SALKANTAY TREKKING & INCA TRAIL HIKE 7 DAYS/ 6 NIGHTS
7D/6N
4.200 msnm
Moderate
Group
Description
“This trek is spectacular for those travellers who wish to get off the beaten track but still experience a wilderness trek and the original Inca Trail. It is a wonderful trek taking you right from the watershed of the Apurimac River to the Urubamba River and around the stunning Mount Salkantay, which is the second largest mountain in Cusco region (6,277m/20,577ft). This spectacular trail twists and turns, ascends through high mountain ranges descends down steep escarpments passing intimately through shrewdly placed misty cloud forest. The wildest landscapes and distillation of the oldest traditions and finest buildings on the planet, a number of diverse ecological zones filled with an enormous variety of plants and bird life. The ancient and remote foot path passes you through archaeological sites which lead you to the ethnic and cultural exchanges of Machu Picchu itself.”
DAY 1: CUSCO – SORAYPAMPA – HUMANTAY LAKE – SALKANTAYPAMPA.
At 5am, we will pick you up at your hotel and we drive you in our private van to Soraypampa for 3.5 hours. Along the way, you can enjoy some spectacular views of villages such as: Iscuchaca and Limatambo, stunning valleys and snow-capped mountains such as Salkantay. At the trailhead (Soraypampa) we have breakfast and enjoy the amazing views of Humantay (5,900m/19,356ft) and Salkantay (6,217m/20,396ft) Mountain glaciers. We take a 2.5 hour roundtrip hike up to see the turquoise Humantay Lake and later, we gently ascend towards Salkantaypampa, where we will camp. We enjoy our afternoon tea time, coffee, or hot chocolate. The views on this day are truly breathtaking.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Afternoon Tea Time & Dinner
- Accommodation: Camping facilities
- Distance: 13kms/8.1 miles
- Difficulty: Moderate
DAY 2: SALKANTAYPAMPA – PAMPAJAPONESA.
Today, we continue walking off the beaten track for about 3 hours uphill. We stop to have lunch along the way and continue our trek for 3 more hours until we reach our campsite, which is approximately 1km away from the snow-capped mountain Salkantay. On the way ,we will enjoy the magnificent views of all the surrounding snow-capped mountains, glacial lakes and amazing valleys. We have afternoon tea or coffee at our campsite.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, High Tea & Dinner
Accommodation: Camping facilities
Distance: 14kms/8.7 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
DAY 3: PAMPAJAPONESA – SISAYPAMPA.
Our day begins with a slow uphill climb of approximately 4 hours to reach the Incachiriaska Pass (4,880m/16,010ft) which translates to “the place where the Inca cools down”. Around this area in the rocky crags, lives the Andean Condor, the world’s largest flying bird.From here, the trail levels off downhill and we reach our campsite for the night at Sisaypampa.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Afternoon Tea & Dinner
Accommodation: Camping facilities
Distance: 10kms/6.2 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
DAY 4: SISAYPAMPA – WAYLLABAMBA- LLULLUCHAPAMPA.
After a delicious breakfast, we start hiking towards the end of the valley, which enters a wider valley called Pampacahua. There, we find an Inca Canal that is still in full use by the local farming settlements. At the end of the Pampa, we find our first Inca archaeological site named Paucarcancha that we pass by and we arrive at Wayllabamba for lunch. Then, we walk for 3 more hours through the Llullucha Valley to reach our campsite at Llulluchapampa, where we enjoy our afternoon tea in front of all the great views.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Afternoon Tea & Dinner
Accommodation: Camping facilities
Distance: 11kms/6.8 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
DAY 5: LLULUCHAPAMPA – PACAYMAYU – PHUYUPATAMARCA.
Early in the morning, we take our breakfast and we start our climb for about 2 hours following an original Inca stone path and trek up to the Warmiwañusqa Pass (4,217m/14,047ft), where we have a magnificent view of our ascent and the trail ahead of us. We descend on a reconstructed Inca Trail down to the Pacaymayu River and have lunch. Afterwards, we walk uphill for 2 more hours towards Runcurakay Pass (3,977m/13,127ft). From this vantage point, we enjoy the unbelievable views of all the surrounding mountains. Then we descend for 3 more hours to Phuyupatamarca (3,650m/12,047ft), where we spend the night.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Afternoon Tea & Dinner
Accommodation: Camping facilities
Distance: 16kms/9.9 miles
Difficulty: Moderate/Challenge
DAY 6: PHUYUPATAMARCA – WIÑAY WAYNA – AGUAS CALIENTES.
Today is the most beautiful day of our trek. We have our breakfast early in the morning enjoying the sun rise, the Urubamba Canyon, the Machu Picchu Mountain and the stunning Inca sites. After that, we descend for 2 hours through the cloud forest to Wiñay Wayna for lunch. Then, we walk for 1 hour to the Sun Gate, from here you can enjoy your first breathtaking view of Machu Picchu and all the surrounding mountains. Afterwards, we descend to the citadel and take our shuttle to Aguas Calientes, where we spend the night in a hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Afternoon Tea & Dinner
Accommodation: Wiracocha Inn Hotel or Andean Terra Hotel
Distance: 12kms/7.5 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
DAY 7: AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO.
We leave our hotel after a very early breakfast, around 5:30am to take the bus up to Machu Picchu ruins in time for sunrise. Once inside the citadel, we are provided a 2 hour guided tour with plenty of free time for further exploring, taking photos and the option to climb Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain or hike up to the Sun Gate. Then, back towards Aguas Calientes, to enjoy a late lunch and at 4:22pm, we take our return Expedition train to Ollantaytambo with a van connection to Cusco, arriving at your hotel in the evening around 8PM.
Meals: Breakfast
Difficulty: Easy
WHAT IS INCLUDED.
- Transfer from the airport to your hotel for free
- Pick up at your hotel in the morning of the trek departure
- Private transport from Cusco to Soraypampa (starting point of the trek)
- Entrance fee to the Inca Trail
- Entry fee to Machu Picchu
- English speaking, experienced professional guide
- Private guided tour of Machu Picchu
- Comfortable tents (sleeping 2 people in a 4 person tent)
- All camping equipment such as: dining tent, table, chairs, kitchen tent and toilet tent
- All the gear for our porters and cook
- 3 Bus tickets Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu
- First Aid kit including emergency oxygen bottle
- Expedition Train ticket from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
- Private transport from Ollantaytambo to your hotel in Cusco
- Lunch in Aguas Calientes on the last day
- Hotel in Aguas Calientes with private room and bathroom
- Horseman and mules, to carry all camping and personal equipment (7 kilos of your personal items such as extra clothes, you need to include the sleeping bag in the 7kgs, carried by our mules)
- Provision of a horse in case of emergency such as illness, to ensure trek can be completed by all participants
- Thick Foam Mattress
- Boiled water for drinking and washing purposes
- Taxes
- Survivor T-shirt
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
- Sleeping bag 15°C -$25 USD
- Air Mattress -$25 USD
- Walking Poles -$20 USD
- Dinner on the last day
- Entry to Huaynapicchu -$75 USD
- Entry to Machu Picchu Mountain -$70 USD
- Extra activities such as zip line and barbecues
- Additional horse for extra personal luggage in addition of the one for personal item allowance
- Optional upgrade (train and hotel)
- Tips for the cook, horsemen and guide (ANDEAN TOUR´s staff receive decent wages immediately after they end their trip. However tips are of great appreciation for them).The Salkantay Trekking & Inca trail Trek is available on any date that is best suited to you as long as we have a minimum of 2 hikers
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