Salkantay Trek To Machupicchu

Salkantay Trek To Machupicchu

The Salkantay Trek is an alternative path to get Machu Picchu and considered by most to be the best alternative route. This magnificent trail is perfect for adventurers who wish to become personally integrated in changing ecosystems from one day to the next. You will walk through sweeping, magical landscapes of a snowy mountain paradise to a tropical jungle where you will find a wide range of animals and medicinal plants and flower varieties. Witness with your own eyes a living, but ancient, culture in remote villages hardly ever seen by foreigners!

The Cordillera Vilcabamba is an impressive mountain range extending over 260 km. The snow-capped mountain Salkantay rises to 6271 MASL– 20574 FASL in height and Salkantay is the second highest peak in Cusco. It is an outstanding snowy peak, located less than fifty miles northwest of the city of Cusco.

Itinerary

Day 1: Cusco – Mollepata – Soraypampa

Pass By: Izcuchaca District, Peru
Izcuchaca is a quintessential agricultural region we see small villages of adobe houses with thatched or red tiled roofs, fields of grain, and herds of cattle.

Pass By: Limatambo, Limatambo, Cusco Region
The Limatambo district is located in the province of Anta, in the Cusco region. It is known, that the territory that this district occupies, possibly, at the time of the Inca apogee, possibly the scene of one of the most important drums in the region.

Limatambo district is interesting to the visitor due to the archaeological, natural, historical, architectural and cultural attractions that it presents in its territory.

Pass By: Mollepata, Mollepata, Sacred Valley, Cusco Region
Mollepata is a tourist destination that the traveler can choose, especially if he has an interest in rural tourism, in the long walks, and in the sighting of beautiful natural settings, but also, if you want to know some of the vestiges that pre-Hispanic cultures left for immortalize

The archaeological resource that the traveler can find during his visit to Mollepata, is known as Choquequirao. Choquequirao would have been during the incanato, an important citadel and fortress, which stood out for having been the last point of resistance of the Incas that populated Vilcabamba.

Regarding adventure tourism, the district of Mollepata, has been placed, in recent years, as the starting point of different trekking routes that lead to both the Salkantay Snowy and Machu Picchu. The trekking routes that begin in Mollepata can take between 4 and 11 days and allow you to know different tourist resources of the Cusco region.

Stop At: Salkantay Trail, Peru
After an early-morning pick you up from your hotel, we’ll leave Cusco and travel through the province of Anta, here we will stop to participate in an Andean Blessing ceremony. Following steep-sided river canyons, we descend into the Limatambo valle before climbing again to the town of Mollepata, where we will stop for breakfast and then continue our bus trip for another hour until we reach the first campsite, Soraypamapa. Once there we have a break and lunch. Then we will get ready to start our trek to Humantay Lake where we will do a ceremony in honor to the APU SALKANTAY (mountain spirits). We will make an offering to Pachamama (despacho) in which all of us participate and then go back to camp where dinner will be ready.
Walking Distance – 8km / 4.97 miles
Starting Elevation – 3350 meters ASL / 10990 feet ASL
Highest Elevation – 4600 meters ASL / 15091 feet ASL
Campsite Elevation – 3920 meters ASL / 12861 feet ASL
Difficulty: Moderate
Meals: Lunch and Dinner (snacks and afternoon tea time)
Accommodation: Sky Lodges
Adventure: Moderate-High! (Especially the trek to Humantay Lake)
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in Soraypampa Campsite

Day 2: Soyraypampa – Abra Salkantay – Challway

Stop At: challway, 08710, Peru
After an early breakfast, we will start the trek to Salkantay Pass (4600m). As you take in the panorama you will see not only Salkantay but also the snow-capped peaks of the Cordillera Vilcabamba, Pumasillo, and the Huayracmachay valley. Where we will offer a coca leaf K´intu (an arranged set of leafs) to the Apus. From the pass we start our descent into the valley. As we travel, the vegetation changes from the sparse grasses of the puna and mountain passes to lush cloud forest home to butterflies, hummingbirds, and a wide-variety of flora. After lunch we continue our trek to Challway through Andean cloud forest where the energies of orquids and native plants will guide our steps down the river.
Walking Distance – 22 km / 13.7 miles
Starting Elevation – 3800 meters ASL / 12467 feet ASL
Campsite Elevation – 2750 meters ASL / 9022 feet ASL
Maximum Altitude: 4650 meters ASL / 15255 feet ASL
Difficulty: Challenging
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner (snacks and afternoon tea time)
Accommodation: Camping
Adventure: Absolutely, 100%! The raw and breath-taking beauty of this day’s hike along with its challenging nature will quench any wanderlust you’ve been trying to cure!
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in Challway Campsite

Day 3: Challway – Playa Sahuayaco – Cocalmayo

Stop At: Santa Teresa, Santa Teresa, Sacred Valley, Cusco Region
Today is a more relaxing day. We start with a small descent and then walk along a newly built road towards the valley. We will get a look at rural life in the valley, and, if in season, we can harvest some “granadilla” from the passion fruit family, or maybe some of the region’s incredible avocados. We’ll pass through this beautiful valley, After a 2 hour walk, we will arrive at the town of Sahuayaco, also known as “La Playa” for lunch. Once we have had time to rest, we will board a bus that takes us to the baths of Cocalmayo where we can bathe.
Walking Distance – 10km / 6.25 miles
Starting Elevation – 2750 meters ASL / 9022 feet ASL
Campsite Elevation – 2400 meters ASL / 7874 feet ASL
Difficulty: Easy
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner (snacks and afternoon tea time)
Accommodation: Camping
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in Santa Teresa campsite

Day 4: Cocalmayo – Hidroelectrica – Machu Picchub

Stop At: Aguas Calientes, Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Cusco Region
Aguas Calientes lies between the eyebrow of the Amazon rainforest and the Andes mountain range; This means that the mountains where Machu Picchu is built and the surrounding mountains are covered with vegetation. The Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu mountains rise from the bottom of the valley, on one side of the Vilcanota river, on the other side of the river is the town of Aguas Calientes.

The exuberance of the location can be noticed in the landscapes, with ravines and cliffs; You will notice them while ascending to Machu Picchu by bus, or better, if you decide to climb one of the mountains of Machu Picchu. The valley extends over more than 40 kilometers across multiple ecosystems and is green in all directions; You will see lush flora and wildlife.
Optional visit to the hot springs of Aguas calientes at night.

At 7 a.m. in the morning we will have our breakfast and then get ready to board our bus to the hydroelectric dam where we will have lunch. Rights afterwards we will start our walk along the shores of the Wilkamayu River (sacred river, guardian of Machupicchu). On this walk we can already observe the impressive Apu Machupicchu and Apu Huaynapicchu. Once we reach Machupicchu Pueblo (Aguas Calientes) we will make ourselves coomfortable in our rooms.
In the evening, there are plenty of restaurants, markets, the hot springs, or simply a period of relaxation in your hotel room to enjoy. 4 hours walking
Walking Distance – 10 km / 6.25 miles
Starting Elevation – 2450 meters ASL / 8038 feet ASL
Campsite Elevation – 2000 meters ASL / 6561 feet ASL (Aguas Calientes hotel)
Difficulty: Easy
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner (snacks and afternoon tea time)
Accommodation: Comfortable Hotel
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: 01 night in a 3 or 4 * hotel in double occupancy

Day 5: machupicchu

Stop At: Machupicchu, Cusco 08003, Peru
Today’s Highlights: Your excitement for our rendezvous at Machu Picchu will rise as we are hiking early in the morning through the forest to reach the site before most other tourists – even the Inca Trail trekkers!! You will have plenty of time to explore this truly magnificent World Wonder while you enjoy the beautiful sunrise from this once-in-a-lifetime viewpoint. Your group will learn about this mystical place in a two-hour guided tour of the Arqueological site. Afterwards, you can opt to climb Huayna Picchu or Machupicchu Mountain (if you have pre-booked tickets) or walk to the Sun Gate (without extra tickets). Our pilgrimage will end in Machupicchu.
Activity Overview: Touring Machu Picchu with optional hike
Activity Level: Easy, hike: strenuous
Activity Length: 2-5 hours exploring and optional 2-3 hour strenuous hike; Machu Picchu is at 7,972’ elevation

Duration: 2 hours

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