5-Day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

Itinerary

Day 1: Cusco - Humantay Lake

Stop At: Humantay Lake, Cusco 08001 Peru
In the evening before the start of the tour, there will be a short briefing about the tour in the office or at your hotel. This is your chance to ask final questions and you will also be given recommendations what to bring.

You will be picked up at 4 am and after 2 hours of driving, there will be a breakfast stop in Mollepata for 30-45 minutes. Afterwards, you will continue to the starting point of the trek, from where you hike (8 km/5 miles, 3.5 hrs) to the Sky Camps located in Soraypampa. Once at the camp, there will be lunch and you can rest a it before the hike to the Humantay lake (ascent of 2 km/1.25 miles, 2 hrs). Upon reaching the lake, you will have enough time to take photos and to discover its surroundings. Afterwards, you will descend to the camp to have dinner and gaze at the night sky full of stars.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Lunch: Buffet style
• Dinner: Buffet style
Accommodation included: Overnight at the Sky Domes.

Day 2: Passing the Salkantay Pass

Pass By: Salkantay Trail, Peru
At 5:30 am, your guide will wake you up with a cup of hot coca tea. Afterwards, you'll have breakfast in the camp and then start hiking towards the Salkantay Pass, the highest part of the trail. This hike is rather steep, but it rewards you with incredible views of the snowcapped Salkantay mountain and its surrounding landscape. Once you crossed the Salkantay pass, you will descend to Wayraqmachay to have a delicious lunch. From there, it's another 2.5 hours downhill until reaching the next campsite in Chaullay. On the way down, you will see how the flora and fauna change completely.

Meals included:
• Breakfast: Buffet style
• Lunch: Buffet style
• Dinner: Buffet style
Accommodation included: Overnight at the Andean Huts.

Day 3: Jungle Adventure

Pass By: Salkantay Trail, Peru
At 6:00 am in the morning, you will start the trek (17 km/10.5 miles, 6 hrs) towards the small town of La Playa. On the way, you will see rivers, waterfalls, wild orchids, plantations of coffee (you will also visit an organic coffee farm where you can try delicious coffee), bananas, avocado, passion fruit and granadilla. After having had lunch in La Playa, you will continue for around 1 more hour to the campsite located in Lucmabamba. From here on, you have the option to stay in the camp or to go to the hot springs of Cocalmayo where you can also do zipline.

Meals included:
• Breakfast: Buffet style
• Lunch: Buffet style
• Dinner: Buffet style
Accommodation included: Overnight at the Jungle Domes.

Day 4: On the Inca Trail

Pass By: Salkantay Trail, Peru
After breakfast, you will start the excursion on the Inca Trail. For aprox. 2 hours, you will hike towards the archeological site of Llactapata from where you have a spectacular view of the Urubamba valley as well as of Machu Picchu mountain. After 2 more hours of hiking downhill, we will get to our lunch spot near the Hidroeléctrica train station. From here, it takes around 3 more hours until reaching Aguas Calientes, where you will spend the night at a hotel before visiting Machu Picchu the next day.

Meals included:
• Breakfast: Buffet style
• Lunch: Buffet style
Accommodation included: Shares double/triple hotel room in Aguas Calientes with private bathroom, hot water, wifi, breakfast & luggage storage.

Day 5: Machu Picchu

Stop At: Santuario Historico de Machu Picchu, Machu Picchu Peru
You will get up early to get to Machu Picchu before the tourist masses arrive. After the guided tour, you will have the option to climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain (prior reservation necessary; each hike takes around 3 hours round-trip), from where you will have breathtaking views of the archaeological complex and the valley surrounding Machu Picchu. At the agreed upon time, you will head back to Aguas Calientes to take the return train to Ollantaytambo. From there, you will be picked up and brought to your hotel in Cusco.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast: Buffet style
No accommodation included on this day.