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The Salkantay Trek Takes you on a Scenic Hike through the Andes to Machu Picchu. Trek Includes; Tents, Meals, Guides, Trains, Admissions & more!
Cusco, Peru
4:30 AM
Cancellation Policy
As the Industry Leader in customer service we provide you with the flexibility to change your travel plans – with the assurance that you’ll have options to re-book when it suits you. As long as you notify us about changes to your travel plans at least 24 hours* before your scheduled departure, you can pick new travel dates or an entirely different trip, with no change fees. We offer:
View our updated Terms and Conditions here
*Domestic/International Airlines may have their own fees. Day tours can be cancelled for a full refund at least 24 hours before tour start time. Multi day tours, treks and tour packages need to be cancelled at least 40 days before departure for full refund.
Please take the time to review all Covid-19 Travel Information before booking.
The 5 Day Salkantay Trek begins with a 4:30 a.m. pick up you from your hotel or hostel in Cusco. The day before our guides visit you at your hostel/hotel for a short briefing about the trek and confirm your location. We begin the trek by traveling to Mollepata. This is a beautiful and scenic journey through stopping for panoramic views of the Apurimac valley. Arriving at Mollepata we will meet our porters and horses, here you can also have breakfast.
Mollepata is the official starting point of the trek where we will start our hike to Soraypampa 3,725 m. (12,221 ft.) After a 3 hour hike we will have lunch among the beautiful scenery. After lunch we will continue on our Salkantay Trek to the beautiful Humantay Lagoon to enjoy the turquoise lake in all it’s splendor. We then continue our hike until arriving at Soraypampa at approximately 6PM. Here we make camp, have dinner and get a good nights rest.
Today’s hike is 5 Hours or 12 km / 7.4 miles
Today we will hike to the highest point of the trek at 4,650 m. (15,091 ft.), getting a beautiful view of the snowcapped Salkantay mountain, and the peaks of Humantay and Tucarhuay. Once we arrive you will have time to appreciate the area and the views, the glacier of Salkantay is 6,271 meters above sea level. (20, 574 ft.) depending on the weather you could be able to see small avalanches on the mountain from a safe distance.
Afterwards, we will hike through some of the most spectacular scenery in Perú, walking across snowy high passes as we start descending into the cloud forest. We will hike past small lakes around Salkantaypampa and Soyrococha. Here vegetation and wild life will become more abundant and the weather milder. We reach our camp in the afternoon at Colpapampa 2,900 m. (9,514 ft.). Here we will overnight and have dinner.
Today’s hike is 10 Hours or 22 km / 13.7 miles
After breakfast we depart Colpapampa around 6:30 a.m. We’ll continue the Salkantay Trek hiking through the upper jungle, crossing the Lluskamayo River and a variety of the little brooks. Here the weather is more enjoyable as you are in High Jungle. The days hike is through valleys and you will have wonderful views of waterfalls, flora and fauna endemic of the region and tropical fruits. You’ll pass orchid and coffee plantations hiking for 4 hours before stopping for lunch.
We stop to rest for the day at Playa (Sahuayaco) 2,250 m. (7,381 ft.) where you have lunch, Afterwards you have the option of visiting the Cocalmayo Hot Springs or resting at the camp. Our tents at Playa Sahuayaco are shaded and protected from the high altitude sun and occasional rains.
Today’s hike is 5 Hours or 14 km / 8.7 miles
Our last full day of hiking the Salkantay Trek takes us to the town of Lucmabamba where we will begin the hike to the ruins of Llactapata, Here we will be able to get our first views of Machu Picchu from afar (weather permitting). We then continue our hike for another two hours downhill through the Santa Teresa Valley to the Hydroelectric station, here we will continue along the rail lines to the Hidroelectric station, the hike lasts approximately 5 hours before we stop for lunch in a local restaurant.
After lunch we will continue our hike for 3 hours before arriving at Aguas Calientes. You also have the option of bypassing the hike by taking a train to Aguas Calientes for (optional – not included). At Aguas Calientes your guide will take you to your hostel. You will overnight in Aguas Calientes, there you will have a group dinner and go over the following days tour at Machu Picchu.
Today’s hike is 6 Hours or 22 km / 13.7 miles
Very early (4:00 a.m.) we’ll have our breakfast, afterwards we’ll begin our hike up to the Machu Picchu Citadel. There is also the option to take the bus up to the entrance if you would rather not hike (optional – not included) When you arrive at Machu Picchu you will be able to enjoy a sunrise over the ruins (weather permitting). You then will begin a 2 hour tour of Machu Picchu. After that, you’ll have free time. Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu hike can be included to the Salkantay Trek, these are optional hikes at the ruins available at additional cost. (subject to availability).
In the afternoon you can either hike down to Aguas Calientes or take the bus shuttle (optional) where you will catch your 2:55 PM train to Ollantaytambo. There the tourist buses will be waiting to take you to Cusco (included). Other train schedules available upon request. This concludes your 5 Day Salkantay Trek with Karikuy Tours.
The 4 Day Salkantay trek allows you to hike the route to Machu Picchu in less time. If you are wondering why the 4 Day trek costs only slightly less then 5 day trek it’s because there is a transport that has to be hired from Sahuayaco (playa) to the Hydroelectric station. This portion is hiked on the regular 5 day trek.
The 4 Day Salkantay Trek begins with a 4:30 a.m. pick up you from your hotel or hostel in Cusco. The day before our guides visit you at your hostel/hotel for a short briefing about the trek and confirm your location. We begin the trek by traveling via tour bus to Mollepata. This is a beautiful and scenic journey through Limatambo, stopping for panoramic views of the Apurimac valley. Arriving at Mollepata we will meet our porters and horses, here you can also have breakfast.
Mollepata is the official starting point of the trek where we will start our hike to Soraypampa 3,725 m. (12,221 ft.) After a 3 hour hike we will have lunch among the beautiful scenery. After lunch we will continue on our Salkantay Trek to the beautiful Humantay Lagoon to enjoy the turquoise lake in all it’s splendor. We then continue our hike until arriving at Soraypampa at approximately 6PM. Here we make camp, have dinner and get a good nights rest.
Today’s hike is 5 Hours or 12 km / 7.4 miles
Today we will hike to the highest point of the Salkantay Trek at 4,650 m. (15,091 ft.), getting a beautiful view of the snow capped Salkantay mountain, and the peaks of Humantay and Tucarhuay. Once we arrive you will have time to appreciate the area and the views, the glacier of Salkantay is 6,271 meters above sea level. (20, 574 ft.) depending on the weather you could be able to see small avalanches on the mountain from a safe distance.
Afterwards, we will hike through some of the most spectacular scenery in Perú, walking across snowy high passes as we start descending into the cloud forest. We will hike past small lakes around Salkantaypampa and Soyrococha. Here vegetation and wild life will become more abundant and the weather milder. We reach our camp in the afternoon at Colpapampa 2,900 m. (9,514 ft.). Here we will overnight and have dinner.
Today’s hike is 10 Hours or 22 km / 13.7 miles
After breakfast we depart Colpani around 6:30 a.m. Today part of the Salkantay Trek start by hiking through the upper jungle, crossing the Lluskamayo River and a variety of the little brooks. Here the weather is more enjoyable as you are in High Jungle. The days hike is through valleys and you will have wonderful views of waterfalls, flora and fauna endemic of the region and tropical fruits. The hike lasts for 4 hours before stopping for lunch.
We will stop in Playa (Sahuayaco) 2,250 m. (7,381 ft.) for lunch, and then we will continue our Salkantay Trek to the hydroelectrical station and from there another 3 hours until reaching Aguas Calientes. You also have the option of bypassing the hike by taking a train to Aguas Calientes for (optional – not included). At Aguas Calientes your guide will take you to your hostel. You will overnight in Aguas Calientes, there you will have a group dinner and go over the following days tour at Machu Picchu.
Very early (4:00 a.m.) we’ll have our breakfast, afterwards we’ll begin our hike up to the Machu Picchu Citadel. There is also the option to take the bus up to the entrance if you would rather not hike (optional – not included) When you arrive at Machu Picchu you will be able to enjoy a sunrise over the ruins (weather permitting). You then will begin a 2 hour tour of Machu Picchu. After that, you’ll have free time. Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu hike can be included, these are optional hikes at the ruins at additional cost. (subject to availability).
In the afternoon you can either hike down to Aguas Calientes or take the bus shuttle (optional) where you will catch your 2:55 PM Expedition train to Ollantaytambo. There the tourist buses will be waiting to take you to Cusco (included). Other train schedules available upon request. This concludes your 5 Day Salkantay Trek with Karikuy Tours.
I run a company in Canada that is all service to customers so I know what I like when it comes to other companies providing customer service to me . Whenever I wrote Karikuy Tours by email on any subject or questions I had an answer in 15 minutes . Ana is incredible ! They were easy to pay on line . They showed up to pick us up at the hotel exactly on time . The guide we had on the 5 day Salkantay Trek Videl was the best we have ever had and we are seasoned travelers . He had passion for his country and really wanted us to learn. The lodging and food was excellent. We also did Rainbow Mountain and the Moras and Moray day trips . Same great service . This is a company high on customer service and looking after its customers . They work hard to perform at that level . I have given out their name to others and if I get back to Peru would use them only . They are the best !
Bonjour, je reviens tout juste d’un séjour en montagne avec ma copine. Nous avons participer au trek de Salkantay pour 4 jours et 3 nuits. Ce fût mémorable. Notre guide “Big Willy” nous as très bien encadré dans un groupe d’une dizaine. Il s’est montré serviable, aidant, très clair dans ses paroles, qu’il prenait soins de répéter parfois 😉 Willy répond à toutes nos questions avec soins. Il nous guide de façon professionnel dans des terrains parfois pas faciles mais challengeant. Il nous enseigne les légendes, les mythes, les réalités de ces lieux mystiques, éloignés, élevé en altitude, colorés et teintés et décorés de couleurs et paysages superbes. Big Willy a été présent avec nous jusqu’au bout, au Machu Picchu et malgré la pluie ce jour là, il est demeuré très captivant et intéressant et ce, avec son professionnalisme de guide. Merci à tous, et merci Big Will pour ces beaux moments de partage.
Our salkatay trek was run short when my partner had to be taken back to Cusco with kidney stones. But our day with the tour was incredible, even after, staff were attentive and considerate through and through. It’s these little things that put karikuy above the rest. We managed to get up to Machu Picchu which was also incredible but it would have been nice to have joined the tour
When we got to Machu Picchu, having spent a brilliant 4 days with Jesus and Willy, our two Karikuy trek guides we were greeted by a guide from another another trekking company exclaiming we had one of the best guides of them all. This, we believe was truly the case. Right from the Salkantay briefing with Vidal through to our final farewell meeting with Willy in Plaza de Almas we couldn’t fault the care and connection we felt. We both hadn’t acclimatized to the altitude as much as we’d have liked due to a cancelled flight into Cusco. Our fears were allayed as the guides led from behind and explained exactly how we were going to approach this magnificent trek taking into account everyone’s ability and ‘state’ (we were the oldest couple in our group!). The knowledge of the land, ecology, culture and history was obviously deeply held by the guides. Their way of explaining properties of plants, the symbolism of the animals, the geology of this part of the Andes and importantly the ways the Quechuan and Inkas population lived were explained in an accessible and personal way. All abilities in the group were cared for and by the end of the second day, after climbing up and over the salkantay pass, at 4,600 metres, we really started to feel like a family. The food, and various accommodations kept us going (although I wished i had paid for a warm shower on the second evening!). It was reassuring to see how the tour put money back into some of the communities we were trekking through, where we were greeted with smiling welcoming faces. Finally, if you are willing to get up at 4 oclock it is well worth the slow trek up to Machu Picchu in order to get there before the bus crowds appear…we were treated to a dawn of clearing clouds…it did literally take the breath away. We can’t thank the karikuy staff enough, especially our guides, Jesus and Willy, enough for the care and attention, and most importantly, the love for this land that they shared. This trek was truly the best value for money.
Several years ago I read an article about the Salkantay Trek and really wanted to do it. It was a last minute decision, but everything worked out really well. Our guide, Wellington, Cameron our hotel the night before to explain the trip to us. The entire trip was great. The guides were great, the cooks prepared excellent meals, the accommodations along the trek were sufficient. Our group was great, and we had a lot of fun. We will definitely return to Peru.