SALKANTAY TREK

Day 1 Cuzco | Mollepata - Challacancha - Soraypampa - Humantay Lake

 The great adventure towards Machu Picchu begins in Cusco.

 This first day you will depart to the town of Mollepata, located about two and a half hours by car. The final destination of this first hike is the Soraypampa camp: there you must travel 12 km and reach an altitude of 3,920 meters. This first walk allows you to marvel at the natural landscape of the place. You will see the incredible Nevado del Salkantay among the distant mountains, while you approach the route you will also be able to observe the cultivation areas of the local people. The best thing about this trip is that it is almost flat, there are no steep slopes, so it will be like a warm-up for the crossing.

After about three hours of walking, you will get to Soraypampa where you can continue climbing another hour until you reach Lake Humantay. This is one of the natural wonders that you will have the privilege of knowing and that you will surely love from the first moment ypu get there.

It is a lake with turquoise waters surrounded by imposing glaciers that reflect in the water. If you dare, you can even bathe in its crystal clear waters, but you should keep in mind that they are very cold, so it’s only for the brave. In any case, being in this place will make you feel as if someone had taken you to a magical fairy tale. There are no words to describe the energy that you will feel along this way.

Walking distance: 12 km

Initial elevation point: 3,350 meters above sea level

Camping site elevation: 3,920 meters above sea level

Difficulty level of trekking: moderate

Accommodation: camps

Day 2 | Soraypampa - Salkantay Pass - Wayra Punku - Chaullay

 At this point, you will be more than excited to continue the adventure of discovering the natural beauty of these mountains. After resting in Soraypampa, your trip will continue to the next point. The distance to travel is approximately 22 km and the objective is to get to Chaullay, but before you may go through other very interesting places as well. On this second day, the area will be a bit more difficult because it is uphill. But there is nothing to worry about. The trip is very enjoyable due to the company of your group. In addition, you will be surrounded by the magnificence of the mountains, breathing pure air and filling with energy, which makes it an experience of another level.

From the start of the journey to the first rest stop, Salkantay Pampa, you walk for about an hour. Then you must continue the journey until you reach Soirococha. At this point it will be at 4,400 meters, one of the highest it will reach. The next one will be Salkantay Pass, the highest point of the whole route: 4.630 (1) meters. Can you imagine being there on the mountain top?

Throughout this journey you can enjoy a spectacular landscape. One of the most interesting things you will see is the crystallizations of ice in the stones of rivers that flows from the mountains, as well as many plants covered by the ice. The road continues until you pass Wayra Punku until finally reaching Chaullay where this second day of tour ends. Once you have passed Salkantay Pass, the trekking becomes a bit lighter because you will begin to descend. In fact, in Chaullay you will be at 2,900 meters high.

Walking distance: 22 km

Initial elevation point: 3,920 meters above sea level

Elevation of the camping site: 2,750 meters above sea level

Difficulty level of trekking: challenging

Accommodation: huts camps

 Day 3 | Chaullay - Collpapampa - La Playa - Lucmabamba

 The third day of this tour begins with an incredible energy attributed to the fog descending on the mountains. In this area, there is also a hut made of stones which is located at the base of a huge rock that offers an amazing view. It is, without a doubt, a dream landscape that you will never find in any other place. From Chaullay to Lucmabamba the road goes down and once there you will continue to find more and more surprises. Do you like flowers? While trekking you won’t take your eyes off the road because one of the elements that stands out is the flora. The narrow paths are surrounded by numerous leafy plants and wildflowers, such as different the types of orchids. From this point on, the climate changes. You will no longer feel the breeze of the mountains, but the warmth of the forest. On the walk through the exuberant jungle, you will find wild fruits such as banana, avocado and passion fruit. You will also enjoy incredible waterfalls and streams where you can cool off for a while. You will arrive to a small town called La Playa and then, to Lucmabamba where you will rest to recover some energy for the next day.

Walking distance: 18 km

Initial elevation point: 2,900 meters above sea level

Elevation of the camping site: 2,400 meters above sea level

Difficulty level of trekking: easy

Accommodation: camps

Day 4 | Lucmabamba - Llactapata - Hydroelectric Plant - Aguas Calientes

 Now closer to Machu Picchu!

In the fourth day, the tour fills up with the emotion to arrive at the famous Inca town. The first key point of this trek is Llactapata, which is a legendary Inca archaeological site. In this place you will feel much closer to Machu Picchu because from this point you can see the entire Valley that surrounds it. In the past, Llactapata was used by the Incas as a temple and a resting place. Then a descending path will take you to the Hydroelectric Plant, which is 1,890 meters high and then go to Aguas Calientes. This route is not difficult to trek, since the section is flat and there are no slopes. This means that you can go a little more relaxed, enjoying the scenery without having to make much effort. The route starts along the train rails and the journey lasts between two and three hours. This path is also surrounded by lots of flora and fauna, so you can continue to appreciate the many wonders of nature. Aguas Calientes is known as “Machu Picchu town” due to its proximity to Machu Picchu. In fact, in some parts of the way you can see part of the wonderful buildings of the famous Inca citadel at the top of the cliffs. Once in Aguas Calientes, you can relax in the hot springs, an amazing place to relax the muscles that have been active during the four days of walking. This day you will enjoy a restful night in a hotel with all the comforts. Thus, with the bath in the thermal waters and the comfortable night rest, you will be completely ready for the most important day of the tour.

Walking distance: 18 km

Initial elevation point: 2,400 meters above sea level

Elevation of the camping site: 2,000 meters above sea level

Difficulty level of trekking: moderate to challenging

Accommodation: hotel

Day 5: No more trekking, let the adventure begin... Welcome to Machu Picchu!

The most expected day has arrived.

Finally, you will know the magical land of Machu Picchu, a masterpiece of engineering and architecture. Your emotion as well as your energy will increase as you go through the forest. It will be a bit different route to the previous ones, in which you will find a path with the steps that separate you from your expected destination. It is likely that the desire to get to Machu Picchu will motivate you to go faster. But do not worry, you'll have plenty of time to explore this world wonder. Its magnificence will leave you breathless and you cannot believe how the Incas were so skilled to build, without modern tools, a city so perfectly balanced. This may be a mystery that humanity will never solve, but the most important thing is that today you can enjoy a natural beauty like no other.

Are you ready to experience one of the greatest adventures of your life?

Knowing Machu Picchu is a unique experience you will never forget. This is for sure one of those dream destinations that you must visit at least once in a lifetime. So, why not do it now? It is something you will definitely never regret.

Machu Picchu elevation point: 2,400 meters above sea level

Difficulty of activity: moderate to challenging

Duration of the activity: minimum of 2 to 3 hours exploring