SALKANTAY TREK TO MACHU PICCHU (BUDGET) 5 DAYS + RETURN BY TRAIN

Price
$440.00
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This is our budget Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu. Salkantay is a popular alternative trek to the classic Inca Trail trek but no less beautiful. The trek passes by stunning scenery including the Humantay Lake and the snowcapped peak of Salkantay mountain itself. The trek is 4 days ending in Aguas Calientes where we spend the night before ending the tour with South America's most famous tourist attraction - the site of Machu Picchu itself on day 5.

OVERVIEWOVERVIEW

This is our budget option for the Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu. Salkantay is a popular alternative trek to the classic Inca Trail trek but no less beautiful. The trek passes by remote Andean communities and stunning scenery including the Humantay Lake and the snowcapped peak of Salkantay mountain itself. The trek is a 4-day trek ending in Aguas Calientes where we spend the night before ending the tour with the highlight of South Americas most famous tourist attraction - the site of Machu Picchu itself on day 5.

ITINERARYITINERARY
DAY 1 – Cusco – Soraypampa – Humantay Lake
Meals: lunch and dinner
Pickup at your hotel in the morning between 4.30 and 5 AM and we start our drive to Mollepata (2900 m) where we will meet with the horsemen and horses that will carry our camping equipment (you will also pay your entrance fee of 10 soles). On the way we will also have a 30-min stop at a local restaurants in order for you to have breakfast (not included). Already it is possible to see the snowcapped peak of Salkantay mountain (6267 m) from this area. We start our trek and will walk for about 2 hours ascending up to Soraypampa (3920 m), our first campsite, passing through some wonderful mountainous scenery along the way. Here we will then take a break and have lunch to recover our energies. After lunch we will hike for about 1.5 hours up to the stunning Humantay Lake. We will stay there for about 1 hour in order to take in the views and take pictures of this incredible lagoon. We then make our way back to Soraypampa for dinner. Tonight we go to bed very early in order to wake up early on Day 2.

DAY 2 – Soraypampa – Salkantay Pass – Salkantay Lake (optional)  Chaullay
Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
We wake up at 5 AM and start this day with a hot tea or coffee. After a good breakfast we start walking for about 3 hours to the Salkantay pass at an altitude of 4600 meters (this is the highest point of our trek). This is the toughest stretch of the whole trek and if you don't feel like walking all the way up you can also rent a horse on site (about 90 soles). Once we arrive at the Salkantay pass we pause to take in the views and take some rest. Here our guide will also explain about the relationship that the Incas had with their mountains and we will also take part in a short ritual. We then continue our adventure descending towards Wayrapunku where we will stop to have our lunch. On our way down we might even be able to visit another lake, the Salkantay lagoon, but this entirely depends on the group speed and timing (it takes about 1 hour total to reach the lake and return back to the normal path). After eating and a break we will continue in high jungle areas populated with large trees that contain a number of bromelids and orchids. We will arrive to our camp site in Chaullay (or Colcapampa) and relax, have dinner and sleep here for the night. Total trek time for the day is about 9 ot 10 hours.
 
DAY 3 – Chaullay  Santa Teresa
Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
On the third morning,after breakfast,  we will set off along the trail passing through several different ecological zones and an abundance of flora in what is one of the most beautiful parts of the trek. We will trek for about 5 hours until we reach La Playa (2200 m) and we will stop for lunch before taking a bus to the town of Santa Teresa (1700 m) where we will camp for the night. There will also be the chance to visit the hot springs of Cocalmayo and at night time the group will have a bonfire by the campsite.
 
DAY 4 – Santa Teresa – Zipline (optional) – Aguas Calientes
Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
We will have an early breakfast and then set off on the first part of today's trek which will take about 3 hours until we reach Hidroelectrica (1880 m). If you want to avoid this part of walking you can decide to do the zipline near Santa Teresa (safe and fun!) for an extra price (about 30$). The zipline consists of 5 cables of different lengths and a hanging bridge in the end: perfect to add some adrenaline to your adventure! You will decide whether to do the zipline the night before, no need to book it in advance. After the zipline you will be transferred to Hidroelectrica by bus.
At Hidroelectrica we have lunch and some rest before we continue for a further 3 hours walking (a picturesque hike by the train tracks) until the town of Aguas Calientes (2010 m). Tonight we will not be camping but spend the night in a local hostel and then go out to a local restaurant for dinner that evening. We will go to bed early though because we will have a very early start the next day to visit the site of Machu Picchu.
 
DAY 5 – Aguas Calientes  Machu Picchu  Cusco 
Meals: breakfast
We get ready around 4.00 am to walk up hill from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu. The ticket control entrance should be passed about 6.00 am and we will enter the site to see one of the wonders of the world. At the ruins your guide will take you on a tour of the site. We will visit enclosures, plazas, sacred fountains, temples, towers and he will explain the different functions of each area such as the agricultural and urban sections. The tour lasts for approximately 2 hours and you will then have free time to explore the site yourself  
After spending some hours at Machu Picchu we unfortunately have to leave and the group will make its way down to the town of Aguas Calientes (you can walk or there is also a bus service for an additional cost)  before taking the train back to cusco. You must be at the train station at least 30 minutes before your train departure time and the train journey takes about 1 hour 45 mins to get to Ollantaytambo, where we will transfer to a private bus to take you back to Cusco (you will be dropped off at the main square in Cusco).

INCLUDED / NOT INCLUDEDINCLUDED / NOT INCLUDED
INCLUDED
  • Accommodation pickup
  • Transportation (bus to start of trek, train and bus to return to Cusco)
  • Entrance tickets to Machu Picchu
  • English-speaking guide
  • Pre-tour briefing the evening before tour
  • Horse to carry tents, food and cooking equipment, and up to 5 kg personal equipment (additional personal equipment horse available at extra cost)
  • Professional trekking cook
  • Meals as indicated in description
  • 1 night in hostel in Aguas Calientes
  • Camping equipment (tent, mattress, dining tent, kitchen tent)
  • First aid kit and assistance in case of problems
  • Sleeping mattress (sleeping bag can rented for an extra price)
 
NOT INCLUDED
  • Entrance fee - 10 soles
  • Sleeping bag (can be rented)
  • Extra horse to carry personal belongings (available at extra cost)
  • Trekking poles (can be rented)
  • First day breakfast and last day lunch (or dinner)
  • Water and snacks (can be bought on the way)
  • Bus from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes and back down (optional)
  • Personal medical kit (recommended)
  • Travel insurance (recommended)
  • Sunglasses and sun cream 
  • Insect repellent 
  • Accommodation dropoff (tour ends in San Francisco square)
  • Tips for guide, horseman, cook
 
EXTRA OPTIONS
  • Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu climb - These are two optional climbs that you can add to your booking. The Huayna Picchu takes about 45 mins and it is usually full far in advance. The Machu Picchu climb takes about 1.5 hours. Tickets for climbing up to the Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu mountain must be booked in advance when booking Machu Picchu tickets. If you want to do either of these (you can only do one) you must book this at the same time and it cannot be added on later. Please make sure you check availability before booking these as there are limited spaces each day.
  • You can hire an extra horse for personal belongings at an extra price.

IMPORTANT INFORMATIONIMPORTANT INFORMATION
  • Groups are usually from 6 to 12 but can be up to 16 people per group.
  • We recommend that you acclimatize to an altitude of around 2500-3000 meters for some days before attempting this trek and that you are in reasonable physical condition. Temperature changes quickly together with altitude (from 4000 to 2000 m). If you have any illnesses or conditions you MUST inform of these when booking. In some cases we will require a medical certificate in order to permit you to take part in tour.
 
WHAT TO BRING
  • Original passport 
  • Hiking boots or strong footwear, waterproof recommended!
  • Trekking poles (can be rented)
  • A backpack (30 to 40L) with a change of clothes for the whole period of the trek
  • Water bottle - minimum 2 litres or plastic bottle
  • Rain gear - jacket + trousers or rain poncho (plastic ponchos can be purchased in Cusco)
  • Warm clothes, including fleece jacket. Thermal clothing is highly recommended and can be also worn in the sleeping bag during cold nights
  • Trekking pants, zip off model is recommended
  • Gloves or mittens, scarf, woollen hat for cold nights
  • 3 pairs of warm socks
  • Sandals or jogging shoes for comfort while at camp
  • Sleeping bag  (you can rent one from us -$15 for the whole trip)
  • Flashlight / headlamp and extra batteries
  • Swimming gear for hot springs in Aguas Calientes
  • Binoculars
  • Camera, films and batteries (batteries consume more quickly under cold conditions) and waterproof bags for your camera
  • Hat or cap to protect you from the sun, rain and cold
  • Sun block
  • Insect repellent
  • Sunglasses
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Personal medical kit / supplies
  • Extra cash for snacks, water and energy drinks to buy on the way
  • Travel insurance

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