Salkantay Trek 5 Days

The Salkantay Trek is an alternative trail to Machu Picchu for those who forget to book the classic Inca Trail or the short Inca Trail in advance, or who couldn’t secure permits (due to them being sold out). If you hike the Salkantay Trail, you will discover that the Incas traveled and created several beautiful trails, many of which lead to Machu Picchu. The Salkantay trek is not for the faint of heart. You must have some Salkantay courage in your veins to hike this trail.

The Salkantay Trek is considered the most beautiful trek in the Cusco region. During the hike, you will observe stunning natural landscapes such as Humantay Lake, Salkantay Mountain, and the diverse flora and fauna of the trail. Additionally, part of the Inca Trail includes the Llactapata ruins, from which you can view Machu Picchu from a different perspective.

Protecting the Sacred Mountain Salkantay and Route

Many companies have built igloos, restaurants, and hotels along the way, damaging the natural landscape of the mountain and route. For several years, many companies have purchased land along this route and built accommodations and eateries. This development has transformed the route to Salkantay, introducing numerous towns and houses that clash with the natural landscape.

The natural beauty once offered by the Salkantay route diminishes each year, and this damage is irreversible.

We recommend that all hikers book their trips with responsible companies that use sleeping tents, allowing you to camp and dismantle everything the next day, leaving the remaining landscape of Salkantay intact.

Salkantay Itinerary

The Salkantay tour is all about the Salkantay Pass. The 4,580-meter altitude is the highlight of the Salkantay Trek.

The Salkantay Trek is named after Salkantay Mountain, also known as Salcantay or Sallqantay in Quechua. It is the highest peak of the Vilcabamba Mountains and is often referred to as Savage Mountain. The word “Sallqantay” translates to “uncivilized,” “wild,” or “invincible.”

DAY 1: Cusco – Humantay Lake – Salkantaypampa

We will pick you up at your hotel around 5:00 a.m. for your Salkantay trek of 5 days. We will then drive nearly 3 hours to Anta – Mollepata. During the bus ride, you can observe the snowcapped mountains of Salkantay and Veronica, which were considered the Holy Gods of the Incas. You will also glimpse the spectacular views of the upper and lower valleys with colorful landscapes. After 3.5 hours of driving, we will make the first stop in the town of Soraypampa (the starting point of our hike), where there are toilet facilities and breakfast prepared by our chef. There, we will meet our support staff, organize all the equipment, horses, and mules, and have an introductory meeting.

At approximately 9:00 a.m., we will start our trek to Humantay Lake (4,200 m / 13,779 ft). The first part of the path is flat, and then it becomes uphill all the way to the lake. We will explore it for about 30 minutes, then hike back to Soraypampa, where you will have lunch. After lunch, we will continue hiking up to Salkantaypampa (4,150 m / 13,615 ft). Salkantaypampa is located in the middle of the glacier valleys, and at night, it is very dark with no ambient light, making it a perfect spot to appreciate the constellations in the sky.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
Accommodation: Camping.
Campsite altitude: 4,150 m / 13,615 ft.
Distance traveled: 10 km / 6.214 miles.

DAY 2: Salkantaypampa – Salkantay Pass – Collpapampa

We will have an early wake-up call at 5:00 a.m. with coca tea brought to your tent. Afterward, we will quickly pack up, enjoy breakfast, and immediately begin hiking up to the highest point of the Salkantay trail (4,620 m / 15,255 ft). The distance is 5 km and should take about 3 hours to complete. During the ascent through the rocky valley, we can observe the magnificent Salkantay peak (6,217 m / 20,341 ft) and may even see chinchillas on the trail. Once we reach the top of the trail, we will enjoy spectacular views of the mountains and the imposing snowy peaks of Salkantay.

Salkantay Mountain is considered the second-highest mountain in the Cusco region and one of the main Inca Gods known as “Apu Salkantay.” Hiking to the top is the most challenging part of the entire trek. You will feel very accomplished! The next 3 hours are spent heading downhill on the serpentine trail along the gravel and rocky path to reach Huayracmachay, our lunch spot. In the afternoon, we will arrive at the upper part of the rainforest, also called a “cloud forest.” We will cover 9 km in 3 hours to reach Collpapampa Village (2,900 m / 9,514 ft), our base campsite. During the descent, we will observe the dense forest adorned with colorful orchids and native plants. Most of the year, the weather is warm and pleasant.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Accommodation: Camping.
Maximum altitude: 4,650 m / 15,255 ft.
Minimum altitude: 2,900 m / 9,514 ft.
Distance traveled: 19 km / 11.806 miles.

DAY 3: Collpapampa – Lucmabamba

We will wake you up around 5:30 a.m. with coca tea! Afterward, we will have breakfast and then start hiking straight to La Playa, walking through the dense jungle and following the riverbank of the Salkantay River on a gradual trail. Along the route, we will stop at several family hamlets to enjoy local fruits and vegetables (passion fruit, banana, coffee, avocado, mango, orange, and papaya). If we are lucky, we may even spot the famous bird known as “the Cock of the Rock.”

The trail distance is 16 km, and the hiking time is about 7 hours until we reach Lucmabamba, our base camp. Lucmabamba is a small town surrounded by coffee trees and offers basic facilities (toilets, electricity, shopping, and souvenirs) and serves as our lunch point. In the afternoon, you will have the opportunity to harvest coffee, peel the beans, roast them, grind them, and finally prepare your own espresso.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Accommodation: Camping.
Maximum altitude: 2,900 m / 9,514 ft.
Minimum altitude: 2,100 m / 6,889 ft.
Distance traveled: 16 km / 9.941 miles.

DAY 4: Lucmabamba – Llactapata – Hydroelectric – Aguas Calientes

We need to start early today to avoid the mid-day heat. As we hike, we will pass through coffee plantations and an artisan coffee mill on our way to Llactapata. Here, we follow a wide, well-preserved, and original Inca trail that once ran to Quito.

Following the trail up the side of the ridge, we can see a multitude of butterflies, citronella, orchids, rocky streams, and stunning views of the Santa Teresa Valley. From the pass, we can see Machu Picchu as magnificent as the view from Intipunku, the famed Sungate. From the pass, it is a short walk to Llactapata. Still covered under vines, jungle vegetation, and trees, we will explore the site before descending to the Rio Aobamba and on to the Hidroelectrica, where we have our last lunch with our amazing cook. From there, we will take a train to Aguas Calientes. Once in town, we check into our hotel, have dinner, and spend the night.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Accommodation: Hotel.
Maximum altitude: 2,040 m / 6,692 ft.
Minimum altitude: 2,900 m / 9,514 ft.
Distance traveled: 14 km / 8.699 miles.

DAY 5: Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Ollantaytambo – Cusco

Day 5 is the most magical day: Machu Picchu. We will wake up early and then take the bus up to Machu Picchu to see the sunrise over the ruins. Once we arrive at the Machu Picchu checkpoint, we will show our passports and then enter Machu Picchu. Our guide will take you straight to the classic photo spot, where you can take as many pictures as you like. Then you will start exploring Machu Picchu by following Circuit 2.

Our guide will spend around 2 hours explaining the highlights of Machu Picchu. Afterward, you will have time to explore the ruins on your own and hike Huayna Picchu if you have booked this option (this is a separate entrance ticket that costs $80 per person). Finally, you will return to Aguas Calientes and take a train back to Ollantaytambo, and then a bus back to Cusco. Once in Cusco, we will transfer you back to your hotel around 7 p.m.

Meals: Breakfast.
Tour: Visit Machu Picchu.