Salkantay trek, 5 days - 4 nights.-
Salkantay trek, 5 days – 4 nights price:
1) Group service booking in advance (group of 16 people): US$ 260 returning by train from Aguas Calientes town to Ollantaytambo town, and bus back to Cusco.
2) Group service price in Cusco (group of 16 people): US$ 245 returning by train from Aguas Calientes town to Ollantaytambo town, and bus back to Cusco city.
3) Group service price in Cusco (group of 16 people): US$ 220 returning by bus from Hydroelectric to Cusco city.
Important: For the booking in advance, we need a prepayment of US$$ 80 via PayPal (once you have filled out the form bellow, we will send you our PayPal account) to buy your Machu Picchu ticket in advance.
Once you have done the prepayment, we will send you a code regarding your ticket for printing online in no more than 24 hours.
The remaining payment will be done in Cusco city a night before you leave from Cusco city.
Huayna Picchu mountain or Machu Picchu mountain costs an extra: US$ 60 a payment in advance via PayPal.
Discount for students only having a ”valid university student card” until 25 years old: US$ 20.
The most popular trek to Machu Picchu.
Salkantay trek 5 days - 4 nights itinerary:
Day 1: Cusco city - Mollepata - Challacancha - Soraypampa - Humantay lake.-
We will pick you up at from your accommodation from 4:30 am through 5:00 driving 2 hours to Mollepata where you will have breakfast not included in the price, so you will need 20 soles (US$ 5) for breakfast, also 25 soles (US$ 7) for the entrance fee of Humantay lake. After breakfast, it takes one, and a half more hours driving to Challacancha the starting point.
You will get ready for hiking leaving all your stuff to the cook to be carried in the bus, so it takes 2 hours hiking just a little up hill to Soraypampa the first campsite at 3900 masl (12786 ft) where you are having lunch by 2:00 pm. After lunch, you will hike one, and a half hours to the Humantay lake at 4200 masl (13770 ft) having over 20 minutes to explore around the lake to go back to Soraypampa in about one hour, you know the campsite, where could be -5 celsius at night. Dinner time is usually at 7:00 pm.
Day 2: Soraypampa - Salkantay pass - Huayracmachay - Collpapampa.-
You have to wake up very early in the morning at 5:00 am, after packing your stuff, you could leave 5 kilos of your belongs to the cook to be carried on horses until day 3 only, so breakfast will be by 5:30 am to start hiking by 6:00 am, so it will be 3 hours hiking uphill from 3900 masl (12786 ft) to 4600 masl (15081 ft) the Salkantay pass, just along impressive views of the Salkantay mountain range, it will be 2 more hours hiking down to Huayracmachay the lunch place at 3900 masl (12786 ft), which is also the beginning of the high jungle.
After having lunch, you will hike down for 3 hours to Colpapampa at 2900 masl (9508 ft). Along this last section you will walk by a small river, and the cloud forest so in just one day you will pass along glaciers, and the high jungle. You will get to the second campsite by 6:00 pm.
Day 3: Collpapampa - Lucmabamba - Hot springs of Cocalmayu.-
This day, you will wake up at 6:00 am, so breakfast at 6:30 am to start hiking at 7:00 am mainly downhill for 5 hours to Lucmabamba at 2100 masl (6885 ft) the campsite just along the cloud forest, and pristine rivers which flow from the glaciers around the area, also it is visible farmers houses, who are dedicated to farm tropical fruits like passion fruit, coffee beans, avocados, oranges, etc.
After having lunch, you will have an optional activity in the afternoon to go to the hot springs of Cocalmayu taking a local bus for one hour driving to spend another hour in the hot springs, the entrance fee costs 10 soles (US$ 3), you will also need 40 soles (US$ 11) for the transport round trip to the hot springs, and back to Lucmabamba.
Day 4: Lucmabamba - Llactapata - Hydroelectric town - Aguas calientes town (Machu Picchu town).-
You will wake up at 4:00 am to start hiking as early as possible probably at 5:00 am, just to take advantage of the shade on the way up to Llactapata for 3 hours along the cloud forest nearby Machu Picchu area, over here you will see the Machu Picchu citadel in the distance, so i takes another 3 more hours hiking downhill to Hydroelectric, the lunch place in a restaurant.
After having lunch another 2, and a half more hours hiking along the train rail which is almost flat for 10 km to Aguas Calientes town, you will go to the hostel with a private bathroom, finally a hot shower, and dinner time at 8:00 pm.
Day 5: Aguas Calientes town - Machu picchu citadel - Ollantaytambo - Cusco.-
This day, you have to wake up very early at 4:00 am having breakfast at 4:15 am to start walking to Machu Picchu at 4:30 am, so it takes 30 minutes walking flat to the bottom of Machu Picchu area where you will show your ticket, and passport to continue one more hour walking uphill to Machu Picchu checkpoint where the tour guide will be waiting for you to get into the citadel at 6:00 am, the tour takes 3 hours through the most important Machu Picchu sites, nowadays it is allowed to be in Machu Picchu citadel only 3 hours actually just one way in, and out.
If you want to go to Huayna Picchu mountain, you need 2 hours round trip. It takes 45 minutes uphill, and the same time the way down. If you want to go Machu Picchu mountain, you need 4 hours round trip. It takes one, and a half hours uphill, something similar the way down.
We reccommend to leave from Machu Picchu site at 1:00 pm the latest, because you will take the train at Aguas Calientes town at 2:55 pm back to Ollantaytambo town for one hour, and 45 minutes where a bus will take you back to Cusco city another one hour, and 45 minutes to be at Cusco city by 7:00 pm.
Notice: You could also walk back to Hydroelectric from Machu Picchun for 3 hours to take a bus at 2:00 pm or 3:00 pm back to Cusco city., it takes 6 hours driving to be at 9:00 pm. this way you could save US$ 35 of the regular price.
What is included?
– Bus service from Cusco city to Soraypampa.
– Tour guide along the trek, and Machu Picchu citadel.
– Camping tent, 2 people per tent.
– Sleeping mattress.
– You can leave 5 kilos of your belongs to be carried on horses until day 3.
– 4 breakfast, 4 lunches, 4 dinners on the way.
– Hostel at Aguas Calientes town ( Machu Picchu town).
– Machu Picchu ticket.
– Train service from Aguas Calientes town to Ollantaytambo.
– Bus service from Ollantaytambo town to Cusco city.
What do you need to take with you?
– 30 soles (US$ 8) for breakfast at Mollepata.
– 20 soles (US$ 5) for the entrance fee of Humantay lake.
– Original passport for the check point at Machu Picchu citadel.
– Original University student card if it is required.
– A warm sleeping bag, you could rent from us, US$ 15.
– Warm clothes, temperatures varies from -5 celsius to 28 celsius.
– Personal toiletries.
– Snacks, bottled water (2 liters each day).
– Sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat.
– Insect repellent, there are mosquitoes around Machu Picchu area.
– A bus service from Aguas Calientes town to Machu Picchu citadel costs US$ 12 each way.
– Extra money, reccommended 300 soles (US$ 75) for expenses on the way.