Salkantay Trek 5 days

We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco from 4:30 am to 5:00 am to go by bus to Mollepata. Begin a spectacular scenic drive through the Anta plains with beautiful and panoramic views of the majestic Salkantay and other mountains covered with snow, and the Valley of Apurimac River. After two hours drive, we stop in Mollepata to have breakfast (not included)also last minute supplies, leg-stretching or to use the bathrooms, before continuing to cahllacancha. There we will meet with our support staff. They will load the equipment on horses and mules. Around 9:30 a.m. we will star our trek toward Soraypampa (3900 meters above sea level) if we keep a regular pace we will take 4 hours approximately to reach Soraypampa the first camp site (Cristal domes and huts with avery nice panoramic view),where will have lunch after lunch in the afternoon we visit Humantay lake (4200masl) which takes 3 hours hike back and forth from the camp to see the glacier lake of Humantay. A warm delicious dinner in the evening.

Today early morning we will wake you up with the coca tea. Around 5:00 am, we will have a nutritious breakfast around 6:00 am we will start the hardest day of the whole Salkantay trek; we will be walking up to the highest point of the trek. After 6 kilometers uphill through the magnificent scenery of Rocky Mountains and enjoying the view of Salkantay mount. We reach the top of the trek. We will appreciate spectacular views of the mountains and the imposing snowy peaks of the Salkantay (6264 meters above sea level) which is known as the second highest mountain of the Cusco region. After 2 hours downhill around 1:00 p.m. we will have our delicious Peruvian lunch, in the area called Huayracmachay. Then we continue our hike to Chaullay approximately 3 hours of downhill we will get to our camp in Chaullay  2900 masl Where we sleep in a very spectacular Indian huts .

Around 7: 00 pm we will have dinner to recover energy from the trek.

At 06:00 AM, we will start our trek to the small town of La Playa through the Santa Teresa valley. You will be able to soak up this new, lush landscape during our 6 hours of hiking today! During the hike we will see rivers, waterfalls, wild orchids, and plantations of coffee, banana, and avocado. You can taste the famous passion fruit and granadilla fruit along the way! We will see a village called Colpapampa, also called the “brow of the cloud forest,” where waterfalls, birds, hot springs, fruit-bearing trees, and flora and fauna can be observed. If we are lucky, we will even be able to see the beautiful bird called “The Cock of the Rocks,” the national bird of Peru! After a hearty lunch at La Playa, we will hike for 20 minutes to our base camp called Lucmabamba capsules. We are the only travel agency with this type of campsite in the area(2400 MASL – 7874 FASL). We will explore the tropical forest for a little while and visit an organic coffee farm. If you are a coffee lover, this will be especially heavenly for you – you can taste coffee freshly prepared by the local people! If not, you can still enjoy the decadent aroma of freshly roasted and ground coffee wafting through the air! Coffee is the main farming industry of the local people here in the jungle, and they farm many acres of coffee to export to the USA, Asia, and Europe. Coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia, but it wasn’t until the Spanish invaded Cusco that it was brought to this region.

We have the option to go to the hot springs of santa teresa,2 hours by van round trip (50 soles extra)

Like previous mornings, the chef of the trek will wake you up early with a hot cup of coca tea.

You will get ready for today’s activities while enjoying your last prepared breakfast by the talented trek chef. We will begin the hike early, and you will have the opportunity to enjoy an small part of the famous and highly-acclaimed Inca trail! After a climb of 2 hours with amazing views of the Santa Teresa valley we will arrive at the Llactapata Inca site right in front of Machu Picchu. This will be the first archaeological site we will see of the mysterious Lost City of the Incas! It is a very special place to enjoy together and spend time learning a bit more about this land’s roots and history. We will be able to see not only the ruins of Machu Picchu from this spot, but also Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain. We will explore this Inca site with the guide, and he will continue telling the history of the Incas who used and worshipped this land. Of course, you will have plenty of time to take as many photos as you want to capture these memories and share with your friends back home!
After the Llactapata ruins, we will continue our trek with a 2-hour downhill hike. On this part of the trail, you are always able to view Machu Picchu until we arrive at the Hidroelectrica train station to have lunch. One of the most impressive sites in this area is the 300-meter-tall natural waterfall which generates electricity for the entire region of Cusco! After lunch, we will arrive at Intiwatana, a famous ancient rock used as a sundial in the Incan era. According to history, Intiwatana worked together with the famous sundial stone in the Machu Picchu site. The people used these two stones to measure and read the winter solstice, which was the beginning of the new farming season for the Incas. After passing this interesting Inca site, we will reach train tracks which lead to the town of Aguas Calientes. Here you will have two options: 1) If you are exhausted, you may take the train to Aguas Calientes ($38.00 extra). 2) If you are still eager to hike, we walk from Hidroelectrica to Aguas Calientes for 3 hours along the train track. Next to the tracks, there is a nice path through the warm paradise of the cloud forest. This is the same trail used by the American professor Hiram Bingham who rediscovered Machu Picchu after centuries of it being lost to the outside world!

Note: During the rainy season, the hike up the Llactapata Trail is not 100% guaranteed due to safety concerns. When heavy rains are frequent, this trail becomes very dangerous.

Today’s Highlights: Today something particularly special happens – we get to travel along part of the famous Inca Trail! On this path, we will come to the impressive archeological site of Llactapata right in front of its more well-known big brother, Machu Picchu. You will meet some of the native people who live their day-to-day lives in the area. Along the path you will have the opportunity to harvest several fruits while relishing in one of the best views of the Urubamba valley! Don’t forget to turn around and see Apu Salkantay again in the background before you look forward to have your first glance at the glorious Machu Picchu!

Activity Overview: Touring Machu Picchu with optional hike
Activity Level: Touring: easy, hike: strenuous
Activity Length: 2-3 hour strenuous hike; Machu Picchu is at 7,972’ elevation

Today’s Highlights: Your excitement for our rendezvous at Machu Picchu will rise as we are hiking early in the morning through the forest to reach the site before most other tourists – even the Inca Trail trekkers!! You will have plenty of time to explore this truly magnificent World Wonder while you enjoy the beautiful sunrise from this once-in-a-lifetime viewpoint. Your group will learn about this mystical place in a two-hour guided tour of the ruins. Afterwards, you can opt to climb Huayna Picchu or Machupicchu Mountain (if you have pre-booked tickets) Ask for options.

Today we arrive at the long-awaited finale of our trek, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site – Machu Picchu! We will wake up early after a refreshing night at our hostel to beat the crowds to the top of Machu Picchu and enjoy its serenity in the soft morning light. The Machu Picchu entrance check point open from 06:00 AM until 3:00 PM. We will hike up to Machupicchu (a bus ride is optional for $12.00) and enter the hidden Royal Citadel of the Incas. Here we will have a 2-hour guided tour through this incredible ancient city to visit temples, terraces, palaces, priest’s houses, the sundial, the industrial sector, and the farming fields. Be amazed at the engineering ingenuity of the Incas which was so far ahead of their time and still partially a mystery today! Without having modern tools or even steel and iron to work with, the people who built this city were genius in organizing this community in a sustainable and beautiful way on the side of a mountain, even bringing water in canals through its streets for the people to use. When a Peruvian guide showed this site to Hiram Bingham, it was almost unrecognizable, covered in thick vegetation and in a state of disrepair. It has since been cleaned and restored and is now protected and treasured by the world at large!

After this tour, you are free to climb up to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain (Be sure to book in advance to get tickets for these!). Each mountain takes approximately 3 hours to hike up and down. You will be able to stay and enjoy this magical city for 3 hours in total,before hiking back down to Aguas Calientes for the train ride at 16:22 hrs or 6:20 pm (subject to availability) to Ollantaytambo. A group minivan will be waiting for you,we will drop you back at plaza san francisco in cusco. Rest your feet and your body now, but we can assure you your heart will still be soaring for weeks and years to come!

We have also the option to get back by minivan ,3 hours walking from machupicchu to hidroelectrica,then 6 hours minivan to cusco,we finish in plaza san francisco.