Salkantay - Inca Trail 7 Days / 6 Nights - Tour Agency in Machupicchu - Cusco - Peru

Salkantay & Inca Trail

7 Days / 6 Nights

Salkantay & Inca Trail - 7 Days / 6 Nights

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This 7-day trip to Machu Picchu, setting off from Cusco and going via the Salkantay Trek and the Classic Inca Trail, is astoundingly memorable and fun, and you’ll be led on this epic adventure as you hike through the breathtaking forests, snow-capped mountains and vast valleys of the region, before reaching your ultimate destination, the world famous Machu Picchu.

The Salkantay Trek is one of the most popular trekking routes in the region, and its relative peacefulness ensures the landscape around it remains in a pristine and untouched condition. The daylight in this region is particularly gorgeous and bright, ensuring an excellent view of the immediate surroundings and the scenery that stretches out in to the distance. This first part of the trek provides you with an opportunity to observe remote native communities and enjoy gorgeous mountain sceneries before joining the Classic Inca Trail.

The Inca Trail is one of the best-known routes in the whole world, and it’s no wonder why. This second part combines a historical adventure visiting ancient ruins along with the sense that you’re walking along the same paths that the Incas used themselves. These trails connected the Inca Empire all those 500 years ago. You’ll be walking up and down many steps, stopping along the way at different sites. All the while you’re surrounded by the stunning Andes and the spectacular wildlife. In the end, you experience the once-in-a-lifetime atmosphere of the New Wonder of the World, Machu Picchu.

Only a few tour companies operate this trek, since the Inca Trail permits are required to do it, it’s always recommended to reserve a space several months in advance.

This trip promises to be 7 of the most memorable days of your life, book now so you don’t miss out.

Itinerary

Included

Not included

Recommendations

Itinerary

Day 1: Cusco – Mollepata – Marcoccasa – Soraypampa

A life-time experience starts, we will pick you up at 5:00 am in your hotel in Cusco (3,400 m / 11,154 ft). On the way, you’ll pass through the picturesque towns of Anta, Izcuchaca, Zurite, and Ancahuasi.

Then your drive brings you down to the town of Limatambo (2,550 m / 8,366 ft) and then up to the mountain village Mollepata (2,900 m / 9,514 ft) where you’ll stop to pass the checkpoint before starting this trek. Next, you continue driving until you reach Marcoccasa (3,400 m / 11,154 ft), this is where you’ll stop for breakfast and meeting our brave horsemen and then begin the hike.

You begin this adventure in the middle of the green and fertile valley. At this point in the hike, you’ll be easing into the altitude. Lunch place will be between and you’ll stop on the way to enjoy fresh made meals and a wonderful view at the same time. After lunch and a few hours of being hiking through a pristine andean valley you’ll finally reach our first campsite Soraypampa (3,800 m / 12,467 ft).

Meals included: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Maximum altitude: 3,800 m / 12,467 ft
Minimum altitude: 3,400 m / 11,154 ft
Campsite altitude: 3,800 m / 12,467 ft
Distance hiked: 11.00 km / 6.83 ml
Approximate walking time: 5 – 6 hours

Day 2: Soraypampa – Humantay Lake – Salkantaypampa – Pampa Japonesa

After waking up with a fabulous view of the snowpeaks, and followed by a hearty country breakfast, you’ll start a 3 hour round trip hike to the Lake Humantay (4,230 m / 13,878 ft), where there is a gorgeous sight, with turquoise blue water surrounded by snow-capped mountains. Your guide will lead you in a meditation and make a small offering to the goddess “Pachamama” or Mother Earth.

Once you’ve finished visiting this spectacular glacial lake, you’ll go back to Soraypampa and then head out to Salkantaypampa for a well deserved hot lunch. The trek continues with a gentle climb for approximately two hours roughly through a more unspoiled high andean valley to Salkantaypampa (4,100 m / 13,451 ft), our lunch place.

You’ll move on after lunch towards Ichupata or Pampa Japonesa (4,480 m / 14,689 ft) for about 3 hours until you reach the camp, along a gentle slope. During the hike you’ll have stunning views of the majestic Salkantay and other mountains around. The camp will be set up there, and you’ll be spoiled with hot drinks and then a delicious dinner that will complement an incredible second day on the trek.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Maximum altitude: 4,480 m / 14,689 ft
Minimum altitude: 3,800 m / 12,467 ft
Campsite altitude: 4,480 m / 14,689 ft
Distance hiked: 13.00 km / 8.07 ml
Approximate walking time: 7 – 8 hours

Day 3: Pampa Japonesa – Inca Chiriaska – Pampacahuana

After another healthy breakfast prepared by our Trekking Chef, you’ll be ready for the day’s challenge and start climbing up to the highest point of this amazing trek. In approximately 3 hours of ascent you’ll reach the pass of Inca Chiriaska (4,980 m / 16,338 ft), the highest point of the whole trail.

At the top you’ll be amazed by one of the best views ever seen of the surrounding snow-capped peaks such as Soray, Tucarhuay, Humantay whose altitudes exceed the 5,000 m / 16,000 ft, and also other smaller peaks through the mountainous range.

What awaits you on the other side of the mountain is one hour descent through a nice and winding trail to the lunch place. After you’re done, you’ll further descend towards Pampacahuana (3,800 m / 12,467 ft). On the way down you will feel the change of the climate and flora of the high Andes and valleys into the canyons. Next to the town exists an original Inca water channel, where our crew will set up camp for the night.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Maximum altitude: 4,980 m / 16,338 ft
Minimum altitude: 3,800 m / 12,467 ft
Campsite altitude: 3,800 m / 12,467 ft
Distance hiked: 14.00 km / 8.69 ml
Approximate walking time: 7 – 8 hours

Day 4: Pampa Cahuana – Paucarcancha – Huayllabamba – Ayapata

This morning will be fantastic, the trail leads gently downhill most of the way, following the more or less straight path of the Pampacahuana river, through some pleasant greenery and patches of cloud forest, where you may be able to spot some wildlife including hummingbirds and even spectacled bears. The trek will be quite easy and warmer than the day before. During your trek, you’ll be able to fully appreciate the imposing Andean topography.

You’ll break for lunch at Paucarcancha (3,205 m / 10,515 ft), a suitably scenic spot, mostly likely in a pretty area of small fields where a smaller valley joins us from the right side. After lunch you’ll visit the inca site of the same name to explore and immerse yourself in the history of this place, and learn more about the Incas.

The horsemen and their mules will leave you here, to start their long walk back to the start of the trail. From this point forward you’ll have porters instead.

After lunch you continue on down this pretty valley until you eventually approach the village of Huayllabamba (3,000 m / 9,842 ft), where you’ll visit another Inca site before joining officially the Inca Trail. This is where you follow the second part of the trek to Machu Picchu, going uphill to our campsite in Ayapata (3,300 m / 10,826 ft), once there you’ll have time to relax until dinner time.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Maximum altitude: 3,800 m / 12,467 ft
Minimum altitude: 3,000 m / 9,842 ft
Campsite altitude: 3,300 m / 10,826 ft
Distance hiked: 13.00 km / 8.07 ml
Approximate walking time: 6 – 7 hours

Day 5: Ayapata – Dead Woman’s Pass – Pacaymayo – Runcuracay – Chaquicocha

Undoubtedly, you’ll have another great day. After breakfast it’s time to start, as you go along you’ll find yourself walking through a pretty Polylepis woodland, with a stream running alongside. After about one and a half hours you’ll stop for a deserved break at Llulluchapampa (3,700 m / 12,139), which is the closest campsite to Dead Woman’s Pass, it is also a scenic spot and renowned for its broad views of the surrounding cloud forest and the upcoming Warmiwañusca Pass.

Then you’ll cross an area of treeless high altitude grassland known locally as puna. You’ll continue deliberately for about 2 hours uphill to reach the top of the Dead Woman’s Pass or Warmiwañusca (4,215 m / 13,828 ft), the second highest point on the trek, beyond which you’ll encounter the dramatic Pacaymayo valley. From the top of the pass it’s about 2 hours downhill and into thick forest, to reach the lunch place at Pacaymayo (3,600 m / 11,811 ft) at around midday.

After enjoying lunch, you climb up for one hour to the Inca site of Runkuracay (3,760 m / 12,335 ft). This small circular site occupy a commanding position overlooking the Pacaymayo valley. Another hour hiking you’ll be at the top of the third pass, called Abra de Runkuracay (3,950 m / 12,959 ft).

The descent down the steps from the pass is steep. This section of the trail is particularly beautiful as the path crosses high stone embankments and skirts deep precipices. After about one hour walking you’ll arrive to the Inca site of Sayacmarca (3,600 m / 11,811 ft), which is really rather impressive, with an intricate labyrinth of houses, plazas, and water channels perched precariously on a rocky spur overlooking the Aobamba Valley. From there it’s a further half an hour or so to Chaquicocha (3,600 m / 11,811 ft), where our crew will be waiting with hot drinks and another lovely dinner for you.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Maximum altitude: 4,215 m / 13,828 ft
Minimum altitude: 3,300 m / 10,826 ft
Campsite altitude: 3,600 m / 11,811 ft
Distance hiked: 17.00 km / 10.56 ml
Approximate walking time: 8 – 9 hours

Day 6: Chaquicocha – Phuyupatamarca – Wiñay Wayna – Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes

After a hot breakfast, you level out into cloud forest full of orchids, hanging mosses, tree ferns and flowers, passing through an impressive Inca tunnel. You then climb up to the next pass called Phuyupatamarca (3,700 m / 12,139 ft) or “Town above the Clouds”.

Here excellent views are offered of several snow-capped peaks, Salkantay mountain to the south and Veronica mountain to the east. Access to the ruins is down a steep flight of stairs passing six Inca baths, probably used for the water rituals. Leaving the site via an impressive Inca staircase leading from the west side of the ruins, you’ll descend a thousand steps.

After three hours walking through cloud forests you’ll arrive to Wiñay Wayna (2,650 m / 8,694 ft). This is our lunch spot before Machu Picchu. When you’re done with lunch, you’ll go to the ruins of Wiñay Wayna which means “Forever Young”. From there, it’s about a further one and a half hours, largely through cloud forest, until you encounter a flight of fifty stone stairs to reach the famous Sun Gate or Intipunku (2,700 m / 8,858 ft), from where you get your first sight of the stunning Machu Picchu.

From the Sun Gate it takes about an hour to get down to Machu Picchu, once you arrive to this marvel, you’ll have time to take postcard pictures from the best spots with fewer people, but you won’t have enough time to explore the ruins this afternoon because it will be getting dark, so it’s time to rest up for an early day of exploring the ruins the next day. Before closing time, you’ll cross the site to take the bus down to Aguas Calientes town (2,000 m / 6,551 ft), where you’ll check into your hotel to rest and relax in anticipation of a very interesting guided tour the following day.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Maximum altitude: 3,700 m / 12,139 ft
Machu Picchu altitude: 2,400 m / 7,874 ft
Aguas Calientes altitude: 2,000 m / 6,551 ft
Distance hiked: 15.00 km / 9.32 ml
Approximate walking time: 7 – 8 hours

Day 7: Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Ollantaytambo – Cusco

On the final day of the tour, you wake up early to have a buffet breakfast at the hotel. Then you’ll walk to the bus station to get the bus up to Machu Picchu (2,400 m / 7,874 ft) to visit one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. You’ll enjoy a guided tour of the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, discovering its incredibly well-preserved streets, buildings and terraces as you learn all about the architectural and cultural legacy of this pre-Columbian civilization.

You’ll have free time at Machu Picchu to explore at your own pace and investigate lesser-known features like the Inca Bridge, a death-defying alternative entrance to the citadel, and the Temple of the Moon, a ceremonial temple carved into the rock of Huayna Picchu (2,720 m / 8,923 ft), the mountain which overlooks Machu Picchu.

Make your own way back to Aguas Calientes, taking the bus down to the the town and have lunch there. Then you’ll do a short walk to the train station to aboard the train to Ollantaytambo (2,800 m / 9186 ft) and there you’ll have a private bus to Cusco (3,400 m / 11,154 ft). At the end of your unforgettable Salkantay and Inca trail experience, you’ll be dropped off at your hotel with memories to last a lifetime.

Note: Huayna Picchu Mountain tickets are subject to availability

Meals included: breakfast
Machu Picchu altitude: 2,400 m / 7,874 ft
Huayna Picchu altitude: 2,720 m / 8,923 ft
Ollantaytambo altitude: 2,800 m / 9186 ft
Cusco altitude: 3,400 m / 11,154 ft

Included

Not included

Recommendations

Comments about this tour

 5/5

I recommend it to you, the best trip of my life

$ 1359 Per Person

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