with nature, ancient wisdom, and profound heart-opening spiritual experiences.
Overview
Highlights
- List Item #1
- List Item #1
Enjoy this very transformative 5-day adventure through and into the Andes’ heart, where sacred Machu Picchu awaits you via the Salkantay Trek. You arrive in Soraypampa, as then Apu Salkantay and Ñusta Humantay, a couple of powerful spirits of the Incas, embrace you. Hike in the direction of Humantay Lake, and the shimmering turquoise waters shall reflect the deep stillness throughout the land, inviting you to connect with earth’s deep wisdom.
You are going to walk in the very footsteps of our ancestors through the cloud forest’s gentle mist and Inca sites’ timeless echoes. That land’s own healing energy will truly guide only you. You will feel the sacred presence of the cosmos, ancestors, and the Earth on the final day as you stand before timeless Machu Picchu, converging in this transformative moment.
Itinerary & Prices
All itineraries are subject to change due to seasonal weather conditions (and resultant variations in river and tributary water levels) affecting accessibility to locations. Thus navigation routes, times and excursions may need to be modified at the cruise captain’s or your guide's discretion.
Tour Map
Costs (per person, based on double occupancy)
Starting at:
US$1499.00
Add ons and extras:
- Huayna Picchu Mountain: $65 USD.
- Machu Picchu Mountain: $65 USD.
- Vistadome Observatory: $80 USD one way – 150 USD Round Trip.
- Walking Poles: $20 USD per pair.
- Sleeping Bag: $30 USD.
- Vistadome Train: $60 USD. Only return.
- Hotel upgrade to 4* or 5*: Ask for costs at the booking time.
Included:
- Tour Guide: English Spanish and Quechua speaking guide.
- 1 night hotel in Aguas Calientes.
- Entrance fees to Salkantay Mountain.
- Machu Picchu ticket with circuit 2. (Depending on availability)
- Private van from your hotel in Cusco to the trail head.
- Private van from Ollantaytambo to Cusco after the trip.
- Train Tickets: Train ticket from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo. (Expedition Train Service).
- Train ticket from Hidroelectrica to Aguas Calientes.
- Round trip bus ticket from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu.
- Professional cook: specialized in hiking routes.
- Wake up tea every morning: It can be Coca tea, Coffee, chocolate, or any type of tea.
- Horses to carry all of our trekking gear.
- We carry 7 kilograms of your personal belongings.
- Large duffel bag provided by the company, for your 7 kg personal belongings.
- Clean and safe water, provided every half day, you need your own water for the 1st morning.
- Tea hour with pop corn, tea, biscuits and more.
- Snacks every morning.
- Entrance fees to Humantay Lake.
- Large Dining tent table, stools, all cutlery, and kitchen tent.
- Four-person tents are provided for 2 people to provide you with plenty of space for personal gear.
- Meals: 4 Breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 4 dinners.
- Clean and safe water, provided every half day, you need your own water for the 1st morning.
- Vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian options available.
- Air Mattress.
- First aid kit.
- Oxygen tank for emergencies.
- Hygiene Product We will provide you with a bowl a wáter and hand-towel to clean your hands at every campsite.
Not Included:
- Meals not mentioned on the itinerary.
- Gratuities for Pumadventures team (Guides, Drivers, Cook, porters).
- Souvenirs.
- International or domestic airfare.
- Extra water.
- A small backpack or small carry on (larger suitcases are not allowed on the train).
- Changes of clothing.
- Comfortable shoes or runners.
- Good camera.
- Water.
- Waterproof jacket or poncho.
- A fleece or jacket.
- Toiletries.
- Insect repellent (15% – 30% deets).
- Sunscreen
- Hat for the sun.
- Extra cash for meals, snacks and souvenirs
- Original passport (it is compulsory to enter Machupicchu)
- Swimsuit for the hot springs in Aguas Calientes (optional).
Itinerary
Towards Ñusta Humantay and Apu Salkantay
Route: Cusco → Soraypampa→ Humantay Lake → Soraypampa.
You will be picked up from your hotel in the morning and we will drive for 3 ½ hours to Soraypampa. During the bus ride you’ll see and be acquainted with the beautiful snowcapped mountain of Apu Salkantay and Ñusta Humantay – two important chief spirits of the Incas.
At Soraypampa we will meet our support staff and start our trek at around 10 AM. We will walk to our first campsite of the journey in Soraypampa at 1850m/1231ft wherefrom we will embark on a short 3 hour day hike to the beautiful Humantay Lake, a breathtaking site of the Andes with turquoise water reflecting the glacier of Humantay mountain. Upon return at camp, we can enjoy the immense sunset in the valley and a completely clear night sky often boasting comets and shooting stars. We will have free time in the afternoon in Soraypampa to recenter our spirit in the deep tranquility of the land and prepare for the next day’s hike.
Overnight in Soraypampa: Camping facilities
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Walking Meditation: Enjoying The Hike
Route: Soraypampa→ Chaullay.
Waking with the sunset, and enjoying a quick breakfast, we will start our hike early towards the highest point of our trail: the Salkantay Pass at 4650m/15,255ft. It’s a challenging ascent that takes about three hours but is well rewarded by incredible views and a gentle two-hour descent towards our lunch camp.
In the afternoon we will reach the high regions of the Amazon jungle, known in the altitudes as the cloud forest. We will hike for three hours through the beautiful jungle to arrive at our base camp in Chaullay Village at 2900m/9,514ft.
The specifications of the hike:
- Walking Distance – 22 km / 13.7 miles
- Starting Elevation – 3800m / 12467ft
- Campsite Elevation – 2750m / 9022ft
- Maximum Altitude: 4650m / 15255ft
- Difficulty: Challenging – Moderate
Overnight in Chaullay : Camping facilities
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Walking Meditation: Enjoying The Hike
Route: Chaullay→ Lucmabamba.
Shortly after sunrise we will start our trek to La Playa through the Santa Teresa valley. The hike is approximately six hours long and we will lunch at La Playa. After lunch we have an hours worth of hiking to our base camp in Lucmabamba at 2400m/7854ft. You can explore the high jungle and we will visit a local organic coffee plantation.
We have the option to go to the thermal baths in Santa Teresa.
The specifications of the hike:
- Walking Distance – 18km / 11.2 miles
- Starting Elevation – 2750m / 902ft
- Campsite Elevation – 2400m / 7874ft
- Difficulty: Easy
Overnight in Lucmabamba: Camping facilities
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Towards Machu Picchu
Route: Lucmabamba → Llactapata → Aguas Calientes.
You will be awoken with a fresh hot cup of coca tea and prepare for the day’s activity with the last delicious meal prepared by our trek chef. We will begin our hike early and walk along the Inka Trail for two hours to Llactapata, an Incan site before Machu Picchu. This is the first archaeological site from the Lost City of the Incas and a special place to reflect and enjoy. An approximate two hour downhill hike will bring us to Intiwatana, a rock used as a sundial by the Incas. From there we will follow an easy path for three hours to reach Aguas Calientes, the town under Machu Picchu.
The specifications of the hike:
- Walking Distance – 18 km / 11.2 miles
- Starting Elevation – 2450m / 8038ft
- Overnight Elevation – 2000m / 6561ft
- Difficulty: Easy
Overnight in Aguas Calientes: 3*, 4* or 5* accommodation
Meals: Breakfast
Explore Machu Picchu “The Crystal Condor” and Return to Cusco
Route: Aguas Calientes → Machu Picchu → Aguas Calientes → Ollantaytambo → Cusco.
After breakfast, we board a bus headed to Machu Picchu’s holy sanctuary for deep spiritual renewal. This Crystal Condor site is indeed not only just an architectural marvel but is also surely a powerful declaration to both the ingenuity and the undergoing wisdom of the Inca civilization. Once a former astronomical observatory and place for pilgrimage, Machu Picchu now welcomes many travelers from around the world, drawn into its sacred energy and old mysteries.
Snuggled nicely among those three towering peaks that actually form a natural energy triangle, this mystical site offers such perfect space for meditation and reflection, and also deepening our connection with the whole universe. As we explore its ageless pathways, we embrace the transformative power of this sacred land, allowing its energy to guide as well as inspire us.
In the afternoon, we adventure to the Aguas Calientes train station and board a scenic train. We will then ride along the winding Urubamba River, taking in certain stunning landscapes as we go to our hotel in Cusco.
In the evening we will have a farewell dinner to celebrate your journey and life!
Important Notes:
- ** Entrance to Machu Picchu is scheduled for Circuit 2 at 6:00 AM (or the closest available time).
- ** You can climb Huayna Picchu Mountain at 10:00 AM or 07:00 AM.
- ** Please check availability of Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu with us before confirming your booking.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Reviews
Related Tours
