Machu Picchu – Salkantay Trail

We’ll be received at Cusco Airport and transferred to our hotel in the historical center of town. For those of us arriving early, we’ll have the opportunity to wander around the beautiful town and explore its many restaurants, cafes, shops and bars. Our first event is a traditional dinner where we’ll all get to know each other and receive our first briefing for the week. We’ll also be conducting gear checks throughout the day to make sure you have everything you need for the week ahead.

The Sacred Valley of the Incas, also called the Urubamba Valley lies to the north of Cusco and has been inhabited since 800 BC. We’ll head out from the hotel after an early breakfast in the direction of the valley floor. The road is winding and quite beautiful with views on both the high Andes and low deep valleys. Our first full day together is packed with vibrant Peruvian culture. We’ll visit the small town of Pisac, meet the Chincheros and roam around in the historic town of Ollantaytambo. We’ll also have the chance to stop by local markets and get a feel of the daily life in this part of Peru. The high altitude environment means that our bodies are also acclimatizing and getting ready for the Inca Trail the next day!

On day one of the Salkantay trail, we’ll be departing the hotel at 5am and travel by bus to Mollepata, the starting point of our trek. From there we’ll begin our hike to Cruzpata, where we’ll be having lunch against the backdrop of the beautiful snow-capped mountains of Humantay (4120 meters) and Salkantay (6271 meters). After lunch we’ll resume the trail in the direction of Soraypampa, our campsite for the night. The views on day one are spectacular and a small appetizer of what’s in store for us further down the trail.

This is the day where we get up close to the mighty Salkantay. Breakfast will be served around sunrise after which we’ll begin our hike to the highest pass on this trek. The pass is located at 4650 meters and halfway between Salkantay on the right and Tucarhuay on the left. From the pass, the views of the two snow-capped mountains are incredible. There is a possibility of snow here given the high altitude. We’ll take a short rest at the pass to take pictures but we won’t linger due to wind exposure, which is typical at any pass between two glaciated peaks. From the pass, our route is downhill towards Huayracpunku, also known as Huayracmachay, where we’ll have lunch. From our lunch spot we’ll continue trekking to our campsite where we’ll have dinner and rest up.

Our third day is an absolute treat! Breakfast will be served early in the morning before we head out through the upper jungle crossing the Lluskamayo River through a series of small brooks and creeks. We’ll pass through valleys and have wonderful views of waterfalls, tropical fruits and plants. Our campsite, La Playa, will bring us back to warmer climates at 2,500 meters. After resting, we’ll have the option of jumping into the hot springs. Bring your bathing suit!

We’ll have breakfast at 6:30am, then head start on a steady uphill hike to Llactapata. Llactapata is an incredible Incan fort from which we can see Machu Picchu! After taking a few photos and catching our breath, we’ll continue on to descend through coca and banana plantations until we reach the regional Hydroelectric dam for lunch. After lunch, we’ll walk for a couple of more hours until we reach the town of Aguas Calientes where we’ll check into our hotel for the night. We’ll have time to explore the beautiful town of Aguas Calientes and possibly take another dip in the local hot springs before dinner.

From the hotel, it’s a short bus ride to the entrance where we’ll be asked to leave our backpacks outside in lockers for security reasons. Once we arrive, we’ll have plenty of opportunity to take pictures and we’ll be taken on a 2 hour tour of the historic site. For those of us who’d like to make the trip extra special, it is possible to trek to the top of Wayna Picchu, the famous mountain in the background of all the Machu Picchu pictures. This is optional. Once done we’ll head back to Aguas Calientes before boarding the train back to Cusco where we will have our farewell dinner.

It’s the last few hours in magical Peru! After check out, airport transfers will be arranged according to departure time. If you’re planning to extend your stay, get in touch with LHO Base Camp or your Team Leader to help you plan those extra days!