6 days Salkantay & Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Your epic 6 Day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu begins with an early morning transfer from your hotel in Cusco. We will be picking you up between 0430 and 0500 in the morning and embark on a two hours drive to Mollepata. You can wink a nap in the vehicle so you arrive fresh to start hiking the emblematic Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu. Mollepata is a remote Andean town at 2803 meters above sea level (9196 ft). We will be stopping for breakfast at a local restaurant here. Our local expert will be sharing some essential tips that would help you for the trek. After breakfast, we will be driving further to Challacancha to start the trek. Here we will be meeting our support crew, chef and muleteers who will be assisting us. After ensuring that all the gears are intact, we will begin with a gradual uphill hike to Soraypampa. It nestles at 3900 m/ 12795ft. Soraypampa houses our Signature Skydomes. Quechuas Expeditions is a pioneer in introducing Skydomes on this route. Our luxurious sky domes are designed to offer seamless comfort during your stay.  The trek from Challacancha starts with a hike through a flat surface with a sight of different Andean glaciers at a distance. We will be hiking through a restored Inca Canal which the locals use even today.  The trek gets a bit steeper as we will get closer to our signature campsite. Our crew will welcome you with a cup of freshly brewed Peruvian coffee or tea. Once you have settled in your respective Skydomes, we will meet for lunch. We will be serving a freshly cooked meal using ingredients from the Cusco region. Our Andean chefs are renowned for their delectable meals.

Lake Humantay Hike:

After lunch, we will be hiking up the hill to the enigmatic turquoise glacier lake, Lake Humantay. It nestles at 4200 meters above sea level (13780 feet). It is about three kilometers (1.86 miles) from our campsite. The round trip takes around three hours.  However, we do recommend that you trek at your own pace immersing yourself in the beauty of the Andes. Once we get to the shores of Humantay Lake you will have plenty of time to contemplate the view as our guide will be explaining its prominence in the Andean mythology. Once you have enjoyed it thoroughly, we will be hiking down the hill, back to the campsite where our crew will be serving dinner after witnessing the sunset.  After dinner, you can settle in your Sky Dome and fall asleep under the constellation of stars shining in the dark Andean sky.

Day 1 Trek Summary:

• Total distance: 15 km (approx.)
• Estimated walking time: 7-8 hours
• Maximum altitude point: 3,800 m (approx.)
• Campsite altitude: 3,800 m (approx.)

Another epic day on the Salkantay Trekking experience. You will be waking up to the golden rays of the rising sun beaming through the walls of your SkyDome through the mighty Salkantay Peak. We will be serving you a cup of coffee or tea followed by a traditional Andean breakfast. The protein-rich breakfast would energize you to embark on a hike to the highest point of Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu, Salkantay Pass at 4630 meters above sea level (15190 feet).

Salkantay Pass:

We will be hiking through the iconic “Trail of the seven snakes”. The route is named after the seven switchbacks that take you to the summit. This section of the trek is somewhat challenging because of the altitude. We will take it real slow so you can catch up with your breath and relish the views of the Andean peaks. Salkantay Peak is the second-highest peak in the Cusco region and is one of the sacred entities in Andean mythology. Locals refer to it as “Apus” which means Father in Quechua. Even today they perform several sacred rituals including K’intu, seeking blessings using three Coca Leaves. Our guide will be sharing them with you. We will have plenty of time at the summit to contemplate the view of Humantay, Taucarhuay, and Pumasillo peaks. Once you have had your fill of the view and feel ready to continue the hike, we will be hiking down the hill for another 7kms. (4.35 miles) to our lunch camp in Huacarmachay (3850 meters/ 12631 feet). Our lunch camp is located in a valley snuggled by snow-cappedkm views. Our crew will be serving a freshly cooked Andean meal here.  After lunch, we will be leaving the Andes and entering the Peruvian Amazon Jungle. We will be covering the 8 kms (4.97 miles) stretch in three hours at a normal pace.  You will be witnessing a drastic change in the topography as we will be hiking down the hill. It would get slightly warmer. Our tour guide will explain about different plant, animal and bird species, most native to the region. Once we reach our campsite in Chaullay (2900 meters / 9514 ft.) our crew will assist you to your respective Sky Dome where you will be spending the night. We will be meeting for dinner.

Day 2 Trek Summary:

• Total distance: 19 km (approx.)
• Estimated walking time: 8 – 9 hours
• Maximum altitude point: 4,650 m (approx.)
• Campsite altitude: 2,750 m (approx.)

Our crew will be waking you up with a knock at the door of your Skydome at 0600 AM. After a cup of morning coffee, we will be serving breakfast. The third day of the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu experience is relatively easier. We will be hiking through Santa Teresa Valley, home to different farms. We will begin the trek after crossing the Lluscamayo river towards La Playa for about six hours. The route is dotted with several waterfalls. The region is home to avocado, banana and coffee farms. Often trekkers have spotted the emblematic Andean Cock of the Rock here. It is the Peruvian National Bird. We will be stopping for lunch at our campsite in La Playa. Our crew will be serving lunch. After lunch, we will be visiting some farms here where we will give you a guided tour. Optionally you can spend the evening soaking in the natural hot springs of Ccocalmayo. We will be serving dinner later in the evening before you get back to your respective Sky Domes for a sound sleep.

Day 3 Trek Summary:

• Total distance: 16 km (approx.)
• Estimated walking time: 6-7 hours’
• Maximum altitude point: 2,750 m
• Campsite altitude: 1,600 m

At 0800 AM, we will be serving breakfast. After breakfast, we will begin the hike through the section of the Original Inca Trail with a sight of Machu Picchu in the distance. This is the most beautiful spot to see Machu Picchu from. We will be hiking up the hill to allure one of the most beautiful Inca complexes, Llactapata. It nestles at 2700m / 8858 ft. You will have a much closer sight of Machu Picchu complex from here. This is the first Inca archaeological site that you will be visiting on Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu. Our local expert will give you a guided tour of the complex, soaking you in the history an Andean culture. We will be walking down the hill for an hour and a half with the sight of Machu Picchu peak in the distance. We will be stopping for lunch in Hidro Electrica (1800 meters / 5096 ft). The place is named after the artificial waterfall here which is used to generate electricity.

After lunch, you will have two options:

1. Hike along the railway tracks retracing the footsteps of Hiram Bingham III who rediscovered Machu Picchu. It is a three-hour hike. The route takes you through the topical jungle with stunning views at every turn.
2. Embark on a 45 minutes train ride to Aguas Calientes. It would cost 35 USD more.

If you prefer hiking, which we highly recommend, you will also have the opportunity to see Intihuatana. It is a sundial rock that the Incas used to read the winter solstice. This rock worked together with the stone in Machu Picchu citadel which you will be visiting on the following day.  Once in Aguas Calientes, we will be accommodating you in an ensuite hotel room for the night. We will be meeting later in the evening for dinner.  Aguas Calientes, as the name suggests, is home to hot springs. You can spend the evening taking a refreshing dip in the thermal waters here.

Day 4 Trek Summary:

• Total distance: 12 km
• Estimated walking time: 5 – 6 hours
• Maximum altitude point: 1,600 m
• Hotel (Aguas Calientes) altitude: 1,900 m

Your Short Inca Trail Hike to Machu Picchu begins with an early morning walk from aguas calientes to Km 104 where we start exploring Chachabamba We will begin the Short Inca Trail hike by crossing a small bridge with a short uphill hike to a lesser known yet a prominent Inca site, Chachabamba.

Chachabamba:

Chachabamba nestles at 2150 meters above sea level (7053 ft.). It is home to a stone altar which the Incas used to worship their supreme God, Inti (Sun) and Apus (Mountain Peaks). Using the sacred coca leaves they used to express their gratitude to mother nature and other entities. Locals here continue the practice following the footsteps of their ancestors. Our local expert will be demonstrating the process during our visit here.

Wiñay Wayna:

After touring Chachabamba, we will continue with the hike for roughly four hours up the hill to Wiñay Wayna. In Quechua Wiñay Wayna means forever young. The archaeological site is the most beautiful one on the trail. Wiñay Wayna sits at 2650 meters (8694 ft) above sea level. The complex  was built as an administrative center to Machu Picchu. It houses 20 urban areas, farming zones and ceremonial sites. The most prominent part of the complex is the 7 Window temple which was built in honor of the Rainbow. Our local expert will be giving you an immersive tour here.  After the tour, we will be stopping at the campsite to unbox our lunch. The campsite is clean and well maintained. You can refill your water bottle here and also use the restrooms before we continue the 2 Day Inca Trail hike to our next stop, Intipunku (Sungate).

Intipunku:

It takes an hour to reach Intipunku from Wiñay Wayna. This section of the trek will take us through lush tropical jungle. From the Sungate, you will get the first view of Machu Picchu citadel snuggled by Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu mountains. Only those hiking the Inca Trail and Short Inca Trail enter the citadel through Sun gate. We will have a brief stop here so you can contemplate the view. Once you have had your fill of the sight of Machu Picchu, we will be exiting the citadel and taking a bus down to Aguas Calientes town where we will be accommodating you in a hotel for the night. Aguas Calientes, as the name suggests, is home to hot springs. You can spend the evening soaking in the natural thermal waters. It is the perfect way to relax your muscles after a full day tour. The town also has plenty of shops where you can possibly shop for souvenirs. 

Early in the morning, we will be taking the tourist bus for a ride up the hill to Machu Picchu. Once again, your Machu Picchu tickets will be verified against your original passport. As we enter the citadel, you will witness the golden rays of the rising sun beaming on the walls of Machu Picchu. We will begin the tour with a brief introduction to Inca civilization. We will be visiting the main areas of the citadel like the main plaza, farming terraces and more. After the tour, if you have booked to climb Machu Picchu or Huayna Picchu mountain, our tour guide will be directing you to the respective entrance. Once you have enjoyed Machu Picchu, we will be taking the bus back down to Aguas Calientes. You will have some free time here so you can have lunch or explore the town. Later in the evening, we will be boarding the train back to Ollantaytambo train station. Our representative will meet you on arrival and will be transferring you back to your hotel in Cusco. We will be reaching by 10:00 PM.