Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5 Days / 4 Nights
Wednesday, 19 August, 2015 | Offers, Salkantay Trek | 0 Comentarios
Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5 Days 4 Nights is the most popular of the alternative treks to Machu Picchu. The trek is located in the Vilcabamba mountain range and passes through stunning landscapes varying from the cloud forest to the high mountains.
Along the way are fantastic views of second highest mountain in the cusco area, Salkantay (Savage Mountain) standing at 6,271m/19.685ft. This tour is for the adventurous. It passes through little visited areas and combines culture and tradition with the incredible flora and fauna offered by Peru.
You will be in the real Andes and the perfect conditions to get a sense of the life in the area.
The Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5 Days 4 Nights is the number one alternative to the Inca Trail. With high snow-capped mountains, lowland jungle and a visit to the Inca site of Llactapata the trek offers a perfect mix of trekking, culture and nature. With fewer people on the route the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5 Days 4 Nights allows you to enjoy the natural beauty of the Andes without any of the distractions and disturbances you find on the Inca Trail By booking your Salkantay Trek 5 Days 4 Nights with Cusco Journeys & Adventure you are choosing the best. Don’t believe us? Check out our reviews on TripAdvisor!
You will have an exhaustive information session with your guide 1 or 2 days before your Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5 Days 4 Nights. Your guide is allowed in your hotel and can take this opportunity to ask questions and make final preparations. We start to pick up you on the hotel around 05:00 am, the bus driving taking 2 hours to Mollepata through the bus is clearly to see the white snow capped mountain like Salkantay and Humantay, the holy Gods of the Incas, the spectacular scenic on the upper part and lower valleys with colorful landscape. Two hours driving at head the first stop in Mollepata town there are toilet facilities, souvenirs and optional short breakfast, to soon continue at Challa Cancha the trail head. There we will meet with our support staff. There we will organize all the equipment, horses and mules. Around 9:30 a.m. we will start our trek to Soraypampa (3850 m.a.s.l) the first section of the path are paved rock trail there are the old water channel still supply to new habitants, the begin is 8 km in 3 hours to Soraypampa the lunch place as well base camp. After lunch and nap to continued hiking up to the Humantay lake (4200 masl) 3 km in 2 hours round trip, bottom the glacier the most spectacular views to the back ground valley and sunset, Soraypampa is located on the middle of the glaciers valleys at night clear appreciate the constellation on the sky. Today, nature will change drastically from dry sceneries to snowy peaks and tropical areas. After a nutritious breakfast, we will start the most difficult part of the trek. We will start the hike around 6:30 in the morning. We will hike to a place called Salkantaypampa, Soyrococha, then go toward the left side of the snowy peaks of Umantay located next to the Apu Salkantay. At midday, we will be on the highest point (4617 meters above sea level). We will appreciate spectacular views of the mountains and the imposing snowy peaks of the Salkantay (6264 meters above sea level) which is known as the second highest point of the Cusco region. Around 1:00 p.m., we will have our lunch, in the area called Huayracmachay. The walk downwards is on a serpent shape trail and a rocky gravel path to get to the Huayracmachay lunch spot. In the afternoon we will enter the upper part of the amazon jungle, which is also called “the cloud forest”. This is a 10 km (6.2miles) hike in 3 hours on a wide trail in the thick forests. This hike is truly beautiful, there are decorated the hills with colorful sceneries and a lot of wildlife and native plants. The forests are most times of the year warm or have a temperate temperature. When finishing this magnificent hike we finally arrive at Colpapampa Village (2900 masl), our base camp in the jungle. At 6:00 am. we will start our trek to La Playa through the Santa Teresa valley. We will be hiking for approximately 6 hours. During the hike we’ll see waterfalls, wild orchids, but also coffee, banana and avocado plantations. Here you can taste the famous passion fruit and granadilla fruit. We will see a village called Colpapampa, also called the “forest cloudy brow” where waterfalls, thermal hot springs, fruit-bearing trees, varied flora and birds can be observed. If we are lucky, we will be able to see the famous bird called “the Cock of the Rocks” this bird is the national bird of Peru. After lunch at La playa, we will hike for approximately 1 hour to our base camp called Lucmabamba (2400 masl). We will explore the tropical forest for a little while and have a lovely visit at an organic coffee farm. Here you can taste the coffee prepared by the local people. Coffee is the main farming industry of the local people here in the jungle and they farm many hectares of coffee to export to the USA, Asia and Europe. Coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia, but it wasn’t until the Spanish invaded Cusco that it was brought to this region. We will also explore an orange and an avocado plantation. ******* On this day you may enjoy the Hot Springs – not included in the price. The chef of the trek will wake you up early with a hot cup of coca tea served in your bed. You will get ready for today’s activity while enjoying your last prepared breakfast by the trek chef. We will begin the hike early and you will get the opportunity to enjoy a small part of the famous Inka trail! After a climb of 2 hours with amazing views of the Santa Teresa valley we will arrive at the Llactapata Inca site right in front of Machu Picchu. This will be the first archaeological site we will see of the Lost City of the Incas and a very special place to enjoy and spend time. We will be able to see not only the Machu Picchu ruins from this spot, but also the Huayna Picchu and the Machu Picchu Mountain. We will explore this Inca site with the guide and he will continue the history lessons about the Incas of this beautiful country and of course you will have plenty of time to take as many photos as you want. After the Llactapata ruins, we will continue our Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5 Days 4 Nights with a 2 hours downhill hike. At this hike you’re always able to have views of Machu Picchu until we arrive at the Hidroelectrica train station which is our lunch place. The most impressive part of this area is the natural waterfall of 300 meters high which generates the electricity for the region of Cusco. We will then arrive at the famous Intiwatana. Intiwatana is an ancient rock used as a sundial in the ancient Inca times. According to history, this old Inca stone used to work with the famous sundial stone in Machu Picchu. These could measure and read the winter solstice which was the beginning of the new farming season for the Incas. After we pass this small Inca site we will reach the train rails. Next to the rails there is a nice path to walk on; this path will take us approximately 3 hours. After the 3 hours we will arrive at Aguas Calientes, which is located at the foot of Machu Picchu. This section is very interesting because it is the trail that was used by the American Professor Hiram Bingham who rediscovered Machu Picchu after centuries of it being lost. On our last day, you will get up very early to visit one of the 7 wonders of the World ¨Machu Picchu¨. At 5:30 am. We will go directly to the line to wait for the first buses to Machu Picchu. We will arrive at the gate when the sky lights up and ascend to the top of Machu Picchu, while taking in the impressive views of the city. On a clear morning, the sunrise over Machu Picchu is magnificent; This moment is unforgettable. Our tour guide will take you on a 2-3 hour guided tour, where we will visit the Sun Temple, Royal palace, Main Temple, Three Windows Temple and Sun Dial. It will be an unforgettable experience. If you have booked Wayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, you will need to coordinate with your guide for Machu Picchu visiting depending on your scheduled time to the mountain, for people not hiking any of the mountains there are some other optional activities on your own ( not included in the price). Train back to Cusco: In the afternoon you will return to the train station in Aguas Calientes for the trip back to Ollantaytambo. Upon your arrival to train station you will be transferred by car to your hotel in Cusco.
Salkantay Trek To Machu Picchu is like any other high altitude trek, so it is essential to be well prepared. As it begins in the dead of night morning, consider to pack the following Items:
Permits are needed for your chosen start date. The Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5 Days 4 Nights prices are based on the number of people in a group. Prices are valid from March 2024 through January 2025. All prices quoted are $USD A group tour means that it is open for other trekkers to join you. This means that your group will have varying hiking and fitness abilities. All our guides are experts on how to keep the trek moving and happy no matter how fast you hike. Private tours are available and priced by party size. Important: Price includes up to 7 kilos of your personal belongings to be carried by the mules (NO need of extra Porter hire!). Hotel Upgrades: Train Upgrades:
For an average traveller or tourist, Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5 Days 4 Nights is considered a challenging but certainly not impossible hike. Due to the physical demands, anyone who wishes to trek Salkantay should at least be moderately fit. Plus, all trekkers should spend at least 2 days in Cuzco before the trek, to get acclimatized. Being extremely fit does not grant any immunity from altitude sickness. The entire hike is approximately 72 kilometers (approximately 45 miles), and this hiking takes place during 5, 4, and 3 days. The remaining 1 day of the trek is spent at Machu Picchu. In general, Salkantay is considered to be slightly harder than the Inca Trail. Other trails, such as Choquequirao, are considered to be slightly harder than Salkantay. The Salkantay Pass, at 14,760123 feet above sea level, is the most difficult section in the trail. Expect wind and cold temperatures. Some hikers might experience symptoms of altitude sickness. Symptoms will disappear as soon as you start your descent. Oxygen will be provided if needed. The Salkantay Pass, at approximately 4,650 meters above sea level is the most difficult section in the trail. These challenges are a result of several factors: the challenge of uphill climbing, bitter cold winds, low temperatures in general, and the fact that you are trekking at a low-oxygen altitude. The dry season is the best time for this trek. In Cuzco, the dry season lasts from April to November, and the wet season is from December to March. From June to September are the most popular months to do the trek, due to summer vacations in Europe and the US. It is generally thought that May and October offer the best weather conditions. It is better to request a horse before you go on the trail rather than realize halfway through that you’re not enjoying carrying your pack at this altitude and want some help. You will get sporadic phone coverage during the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5 Days 4 Nights and there will not be anywhere whilst trekking to charge your phone. One of the trek leaders will be carrying a satellite phone. However this is emergency use only. Weather is very varied on this trek, due to the fact that it winds its way through wildly different terrain at different altitudes. The only place where weather is a serious concern is the Salkantay Pass, and the nearby areas. Temperatures here, and at the nearby Soraypampa campsite, can fall below freezing. The other camps are much warmer, due to their proximity to the cloud forest. We recommend to make your reservation in advance and we will guarantee your Spaces for this hike. Each reservation needs 50% of deposit as first payment. The final balance(50%) will be paid in Cusco(Briefing Day). About Payment you must choose where would you like to make the deposit: Payment system online, We use the money from your deposit to make several important purchases, including the entrance fee to Salkantay, the entrance fee to Machu Picchu, bus tickets, and train tickets. In addition, making a deposit assures us that you will be coming on the trek, and are unlikely to cancel at the last minute. This helps us with knowing how much food to buy, how many of our guides to use for the trek, etc. The deposit is non-refundable once we receive it, because we will immediately use it to purchase the tickets mentioned above. First, we will send you an email to confirm your payment. Then we will contact you to offer you different hotel or hostel options in Cuzco, as well as inform you of other tours you might be interested in. Two weeks before your tour date, we will contact you by email to request the final payment. We will also ask you where you will be staying in Cuzco, to be able to pick you up on the day of your hike. After we receive the final payment, we will send you an email confirming your tour date and informing you of important contact information for our tour agency, as well as some final tips to prepare for the trek. Once we have purchased your tickets, with your security deposit, you can only change your start date if you pay an additional amount. This amount is usually around $150 USD. The reason for this is the tickets we purchase are non-refundable and non-transferable, so we are not allowed to simply change your tour date. To avoid altitude sickness, give yourself time in Cuzco to acclimatize to the change in altitude. Two days minimum is recommended!!! Try to avoid alcohol before and during your trek, and make sure you eat lightly and drink plenty of water. Make sure to stay hydrated during the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5 Days 4 Nights, don’t force yourself to walk faster than your body wants to, and take frequent breaks. Drinking coca leaf tea helps a lot, and you may wish to speak with your doctor about Diamox pills. If you get altitude sickness while on the trail, let your guide know immediately. They will help you. Recognize the symptoms of altitude sickness: a headache, nausea, extreme tiredness, dizziness, and a general malaise are all symptoms. Having a good guide is an essential part of having a good trek. Because of this, Mystic Salkantay hires and works with some of the best guides in the business. Our guides are knowledgable in the areas of history, archaeology, ecology, and are natives of the Cuzco area. On the first night of the Lares Trek, we stay at a community-owned campsite established by the Accopata community that features composting toilets, solar showers, and a solid-waste management system that’s the first of it’s kind in the region. On the second night, we’ll spend the night in three-person tents designed to accommodate two same-sex travellers. Trekkers will be served a bowl of hot water (and a hot drink) in their tents during morning hours. On the third night, we’ll stay at a simple hotel in Aguas Calientes. Sleeping bags are not included and so we recommend bringing a compact three-season sleeping bag. If travelling between May and October a 4-season sleeping bag is recommended. These can be rented with us. For approximately $20 for the length of the trek. Foam mats are provided however some travellers also bring their own self-inflating mat (i.e. a Thermarest). Yes, you can do, But we recommend you buy water or rehydration drinks from local people, as it is a form of power these people support them. of course that we offer them every morning boiled water so you can take during the day. Our cooks prepare excellent high-energy meals appropriate for a trek of this nature. The menu usually includes pasta, rice, chicken, fresh fruit and vegetables and a variety of oatmeal, eggs and other breakfast foods. Vegetarian alternatives are available upon request at the time of booking. Tipping is at your discretion, but is always appreciated. If you enjoyed the service you enjoyed from your guides and porters or Horseman. The Salkantay trek is a low-impact activity. We will only be travelling short distances by bus and train, and almost the entire trek is done by walking. We will avoid areas with endangered plants, and we will give you steps on minimizing your impact even further. For example, please give your trash to you porters at the end of the day. This helps keep the trail as clean as possible. We are keeping to a small group so that we limit the impact we have on the surrounding environment. The Salkantay Mountain National Park is a very delicate environment.
By booking or participating in a tour and any related products or services (a “Tour”) with Cusco Journeys, you agree to these Terms & Conditions. Booking: Cancellations: ONCE BOOKED, DEPOSITS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE. CHART BELOW OUTLINES WHAT FURTHER FEES WILL BE DUE. Inca Trail Tours: Medical Information: Tours and Treks: Delays: Thank you so much for choosing Cusco Journeys!!!
Overview
Overview:
Itinerary
Itinerary:
Pre-trek briefing:
Day 01 : Cusco – Mollepata – Humantay Lake – Soraypampa.
Day 02 : Soraypampa – Salkantay Pass – Huayracmachay – Chaullay.
Day 03 : Chaullay – Colpapampa – Playa Sahuayaco– Lucmabamba.
Days 4: Lucmabamba – Llactapata – Hidroelectric – Aguas Calientes.
Day 05: Aguas Calientes – MachuPicchu – Cusco
Inclusions
Included:
Not Included:
What do you need to bring:
Prices
Group Price:$539USDPer person
Private Tour:
Discounts:
Optional Extras (Need to Book in Advance):
Upgrades:
Rentals:
FAQs
How difficult is the hike?
What’s the most challenging section of the hike?
When is the best time to hike the Salkantay?
Should I request an extra horse?
Can I use my mobile/cell phone on the mountain?
Will there be an international cell phone on the trek?
What is the weather like?
Why do I need to make a deposit?
What happens after I make the security deposit?
Can I change my starting date for the Salkantay?
Is altitude sickness a problem? What should I do to avoid altitude sickness?
What should I do if I get altitude sickness?
What are the guides like?
What type of accommodation is used on the Salkantay Trek?
Is a sleeping bag and mat included?
Is purified water available on the trek?
What type of food will we get on the Salkantay Trek?
What is the suggested amount that I should tip the guides and porters?
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What is done to protect the environment?
Terms & Conditions
Cancellation By
Terms
91 days or more before departure
we will retain 50% of your deposit.
90 – 30 days before departure
we will retain 75% of the total tour cost.
29 – 0 days before departure
we will retain 100% of the total tour cost.
You must advise your guide if you wish to leave the group or the camping area for independent walks or sightseeing. If you are experiencing any problems with the services of the guide or tour, please advise the guide in that moment, so that he can resolve any problems.
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