El Trek Salkantay inicia con un recojo temprano en Cusco y traslado al inicio del sendero.
El primer día se camina hasta Soraypampa y luego a la impresionante Laguna Humantay, rodeada de paisajes glaciares.
El campamento se instala en Salkantaypampa, con vistas al majestuoso nevado Salkantay y un cielo estrellado.
El segundo día es uno de los más exigentes, alcanzando el punto más alto del trek a 4,630 m s. norte. metro.
Desde allí, se desciende hacia Wayracmachay y luego al bosque nuboso de Collpapampa.
El paisaje cambia masivamente de montañas nevadas a selva cálida y húmeda, con abundante flora y fauna.
En esta zona se pueden observar orquídeas, colibríes y cultivos tropicales como café y maracuyá.
El tercer día se continúa por senderos junto al río hasta Llucmabamba.
Se disfruta de una pachamanca tradicional y una experiencia de café orgánico local.
Luego se asciende por el antiguo Camino Inca hasta Llactapata, desde donde se obtiene la primera vista de Machu Picchu.
Se acampa frente a la ciudadela, con posibilidad de ver el amanecer.
El cuarto día se baja hacia Hidroeléctrica y se camina hasta Aguas Calientes, siguiendo el río Urubamba.
En el camino se visitan los Jardines de Mandor y lugares históricos vinculados al redescubrimiento de Machu Picchu.
La noche se pasa en hotel, preparándose para el día final.
El quinto día se explora Machu Picchu al amanecer con un recorrido guiado por templos y plazas.
Opcionalmente se puede subir a Huayna Picchu o la Montaña Machu Picchu.
Finalmente, se retorna en tren y transporte privado a Cusco, culminando la experiencia.
Start your Salkantay Trekking with an early pick-up from your hotel’s door at 4:30 am and drive for 3 hours to the trailhead – arriving approximately at 7:30 am. You will enjoy the first breakfast prepared by your chef, then meet the team of porters and horsemen to start the Salkantay TreXperience later!
The first part starts with a 3-hour gentle hike to Soraypampa (3,800 m / 12,467 ft) following an ancient aqueduct used since the Incas. Lunch is served at Soraypampa, where our chef will prepare delicious meals using fresh local products.
After lunch, you will continue with a 2-hour hike up until you reach the stunning glacial lake of Humantay (4,200 m / 13,779 ft). Once at the lake, you can explore and relax, enjoying this spectacular turquoise lake’s beautiful views. Then continue for 2 more hours to the first campsite at the base of Salkantay Mountain. Along the way, you will see various flora and fauna, such as the Andean goose (the love bird), deer, and vizcachas (which look much like rabbits).
The campsite is at Salkantay Pampa (4,150 m / 13,615 ft). This basecamp offers an unobstructed view of Salkantay Mountain and the sky at night. Get ready for dinner, stargaze, and sleep under a million stars.
Wake up bright and early with a hot cup of coffee or coca tea in your tent, admiring the spectacular views of the snowcapped mountains. After breakfast, you will start the ascent for 2 hours to the Salkantay Trek’s highest point at 4,630 m (15,190 ft). Once on top, you will take some time to explore and enjoy the area and even visit a beautiful lake at the base of Salkantay Mountain. Next, it’s another 3-hour downhill hike to the lunch place at Wayracmachay (3,800 m / 12,467 ft). You might also see Vizcachas (Lagidium Peruanum), a Chinchilla only found in Peru.
After a well-earned lunch, you will get ready for the day’s final stretch, three more hours downhill from the highland, where the air is dry and cold, into the lush cloud forest, where the weather is warm and humid. For sure, this is one of the fastest changes in temperature and landscape that you will experience. The campsite is next to the village of Collpapampa.
Enjoy a leisurely time in the village while admiring the view of the mountains you left behind. After breakfast, you will prepare for the most beautiful day of the TreXperience to the legendary citadel of Machu Picchu, hiking along narrow paths, following the river, passing wooden bridges, waterfalls, granadilla, and banana plantations, until you arrive at Lucmabamba (2,000 m / 6,561 ft) for lunch.
Today’s lunch is unique and a highlight of the Salkantay Trek. After hiking for about 3 hours and taking a van for the last part, you will prepare to participate in a Pachamanca Barbecue, an old traditional underground stone barbecue. After burying the food, you visit the organic coffee farms and prepare your cup. The cooking takes about 45 minutes; then, you sit down to enjoy the different delicacies like the cuy (Guinea pig) and different types of potatoes, fruits, and vegetables prepared like a local.
Once fed and re-energized, get ready for a 3-hour climb along the ancient Inca Trail to Llaqtapata, a small Inca citadel located on a mountaintop at 2,750m (9,022 ft), where you will catch the first glimpse of Machu Picchu from a distance. This place was discovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911 and lost again until recently. You will be camping right in front of Machu Picchu; when you open your tent, you can see the sunrise and sunset over Machu Picchu if the weather allows.
Open your tent, and the first thing you see is Machu Picchu on another mountain in front of you while your trekking team offers you a cup of coffee or coca tea. After breakfast, it’s an easy 2-hour downhill to the hydroelectric station. You will have the last brunch with the trekking chef, say goodbye to them, and hike the final stretch of the Salkantay TreXperience to Aguas Calientes.
The last part is a 3-hour hike along the railway, following the Urubamba River upstream. This trek section is steeped in history. You will stop at Mandor Botanical Gardens, which was visited by Hiram Bingham, who found a farmer named Arteaga living in the area. He was the first to take the Americans to Machu Picchu in 1911. You will visit Arteaga’s farm, home to various endemic birds such as the Rupicola Peruviana (locally known as the cock-of-the-rock), parrots, toucans, hummingbirds, and orchids. Once in Aguas Calientes, your guide will take you to your hotel, where you can shower and visit the city or the hot springs. You will have dinner in a local restaurant as you plan the next and most important day of the Salkantay Trek in the evening.
Today is the most important day of the Salkantay Trek. It is visiting one of the world’s new seven wonders, a city abandoned for unknown reasons during the 16th century by the great Inca Empire. Wake up early, have breakfast in the hotel, and take the first buses to catch the sunrise in Machu Picchu. Your tour guide will take you to the most famous temples, palaces, and plazas and explain the mysteries of this spectacular Inca city perched on this impossible mountain peak. The guided tour takes about 3 hours, and you will have time to explore the magical citadel or climb Huayna Picchu or Montaña (Machu Picchu Mountain).
After finishing the citadel tour or your hike, you must take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes, have lunch, collect your belongings from the hotel, and take the exclusive Panoramic train to return to Ollantaytambo and our private van to Cusco. The TreXperience Team will drive back to your hotel around 7:30 pm.
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