Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu & Cusco

Upon your arrival in Cusco, you’ll be met by an Inka Experience representative and transferred to your comfortable hotel.

Take the day to acclimatize to the altitude in Cusco (14,200 ft. above sea level)

Your full-day Sacred Valley tour begins with a scenic drive to Pisac, where you will visit its famous, lively market. Hundreds of traditionally-dressed artisans and sellers journey from surrounding villages to sell their crafts and produce at this market. Ceramics, carvings, weavings, and jewelry are popular items.

You will stop in Urubamba where you will have some free time to explore the town and have lunch (included).

Continue to the ancient and serene town of Ollantaytambo, which has been continuously inhabited since the 13th century, and visit its impressive hillside fortress ruins.

Enjoy the breathtaking scenery during your return trip to Cusco.

Overnight in Cusco.

In the afternoon, after lunch, you’ll take a guided tour of the city and surrounding area. You’ll visit the cathedral, main plaza, ruins of Sachsayhuaman, Koricancha, Puca Pucara, Qenko, and Tambomachay.

You’ll also get a taste of the mixture between the Inca architecture and Spanish colonial architecture dominated by the city.

You’ll have the evening to yourselves.

Overnight in your comfortable Cusco hotel.

On this first day, we will leave Cusco very early in our private transport to the village of Mollepata where we will stay for half an hour to have our breakfast. Then we continue our trip in the car until Soraypampa (3900msnm). From here we climb gently for about 3 hours to Salkantaycocha. We have lunch very close to Salkantay Mountain and glaciers. After lunch and a rest we continue to climb steeply to the Salkantay pass where we will make small offerings to the apus (mountain spirits). This is the highest point of the trip (4,600 msnm/13451 feet). From here we descend for 2 to 3 hours to the campsite at Huayraqmachay.

Today, we continue our descent from the mountain range to the cloud forest for 1.5 hours when we reach Arrayanniyoc village. There we start about 1 hour ascent through exuberant cloud forest vegetation. Afterwards we continue the descent 4 more hours in the subtropical zone. We will take our lunch in the village of Wiñaypocco. After 2 hours walking we reach our camp site in La Playa village (2100msnm). Our walking time this day will be 8 to 9 hours.

When we get up on this day, we will take our transport to the village of Santa Teresa (1700msnm), where we will have the opportunity to relax at the beautiful baths of Cocalmayu. Then we continue our trek through the valley and along the Vilcanota River for approximately 3 hours until we reach the hydroelectric plant where we will have our lunch. Before continuing to walk another 9 km more along the train tracks to the town of Aguas Calientes, where we can rest in a comfortable hotel.It is possible to take a local train from hydroelectric plant to Aguas Calientes.

We´ll have early breakfast. Then at 5:30 am we will catch the first bus to Machu Picchu (navel of the world) in order to appreciate the magnificent city as the sun is rising.

A walking tour (approximately 2 hours) is given by your Guide and after this you can explore the mysterious city by yourselves.

Later, we will again descend to Aguas Calientes town to take the train return to Ollantaytambo and then by bus to Cusco, and transfer to your hotel.

After breakfast, you’ll be transferred to the  Cusco airport for your flight to Lima.

In  Lima , take your  flight  back to home.

Safe Journey home!

End of our services

Passport requirements

• A passport valid for 6 months after the date of your arrival to Peru is necessary for all travels

Included

• Excellent quality hotels based on U.S. standards
• 4 nights in Cusco, 1 night in Aguas Calientes  & program 4 days – 3 night  Salcantay trek.
• All breakfast
•  Machu Picchu expeditions train servicie to Ollantaytambo.
• Multi-lingual, Professional tour guides
• All transfers and entrance fees
• Travel insurance

Not Included

• Domestic flights

Salcantay trek Included

• Salcantay trek Briefing
• Cooks and porters to assist in carrying equipment
• All Camping equipment (sleeping bag not included)
• All meals during trek
• All entrance fees Professional Bilingual Guide.
• First aid kit and Oxygen balloon.
• Bus up and down from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu.
• Entrance fees to Machu Picchu.
• Expeditions Train ticket from Aguas Calientes to Cusco.
• Pick Up train station Cusco / to your hotel

Not Included

• Sleeping bag
• Dinner the 3rd day upon your arrival to Aguas Calientes
•  & lunch the 4th day

Additional services

• For rent: Sleeping bag $30 / Trekking poles $30