Itinerary
Day 01: CUSCO – MOLLEPATA – SALLAYPATA – SORAYPAMPA (About 7 hrs – 22 Km) (B), (L), (D)
At about 5:00a.m. your guide will pick you up from your hotel and at this time you will meet the rest of your group. A three-hour ride will take you through beautiful landscape until you arrive at the Andean town of Mollepata, about 9180 feet above sea level, where you will enjoy breakfast. After receiving a snack, you will start your trek, observing the Salkantay Nevado. Once in Mollepata, you will enjoy of a nutritious breakfast. After three hours you will be able to take a long rest and buy water, sodas, and candies at the small resting point called Cruzpata. Another hour and a half of hiking will take you to your lunch camp, Sallaypata, about 11152 feet above sea level.
After an hour, you will leave Sallaypata to continue your hike. When you continue your hike, you will need to wear a good jacket because it will start getting windy and cold. After about three hours, you will arrive at your camp, Soraypampa, at 12464 feet above sea level, from which you will get a spectacular view of the snowy peaks of the Salkantay. After tea and dinner you will be able to observe a sky completely full of stars. This will be the coldest night with temperatures as low as 15 degrees Fahrenheit during dry season.
Meals provided
[ B ] Breakfast, [ L ] Lunch [ D ] Dinner
Walking – 12kms or 8 miles/ Minimum Altitude – 2,700ms, 8990 feet./ Maximum Altitude – 4,100ms, 13530 feet
Altitude of camp – 4,100m , 13530 feet./ Approx night temperature: Around -5 oC.
Day 02: SORAYPAMPA – CHALLWAY (About 8:00 hrs – 28 km) (B), (L), (D)
After breakfast at about 6:30a.m. you will start the longest day of the trek. A four hour and a half hour hike will take you to the highest point, Abra Salkantay, about 14760 feet above sea level. It will be cold and windy, and the landscape will take you to a surreal world. Another hour and a half trek will take you to your lunch camp located at about 12530 feet above sea level. During the hike after lunch you will have one grand view after another of the majestic mountains, the towering forests, and the creeks that are the origin of the White River. After two and a half hours of hiking you will arrive at your camp, Challway, at about 9512 feet above sea level. (Insect repellant will be needed here.) Tea will be served upon your arrival and dinner will be served at about 7:30p.m.
Day 03:CHALLWAY – LA PLAYA – HYDROELECTRIC – AGUAS CALIENTES (About 4:30hrs – 22Km) (B), (L), (D)
From base camp, the route takes a moraine ridge and crosses rock slabs across the edge of the glacier to reach an area of tent platforms. On the afternoon we check our climbing equipments for the next day. We spend the night at 4 600masl. Walk about 4 hours.
Day 04:AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU – AGUAS CALIENTES – CUSCO (B)
Today you will tour Machu Picchu (7875 feet above sea level ), either hiking there beginning at 4:30a.m. or taking a bus at about 6:30a.m. Your guided tour of Machu Picchu will last about two hours. After that you will have time to hike the Huayna Picchu Mountain ( Maximun per day 400 persons can climb this Mount- quickly can get full spaces)or just wander around. In the afternoon, one or two hours before your train departure, you should take the bus down to Aguas Calientes, where you will take the Backpacker train to Ollantaytambo. Upon arrival, you will be driven to your hotel in Cusco.
What's included
Services included in the prices:
- Pre trek briefing
- Collection from your hotel in the morning of trek departure.
- Transport from Cusco to the trailhead at the beginning of the trek in private car
- Entry fee to Machu Picchu including Huayna Picchu, and Salkantay trek (if charged)
- English/Quechua/Spanish speaking professional guide (you will have an assistant guide for groups over 6 people).
- Tents – 2 people in a 4 person tent which allows for greater comfort, and also storage of backpacks.
- –Salkantay – Machupicchu 3Basic foam mattress. If you require greater comfort during the trek we can hire you an inflatable mattress (eg. Thermarest) .
- Cook and Cooking equipment (Assistants are provided for larger groups)
- Toilet tent
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary (optional vegetarian food). Our professional cooks prepare meals that incorporate elements of the western diet and also traditional Peruvian delicacies. (Please communicate with your guide/cook during the trek if you have a preference for certain types of dishes). Salads, if served, are washed in boiled water.
- Horses (for equipment and personal items) including horsemen. They carry camping equipment, food and kitchen utensils. We provide duffel bags at your briefing for your personal items (up to 7 kg/15lbs per person).
- 1 emergency horse which can be ridden if you are feeling ill or if are a little slower
- Dining tent with camp tables and chairs & Kitchen tent for the cook to prepare meals
- Tents for our staff to sleep in
- First aid kit including emergency oxygen bottle
- Bus up and down from Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu
- Train or equivalent luggage from Hydroelectric station to Aguas Calientes
- Train ticket (Expedition service) from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
- Private transport from Ollantaytambo to Cusco.
- Celebratory dinner in Aguas Calientes
- Lunch on the last day is included in this itinerary.
- 1 night accommodation in Aguas Calientes in a basic hotel. This will be a nice, clean and safe hostel with breakfast included and private bathroom. If you wish to upgrade from this hotel, please check out the options listed on our Aguas Calientes accommodation page.
Not Included:
- Breakfast on the first morning.
- Entrance to the thermal springs.
- Sleeping bags – If you haven’t got a sleeping bag or you don’t want the hassle of bringing one all the way to Peru with you, then we have sleeping bags for hire.
- Tips for the guide, cook and porters.
- Extra activities.
You should bring:
A light day pack with a change of clothes for the whole period of the trek – prepare for a vast range of changes in temperature
Rain gear (jacket and pants if available) or rain poncho. Plastic ponchos can be bought for about $1 in Cusco.
Strong footwear, waterproof trekking boots recommended. Extra socks are a must.
Sandals or plastic slip on thongs are also good to give your feet a chance to breath in the evenings if you wish to carry them.
Warm clothes, including jacket, fleeces, gloves, scarf and beanie/touk. Thermal clothing is also recommended, especially for sleeping.
Sleeping bag (we can hire these to you)
Torch/ Flashlight and spare batteries
Camera, films and batteries (batteries consume more quickly under cold conditions)
Hat or cap to protect you from the sun, rain and cold
Sun block
After-sun cream or hydrating cream for face and body
Insect repellent – minimum recommended 20% DEET – although no malaria risk has been reported
Toilet paper, pack in & pack out
Snacks: biscuits, energy bars, chocolate, raw fruits, muesli, etc.
Non-disposable canteen (Nalgene type) and water for the first morning.
We advise you to bring water sterilizing tablets in case you collect water from streams.
Your own medical kit with any special medications that you might require, paracetamol, second skin for blisters etc.
Small towel or sarong
Bathers/swimsuit (if you intend on swimming in hot springs )
Cash – sufficient for snacks, tips and souvenirs.
Original passport & ISIC (International Student Identity Card) if you have one.
Walking sticks or poles (we can hire these to you. Please note poles with metal tips cannot be carried into Machu Picchu and should be left at your hotel on the final day)
Binoculars (if you have them)
Optional extras
We can hire the following to you:
Extra mule to carry YOUR things – $10.00 per trip day
Extra riding mule and muleteer to lead it – $18 per trip day
Sleeping Bag suitable for – 10deg $4.00 per trip day
Deluxe Sleeping Bag suitable for -15deg. $5.00 per trip day)
Walking stick lightweight aluminum ($2.00 per day, per stick) Two sticks are recommended for tough hikes.
Thermarest inflatable mattress – $4 per trip day.
Inflatable pillow – $2 per trip day.
Comforting Camping trek upgrade $40.00 per trip day.
Single tent supplement (ie you don’t want to share a tent) $25.00 per person.
Aguas Calientes Upgrade –comfortable 3star hotel, nicer restaurants and Vistadome train upgrade $95 per person
HIRE POLICY:
When calculating costs for hire of walking stick, sleeping bag, calculate using the length of the tour. Even though you won’t use the equipment on the final day it will still be ‘on the road’ and ‘occupied.’
If you hire equipment and break it – you are responsible for price of replacement /or repair. (please do the right thing!)
AVAILABLE DISCOUNTS (these discounts are not cumulative)
5% discount on treks only for members of South American Explorers Club (SAE)
Students: US$ 30.00 (students require a valid International Student Identity Card. Please beware that Youth Travel Cards are not valid)
Teenagers: US$ 20.00 (up to 15 years of age, passport copy required for all bookings)
Children: US$ 45.00 (up to 10 years of age, passport copy required for all bookings)
TO MAKE A BOOKING
Please visit our Booking online page.
You will need to email us to check availability, receive booking forms and then make your deposit. For our payment conditions and booking please refer to our Make a Booking page.
* For organisational reasons, we require one week to organise your booking, prior to departure.
