Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu: A Scenic 4-Day Trek through the Andes Mountains

Cusco to Soraypampa (Humantay Lake) on the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

We will pick you up at your hotel in Cusco between 4:40 am and 5:00 am in our private car, which will take you to the Mollepata community for a 2.5-hour journey towards the start of the Salkantay Trek. In Mollepata, my family will be waiting for you at the restaurant "La Casona", where you will meet the founder of "Refugios Salkantay", Mercedes Sotelo, and have the option to have breakfast before starting the hike.

You will leave your big backpack with our driver, who will take it to the hostel in Soraypampa. You only need to bring the essentials for the 2-hour hike.

Start of the hike:
A member of the Refugios Salkantay family will show you the start of the trail to Soraypampa (7 km - 4.35 miles) on the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu. The first part of the hike ascends a zigzag trail for about 30 minutes to reach a water channel that will guide you to Soraypampa. Upon arrival at Soraypampa, the first house you will see will be Refugios Salkantay, located right by the trail. Here we will invite you to have a coca tea and show you your private room with a private bathroom, hot water shower, and clean towels.

Experience authentic Inca cuisine: We will help you prepare the pachamanca, an ancestral cooking technique that uses hot stones to cook meats and vegetables. This unique culinary experience will allow you to immerse yourself in Inca history and traditions while enjoying delicious and nutritious meals.

After lunch and a short break, one of our family members will accompany you for about half an hour to show you the way to the impressive Humantay Lake (4200 m - 13779 feet) on the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu. This is a round trip hike of 5 km (3.1 miles) that will take approximately 3 hours.

Humantay Lake is one of the most beautiful points of the Salkantay Trek, with its turquoise lake that reflects the surrounding glaciers and the sacred Humantay Mountain. You will also see the spectacular snow-capped peaks of the Salkantay Glacier, one of the most sacred mountains of Inca mythology. Upon return, there will be a snack and a delicious dinner waiting for you.

Soraypampa to Lucmabamba (Family Home) on the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

Wake up to a 5:00 am coca tea alarm, followed by a delicious breakfast waiting for you in our dining room at 5:30 am. (Your main backpacks will be transported by the families of Refugios Salkantay on mules). At 6:00 am, we will start our day's hike by scaling the highest part of the trail, the Salkantay Pass (4650 m/15255 ft). The distance is 7 km (4.34 miles) on a steep ascent and will take approximately 3 hours from the base of the rocky valley to the magnificent Salkantay Mountain (6271 m / 20574 ft).
When we reach the summit of the pass, we will catch our breath and admire the stunning views of the surrounding valleys and towering snow-capped peaks that surround us, including the mountains Salkantay, Humantay, and Tucarhuay. Salkantay Mountain is the second highest mountain in the Cusco region.

If you are tired or experience any altitude symptoms, do not worry, there will always be a member of the Refugios Salkantay families nearby and they will have a horse for you to ride on the most challenging part of the trail (Soraypampa to Salkantay Pass). We also have a first aid kit and an oxygen ball.

Once we have reached the highest point of the hike, we will descend for approximately 2 hours to reach the town of Huayracmachay where a delicious lunch awaits you. Along the way, you will see a small house with a large sign that says Refugios Salkantay, if you are afraid of missing it, do not worry, the local family that accompanied you to the Salkantay Pass on horseback will be waiting for you in Huayracmachay. After a delicious lunch, we will continue our journey to Chalway, accompanied by a member of the local families who will accompany you on horseback, carrying your heavy backpacks. The hike is a picturesque descent of approximately 10 km (6.2 miles) and will take about 3 hours. This is a wide trail that passes through a heavily vegetated area with plenty of tree cover. This is an incredibly beautiful part of the trail with plenty of flora and fauna, panoramic views, and abundant wildlife, with native plants and flowers. These forests are generally quite warm and tropical for much of the year, with high temperatures at certain times of the year. We will then arrive at the town of CHALWAY (2,900 meters / 9,514 feet of elevation).

Upon arrival, our private vehicle with a member of the Refugios Salkantay families will be waiting to take us to the family home located in Lucmabamba (The House is surrounded by coffee and fruit plants) where a delicious dinner and family sharing await you. You will have a private room with a private bathroom, with hot water showers.

Lucmabamba (Family House) – Llactapata – Hydroelectric Station – Aguas Calientes.

Our local family will wake you up early with a cup of coffee. You will have an interactive cultural experience with the locals, including a meeting with the coffee growers who cultivate their organic coffee, still using traditional methods to roast and grind the coffee beans. Then we will continue through the plantains, granadilla, cassava, and avocado plantations.

A delicious breakfast will be waiting for you and after breakfast, we will continue to walk very early, along an original Inca trail. After a 2 to 3 hour climb with spectacular views over the Santa Teresa valley, you will reach the Llactapata pass.

We will then begin to descend for about 10 minutes, arriving very quickly at the Llactapata Inca ruins, the first archaeological site, located right in front of Machu Picchu. During this part of the descent, we will have a continuous view of Machu Picchu as well as Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain. We will continue downhill for about 2 hours until we reach the Hydroelectric Station where a delicious lunch awaits you.

From this point, you can walk along the train tracks for approximately 2 hours to the town of Aguas Calientes. Don't worry about your large backpacks, they will be waiting for you at the hotel.

Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Ollantaytambo - Cusco