Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu in 5 days is an incredible journey that will allow you to enjoy beautiful natural landscapes adorned with mountains and majestic snow-capped mountains; in addition to observing the presence of spectacled bears, hummingbirds and other species of flora and fauna. In order to enjoy the maximum contact with nature we ask our passengers and followers to take care and respect for the environment, remember not to make noise, bonfires or leave waste anywhere on the road because it could alter the habitat of these beautiful species.
WHERE IS THE SALKANTAY MOUNTAIN LOCATED?
The route to Salkantay is located to the north of the city of Cusco at approximately 60 km on the Cusco – Limatambo – Abancay – Lima highway. There is also a small detour to Mollepata.
TOTAL DISTANCE OF THE SALKANTAY TREK TO MACHU PICCHU 5 DAYS
During the Salkantay Machu Picchu trek you will cover 43 milles during 5 days full of adventure.
THE HIGHEST POINT OF THE SALKANTAY MACHU PICHU TREK 05 DAYS
The highest point of the trek is located in the Abra Salkantay at 4650 masl; while the lowest point is located in Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo, located at 2,160 masl.
Vista del nevado Salkantay
WHAT IS THE CLIMATE LIKE DURING THE SALKANTAY TREK TO MACHU PICCHU 5 DAYS?
The climate during the trek is varied and will depend a lot on the season in which you decide to make your trip. However, the average maximum temperature will be 20ºC to 26ºC in Machu Picchu while the minimum temperature will vary from -5ºC to 11ºC in the Abra Salkantay.
DISTANCE, ALTITUDE AND CAMP ELEVATION PER DAY DURING THE SALKANTAY TREK
Day 1 – Salkantay Trek: CUSCO – MOLLEPATA – SORAYPAMPA – HUMANTAY LAKE
- Distance covered – 12km / 7.45 miles
- Starting altitude – 3350 m. / 10990 ft.
- Camp elevation – 3900 m. / 12795 feet.
- Maximum elevation – 4200 m, / 13779 feet.
- Difficulty: Challenging
Day 2 – Salkantay Trek: SORAYPAMPA – CHALLWAY
- Distance travelled – 22 km / 13.7 miles
- Starting altitude – 3900 m. / 12795 ft.
- Camp elevation – 2920 m. / 9514 feet.
- Maximum elevation – 4630 m. / 15190 feet.
- Difficulty: Formidable
Soraypamapa, Salkantay trek
Day 3 – Salkantay Trek: CHALLWAY – LA PLAYA – LUCMABAMBA
- Distance travelled – 18km / 11.19 miles
- Starting altitude – 2920 m. / 9514 ft.
- Camp elevation – 2000 m. / 6561 feet.
- Maximum elevation – 2920 m. / 9514 feet.
- Difficulty: Moderate
Day 4 – Salkantay Trek: LUCMABAMBA – LLAPTAPATA -HIDROELECTRICA – AGUAS CALIENTES TOWN
- Distance covered – 17 km / 10.6 miles
- Starting altitude – 2000 meters ASL / 6561 feet ASL
- Camp elevation – 2050 meters ASL / 6571 feet ASL (Aguas Calientes hotel)
- Maximum elevation – 2702 m. / 8858 ft.
- Difficulty: Light
Day 5 – Salkantay Trek: AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO
- Activity description: Tour in Machu Picchu with optional hike to “Huayna Picchu” or “Machu Picchu Mountain”.
- Difficulty: Easy
ITINERARY SALKANTAY TREK TO MACHU PICCHU 5 DAYS
DAY 1: CUSCO – MOLLEPATA – SORAYPAMPA
On the first day of the Salkantay Machu Picchu trek, you will be picked up from your hotel in the centre of Cusco by our transportation. If you are not staying in the centre, a meeting time and place will be arranged. We will head to Mollepata, known for its delicious Hass avocados. We share some benefits of eating avocado in Cusco. Then, we will head to Soraypampa located at 3,900 meters above sea level where we will have beautiful views of the diversity of vegetation and we will be able to see species such as the Andean condor. We will have a brief stop for lunch and continue our hike to the turquoise waters of HUMANTAY. After enjoying the panorama, we will start the descent to reach our camp and spend the night.
DAY 2: SORAYPAMPA – CHALLWAY
Our second day will be incredible. We will start early with a nutritious breakfast and at 7:00am we will begin our hike to Salkantaypampa. After resting for a while and enjoying the panoramic views, we will head towards the left side of the snow-capped Humantay, located on the side of the Apu Salkantay. By midday, we will reach the highest point of our route, which is at an altitude of 15,091 feet (4600 m).
We will continue our hike until we reach the snow-capped Salkantay, which is at an altitude of 20,551 feet (6264 m), making it the second highest snow-capped mountain in Cusco. We will take advantage of this moment to take pictures and then continue our trek to Huayracmachay, where we will have lunch and try to arrive before 1:00 pm.
After our lunch, we will descend for approximately 3 hours until we reach our second campsite of the Salkantay Trek To Machu Picchu 5 Days. We will arrive at Challaway around 7:00pm, where we can rest and recover from the day’s trek. We will have dinner and spend the night in Challaway.
DAY 3: CHALLWAY – LA PLAYA – LUCMABAMBA
After a refreshing rest, we will start our trek around 7:00 am; yes early in the morning to enjoy and make the most of the day. On the third day of the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5 days we will walk for approximately 5 hours until we reach Playa Sahuayaco. Here we will be able to see and learn about the coffee production process, from planting, harvesting and elaboration of natural coffee and if we have time we will be able to taste some coffee to generate more energy.
During the walk to Collpabamba we will observe casadas, mountains, animals such as the national bird of Peru “the cock of the rock”; therefore, once again we ask our travellers to be very careful and respectful with the environment. If you have waste, you should take it with you until you find a waste deposit on the way.
Once in the Sahuayaco beach sector we will have our lunch, after which we will walk for a couple of hours more to reach Lucmabamba, place that will be our last camping area and also the beginning of the Llaqta Pata Inca Trail.
DAY 4: LUCMABAMBA – LLAQTAPATA – HIDROELECTRICA – AGUAS CALIENTES
We are steadily approaching our goal of reaching Machu Picchu. Today, our activities will begin promptly at 8:00 am. We will embark on a 2-hour walk to reach the Llaqta Pata area, an archaeological site that has a connection to the Inca Trail. Remember to take home souvenirs of this unique tourist attraction, as it can only be visited during the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu.
After taking in the sights and sounds of the area, we will begin our descent towards Hidroeléctrica. It takes an average of 1.5 hours to walk to this site, but every step of the journey is worth it. By the fourth day, you will have likely made new friends and experienced new cultures, customs, and even languages.
For the next three hours, we will continue to explore and enjoy the stunning scenery until we reach the charming Aguas Calientes town. Here, we will recharge our batteries for the following day when we finally get to experience one of the wonders of the world.
DAY 5: AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO
We will get up very early at approximately 5:00 am, in order to have breakfast and then take one of the first buses to Machu Picchu. There are certainly two good reasons to be at the entrance to Machu Picchu very early in the morning.
It is worth the effort to get up early, as it is better to be one of the first to be able to enjoy the sunrise over Machu Picchu, to enjoy this magical city without many people.
Our guide will give you a tour of Machu Picchu for approximately 02 hours to learn about the history, the most important temples and altars. After your tour, if you still have a lot of energy, we recommend you to climb Huayna Picchu (optional, if you have the permits and/or entrance tickets), from where you have an impressive and spectacular view of Machu Picchu, it takes between 1 to 1 ½ hour.
After finishing our visit, we will take the bus back to the town of Aguas Calientes, then board the train back to Ollantaytambo and finally return to Cusco.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS SALKANTAY TREK TO MACHU PICCHU
How difficult is the Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu?
The level of trekking varies from moderate to challenging, so we recommend our passengers to have a good physical level to do the Salkantay Machu Picchu trek without problems.
Where does the Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu start and finish?
The service starts with the pick up from your hotel, as long as it is within the historic centre of Cusco. While the return ends at your hotel or another hotel that is also in this area in Cusco.
When is the best time to do the Salkantay Trek To Machu Picchu 05 days?
The best time to do the Salkantay Trek in Peru, with good weather is during the dry season between the months of April to October, as we have clear skies and rainfall on a smaller scale.
January to March is summer in Peru, which means rainy season for Cusco and especially Salkantay Trek 05 days.
Tour Salkantay Trek a Machupicchu
Is it necessary to use trekking poles for the Salkantay Trek To Machu Picchu 05 days?
As it is a route with a good level of walking it is essential to use trekking poles because this will help you to balance your body weight during the trek. If you don’t have a trekking pole, you can buy one in Cusco or you can ask us for a special price for being our passenger.
When do I need to arrive in Cusco?
It is recommended to arrive in Cusco 2 or 3 days before the Salkantay Trek To Machu Picchu 05 days, in order to adapt to the climate of the city and not have difficulties during the hike, as we will pass through different altitudinal levels.
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