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This 46.7-mile-long trek to Machu Picchu will be an in-depth experience of life in the Andes. With jaw-dropping sights that change from lush valleys to peaks capped with snow, Salkantay links up to the legendary Inca Trail to create one of the best short thru-hikes in the world. Explore cloud forests and ancient ruins, ride horses, listen to the waterfalls roar, and find out for yourself why the Incas felt so connected to nature and the gods.
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This 46.7-mile-long trek to Machu Picchu will be an in-depth experience of life in the Andes. With jaw-dropping sights that change from lush valleys to peaks capped with snow, Salkantay links up to the legendary Inca Trail to create one of the best short thru-hikes in the world.
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Start your adventure with a 2-hour ride Mollepata village. Your guides will pick you up at your hotel at 5.00 am. Along the way, marvel at the spectacular snow-capped peaks and valleys with colorful landscapes until your first stop in the village of Mollepata. After breakfast, continue on to Challacancha—the starting point of the hike located at 3,500 meters above sea level. Prepare and pack all the equipment on the horses and around 9:30 am, start hiking towards Soraypampa. It will take about 3 hours to arrive at the campsite, where you will have your first lunch prepared by the cook. Enjoy the impressive views of the canyon and in the afternoon, after a well-deserved rest, go for a short walk to the Humantay Lagoon, located at 4,200 meters above sea level/13,800 ft. The hike takes approximately 90 minutes and another hour to return to camp. It might get quite cold but the views are unique and worthy of your energy. Enjoy a delicious dinner at the campsite and talk to your tour guide about the itinerary for the next day.
Driving: 2 hours
Hiking: 5.5 hours
Distance: 14 km / 8.69 miles
Altitude: 3,500 m/11,500 ft to 4,200 m/13,800 ft
Meals: Lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Soraypampa basecamp -
Wake up early and prepare for another day of hiking. Enjoy a delicious breakfast and start the hike up to Salkantay Pass. You will pass through the Salkantay Pampa and continue zig-zagging up to the summit 7 km away from the basecamp. This second day will be the hardest of the entire trek. Take some breaks along the way and breathe in the fresh mountain air, take a few pictures and recover some energy. Once you arrive at the pass (4,630 m/ 15,228 ft) take in the views of the snow capped Salkantay mountains. Let’s hope the weather allows you to see the sunset over this magical place and have the opportunity to see condors flying over the peaks.
Continue hiking about 9 km downhill, along a rocky gravel path, until reaching Huayracmachay just in time for lunch. In the afternoon, continue with the descent until you arrive at the High Forest (cloud forest), where you can see some wonderful native plants. As you make your way down, the temperature will improve considerably due to the low altitude. You should reach the village of Chaullay around 4 p.m.. Your vehicle will be waiting to take you to your next campsite, Loreta La Playa, located at 2,900 m/ 9,514 ft . Take a break for a while and get ready for dinner, where your tour guide will take you through the itinerary for the next day.
Hiking: 8 hours
Distance: 18 km / 11.1 miles
Max. altitude: 4,215 m / 13,821 ft
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Loreta La Playa lodge -
This day begins around 7:00 am. Wake up for a coca leaves tea, have breakfast and take a walk through the area to visit the local plantations of bananas, avocados, oranges, passion fruit, papaya, medicinal plants and others. You’ll have the opportunity to visit a local organic coffee farm (the main agricultural industry in the area), where you can savor the freshly prepared coffee. Around 11:00 am, return to the campsite and rest. At noon, join the group for a delicious lunch served in the dining room of the lodge. Around 1:00 pm., a car will take you for a 90 min. ride to the Hydroelectric Power Plant — the trailhead for a hiking route following train tracks near the banks of the Urubamba River. On the way, explore the archaeological site Intihuatana, famous for its ancient sundial from the Inca period, which was carved out of a large natural rock. You can see the Sacred Mountains such as Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu from here. The hike continues through the cloud forest with a very exuberant landscape and presents a great variety of plants and a large number of orchids. After 3 hours of walking, around 5:30 pm, you will have reached the village of Aguas Calientes (2,000 meters above sea level/6,600 ft.) where you’ll spend the night in a hotel.
Driving: 3 hours
Hiking: 3 hours
Walking distance: 11 km /7 miles
Altitude: 2,000 m /6,600 ft.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Hotel in Aguas Calientes -
This will be the most important day of the tour! Start your last and amazing journey very early in order to reach Machu Picchu — before the people who are doing the Inca Trail and even before the hikers who travel on touristic trains, having the chance to enjoy the sunrise from the Sun Gate. Leave the hotel at 6:30 am and walk to the bus station. The bus will drive you for 30 minutes along a zig zag path to reach the Inca Sanctuary of Machu Picchu (2,400 m.a.s.l./7,900 ft). Explore this incredible place and begin with the guided tour that will last approximately 2 hours. The guide will explain about the site’s history, taking you to magical and interesting places that have made Machu Picchu one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. After the tour, enjoy some free time to take photos, walk or explore the site by yourself. There is also an option to climb the Huayna Picchu Mountain (depending to availability). In the afternoon, take the tourist bus down for about 25 minutes to Aguas Calientes. Have lunch in one of the village’s good restaurants and around 6:00 p.m. board the return train to the village of Ollantaytambo, arriving at 7:50 p.m. You’ll take the tourist bus back to the Cusco City, arriving at 9:30p.m. where you’ll say goodbye to your guides and head to your accommodation.
Driving: 5 hours
Walking distance: 11.8 miles/ 19 km (10 hours)
Altitude: 2,400 m / 7,900 ft
Meals: Breakfast -
Horses that will carry all the camping equipment such as the food, kitchenware and your personal belongings can carry up to 5 kg/11 pounds of your luggage. Your guides will provide canvas bags where you will place your personal items. You will get these bags at the information meeting, 1 day before the trek. So you will only carry a small backpack with water.
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What you get in this adventure:
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- A local English speaking professional guide
- 2-5 days of hiking with a guide
- Permits and campsite fees
- Accommodations in camps and hotels as indicated by itinerary
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner as indicated by itinerary
- Meals cooked by a local chef
- Boiled water
- Porters to transfer your belongings
- Transfers to and from the hotel
- Bus Machu Picchu—Aguas Calientes
- Foam mattress
- First-aid kit including emergency oxygen bottle
Meals: Your professional cooks will prepare meals that incorporate elements of the western diet and traditional Peruvian delicacies. Please communicate with your guide/cook during the trek if you have a preference for certain types of dishes. If you have any special requirements, contact us to make arrangements
What’s not included:
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- Transportation to Cusco
- Accommodation prior and after the trip
- Huayna Picchu entrance fee ($70 per person)
- Visit to the hot springs in Aguas Calientes
- Sleeping bag (available for rent)
- Inflatable mattress (available for rent)
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While previous hiking experience is unnecessary for hiking the Inca Trail, you’ll need to be in considerably good shape. Each day you will hike between five and nine hours, on your most challenging day, you’ll traverse almost 10 miles. There are no flat areas on the entirety of the trail — it’s either uphill or downhill. Prior to your trip, you can prepare by exercising on steep inclines or even stairs.
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Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring for hiking to Machu Picchu:
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- Day pack large enough to carry all the items listed (around a 25-40L bag)
- Hiking poles — optional
- Water storage for 2-3 liters
- Sleeping bag (can be rented)
- Inflatable mattress (can be rented)
- Quick-dry towel
- Battery charger (there is no place to plug in while trekking!)
- Toiletries (sunscreen, hand sanitizer, bug spray, toilet paper, etc.)
- Sunglasses
- Camera — optional (but recommended)
Clothing and gear list:
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- Hiking boots (lightweight with good soles)
- Shoes for camp
- 2-3 dry-wicking t-shirts
- 2-3 pairs of hiking pants
- 4 sets of undergarments
- 4 sets of hiking socks
- Fleece jacket
- Warm down jacket
- Rain jacket and pants
- Sun hat
- Wool hat
- Headlamp
- Waterproof gloves
- Waterproof jacket/rain poncho
- High quality sunglasses
- Trekking poles (can be rented for $30)
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
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There is no other way to experience the legendary Inca trail than with a guide. To keep the history intact, not even horses are allowed on this one-of-a-kind thru-trek. Due to strict government regulations, a guide must be present on all Inca Trail trips. For you, this is a guarantee that you’ll get the most out of your hike. Not only will you learn all about the history behind the sites you’ll pass along the way, in case of inclement weather, your guide will know just what to do.
Permits go fast, so it’s best to book well ahead of time to secure your preferred dates of choice. Some important considerations are:
- Permits for the Inca Trail are in your name and can not be transferred to anyone else under any circumstances. Change of dates is also not possible once a permit has been purchased.
- Permits are non-refundable and non-transferable. The deposit will be forfeited. Please note that this is a regulation of the Peruvian government and not the agency.
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Indeed you can! It would be a sin to go hiking in Peru without paying a visit to the spectacular Rainbow Mountain. If you haven’t heard of it yet, the name tells you all about it—it’s this incredible multi-colored mountain that leaves everyone speechless with its rainbow-like appearance. These colors are created by the sediment of minerals, giving the mountain turquoise, lavender, gold, and other hues. Up until several years ago, it was a hidden gem completely covered in snow! Today you’ll find it in National Geographic’s “Top 100 Places To Visit Before You Die”.
So, your guides have prepared a choice between two one-day treks to the Rainbow Mountain as an extension to your trip. You can add it to your booking upon checkout, but here’s what you can expect.
You can choose between the Vinicunca and the Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain tour.
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- Vinicunca is the more difficult, steeper, more strenuous, and longer hike to the most famous viewpoint. Depending on the weather, you might even see the highest mountain in the Cusco region in the distance, Ausangate Mountain.
- Palcoyo tour offers a more gentle climb at a slightly lower altitude, and it’s also a shorter hike, making it significantly more suitable for beginners. With this tour, you’ll get to see three different colorful mountains along the way! It’s also worth noting that it’s less crowded, and it’s the perfect opportunity to get a glimpse into the Andean culture and their way of life.
- The price for Vinicunca is $100, while for Palcoyo it’s $120.
What’s included in these tours?
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- Professional bilingual English-speaking tour guide
- Pre-departure briefing
- Pick-up from your hotel and transportation to the trailhead
- Return transportation
- Breakfast and lunch at a local restaurant
- Emergency oxygen bottle & medical kit
- One trekking pole
- Entrance fees to Rainbow Mountain
What’s not included?
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- Personal snacks
- Guide gratuities — optional
- Horses — available to hire one if you need them at the beginning of your trek
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Group sizes and prices:
- For this group adventure, groups usually consist of up to 16 people.
- It takes at least 5 people for the tour to operate.
- If you are traveling alone, you will be placed in a group of people with similar abilities and skill levels.
- All pricing is per person. The cost does not decrease as the group grows.
Hiking in Peru can be arranged for private groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
- If you are older than 17, you’re good to go.
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To get to Cusco, most people fly into Cusco International Airport. From there, you can rent a car or take a shuttle service to your accommodation.
Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet, usually at your accommodation in Cusco, and take you to the trailhead. At the end of your adventure, you will return to Cusco via train.
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It is advisable and important that you arrive at Cusco at least 2 days prior the trek, in order to acclimatize to the altitude. The city of Cusco is located at 3,400 meters above sea level so you may feel slightly ill or dizzy due to altitude sickness, known as “soroche.”
A few tips on dos and don’ts for adapting to the altitude:
- Do not eat heavy food the day before traveling to Cusco.
- Make sure you drink between 6-8 glasses of water the days before your trip and during your stay in Cusco.
- Once you arrive at your hotel, lie down a few minutes before going out to explore the city.
- Once you are ready to go out and explore the city, try not to become agitated climbing stairs or walking fast. The best thing is to enjoy every corner of Cusco with calm and respect.
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Generally, Peru is safe to visit. Like all countries, it has some bad neighborhoods, crime and political instability. However, there is no need to be concerned about political unrest.
We had a chance to catch up with our local guide Roland Llave, co-founder of CrossoverPeru Tours, who shared a few thoughts on the current political climate in Peru: “At the core, these protests are a way for the people in South America to express themselves and fight for what they believe in. We recognize this might be unnerving for travelers, but this is part of our culture.”
Roland let us know that the protests have stopped for now. Roads, airports, and lives are back to normal. As always, there is potential for more unrest because, as he mentioned, protesting is part of their culture and how they honor their beliefs and rights. If you have any concerns about traveling to Peru or South America, please reach out and we will help you navigate the best option for your travels.
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57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re travelling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Peru, please refer to the Peru Travel websites or the U.S. Embassy in Peru websites.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
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