Salkantay Trekking and Classic Inca Trail 7 Days

The adventure begins with a 5 am pick up from your hotel and transfer to the starting point of the trek in Soraypampa. On the way, you will pass through the picturesque villages of Iscuchaca and Limatambo. In addition, you will enjoy breathtaking views of the impressive valley and the famous Salkantay snow-capped peaks. Once you arrive at the starting point in Soraypampa, here we will have our breakfast with a beautiful view of the snow-capped peaks of Humantay (5,800 m) and Salkantay (6,000 m).

After breakfast we will start a circular hike of 2.5 hours to the turquoise lake Humantay. Then, it takes approximately 1.5 hours to climb to Salkantaypampa. There, snacks and hot drinks await you in front of the majestic glacier. Before dinner you will have time to settle into your tent.

• Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner.
• Lodging: Camping facilities
• Distance: 13 km/8.1 miles
• Difficulty: Moderate

At dawn, you will wake up with a cup of hot tea or coffee to enjoy in your tent before getting up for breakfast. Today we continue walking off the beaten track for about 3 hours uphill. We stop for lunch on the way and continue our hike for 3 more hours until we reach our campsite, which is located approximately one kilometer from the snow-capped Salkantay.

On the way, we will enjoy the magnificent views of all the snow-capped mountains, glacial lakes and incredible valleys around. We have afternoon tea and snacks before dinner.
– Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner.

• Lodging: Camping facilities
• Distance: 14 km/8.7 miles
• Difficulty: Moderate

Enjoy another hot drink in your tent before your delicious and hearty breakfast. Our day will begin with a slow ascent of approximately 4 hours to the Incachiriaska pass (4,880 m/16,010 ft), which means “where the Incas cooled down”. Around this area, on the rocks, lives the Andean Condor, the largest flying bird in the world.

Your tour guide will help you observe the sky in hopes of seeing these majestic birds. From here the trail levels out and we arrive at our overnight camp in Sisaypampa.

• Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner.
• Lodging: Camping facilities
• Distance: 10 km/6.2 miles
• Difficulty: Moderate

After a delicious breakfast, we say goodbye to our riders. From this point, the porter will load your camping equipment.  *We start walking towards the bottom of the valley, entering a wider valley called Pampacahua. There we find an Inca canal still fully used by the local agricultural settlements. At the end of Pampa, we find the first Inca archaeological site called Paucarcancha, which we pass and head to Wayllabamba for lunch. At this point, you are walking the classic Inca Trail, following in the footsteps of the Incas! After another hearty and delicious lunch, we hike another 3 hours through the Llulluchapampa valley to our campsite at Llulluchapampa, where we will have afternoon tea with stunning mountain views.

• Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner.
• Lodging: Camping facilities
• Distance: 11 km/6.8 miles
• Difficulty level: Moderate

*On the Salkantay part of the hike, your camping equipment will be carried by pack horses. To protect the trail, horses are not allowed on the Inca Trail. For this section of your trek, porters will carry your camping equipment.

Early in the morning we have breakfast, then we start our hike of approximately 2 hours following the original Inca trail and walking up to the Warmiwañusqa Pass, also known as the Dead Woman’s Pass, at an altitude of 4,217 m./14,047 ft. Here we will have a beautiful view of the valley we just climbed and also of the other side of the trail ahead of us.

We walk along the Inca Trail, where the rocks have been reconstructed in some places, to the Pacaymayu River where we have lunch. Then we continue hiking another 2 hours to the Runcurakay pass (3977 m/13 127 ft). From this viewpoint we will be able to enjoy wonderful views of all the surrounding mountains. Then we will descend another 3 hours to Phuyupatamarca (3,650 m/12,047 ft), where we will spend the night.

• Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner.
• Lodging: Camping facilities
• Distance: 16 km/9.9 miles
• Difficulty level: Moderate/Challenge

After 5 days of trekking through the Andes and inter-Andean valleys today will be the best day of our Salkantay trek and the 7-day Inca Trail. After an early breakfast we will start the hike to see the sunrise, the Urubamba canyon, Machu Picchu Mountain and the impressive Inca sites. Then we descend into the cloud forest for 2 hours to Wiñay Wayna for lunch.

Then we walk for 1 hour to the Sun Gate, from where you will enjoy your first beautiful view of Machu Picchu. Then we descend to the citadel of Machu Picchu. We enter the citadel of Machu Picchu from above, passing by the “House of the Guardians” where you can take pictures of famous postcards of Machu Picchu. After the shooting, we take the bus to Aguas Calientes, where we have dinner together in a restaurant and then spend the night in a hotel.

• Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
• Lodging 3*: Hotel Ferre’Machu Picchu
• Distance: 12 km/7,5 miles
• Difficulty level: Moderate

The most awaited day after 6 days of trekking, after breakfast at the hotel very early, we will take the bus to the archaeological park of Machu Picchu, to be early and witness the sunrise accompanied by your professional guide who will accompany you for 2 hours and a half touring the most important areas of Machu Picchu.

After finishing the tour, those who have reserved the entrance to Huaynapicchu Mountain will be able to continue and enjoy beautiful views from the top of the mountain. After the visit we will return by bus to Machu Picchu Pueblo, where we will have lunch and wait for the train to depart.

The train will take us back to Ollantaytambo, and from here our transportation will be waiting for you to take you back to your hotel in Cusco, the arrival will be according to the train schedule purchased.

• Meals included: Breakfast at your hotel.
• Difficulty: Easy