Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5Days

Day 1: Cusco–Mollepata–Soraypampa

Day 2: Soraypampa–Seven Snakes Pass–Challhuay

Day 3: Challhuay–La Playa–Santa Teresa

Day 4: Santa Teresa–Aguas Calientes

Inca Trail Availability:

The Inca Trail is subject to availability. You can check the official number of spaces on the Inca Trail for the whole year 2016.

Day 1: Cusco–Mollepata–Soraypampa

Our adventure begins at your hotel around 5:00 AM, from where we will pick you up and travel by local bus or car to Mollepata (2,800 m/9,186 ft). Mollepata is a small community located along the main road from Cusco to Abancay. Mollepata is where we start our hike and meet our porters (horsemen) and trek crew, who help us with our hike.

This morning we walk approximately 3 hours appreciating the diversity of the flora and fauna along the way, before we stop to enjoy our delicious lunch at the quiet site of Sayllapata.

In the afternoon we have a relaxing 3 hour hike before we arrive at our first camp site of Soraypampa (3,800 m/12,467 ft). In the early evening we have a nice dinner and get settled for the first night.

Day 2: Soraypampa–Seven Snakes Pass–Challhuay

We wake up very early and after a good breakfast, we depart from Soraypampa. This is a tougher day, because we have to climb to Seven Snakes Pass (4,600 m/15,000 ft), the highest part of our trek. From there we get a spectacular view of Salkantay, a stunning snow-capped mountain (6,271 m/20,574 ft), the Humantay and Huayanay Mountains, small lakes, moraines, and the flora and fauna of the landscape. The first part of the day will take approximately five hours.

Meanwhile we hike downwards; we will find some water streams and many different kinds of birds. Our hike will bring us to our campsite of Challhuay where we will have a nice dinner and spend the night. From there, the climate begins to take a semitropical change, because of the cloud forest.

Day 3: Challhuay–La Playa–Santa Teresa

The day begins at 6:00 AM with a breakfast so we can get energy for our hike to La Playa. At La Playa we stop for lunch.

After lunch we will have an easy downhill hike through the jungle of Ceja de Selva. In this area you will be able to see coca, coffee and several native fruit plantation.

Later in the afternoon we have a two-hour bus ride downhill to the village of Santa Teresa. There, we will have dinner and spend the night in tents.

Optional: Visit the thermal hot springs in Santa Teresa. Entrance US$4.00 and bus US$4.00.

Day 4: Santa Teresa–Aguas Calientes

Our journey continues on day four with an hour-long bus ride after a nice breakfast. Thereafter we walk for two hours to get to the Hydroelectric station for lunch, next to the Urubamba River. Then we continue on our three-hour walk towards the town of Aguas Calientes. From there, we will check into our hostel, dine, and rest up before the next day in Machu Picchu!

NOTE: If you don't want to walk after lunch, you can take a train from the Hydroelectric station to Aguas Calientes, but it only leaves in the late afternoons and there can be a long waiting time.

Day 5: Machu Picchu–Cusco

On the final and most exciting day of our adventure, we wake up at 5:00 AM for breakfast. We leave our luggage at the hostel and take an early bus up to Machu Picchu, which includes an English-speaking guide. We arrive at Machu Picchu early in the morning. When we finally arrive we will enjoy the beauty and the magic of Machu Picchu.

A walking tour (approximately 2 hours) is given by your guide and after this you can explore the mysterious city by yourselves. If you still have energy and bought the ticket, you can also climb Huayna Picchu (2,720 m/8,923 ft). It takes 45 minutes to reach the top of Huayna Picchu and you will get a magnificent view over Machu Picchu and its surroundings.

We suggest that after visiting Machu Picchu, you can take the bus down to Aguas Calientes by 13:00 PM at the latest (assuming the train from Aguas Calientes to Cusco departs at 18:45). Buses to Aguas Calientes depart every 10 minutes. Check with the guide for actual times.

You can expect to arrive back in Cusco by 10:00 PM. From there we will provide you a transfer back to your hostel.

Time of arrival into Cusco might change depending on availability of trains.

Trek Price Includes:

• Professional, bilingual (English and Spanish) tour guide
• Collection from your hotel on Day 1 to the start of the trail
• Spacious, personal tents
• Sleeping mat
• Hot water every morning and evening for washing purposes (while hiking). With adequate advance notice, we can supply boiled water to fill your water bottle or hydration pack.
• Accommodations: 3 nights camping, 1 night hostel
• Horses for days 1-3 (for equipment and 6 kg of your personal items), including horsemen
• Excellent Meals (4 Breakfast, 4 Lunch, 4 Dinner
• Food includes pancakes, omelettes, soups, fresh fruit, avocado, pasta, chicken, fish, meat, rice, all rich in carbohydrates and suitable for trekking
• Tea time before dinner (tea, coffee, biscuits, popcorn)
• First aid kit including emergency oxygen bottle
• Bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu
• Machu Picchu entrance fee
• Trail entrance fee
• Train ticket from Aguas Calientes to Cusco

What You Need to Bring:

• Original passport (and *International Student card (ISIC), if applicable)
• Travel insurance (strongly recommended but not required)
• Sleeping bag (also can be rented from us)
• Walking boots
• Waterproof jacket/rain poncho
• Warm jacket
• Hat and gloves
• T-shirts
• Comfortable trousers
• Sun hat
• Sun protection cream (SPF 35 or higher recommended)
• Insect repellent
• Re-usable plastic or metal water container or a hydration pack such as Camelbak
• Water (only for first 4 hours of trek, then we will provide you with previously-boiled drinking water throughout the trek)
• Toiletries (including toilet paper)
• Personal medication
• Camera
• Torch with spare batteries (headlamps are useful)
• Cash in local currency (Peruvian Soles) to purchase items along the trail and tips for porters

*To qualify as a student, it is necessary to have a valid ISIC card. Please scan and email us a copy at the time of booking.
If desired, the train back to Cusco can be upgraded to Vistadome (+$20)

Optional Items to Bring:

• Shorts
• Walking sticks or trekking poles. Trekking poles used are required to have rubber tips.
• Bandages or moleskin
• Sandals
• Bathing suit for Santa Teresa hot springs
• Entrance fee for hot springs

Optional Services (Not Included):

• Sleeping bag rental, $20.00
• Breakfast on Day 1, lunch on Day 5, dinner on Day 5
• 1 extra horse to carry personal items, $30 per day
• Walking sticks, $8

Prices for 2014:

Cusco Native is a company comprised of certified and licensed local tour guides. All tours booked with Cusco Native are led and staffed by Cusco Native employees. We will never pass you onto another tour company for your trek. We are a local company with professional employees and guides who are knowledgeable in all of the main (like the Inca Trail) and alternative (Lares, Choquekirao to Machu Picchu) treks.

Cancellations

In the event of a cancellation we need to be informed in writing. Cancellation charges plus forfeiture of the non-refundable deposit will be applied as shown below calculated from the day written notification is received by Cusco Native.

Our cancellation table is as follows:

In the event of partial cancellations, the remaining passenger may have to pay any remaining charges (e.g. single room supplements or double-occupancy).