Salkantay Treks & Inca Trail 6D/5N

DAY 1:CUSCO-MOLLEPATA-SORAYPAMPA-HUMANTAY LAKE-ICHUPATA. 

Today’s Highlights: Walk from Challacancha to Soraypampa with very few tourists. Relish in an afternoon visit to the absolutely whimsical Humantay Lake nestled at the base of Apu Humantay mountain. Take in your first views of the enigmatic Apu Salkantay. 

We start the day by picking you up at your hotel then we will drive for around 4 hours, crossing Anta and Mollepata and ending up at Challancha. Through the windows of the bus you can clearly see the white, snowcapped mountains of Apus Salkantay and Humantay: two colossal gods of the Incas. You will also see spectacular scenery of high peaks and low valleys in a colorful and contrasting panorama filling every direction you turn your eyes! After the first two hours of driving, we will stop quickly in Mollepata to take advantage of the toilet facilities, souvenir shops, and an optional, short breakfast.  Then we will continue to Soraypampa, the starting point of our walk. We will meet with our support staff, who will organize all the equipment and cargo mules. Around 09:30 am, we will begin the trekking to Lake Humantay (3850 meters – 12631 feet) After enjoying the views in Humantay, we go to the campsite in Soraypampa for lunch, then we will start the trekking to Salkantay Pampa and finally Ichupata, where we will sleep Tonight it’s going to be very cold. Our expert chefs will surprise us with delicious hot dishes. 

DAY2: ICHUPATA-PAMPA JAPONESA-PAMPACCAHUA

After an early wake up and hearty breakfast, we start on a gentle uphill to Incachiriasca pass (4850 m/15908 ft) the highest point of the trek,  we enjoy the views of this imposing mountain in front of our eyes , the mountain of  Salkantay is the second highest mountain in the Cusco region and one of the Inca gods called “Apu”. As we ascend, we will make stops along the way to enjoy the outstanding mountain scenery of the Vilcabamba range, then we will descend towards our lunch spot at Sisay Pampa, a flat area from which one can observe the neighboring Salkantay Valleys. After lunch, we will gradually continue descending to our campsite in Pampacahuana community (3,700 m / 12,136 ft), located next to an original Inca canal. This is our camp for the night.

DAY3: PAMPACCAHUANA-PAUCARCANCHA-HUAYLLABAMBA-AYAPATA

Today, we will start with a 3-hour steep downhill trek to the Incan ruins at Inkaracay (also known as Paucarcancha, 3100 MASL – 10171 FASL). It is an archeological site well worth exploring! Afterward, we will continue hiking down to the small village of Huayllabamba where we join the traditional Inca Trail. After making a lunch stop, we will head up to our campsite, through a steep, but very scenic, climb. Our campsite tonight is at Ayapata.

DAY4: AYAPATA-PACAYMAYO-CHAQUICOCHA

Today, we will reach the highest point on the Inca Trail (dead woman pass) (Warmihuañusca) (4200 MASL – 13776 FASL). After a two-hour descent, we will arrive at Pacaymayo Valley (3600 MASL – 11808 FASL) where we lunch. We then continue up to the second pass (Runkurakay) (3970 MASL – 13022 FASL), stopping halfway to visit the impressive archaeological site of Runkurakay. Going over the pass, we descend toward Lake Yanacocha and enter into the cloud forest to arrive at the Sayacmarca Inca ruins (3624 MASL – 11887 FASL). Our campsite is at Chaquicocha (3400 MASL – 11154 FASL).

DAY5: CHAQUICOCHA-WIÑAYHUAYNA

Today, we will take an easy climb in the morning to the last pass with its Incan ruins of the same name (Phuyupatamarca, 3700 MASL – 12136 FASL). Here, we will also have remarkable views of the Urubamba River Valley. Afterward, we descend to the Wiñaywayna campsite (2650 MASL – 8692 FASL) and visit another archeological site there after lunch.

DAY6: MACHUPICCHU-OLLANTAYTAMBO-CUSCO

Today we arrive at the long-awaited finale of our trek, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site – Machu Picchu! After an early start to our day, we arrive at the campsite exit gate where we must wait in line until 5 AM. The Machu Picchu entrance check point is open from 06:00 AM until 17:00 PM. Subsequently, we will hike one hour until we arrive at the Sun Gate (Intipuncu) which looks down onto Machu Picchu. Arriving at the Sun Gate we will feel so jubilant that we have finally arrived! We will arrive early to beat the crowds to this viewpoint and enjoy its serenity in the soft morning light. From there, we will walk downhill on a stone path to enter the hidden Royal Citadel of the Incas with impressive panoramic views all the way down.

After we register in the site, we explore this amazing and world-famous location. We will have a 2-hour guided tour through this incredible ancient city to visit temples, terraces, palaces, priest’s houses, the sundial, the industrial sector, and the farming fields. Be amazed at the engineering ingenuity of the Incas which was so far ahead of their time and still partially a mystery today! Without having modern tools or even steel and iron to work with, the people who built this city were genius in organizing this community in a sustainable and beautiful way on the side of a mountain, even bringing water in canals through its streets for the people to use. When a Peruvian guide showed this site to Hiram Bingham, it was almost unrecognizable, covered in thick vegetation and in a state of disrepair. It has since been cleaned and restored and is now protected and treasured by the world at large!

WHAT IS INCLUDED

• Pick up from your hotel
• Private transport from your hotel to Soraypampa
• English speaking professional guide experienced in trekking .
• Private guided tour in Machu Picchu
• Expedition Tourist Train from Aguas calientes to Ollantaytambo 
• Admission Tickets to salkantay-Inca Trail and Machu Picchu Archaeological site.
• One night accommodation in Aguas Calientes (hot shower,bathroom, private room
• Dinner in Aguas calientes town
• First-aid kit including emergency oxygen tank
• Taxes
• Pick up from the airport to your hotel in cusco.

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED

• Bus tickets from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu
• Wayna Picchu Mountain US$75
• Machu Picchu Mountain US $70
• First breakfast (Usually served in Hotel), Last lunch at Machu Picchu
• Tips for your staff

Price in US Dollars per Reservation:

• 2-3 People: USD 1000.00 per person.
• 4-6 People: USD 950.00 per person
• 7-+ People: USD 900.00 per person

DISCOUNTS

• 18 to 25 years old: US$30 Information required on student card: name of university, student name, photo of student, expiration date etc. A copy of the card at booking is required & government approval for discount.
• Under 18 years old: US$30 Please send us a copy of your passport at the time of booking.
• Under 11 years old: US$40  Please send us a copy of your passport at the time of booking.

EXTRAS 

• Walking Poles – US$30 per pair per trek (Professional Poles that can be extended)
• Vistadome Train Upgrade  – US$57 per person (For the return to Cusco (Poroy) at 4:43 pm)
• Huayna Picchu Mountain  – US$35 per person (Please request when you book your Trek)
• Machu Picchu  Mountain –  US$30 per person  (Please request when you book your Trek)
• Single supplement US$30 per night (for solo travellers with single room)

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

“Please read carefully the following information; it will help you answer all of your questions about our services and the salkantay treks and Inca Trail to Machu Picchu”

THE BRIEFING

It will take place the night before the trekking departure at 6pm in your hotel

CAN I STORE MY LUGGAGE AT YOUR OFFICE:

Of course! During the  salkantay & Inca Trail to Machu Picchu your main luggage can be store at our office or at your hotel, both are for free. Please don´t pack anything you will need for your hike.

HOW TO BOOK THE SALKANTAY & INCA TRAIL MACHU PICCHU?

FIRST, to book your  Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, we need you to fill out our booking form by clicking on BOOK NOW on our homepage or click here the link BOOK NOW.
Please be ready with the following information (FROM EACH PARTICIPANT in your group). We cannot purchase an Short Inca Trail Machu Picchu permit without the following information:
Personal information (your full name, exactly as on your passport):
Gender
Passport number
D.OB. (dd / mm / yyyy)
Nationality
SECOND, we require a deposit of the 50% of the payment per person in order to purchase a permit for the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

MAY I CHANGE THE DEPARTURE DATE AFTER THE TICKETS HAVE BEEN BOUGHT?

Unfortunately the answer is “No”. Once the tickets have been bought the government does not allow any changes, so we can’t change any departure date after the ticket has been bought. The Inca Trail to  Machu Picchu tickets are also not transferable nor refundable.
*** If you cancel your  Inca Trail Machu Picchu, the deposit is not refundable at all!

WHAT ABOUT ALTITUDE SICKNESS?

In general if you have regular exercise and spend a couple of days in Cusco, or in the Sacred Valley for acclimatisation to the altitude, you may be fine.
The recommended medicine for altitude sickness is WATER, COCA TEA and OXYGEN IF NEEDED; our guides are trained to treat you for Altitude Sickness.
We offer the Cusco City Tour or Sacred Valley Tour that you can book while you are acclimatizing. Check out our Day Tours

ARE WE DROPPED AT OUR HOTEL AFTER THE HIKE?

Absolutely! Included in our packages is dropping you off at your hotel on the return from your trek or tour. If you have booked your hotel in the Sacred Valley like Ollantaytambo or Urubamba, we will drop you there too!
If you spend the night at Ollantaytambo before the trek, we wil pick you up there.