To begin your Salkantay Trail trek to Machu Picchu, we will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco between 4:00 am to 4.30 am in our private transportation before embarking on a 3.5-hour car drive to the trailhead at Soraypampa (3800 m.a.s.l). Once in Soraypampa, you will enjoy your first breakfast along with your trekking group´s chef, guides, and support team. You will also meet your group´s muleteers and give your duffle bags to them.

After breakfast, you will begin your Salkantay Trail trekking adventure to Machu Picchu by hiking up to Humantay Lagoon. This hike will be approximately 1.5 hours and will take you to the skirts of Humantay Mountain, where the beautiful, crystalline-blue waters of the Humantay Lagoon lay. After breathing in the beauty of such a magical place, you will begin making your way back down to the starting point to continue with your hike to the lunch spot. This hike will be approximately 2 hours of gradual ascent until reaching Salkantay pampa (4,000 m.a.s.l) – with an estimated arrival time of 1 p.m. Salkantay pampa is close to Salkantay glacier and has some incredible views of the Mountain.

After lunch and a well-deserved break, you will take continue along gradually ascending terrain for approximately 3 hours until the campsite at Ichupata (4,400 m.a.s.l ). This Salkantay Trail campsite will have you closer to Salkantay Mountain and will make your overnight stay memorable under the stars.

After a brisk early morning with amazing views of the surrounding glacier peaks, you will enjoy your breakfast and get ready for the Salkantay Trail day 2 hike. From Ichupata, you will hike for approximately 3 hours until reaching the pass known as Inca Chiriaska, located at 5,100 (m.a.s.l.). Just as its name in Quechua implies, this place is cold (almost frozen depending on the time of year) but has the best views of Salkantay´s glacier peak.

You will enjoy the breath-taking scenery with your hot tea drink before continuing. The Salkantay Trail hike from the pass will be to the lunch spot at approximately 3.5 hrs downhill. At this spot, you will see yet another glacier beauty – the Paltayoc peak. After lunch and a well-deserved break, you will continue hiking for another 3.5 hours downhill to the campsite at Pauccar Cancha. Pauccar Cancha is located near the Inca ruins of Pauccar Cancha at 3,300 m.a.s.l ).

After breakfast, you will visit the Inca archaeological site of Pauccar Cancha before continuing with your Salkantay Trail hike. Today´s highlight will be entering to the Inca Trail for a section of the original path. On this hike, you will be mesmerized by the stunning views of the surrounding valleys and mountains. Also, you will get a taste of the Inca Trail by visiting the famous Llactapata Inca archaeological site.

This site is known for having been an Inca village characterized by its houses, water channels, and many farming terraces gently bordering the mountainside. From Llactapata, you will hike for about 1 hour until your lunch. After lunch and a well-deserved break, where you will meet our private van to Ollantaytambo. Once in Ollantaytambo, you will enjoy your dinner and take a train to Aguas Calientes town for your overnight stay.

After early breakfast at the hotel, you will walk to the bus station alongside your guide to take one of the first buses up to Machu Picchu. The bus service is a first-come, first-served basis, departing every 5 minutes and lasting approximately 25 minutes to Machu Picchu. Upon arrival at Machu Picchu, you will walk into Machu Picchu with your guide to the main lookout point. Here, you will be able to take your postcard pictures of Machu Picchu. After enjoying the sunrise (weather dependent), you will begin your 2 to 3 hrs guided tour of Machu Picchu. During your guided tour, you will be taken to the most significant sections of the citadel by your guide. Here they will explain the history of this location to you.

Following your guided tour, you will get to explore Machu Picchu with your tour guide. You will also have free time to explore the site on your own. If you have booked the extra hike to Huayna Picchu Mountain, you will climb it at this time. If you don´t book this extra hike, you will still have the option to climb to the Sun Gate (an hour and a half) or the Inca Bridge (45 minutes).

After your visit to Machu Picchu, you will be required to take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes town to enjoy your lunch (not included). Your return train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo will be in the afternoon. Anyone who hasn’t booked one of the extra hikes will be scheduled for the 2:55 pm train, and anyone who has booked one of the extra hikes will be scheduled for the 4:22 pm train.

In Ollantaytambo, our driver will be waiting for you to transfer you back to Cusco. We will drop you off at your hotel.