The Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu is going to take your breath away for three reasons: the views, the difficulty, and the altitude. The views on the trek, especially from Salkantay Pass and Humantay Lake are astounding, as are the climbs to get to those points. Those difficult climbs are on back-to-back days, but if my 57-year-old parents can do it, chances are you can to.
Salkantay is at higher altitude than the Inca Trail and is also slightly more difficult. The Inca Trail is world-renowned and for good reason, but the Salkantay Trek will leave you feeling like you haven’t missed anything. In fact, you’ll probably come away from the experience glad you went the Salkantay way.
The Salkantay Trek is little more than alphabet soup to those who haven’t been to Peru or aren’t planning a trip. That’s changing though as its popularity grows, and I’ll help familiarize you with this remarkable trail.
Table of Contents
- Salkantay Trek Overview
- 4-Day Salkantay vs. 5-Day: What’s the Difference?
- Salkantay Trek: Solo vs. With a Guide
- Salkantay Trek with a Tour
- How Much Does the Salkantay Trek Cost?
- Entrance to Machu Picchu and Getting Tickets
- What Do I Need To Bring?
- Day-By-Day on Salkantay
Salkantay Trek Overview
One of the nice things about Salkantay is that you don’t need to book it well in advance, a few days prior is usually sufficient, and you don’t need to do it with a guide – you can do it relatively easily on your own. This is different from the Inca Trail where you need to book months in advance and it’s mandatory to go on a guided tour. Salkantay is also open in February when the Inca Trail closes for maintenance.
There are two options when doing the Salkantay Trek: 4-day or 5-day. I’ll go more in-depth about those later but they both start and finish in the same place. As well, you can choose to do the trek with or without a guide. Again, I’ll get into that in a second.
I did the Salkantay Trek on a 5-day guided tour with my father and stepmother who are nearing 60 years old – they’d give me crap for saying the s-word. They were pushed to their limits but both completed the trek. We had no issues through the 75km hike.
As mentioned, the trek is at high altitude – the high point of the trek is at 4,630 metres above sea level. You want to acclimatize while in Cusco. Some people suggest 2 days is enough to familiarize your body with the altitude, but honestly, more is better. Slowly build up, do a few hikes around Cusco city (Saqsayhuaman, Cristo Blanco, Rainbow Mountain) to get your body accustomed to working hard with low oxygen before you jump into a 5-day trek up and down the mountains.
This is what I did with my parents and they were grateful we did a lot of walking in Cusco before embarking on Salkantay. There is so much to see and do in and around Cusco that you should spend multiple days there anyway.
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4-Day Salkantay vs. 5-Day: What’s the Difference?
As I mentioned, they both start and finish in the same place. In fact, days one and two are identical, as is the final day of your trek. Day 3 is where the two treks break off from each other.
On both versions, you wake up in either Chaullay or Collpapampa on the 3rd day. Both treks follow the same route from there to Playa Sahuayaco (despite its name, I never saw a beach). The 5-day trek will end early in the afternoon not much further past Playa Sahuayaco.
The 4-day trek takes transportation from Playa Sahuayaco to Hidroelectrica and then walks another 3 hours from there to Aguas Calientes where they’ll spend their 3rd night and go to Machu Picchu on the 4th day.
The 5-day trekkers will walk from Playa Sahuayaco to Aguas Calientes on their 4th day. The day begins with a 3-hour hike uphill from 2,000m to 2,800m at Llactapata Pass. From the lookout at the top you will get your first sight of Machu Picchu.
If you have the time, the Llactapata Pass is well worth it. You’ll get beautiful views of the mountain ranges and, if you’re going to hike to Machu Picchu, you might as well walk the whole way. You’ll never regret doing the 5-day trek instead of the 4-day.
Salkantay Trek: Solo vs. With a Guide
Unlike the Inca Trail, Salkantay can be done solo. In fact, it’s probably one of the easier trails in Peru to do without a guide. There are many groups making their way to Machu Picchu and the trail is easy to follow – it would be difficult to get lost.
As well, you’ll find places to sleep and eat all along the way. You don’t even have to bring a tent. There are lodging options that range from tents to dorm rooms to private rooms. You’ll always find somewhere to sleep. Be prepared though, the first night is cold.
As far as food, same thing goes. Breakfast and dinner can be had at the place you sleep. For lunch you can find a warm meal around the halfway point of each day. You won’t go hungry, but be sure to bring enough cash if you plan to buy meals.
Transportation To and From Salkantay Trek
To get to the start of the trail take a bus from Cusco to Mollepata. In the town of Mollepata you will have to pay a $10 USD entrance. The town uses the money to improve basic amenities. From Mollepata, you need to get to Challacancha. If you’re lucky you can find a van heading that way but if not, you’ll have to take a taxi there. Challacancha is the starting point for the Salkantay Trek.
When returning from the trek, you can take the train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo, and find a bus back to Cusco from there, or, walk back to Hidroelectrica from Aguas Calientes and then find a bus to Cusco.
It really is quite a simple hike to do on your own. That said, there are some outstanding benefits to going on a guided tour.
Salkantay Trek with a Tour
If you can afford a few extra comforts along the trek, it’s well worth it. Along with having a guide walk with you and point out interesting things along the way, you’ll also have horses to carry your big bag (while you carry a much lighter day pack), a chef to prepare your meals, and accommodation sorted in advance.
With a guided tour, you just focus on the walking and everything else is taken care of. It’s still a lot of work, but these added perks go a long way in giving you added energy for the trek. You’re also bound to make new friends to share the experience with.
How Much Does the Salkantay Trek Cost?
Prices for a guided tour vary based on how many comforts you want to pay for. On the cheaper end of things, prices start at ~$200 USD. At this price you’ll probably be sleeping in tents (a hostel on night 4), and eating adequately, but not luxuriously.
On the other end, I’ve seen prices listed at $2,000+ for the tour which includes massage therapists each night and luxury accommodation options. I’m sure it’s nice, but do you really need all that?
The company I went with, Salkantay Trekking, cost $495. The food on the trek was incredible. It was a buffet spread for each meal that had you wondering how the chef could prepare gourmet food in almost the middle of nowhere. The accommodation was also top notch. Each night we slept somewhere that had a door you could close and a roof over your head (not in a tent) – always with electricity as well.
This was the most luxurious trekking experience I’ve had. The only downside I can think of is that the price point is a touch outside the range of most backpackers. If you can afford it though, it’s well worth it.
Entrance to Machu Picchu and Getting Tickets
The final day of the trek will be at Machu Picchu. You can get tickets to enter Machu Picchu when you arrive in Aguas Calientes town, but shit, I’d want to have that sorted in advance. There’s no guarantee you can get them in town and the lineups to do so are long and slow. If you book your Salkantay trek with a guide, they will sort that out for you.
You can get your tickets to Machu Picchu online from the official Peruvian Government website. To control the flow of tourists (there are 5,000 visitors here every day) they have divided Machu Picchu into 4 circuits. Circuits 1 & 2 are the best options because they will give you that postcard picture of Machu Picchu from above before you enter the ruins. When buying a ticket, get the earliest entrance time you can so that you arrive before all of the tour buses.
Of course, if you’ve already been to Machu Picchu or for whatever reason aren’t interested in seeing it, the Salkantay Trek is still worth your while even if you don’t visit the famed Incan site. You pass through incredible landscape and enjoy views that make you swear in disbelief along the whole trail.
What Do I Need To Bring?
I’m not going through your whole clothing list or toiletry bag, but I’ll touch on some accessories that are easy to forget. Remember, the nights are pretty cold (especially the first one) so bring something warm.
- Bug Spray (you’re going to get bit)
- Wet Wipes (always handy on treks)
- Sunscreen
- Trekking Poles (super helpful if you have or can rent)
- Cash (Soles – scroll down)
- Coca Leaves (my trekking gasoline)
- Sleeping Bag
- Swimwear (if interested in hot springs)
- Towel
- Sandals/Comfortable Shoes (you don’t want to wear hikers 24/7)
How Much Money Do I Need To Bring?
You won’t find ATMs along the way. Any money you plan to bring has to be brought in cash. When you reach the final town of Aguas Calientes, there are ATMs here but along the trek you need to bring cash for anything you want.
If you want to do the hot springs excursion, that cost me 60 Soles.
There are some snacks you might want to buy along the way, maybe an extra water. You could spend between 0-60 Soles on snacks and water.
You’ll also want to tip your crew. For me, I tipped our horse driver 25 Soles, our chef 50 Soles, and our guide 135 Soles. That’s 210 Soles in total for tips. It isn’t mandatory of course, but it is kind of expected.
You probably want to bring at least 300 Soles with you on the trek.
Day-By-Day on Salkantay
Day 1
The trail starts in Challacancha. You have to get up early and leave Cusco before sunrise to give yourself plenty of time on the first day’s trail.
From Challacancha it’s a relatively easy walk to Soraypampa which is where you’ll sleep. After you find your accommodation and have lunch, it’s a steep hike up to Humantay Lake. It’s a tiring climb up to an altitude of 4,200m. My parents were able to do it – slowly, but surely. Take your time, you’ll make it.
After you’ve had your fill of the lake, come back down to Soraypampa for the night.
The first night is the coldest of the entire trek. In the Sky Lodge where we slept, I was fine in just the sleeping bag, my underwear, and a toque (or beanie) – I’m Canadian though, we’re used to cold weather. You’ll want to bundle up for the first night, especially if you plan to sleep in a tent.
Day 2
This was the most challenging day, but also my favourite. You hike up to the Salkantay Pass for the first 4-5 hours of the day, and then head downhill for the next 6 hours.
The Salkantay Pass was my highlight of the trek. Climbing in the morning as the sun rises provides breathtaking views. It’s a steep, challenging climb, but it is all worth it when you reach the top.
Afterwards, you descend down to 2,900m. It’s fascinating to see the changes in flora as you come down from the mountain tops and enter the tropical forests.
Day 3
The third day is a bit of a rest day in between the two most difficult days of the hike. It’s about 6 hours of hiking through relatively gentle decline. You pass by some granadilla plantations, and you might get the chance to visit a coffee plantation.
You’re likely to spend the 3rd night in Lucmabamba (2,000m). You’ll have the option of visiting hot springs to relax in the afternoon. The other option is to just hang out at camp. Entrance to the thermal waters is 10 Soles, but transportation to and from was 50 Soles per person (a bit expensive for Peru if you ask me).
Should You Go To The Hot Springs?
The hot springs were lukewarm, and insanely crowded. Had I known this ahead of time I probably would have skipped it. That said, I still enjoyed my time there and my muscles really enjoyed the chance to relax in the warm water.
It’s not necessary to go here, especially if you’ve been to other thermal waters before, but it was nice. And we enjoyed a good laugh about how disappointing the springs were.
Day 4
The fourth day is another difficult one. I found the 2nd day more difficult, but my parents had a harder time on the 4th day. I think if you compare them to each other side-by-side, the 2nd day is harder. But, given that you’ve been hiking 3 days straight, your legs might be worn out by the time the 4th day comes around.
It starts with a 3-hour hike uphill to Llactapata Pass (2,800m) where you’ll get your first glimpse of Machu Picchu and an incredible view of the mountain range that surrounds it. If you can, try to head off to the left when there’s a fork in the trail prior to the Llactapata Pass. I believe it’s called Mesapata (it was something mesa). At this viewpoint we had the area pretty well all to ourselves and it provided incredible views of the mountains.
After, head back to the trail that continues to the Llactapata viewpoint. From here, it’s all downhill again until Hidroelectrica. Along the descent you’ll stop at some Incan ruins.
From Hidroelectrica, follow the train tracks to Aguas Calientes. You’ll see more people as you get nearer to Machu Picchu. Accommodation will be in the town of Aguas Calientes in a hotel or hostel, depending on your tour or taste.
Day 5
Machu Picchu Day. Hopefully your ticket to enter Machu Picchu is early in the morning (6am). You can walk up the stairways to the entrance or take a bus up to the top. I walked, leaving my hotel at 5:15am and got to the entrance at about 6:20am.
It’s a steep hike, and half of it is in the dark. Bring a source of light if you plan to walk. As well, once the sun rises it starts to get hot. I was sweaty by the time I reached the top. I’m glad I brought a change of clothes with me – I didn’t need armpit stains in all of my Machu Picchu pictures.
As well, if you’re doing the trek unguided, it would be well worth it to hire a guide to show you around Machu Picchu. There’s so much information about the place and you need someone with deep knowledge about it to make the most out of your visit. If you are with a guided tour, your guide will lead you through the site.
And that’s it. Afterwards, you’ll get your transport back to Cusco. It might be a train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo and then a bus from there back to Cusco, or you may have to walk back to Hidroelectrica and catch transportation from there.
Whichever way you take back to Cusco, you’re going to be exhausted. All of the early mornings and kilometres hiked make it almost a sure bet that you’ll pass out on the way back. Enjoy your well-deserved rest and I hope you get clear weather for the hike.
Happy travels!
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