The Salkantay Trek is an easily accessible hike for everyone, without limitations or permits required (at least for now). It takes place near the city of Mollepata, Cusco, and connects to Machu Picchu. The Salkantay Trek offers a unique and ancient treasure, off the traditional route, in the same area as the Inca Trail. You'll witness magnificent snow-capped mountains blending with lush tropical rainforests.
At 5 a.m., we depart from Cusco by bus for approximately 4 hours until we reach the town of Mollepata (2,900 meters above sea level). At 7:30 a.m., we have breakfast at a restaurant if the group desires (not included in the cost), and we can buy any last-minute supplies (not included). We then continue our uphill journey for another hour until we reach Challacancha (the starting point of the trail).
There, we meet our support staff who will pack the equipment on horses and mules. We need to have 2 backpacks: one to carry all our personal items (up to 5 kg) that will go on the horses, and another backpack with your personal items like a water bottle, snacks, jacket, etc. that you will carry. From there, we hike for about four hours until we reach Soraypampa, located amidst the snowy mountains (3,850 meters above sea level), on a trail with panoramic views of the impressive Salkantay, other snow-capped peaks, and the Apurímac River valley.
We arrive at our campsite where we have lunch. After lunch, we hike for 2 hours to the Humantay Mountain to visit the Humantay Lake, a magnificent mountain lake, and then descend to the campsite in Soraypampa. There, you'll find the dining tent set up for the afternoon tea with coca tea, coffee, hot chocolate, etc. You can rest, and later dinner will be served.
An early start, we have a good breakfast and prepare for the longest and most challenging day of the trek.
We start at a moderate pace for 1 hour until we reach Soyrococha. Then, we hike uphill for about 3 more hours until we reach the high pass at 4,800 meters near the magnificent icy peaks of Salkantay (6,271 meters) and Humantay (6,100 meters), the second highest peak in the Cusco region.
Here, we enjoy the breathtaking landscape and also see heaps of stones called Apachetas. From here, we descend for 1 hour to Wayracmachay (3,800 meters) where we have lunch and rest. Then, a 3-hour hike follows to our campsite in Collpapampa.
Another early start after breakfast, we hike along a narrow path on the mountainside, discovering various types of orchids and plant species, cornfields, and fruit plantations. We also have the opportunity to pass by a beautiful waterfall along the way.
After walking for about 5 hours, we reach La Playa. From here, you have 2 options. If you choose the Santa Teresa option, we will take a car to the town of Santa Teresa, which takes about 45 minutes.
Upon arrival, we set up the campsite, and you have the opportunity to visit the nearby hot springs, which are about a 45-minute walk away (optional).
In the evening, we have dinner and rest at the campsite.
The other option, if you want to see the Llactapata ruins, is a 2-hour hike, where you will camp overnight.
If you choose to visit the Llactapata ruins, you start the day with breakfast and then a 4-hour hike to the restored ruins (2,860 meters), from where you can see both Machu Picchu and Salkantay Mountain.
Our tour guide shows us the ruins, and after that, we start descending for about 4 hours to the Aobamba River through lush bamboo plantations, orchards, and coffee plantations, offering excellent bird-watching opportunities. We then reach the Hidroeléctrica (Hydroelectric) station, where we have lunch and continue on the trails that lead us to our hotel in Aguas Calientes.
We start early to continue walking to Machu Picchu and witness the sunrise over this glorious ancient city! We hike for approximately 2 hours to the Machu Picchu ruins and have a guided tour that lasts about 2 hours.
After having enough time to explore the fortress on your own and perhaps climb Huayna Picchu (if you have a permit) or see the Inca Bridge, you can take the bus back to Aguas Calientes. You can have lunch in Aguas Calientes (not included in the cost).
In the afternoon, we return by train to Ollantaytambo and then transfer to Cusco.
Machu Picchu is the least studied site as it is not mentioned in any chronicles by Spanish conquerors, so contemporary archaeologists can only speculate about its functions. Local farmers were aware of Machu Picchu for centuries before an 11-year-old boy showed American historian Hiram Bingham (who was searching for Vilcabamba) the site on July 24, 1911.
At that time, the rest of the world became aware of its existence. However, the site was covered in thick vegetation, so Hiram Bingham and his team returned and cleared its surface in the years 1912 and 1915. Over the years, much work has been done in excavating and studying the site. Despite these efforts, many questions remain unanswered!
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