Salkantay Trekking to Machu Picchu

The purpose of this day is primarily acclimatisation to the altitude and environment. Early morning you will be picked up from your hotel  in a private minivan, which will take you to the community of Mollepata . Here you can use toilet and buy some snacks . Then  you will be driven in our private vehicle to Challacancha, which is approximately a 1-hour journey. From here, you will start to hike to the first lodge in Soraypampa, which is approximately a 3 hour walk. On arrival you will be greeted by the staff  with a coca tea and shown to your cabin. After a hearty lunch, you will have a short acclimatisation trek to the spectacular Humantay Lake, with a stunning backdrop of the Humantay glacier, also more commonly known as the Humantay glacier. This excursion will take approximately 3 hours in total and will help you to acclimatise for the rest of the trek. When you get back to the lodge there will be an appetizer waiting for you and then a delicious dinner.         Total distance: 12km / 7.45 miles. Starting elevation: 3,380 metres / 12,729 feet. Highest elevation: 4,300 metres / 14,107 feet. Altitude of the lodge: 3,850 metres / 12,477 feet. Approximate night- time temperature at the lodge: 0 - 5°C.   Included:

• Accommodation: Your own cabin at Glass -Topped  Salkantay sky camp lodge including sleeping bag (-15 degrees)
• Transfer of personal ítems by mule: to Huyraqmachay ( 70% of the day- maximum 7 kilos- We will provide a duffel bag ).
• Meals : Lunch, dinner and afternoon tea
• Walking time: 5-6 hours.
• Difficulty level: Moderate.

 

Today is the big day! You will make the arduous 3-hour ascent to the Salkantay Pass and the equally arduous descent to Huayracmachay. When you reach the pass, you will be able to appreciate the spectacular views of the mountains and glaciers of Salkantay, Humantay, Tucarhuay and Pumasillo. The Salkantay peak is the second highest mountain in the Cusco region and revered as an important God of the Incas. These were called “Apus” or Sacred Mountains. After you arrive at the highest pass, you will then descend for approximately 2 hours until you arrive at Huayracmachay, where you will have your lunch. This is also when the horsemen will return your personal items to you.   In the afternoon, you will enter into the high part of the Amazon jungle, which is also known as a cloud forest. It is approximately a 10 km (6.2 miles) downhill walk, taking approximately 3 hours. After finishing this stage of the hike, we will arrive at your family lodge in CHAULLAY (2,900 metres / 9,514 feet) for lunch. Relax in our Chozas Camping  basecamp. You have the option to participate in a cultural experience with the native people of the area, including farmers who organically cultivate their coffee plantations and which are considered to be among the best organic coffees in the world. The organic coffee plantations still use traditional methods to toast and grind the coffee beans. We will then continue through banana plantations where they also cultivate “granadilla”, a member of the passion fruit family, yucca and avocados. We will finish a day of activity with a delicious dinner.         Distance walked: 22km /13.67 miles. Starting elevation: 3850 metres /12631 feet. Highest altitude reached: 4660 metres / 15,288 feet. Altitude of the lodge in Chaullay: 2400 metres / 7874feet. Included:

• Meals : Breakfast, lunch, dinner and an afternoon tea.
• Basecamp - Chozas in Chaullay. including sleeping bag (-15 degrees)
• Walking time: 7 -8 hours.
• Transfer of personal ítems by mule: to Huyraqmachay ( 70% of the day- maximum 7 kilos- We will provide a duffel bag ).
• Difficulty level: Challenging – difficult.

Early morning , you will start your trek and you will enjoy the beautiful sunrise. We will walk for about 5 hours toward Playa Sahuayaco and during this period; we will observe a town called Collpabamba, also called the "Forest Cloudy Brow" where waterfalls, fruit-bearing trees, varied flora, and birds can be observed. If we are lucky, we will be able to observe the famous bird called the "Cock of the Rocks". Once at Playa Sahuayaco, we will take a transport to drive us to Santa Teresa where we will have our lunch at around 1:30p.m. After lunch, we will drive you to the hydroelectric train station where we will  walk until the town of Aguas Calientes (2000 meters above sea level). Here, you have the option of going to the thermal hot springs. Overnight in Aguas Calientes    

• Distance Walked: 18 km / 11.2 miles.
• Elevation: 2,450 metres / 8,038 feet.
• Elevation in Aguas Calientes: 1900 metres /6233 feet.

   Inclusions:

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
• Accommodation in a hotel in Aguas Calientes with private bathroom and hot water

 

• Difficulty level: Moderate

You will get an early rise today to take the first bus to Machu Picchu at 5:30a.m. Arriving at the majestic ancient complex just before dawn, you will have a great chance to witness an out of this world sunrise of the mountains and valleys below. Afterwards, you can explore the ruins on your own and discover this wonder of the world with a guide for two hours. You will leave no stone unturned as you learn about the ancient city and its rediscovery by Hiram Bingham in 1911. Afterwards you have free time to hang out with the llamas and try to capture the pure beauty of the site with your camera. Those who still have the energy can set off for Huayna Picchu, which actually looks down on Machu Picchu. As your adventure comes to an end, you will retrace your steps bus then by train to Ollantaytambo. Taking a private bus to Cusco you will be dropped off at your designed accommodations

• Hiking Time: Approximately 3 hours 
• Hiking Level: Easy

   Included:

• Meals:B
• Entrances to Machu Picchu
• Bus up & down to Machu Picchu
• Professional tour guide in Machu Picchu
• Train service Aguas Calientes - Ollantaytambo
• Transfer Ollantaytambo - Cusco