Salkatay Trek in the Footsteps of the Incas

The city of Cusco is located at an altitude of 3,400 meters and is an excellent place to acclimatize before starting your trek to Salkantay. You'll have plenty of time to explore this charming city and soak up the local atmosphere. This evening, you'll meet your Kandoo guide and attend a full pre-trek briefing.

We will pick you up early from your hotel for a private transfer to the starting point of our trek, which will take approximately 4 hours. Along the way, we will pass through the picturesque towns of Pampa de Anta (Izcuchaca, Zurite, and Ancahuasi). Our journey will then take us into the Limatambo Valley and on to Soraypampa, where we will begin our expedition.

In Soraypampa, we will finalize our trek preparations and meet our arrieros (muleteers). We will begin with a hike to Humantay Lake, the dazzling turquoise lake located at the foot of the Humantay Glacier. We will then continue our ascent to our campsite at Salkantaypampa. From there, we will have superb views of the peaks of Tucurway (5910m), Humantay (5917m), and Salkantay (6917m).

At the start of the second day of our trek, we ascend to the highest point of our hike, the Salkantay Pass at 4600m, from where we can admire Mount Salkantay, a magnificent snow-capped mountain at 6271m. Three more hours of walking with spectacular views of the Humantay and Huayanay mountains will take us to our lunch stop, Huayraqmachay at 3700m. We then descend for three and a half hours to our second campsite, Collpapampa.

On the third day of the trek, we'll hike downhill for 5 to 6 hours at a steady pace, entering the Ceja de Selva jungle area, where you can see coffee, coca, and fruit plantations. If time allows, you can stop to shower in a waterfall and, with a bit of luck, spot Peru's famous national bird, the "Gallito de las Rocas" (Peruvian Cock-of-the-rock). We'll arrive at our third campsite, Lucmabamba, in time for lunch. This campsite is located on a coffee farm, and in the afternoon, we can attend a coffee-making demonstration and you can taste some of the best coffee in Peru! There's also the option to visit the Cocalmayo hot springs.

After breakfast, we'll hike for about four hours until we reach the Llactapata archaeological site. From there, we'll be able to see the Lost City of Machu Picchu in the distance. Next, we'll hike downhill for two hours to the hydroelectric power station where we'll have our last lunch of the campsite. We'll then continue hiking for another two and a half hours along the railway line to Aguas Calientes, where you'll spend the night in a hotel.

An early departure will take you by bus to the Citadel of Machu Picchu, where you'll enjoy a guided tour lasting approximately two and a half to three hours. There's also the option to climb Huayna Picchu, the iconic mountain behind Machu Picchu, but you'll need to book a permit in advance. After visiting the ruins, we'll take a bus back down to Aguas Calientes, where you'll catch a train to Ollantaytambo. Our driver will be waiting there to take you back to your hotel in Cusco.

After a well-deserved night's rest, we will say goodbye. We will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to Cusco airport for your departure flight.