Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu – 5 Days
Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu – 5 Days
Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu – 5 Days
Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu – 5 Days
Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu – 5 Days

Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu – 5 Days

5 days / 4 nights

Cross from glacial valleys into cloud forest on the complete five-day Salkantay route to Machu Picchu. We begin with Humantay Lake, climb to the 4,700-meter Salkantay Pass and descend through changing landscapes toward Lucmabamba. The longer itinerary adds local coffee country, the Llactapata archaeological site and a distant first view of Machu Picchu before reaching Machu Picchu Pueblo. Nights combine panoramic mountain cabins, trail accommodation and a final hotel stay. This experience suits adventurous travelers who want more time on the route, with our assistance coordinating departures, accommodation, Machu Picchu entrance and the return journey.

Quick Facts

Tour Location: Humantay Lake, Salkantay Pass, Llactapata and Machu Picchu

Tour Type: Five-day mountain-cabin, trail and hotel trek

Good For: Adventure travelers wanting the most complete Salkantay itinerary

Duration: 5 days / 4 nights

Difficulty: Challenging; long high-altitude days and major descents

Maximum Altitude: 4,700 m / 15,420 ft — Salkantay Pass

Good to Know: Machu Picchu entrance, circuit and return transport must be confirmed for the selected departure

Best Season: April–October for drier conditions; departures remain subject to route conditions

  • Visit Humantay Lake before crossing the Salkantay range
  • Reach Salkantay Pass at 4,700 m / 15,420 ft
  • Descend from alpine terrain into cloud forest and coffee country
  • Hike to Llactapata for a distant view of Machu Picchu
  • Finish with a hotel night and guided Machu Picchu visit

We drive from Cusco to Mollepata and on to Soraypampa, where the trek begins. From our first stop, we hike up to Humantay Lake, whose turquoise water sits beneath surrounding glaciated peaks, before returning to rest at a mountain-hut lodge for the night.

The trek's toughest day: a long, steady climb to Salkantay Pass at 4,700 m, the highest point of the route, followed by a substantial descent as the landscape shifts from high alpine terrain toward warmer valleys. We overnight at another mountain-hut lodge, well below the pass.

We continue down through cloud forest, following the changing ecosystems that make the Salkantay route so varied, and reach the coffee-growing area of Lucmabamba, where we stay overnight in a panoramic cabin with wide valley views.

We hike to the Llactapata archaeological site, where — on a clear day — you get a distant first view of Machu Picchu across the valley. From there we descend to catch the train to Aguas Calientes, where we spend the night in a hotel, ready for a full day at the sanctuary tomorrow.

After breakfast we take the shuttle bus up to Machu Picchu for a guided tour through its main sectors before returning to Aguas Calientes for the train to Ollantaytambo and onward transport to Cusco. Your trek concludes with a drop-off at Plaza Regocijo, in central Cusco — this is a central drop-off point, not an individual hotel drop-off.

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US$649 / person
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1
Total US$649.00
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Challenging; long high-altitude days and major descents

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