Day 1: Mollepata – Challacancha – Soraypampa – Laguna Humantay – Sky Camp

We start the day by picking you up from your hotel at approximately 04:00 AM. We will drive around 3:15 hours, crossing Anta and Mollepata and ending in Challancha. Through the bus windows you will see the white snow-capped mountains of Salkantay and Humantay, two colossal gods of the Incas (Apus). You'll also see the spectacular scenery of high peaks and low valleys in a contrasting, colorful panorama that fills every direction you look!

After the first 2:15 hours of travel from Cusco, we will stop in Mollepata to take advantage of the sanitary facilities, souvenir shops, and optional short breakfast. Then we will continue to Challacancha, the starting point of our hike. There we will meet our support staff, and they will organize all the equipment and pack mules.

Around 09:30 am, we will start walking towards Soraypampa (3,900 m / 12,795 ft), the first camp of our trip. This section of the road takes us through some deep valleys along the side of a mountain. Along the trail, we will follow an ancient Inca canal that still supplies water to farmers in the following valleys. We will travel 7 km (4.35 mi) for 3 hours to Soraypampa, where we will have our lunch at the Salkantay base camp.

After lunch and a short rest, we will go up to the unforgettable Humantay Lagoon (4,200 m / 13,780 ft). This is a 3 km (1.86 mi) round trip that we will walk in a total of 2:30 hours. Lake Humantay is one of the most beautiful sights in all of the Andes, with incredible turquoise water reflecting the Humantay mountain glaciers, as if it were a dream or a fairy tale. Back at our camp, the valley floor at sunset creates the most peaceful scene with an energy that can only be felt and not described.

Because Soraypampa (our camp) is located in the middle of glacial valleys, the sky is so immensely clear at night that you can really appreciate the stars, constellations, and even comets shooting through the pitch blackness, without be interrupted by the hustle, bustle, or city lights. Take a moment tonight to re-center your spirit and consider all the deep things of life in the deep silence and tranquility of Soraypampa.

Day 2: Soraypampa | Salkantaypampa – Paso Salkantay – Wayracmachay – Chaullay –  Cabañas Andinas

After an early awakening with the first light of day at 5:30 am and a quick but energizing breakfast, we will start hiking to the highest point of the trail, the Salkantay Pass (4,630 m / 15,190 ft). A difficult ascent of 7 km (4.34 miles) awaits us for 3 hours between the rocky base of the valley and the magnificent Salkantay mountain (6,271 m / 20,574 ft).

Upon reaching the top of the pass, we will appreciate the spectacular views of the surrounding valleys and the imposing mountains of Salkantay, Humantay, Tucarhuay and Pumasillo. Salkantay is the second highest mountain in the Cusco region and one of the Inca gods called “Apu”.

After the climax of today's hike, there is a 7 km (4.35 mi) downhill walk on a rocky gravel road shaped like a snake that leads to the lunch spot of Wayracmachay (3850 m / 12,631 mi). There is a perfect valley perspective to rest on the way down which is breathtaking!

In the afternoon, after our meal, we will enter the upper part of the Amazon, also called "the cloud forest". This is a 8 km / 4.97 mi hike that is completed in 3 hours on a wide trail in the thick and magical rainforest. During this part of the hike, you will notice a dramatic change in the landscape and energy of the land as we move from the Andes to the Amazon!

This hike is really beautiful; the hills are graced with colorful landscaping, unique wildlife, and native plants. The forests are warm and tropical most of the year, with temperate climates. At the end of this outstanding hike, we arrive at a small town called Chaullay (2900 m / 9514 ft) for a well-deserved rest from our long day of hiking. This is our camp for the night, surrounded by valleys, mighty rivers and lots of vegetation.

Day 3: Chaullay | Collpapampa  – La Playa – Hidroeléctrica – Aguas Calientes

At 06:00 am, we will start our walk towards the small town of La Playa through the valley of Santa Teresa. You will be able to soak up this lush new landscape during our first 5 hours of hiking today. We will see rivers, wild orchids and coffee, banana and avocado plantations during the walk. You'll also get to taste the famous passion fruit and granadilla along the way!

We will walk through a town called Colpapampa, and then we will head to the foot of the mountains to cross to the left side of the valley. Waterfalls, birds, fruit trees, flora and fauna will be our companions in this tropical land.

Once at La Playa, we will have a good time enjoying our last lunch with our mountain staff and starting with the coffee show. After relaxing and resting a bit more, our transport will take us to the Hidroeléctrica train station. Then, we will follow the train tracks surrounded by the great vegetation of the place, in the company of the Urubamba river. If you feel exhausted, you have the option (not included) of taking a train to Aguas Calientes (US$35.00).

In this tropical paradise, we will see avocado plantations, banana and coffee plants, and various types of birds, especially the cock of the rocks, the national bird of Peru.

After 3 hours of walking, we will arrive at the town of Aguas Calientes. Here, we will head first to our hostel. In your room, you will have a private bathroom, hot shower, wifi, breakfast in the morning and luggage storage while you visit Machu Picchu. You can rest for a bit before dinner or walk around this lovely place that has the feel of a California gold rush town. There are no cars in Aguas Calientes, making it an especially quiet place to be.

At 7:00 pm we will have dinner at a local restaurant and we will organize ourselves to be ready for the icing on the cake of our last day of adventure: MACCHU PICCHU!

Day 4: Agua Calientes | Machu Picchu – Ollantaytambo – Cuzco

Today is the day you've been longing for since you set foot on the trail. You are going to visit one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and UNESCO World Heritage Site, Machu Picchu! We will wake up when it is still dark after enjoying a good night's sleep in our hostel. We like to start this last day early to beat the huge crowds at Machu Picchu and enjoy the soft morning light hitting the huge rocks. Admission opens at 6:00 am and we want to be among the first to enter.

From Aguas Calientes, we will take a bus to the Inca citadel before going inside and staring in awe at the incredible construction. Once in the complex, you will enjoy a tour of approximately two hours with your guide and you will visit the most important parts: houses, temples, terraces, cultivated fields, among others. You will really be surprised by the ingenuity of the Incas, which to this day remains a mystery.

The ancient culture did not have modern tools or even iron or steel to work with. The builders of the city were geniuses at organizing this sustainable and beautiful mountainside community, even carrying water in canals and aqueducts through its streets for people to use. When a Peruvian guide showed Hiram Bingham this site, it was almost unrecognizable, covered in thick vegetation and in poor condition. Since then it has been cleaned and restored and is now protected and treasured by the world at large.

After your amazing guided tour of the citadel, you will have the chance to enjoy one of the additional hikes to Huayna Picchu Mountain (2720m/8924ft) or Machu Picchu Mountain (3000m/9843ft); these tickets must be reserved in advance. You will be able to contemplate an incredible view over the citadel of Machu Picchu, one of the best panoramas in the world.

You should make sure to return to Aguas Calientes to enjoy lunch before taking the train back to Ollantaytambo. The time of your train will depend on availability. In Ollantaytambo, our private transport will be waiting for you to transport you back to your accommodation in Cusco. Now you can enjoy a well-deserved rest, although your heart will fly high in the Andes like a condor for many years.

At Salkantay Trekking, we specify the services included and not included in all the tourist itineraries listed on our website. We take care of all the logistics, but please, pay attention to the details, so you don't miss anything. Some items may be different for specific programs, so please read carefully before booking with us.

It include:

• Pre-departure briefing
• Experienced guide
• Medical kit or first aid kit
• Private camping equipment
• A canvas bag
• Sleeping bag
• Trekking poles with rubber tips
• Extras included in our service
• 24/7 customer service
• Satellite phones
• Accommodation
• Foods
• Transportation
• Permits and Tickets

It does not include:

• Lunch in Aguas Calientes and Dinner in Cusco
• Clothing and personal equipment
• Travel insurance

• Original passport and original Green ISIC international student cards if they are students.
• Waterproof trekking shoes and sandals.
• Warm clothing (thermal underwear, fleece, hat, gloves, socks).
• Waterproof clothing (poncho).
• Synthetic or cotton clothing (socks, pants, shorts, t-shirts).
• Sun hat and sunglasses.
• Sun cream and insect repellent.
• Water bottles like Nalgene.
• Basic medicines.
• Canes.
• Bathing suit and towel.
• Personal stuff.
• Personal snacks.

RECOMMENDATIONS (FAQ)

If you have booked the service with your old Passport and then renewed it and obtained another one, it is most likely that you have a different passport number. Please let us know so we can update this information. This modification must be made before your trip to Peru (at least 10 days before your trip). As soon as you have your new passport, please inform AB Expeditions of this change. If not, this upgrade or modification will be extra charge US$12.00 and create big inconvenience to upgrade at last minute.

If you do not bring your passport, you will not be allowed to enter Machu Picchu. Also, if you bring your new passport and you did not inform us and this information was not updated, you will not be able to enter Machu Picchu.

Those passengers who booked their trip using the discounted price for Holder Students must bring their original and valid student card (not a copy and not expired). This document must be shown at the Control Gate of Machu Picchu. Unfortunately, if you do not bring your card, you will be denied entry to Machu Picchu as the permits will not be valid without your card.

It is very important that our passengers inform us before their trip of any medical restrictions, food restrictions, allergies, special diets, current medications, health problems, or anything else that we must consider to make their trip pleasant and worry-free.

If you have medical restrictions for some or all of the activities listed in your reservation, please contact your doctor and ask about the risks of doing those activities.

Prices 2022:

• Group price: US$ 470.00 per person
• Pre-payment required: US$ 220.00 per person
• Balance (Cusco):  US$ 200.00 (Commonly paid in Cusco after the briefing).

This small-group trip is guaranteed to operate with just two guests.

Please note that PayPal charges a 5% fee for the use of their secure payment gateway. This tax is only for online and card payments. You can also pay the remaining balance in cash (on the day of the briefing) free of charge.

After your payment, send us the transfer number (PayPal) to gustavoquispepizarro@gmail.com; only after that we can confirm your deposit and reservation.

Price guarantee:

Once your reservation is confirmed, we guarantee that the price will not increase, whatever the circumstances. So, before you book, make sure you have read all of our important tour information.