Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu: 5 Days, 4 Nights
Cusco, Peru
Trip Type: Multi-day Tours
Duration: 5 days
Salkantay is the name in the native language which means Savage Mountain. This may refer to the swirling clouds that rise up from the lowlands of the rain-forest that engulf the peak. The mountains of the Cordillera Vilcabamba form a jagged chain between the Urubamba and the Apurimac rivers, creating a unique landscape to the area. On the north side of the cordillera, massive snow peaks emerge from lush tropical rain forests. You will get to explore this trail and views on a 5-day trek to Machu Picchu.
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Salkantay is the name in the native language which means Savage Mountain. This may refer to the swirling clouds that rise up from the lowlands of the rain-forest that engulf the peak. The mountains of the Cordillera Vilcabamba form a jagged chain between the Urubamba and the Apurimac rivers, creating a unique landscape to the area. On the north side of the cordillera, massive snow peaks emerge from lush tropical rain forests. You will get to explore this trail and views on a 5-day trek to Machu Picchu. Day 1: Cusco–Mollepata–Soraypampa
Your adventure begins at your hotel around 5am, from where you will be picked up and travel by local bus or car to Mollepata (2,800 m/9,186 ft). This morning you will walk approximately 3 hours appreciating the diversity of the flora and fauna along the way, before you stop to enjoy a delicious lunch at the quiet site of Sayllapata. In the afternoon you have a relaxing 3 hour hike before you arrive at the first camp site of Soraypampa (3,800 m/12,467 ft). In the early evening you have a nice dinner and get settled for the first night.
Day 2: Soraypampa–Seven Snakes Pass–Challhuay
This is a tougher day, because you have to climb to Seven Snakes Pass (4,600 m/15,000 ft), the highest part of the trek. From there you'll get a spectacular view of Salkantay, a stunning snow-capped mountain (6,271 m/20,574 ft). The hike will bring you to the campsite of Challhuay where you will have a nice dinner and spend the night. From there, the climate begins to take a semitropical change, because of the cloud forest.
Day 3: Challhuay–La Playa–Santa Teresa
The day begins at 6am with a breakfast so you can get energy for the hike to La Playa. At La Playa you stop for lunch. After lunch, you will have an easy downhill hike through the jungle of Ceja de Selva. In this area, you will be able to see coca, coffee and several native fruit plantation. Later in the afternoon you have a two-hour bus ride downhill to the village of Santa Teresa. There, you will have dinner and spend the night in tents.
Day 4: Santa Teresa–Aguas Calientes
The journey continues on day four with an hour-long bus ride after a nice breakfast. Thereafter you walk for two hours to get to the Hydroelectric station for lunch, next to the Urubamba River. Then you continue on a three-hour walk towards the town of Aguas Calientes. From there, you will check into a hostel, dine, and rest up before the next day in Machu Picchu.
Day 5: Machu Picchu–Cusco
On the final and most exciting day of your adventure, you will take the bus up to Machu Picchu, which includes an English-speaking guide. You'll arrive at Machu Picchu early in the morning. When you finally arrive, you will enjoy the beauty and the magic of Machu Picchu. A walking tour (approximately 2 hours) is given by your guide and after this you can explore the mysterious city on your own.
You can expect to arrive back in Cusco by 10pm. From there we will provide you a transfer back to your hostel. Time of arrival into Cusco might change depending on availability of trains.
Your adventure begins at your hotel around 5am, from where you will be picked up and travel by local bus or car to Mollepata (2,800 m/9,186 ft). This morning you will walk approximately 3 hours appreciating the diversity of the flora and fauna along the way, before you stop to enjoy a delicious lunch at the quiet site of Sayllapata. In the afternoon you have a relaxing 3 hour hike before you arrive at the first camp site of Soraypampa (3,800 m/12,467 ft). In the early evening you have a nice dinner and get settled for the first night.
Day 2: Soraypampa–Seven Snakes Pass–Challhuay
This is a tougher day, because you have to climb to Seven Snakes Pass (4,600 m/15,000 ft), the highest part of the trek. From there you'll get a spectacular view of Salkantay, a stunning snow-capped mountain (6,271 m/20,574 ft). The hike will bring you to the campsite of Challhuay where you will have a nice dinner and spend the night. From there, the climate begins to take a semitropical change, because of the cloud forest.
Day 3: Challhuay–La Playa–Santa Teresa
The day begins at 6am with a breakfast so you can get energy for the hike to La Playa. At La Playa you stop for lunch. After lunch, you will have an easy downhill hike through the jungle of Ceja de Selva. In this area, you will be able to see coca, coffee and several native fruit plantation. Later in the afternoon you have a two-hour bus ride downhill to the village of Santa Teresa. There, you will have dinner and spend the night in tents.
Day 4: Santa Teresa–Aguas Calientes
The journey continues on day four with an hour-long bus ride after a nice breakfast. Thereafter you walk for two hours to get to the Hydroelectric station for lunch, next to the Urubamba River. Then you continue on a three-hour walk towards the town of Aguas Calientes. From there, you will check into a hostel, dine, and rest up before the next day in Machu Picchu.
Day 5: Machu Picchu–Cusco
On the final and most exciting day of your adventure, you will take the bus up to Machu Picchu, which includes an English-speaking guide. You'll arrive at Machu Picchu early in the morning. When you finally arrive, you will enjoy the beauty and the magic of Machu Picchu. A walking tour (approximately 2 hours) is given by your guide and after this you can explore the mysterious city on your own.
You can expect to arrive back in Cusco by 10pm. From there we will provide you a transfer back to your hostel. Time of arrival into Cusco might change depending on availability of trains.
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