Salkantay Trek

SORAYPAMPA – CHALLWAY

Today, is the toughest on our schedule. After a nutritious breakfast, we will start the most difficult part of the trek. We will hike to a place called Salkantay Pampa, continuing left upwards towards the face of Mount Salkantay. By midday we will reach the highest point of the trek, Salkantay Pass (4,630 m). The views from here are breathtaking. After descending sometime we will reach Huayracmachay where we will stop for lunch. We'll then continue on for another 3 hours to our campsite in Challway (2,920 m).

CHALLWAY – LA PLAYA – LUCMABAMBA

Early in the morning we will start our trek through the high jungles. After about 5 hours we will arrive at Playa Sahuayaco near the town of Collpabamba, traversing an area known as the “eyebrow of the Amazon,” where waterfalls, fruit-bearing trees, and diverse flora and fauna manifest in absolute abundance. If we are lucky, the famous Andean bird known as the “Cock of the Rocks’ may appear to bless us with its beauty. Once at Playa Sahuayaco we will rest and have lunch. In the afternoon, continuing downstream a few more hours, we arrive at the town of Lucmabamba, which is our last campsite and also the beginning of the Inca Trail to Llactapata.

LUCMABAMBA – LLACTAPATA – HIDROELECTRICA – AGUAS CALIENTES

This morning we will gradually hike upwards for about 2 hours to the archeological site of Llactapata, an impressive ruin with connections to Machu Picchu and Sayacmarka. We will have plenty of time to explore this beautiful Inca site before descending to the Hydro-Electrica (hydro station) which takes roughly 1.5 hours. From here, a gentle 3-hour walk will bring us to the town of Aguas Calientes where we will check-in to a hotel for the night. After check-in and freshening up, we will meet up again for dinner together at one of the many restaurants in town.

AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO

Our last day together starts very early – we will wake up at around 5:00 am for breakfast and catch one of the first buses up to Machu Picchu. It is important to start early today to avoid the main crowds and also see the citadel during the first rays of morning light. Our guide will start the day with a tour of the most important locations, altars and constructions around Machu Picchu. During this walk, he will also share with you what we know about the history of this place and the people who lived here. Around 13:00 a bus will take us back to Aguas Calientes for lunch (not included). After lunch, we will board the train to Ollantaytambo and from there continue by bus to Cusco.