Salkantay (6264m/20551ft) is the most representative mountain of the Inca empire, located in the Vilcabamba mountain range. The daylight in this region is very beautiful and offers a wonderful view of the diverse landscape and the tropical forest. During the journey, you will also have the opportunity to visit local farmers to learn and understand a little about their Andean life, customs, and traditions. Therefore, this trekking option perfectly combines culture and natural beauty. You will also have the opportunity to end this hike at the incredible and mystical site of Machu Picchu.
We will start the day with the pick-up from your respective hotel between 4:00 and 4:30 a.m. approximately. Leaving Cusco, we will head towards the town of Mollepata with a 2 hour and 30 minute journey, then we will make a small stop of 30 to 40 minutes for breakfast. Once breakfast is finished, we will continue towards Challacancha, the starting point of the hike towards Soraypampa SKY LODGE (approximate duration of 3:30 hours / 8 km).
After waking up with the first rays of sun at around 5:30 a.m. and having breakfast, we will begin the day’s trek towards the highest point of the entire route (Salkantay Pass), which is approximately 7 km and will take us an average of 4 hours to hike. The ascent will be on rocky and steep terrain in the middle of the valley and the imposing Apu Salkantay, with sections that will test not only our endurance but also our good acclimatization. Once at the top, we will enjoy the spectacular landscapes of the Salkantay snow-capped mountains, the second highest mountain in the Cusco region. During a brief break, you will have enough time to rest and appreciate the unique landscape of Salkantay Pass. We will continue descending on rocky terrain until we reach our lunch spot in Huayracmachay. After approximately 2:30 hours, we will walk back to Chaullay, where we will spend the night in a warm climate typical of the area.
After breakfast at 6 a.m., we will begin a trek through trails of flora and fauna of cloud forest where you can appreciate the great variety of different fruits such as bananas, avocados, passion fruit and granadillas. Our walk through the valley will be approximately 6 hours/17 km. During the trek, we will continue to appreciate landscapes with small waterfalls, orchids and animals of the area. Our lunch will be at our campsite called La Playa. During your free afternoon, you have the option to enjoy a guided tour of one of the coffee plantations and also have the option to take a refreshing bath in the thermal waters of Cocalmayo.
After a delicious breakfast, we will start our approximately 2-hour hike to Llactapata on an original Inca trail, which will lead us to a small archaeological center and enjoy an impressive panoramic view of the Urubamba valley and Machu Picchu in the distance. After appreciating the great guided tour, we will descend until we reach the Hydroelectric plant for a delicious lunch and continue our walk along the train tracks until we reach Aguas Calientes in about 3 hours/10 km. On the way, we will visit the so-called Intiwatana, a famous sundial. We will arrive at Machu Picchu Pueblo at around 5 pm.
After an early breakfast at your hotel, we will climb up to the Machu Picchu sanctuary and enjoy a guided tour of the main constructions of the citadel for approximately 2 hours. For those looking for a more physical challenge, we have the option to climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, where you will have a great view of Machu Picchu. In the afternoon, you will need to return to the town of Aguas Calientes to collect your belongings from the lodging and take your train back to Ollantaytambo at 6:20 pm, where our return transport to Cusco will be waiting for you at approximately 10:00 pm.
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Additional costs: Additional costs, delays or itinerary modifications may occur due to reasons beyond the agency’s control such as: bad weather conditions, security or health issues, changes in government policies, political instability, strikes, etc.
*Subject to availability. Can be purchased during the trip.