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Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu: The Ultimate Guide to the Best Alternative Route

June 16, 2025  |  Oki Doki Travel Peru

Best Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 2026: Which one is for you guide?

The Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu is a world-class adventure. First, you will witness the turquoise beauty of Humantay Lake. Then, you will conquer the majestic Salkantay Pass. Additionally, our 2026 tours include a unique stay at the Salkantay Sky Lodge. This exclusive experience allows you to sleep under the stars in the heart of the Andes. Because we are local experts, we guarantee the best circuits and a professional service for every hiker. Tour Operator: Experience the Classic Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu, the best alternative to the Inca Trail for 2026. This 4-day trekking tour takes you from the majestic Salkantay Pass to the lush cloud forests of Peru, ending at the iconic Machu Picchu citadel inca. Whether you are looking for a challenging adventure or a luxury glamping experience, our Salkantay treks offer the perfect balance of nature and comfort. The Salkantay Trek is the best way to reach the famous World Heritage site by UNESCO, Machu Picchu. Plan your journey with an expert Tour Operator and book your spot today!

sky lodge salkantay sky lodge humantay lake machupicchu okidoki
4 days / 3 nights
Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 2026 | Best Inca Trail Alternative, Hiking, Adventure

Classic Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu (2026 Guide)

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The classic Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu is one of Peru's top alternatives to the Inca Trail. Discover 4-day of adventure through snowy peaks, high jungle, and Inca ruins - Tour Operator.

Started from: $400 Per person
Oki Doki Travel Peru
4 days / 3 nights
Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 2026 | Best Inca Trail Alternative, Hiking, Adventure

Private Service Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

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Discover the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu in 4-day with our private service. Enjoy an exclusive experience, spectacular landscapes, and the magic of the Andes.

Started from: $790 Per person
Oki Doki Travel Peru
2 days / 1 night
Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 2026 | Best Inca Trail Alternative, Hiking, Adventure

Salkantay Trek + Humantay Lake

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Join our Salkantay Trek + Humantay Lake 2 days and experience the ultimate Andean adventure. Hike to the turquoise Humantay Lake and witness the majestic Salkantay Glacier with expert guides, prem...

Started from: $190 Per person
Oki Doki Travel Peru
5 days / 4 nights
Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 2026 | Permits & Expert Guide, Hiking, Adventure

Salkantay Trek + Original Inka Trail to Machu Picchu

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This is one of the best okidoki options for the Salkantay trek because it has a diversity of landscapes such as glacier mountains, jungle, forest, fauna, and we complement it with the original Ink...

Started from: $550 Per person

Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu: The Ultimate Guide to the Best Alternative Route

The Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu is widely recognized as the premier alternative to the classic Inca Trail. Unlike other routes, this journey takes you through breathtaking landscapes, from the frozen peaks of the Andes to the lush greenery of the high jungle.

In fact, National Geographic has frequently named it one of the top 25 treks in the world. If you are looking for an adventure that combines challenge, spirituality, and natural beauty, this guide is for you.


Why Choose the Salkantay Trek?

Many travelers wonder why they should choose Salkantay over other options. To begin with, this route does not require a permit months in advance, making it ideal for flexible travelers.

Additionally, the diversity of the ecosystem is unparalleled. During the trek, you will witness:

  • The Humantay Lake: A stunning turquoise lagoon at the foot of a glacier.

  • The Salkantay Pass: The highest point of the trek at 4,630 meters (15,190 ft).

  • Coffee Plantations: An immersive experience in the cloud forest of Santa Teresa.

  • Machu Picchu: The grand finale at one of the Seven Wonders of the World.


Best Time to Hike the Salkantay Trek

Choosing the right season is crucial for a successful experience. Generally, the best time to visit is during the dry season, which runs from May to September.

During these months, the days are sunny and provide clear views of the “Apus” (sacred mountains). However, you should be prepared for cold nights, especially at the first campsite in Soraypampa. In contrast, the rainy season (November to March) offers a more solitary experience but with a higher chance of mist and slippery trails.


How Difficult is the Salkantay Trek?

Regarding physical demand, the Salkantay Trek is considered moderate to challenging. The most difficult part occurs on Day 2, when you ascend to the Salkantay Pass.

To prepare properly, we recommend arriving in Cusco at least two or three days before the trek. This allows your body to acclimate to the altitude. Furthermore, staying hydrated and drinking coca tea will significantly help you manage the thinning air.


What to Pack for the Adventure

Packing light but smart is the key to enjoying the journey. Therefore, make sure to include the following essentials:

  1. Layers of clothing: Include a thermal base layer and a waterproof jacket.

  2. Hiking boots: Ensure they are broken in before you arrive in Peru.

  3. Sun protection: High-factor sunscreen and a hat are mandatory due to the high UV radiation.

  4. Trekking poles: These are highly recommended to protect your knees during the steep descents.


Experience the Magic with Okidoki Travel Peru

At Okidoki Travel Peru, we specialize in providing an authentic and safe trekking experience. Our expert guides not only ensure your safety but also share the deep history and Andean mythology of the Sacred Salkantay Mountain.

Finally, whether you stay in our exclusive Sky Lodges or enjoy a traditional camping setup, we guarantee an unforgettable journey. In conclusion, the Salkantay Trek is more than just a hike; it is a life-changing connection with the heart of the Andes.

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What Our Travelers Say: Over 500 Reviews on TripAdvisor

Our travelers don’t just return with photos and memories… they come back transformed. And the most valuable part? They become our greatest ambassadors.

With over 534 excellent reviews on TripAdvisor, our groups highlight more than just the route — they talk about the human connection, the safety, and the joy we bring to every journey through the Andes.

If you’re planning your adventure to Cusco, Machu Picchu, or the Salkantay Trail, do it with a company recommended by real travelers salkantay, not just by search engine rankings.

With Okidoki Peru Travel, you hike with support, care, and a smile — from the very first step to the final viewpoint. ✨🎒💚

Okidoki travel Peru Salkantay sky lodge

Best Travelers Say on TripAdvisor Reviews Okidoki Travel Peru, Tour Operator

Our travelers don’t just return with photos and memories... they come back transformed. And the most valuable part? They become our greatest ambassadors. With over 534 excellent reviews on TripAdvisor, our groups highlight more than just the route — they talk about the human connection, the safety, and the joy we bring to every journey through the Andes.
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Deivo_C
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Salkantay en 4D/3N ESPECTACULAR Agencia pequeña, familiar con trato directo. Sin intermediarios y local.He realizado con ellos el trek de Salkantay en privado y ha sido espectacular. Trato excelente del equipo. Tanto el porteador Simón, el chef Roland y nuestro guía Guillermo. Simón trata perfectamente bien y con respeto sin sobrecargar sus mulas y caballos que nos acompañan, Roland nos preparó una comida excelente y de calidad durante todo el trayecto; y Guillermo fue un guía didáctico y atencionado.Gracias a todo el equipo de Okidoki por la prestación realizada.Salkantay en 4D/3N ESPECTACULAR
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Pedro F
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Trekking Salkantay perfecto Todo el trekking Salkantay fue perfecto! Todo muy bien organizado, la gente muy simpatics siempre! Los acampamientos tenian buenas habitaciones/carpetas, la comida estaba riquisima (gracias Ronald) y el guia Guido nos llevó con excelencia! Recomiendo mucho! Yo fui solo, y con el grupo pequeño fue posible crear amistad con los otros participantesRecomiendo muchisimo!
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Lou f
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Salkantay trek en cinco días Todo estaba bien organizado. Estábamos un grupo pequeño, siempre los primeros en los sitios así que no había muchas personas. También, la comida súper rica y en grandes proporciones. Gracias a nuestro guía Guido para su alegría y los momentos compartidos
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Gerardo B
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Salkantay Trek Excelente servicio brindado por nuestro guía Manuel en el Salkantay Trek, quien tiene bastante experiencia en la montaña y conocimiento de la flora del recorrido. En este recorrido tambien nos acompañaron Ronal y Elvis quienes fueron nuestros cocineros y nos prepararon una variedad muy amplia de platillos.
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Elene A
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Una experiencia muy bonita Hicimos el Salkantay tour de cuatro días. Una experiencia muy bonita con muchos sitos bonitos. El guía muy agradable y siempre dispuesto a ayudar. La comida también muy buena, era comida típica peruana.
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Uxue F
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muy buena y recomendable Me ha parecido una experiencia increíble y con trabajadores muy formados, profesionales y completos. El guía ha sido muy amable y siempre dispuesto a resolver cualquier duda. En cuanto a la comida, tengo que destacar que siendo vegetariana han conseguido enseñarme la gastronomía peruana amoldando las recetas. El cocinero ha sido de lo mejor.
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Mariona P
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Highlight de Perú Okidoki nos brindó una experiencia inolvidable! El guía y el cocinero sorprendentes y muy buenos en su trabajo, nos ayudaron mucho y con un trato muy personal! Los paisajes maravillosos. En general, una experiencia de 10 que volvería a repetir mil veces :)) Además, los grupos acostumbran a ser de menos de 10 personas, que es mucho mejor!
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markoyd
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Una experiencing inolvidable. Fuimos en familia a machu pichu atravez de oki doky agencia de travel ubicada.en cusco y administrada por el senor Alvaro todo fue excellent siempre estuvo atento a todas nuestras consultas tambien le agradezco mucho al señor Wilbert que fue.nuestro Guia en el pueblo de machu pichu y en el mismo machu pichu que fue tanbien muy excelente su atencion en todo momento. Les recogiendo la agencia oki doky que cumplen todo lo que ofrecen.gracias a ellos pudimos hacer realidad el viaje a machu pichu.
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Lea
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Salkantay Trek Hicimos el Salkantay Trek de 4 días y tuvimos una gran experiencia. Nos dieron toda la información necesaria previamente e incluso me dieron una chaqueta gratis, ya que no tenía. El alojamiento y la comida eran buenos y teníamos una guía increíble.
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Rpo P
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Salkantay trrkking Uitstekende!! Geen woorden om zo mooi ervaring te beschrijven. Ik met mijn vrouw samen met Alcides onze gids hebben de 4 dagen route naar Salkantay gedaan. Goede eten, gezellidheid, en support veel van de sherpas. Alcides is een topertje, goede storyteller en better persoon. We gaan nooit vergeten de mooie aanbieding en verbinding met de Pachamama die op de Salkantay pass hebben gedaan. Dank je wel voor alles Okidoki!!! Tot de volgende reis!! Increíble experiencia hemos tenido con Alcides como guía y Okidoki como anfitrión. To fue mejor de lo esperado. Alcides es un magnífico guía, siempre preocupándose por nosotros, increíble cuentacuentos mejor persona y después de las 1000 fotos que nos tomo mejor fotógrafo. Repetiremos seguro con ellos en un par de años cuando vayamos a conocer las maravillas del Perú que aún no tuvimos la ocasión de conocer. Choque### va a ser nuestro próximo reto y espero que Al todavía esté para acompañarnos. Gracias x tan maravillosa experiencia Okidoki!! Gracias Al!!!
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Noé Chapuis
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Trek du Salkantay bien organisé et peu cher avec un super guide
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Théo Scheid
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Un trek du Salkantay extraordinaire ! Les groupes sont petits ce qui rend l'aventure encore plus belle (Nous étions 6 lors de notre excursion) Une petite agence à l'écoute, avec un guide, une organisation et des repas au top ! Je recommande !
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Mickael Laurent
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Treck de Salkantay en 4 jours parfaitement organisé avec notre guide Herbert, alias Papas, à la fois très sympathique et professionnel. Super cuisinier (Jorge) également, pour des plats réconfortants après des heures de marche dans ces superbes montagnes !
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Fabrice Pacitti
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Nous avons fait la randonnée salkantay avec Okidoki et les bons conseils d'Alvaro qui nous a vraiment bien guidé pour bien choisir notre randonnée et c'était super l'organisation,la nourriture excellente avec notre chef cuistot Rojer , notre guide papas et notre groupe sans oublier l'organisation avec les sacs portés par les mules La beauté des paysages et terminer par le Machu Picchu c'était comme un rêve . Mille mercis pour ce moment inoubliable dans nos vacances.
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Alica Wenger
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My partner and I booked the 3N/4D Salkantay Trek with Okiodoki and let me tell you – we had the best time. First of all: The Staff was amazing, very kind and super helpful. Alvaro (together with his wife Rosmary owners of Okidoki) replied within minutes to all our questions via whatsapp. A few days before the trek he welcomed us in his office, explained the tour in details and helped me getting over my fear, that the trek might be to hard for me (needless to say: all went perfectly fine and it wasn‘t as hard as I thought). They provided me with hiking poles (30 PEN for the 4 days) and in addition they lent me a daily backpack for free. All the material (duffle bag, sleeping bag, daily backpack) was in perfect condition and the sleeping bag really kept us warm during the cold night at the foot of the Salkantay. Our guide, Guilleromo, was probably the main reason why we had such good time. He timed the whole trip very well without being too pushy. That means, that everything went as it should and we always met our daily goal according to the timetable. Guilleromo is very kind and helpful. He made sure to keep us safe on the trip and inriched us with his profond knowlege of plants, the mountains, the indigenous community and the incas. Overall you could feel his passion for the nature, the mountains and the local cultur. We couln’d have wished for a better guide. Thank you so much Guilleromo! Our chef, Roger, prepared delicous meals, which were always right on time. The table was brautifully set and our special needs (vegetarisn or allergies) were always met. Also, the breakfast was a lot richer than I exprected and every day we got something new to try. Simon, the owner of the three mules, also was very sweet and kind and always a helping hand to Roger and Guilleromo. He made sure that our duffle bags arrived on time and we‘re still impressed how fast he managed to get from one campsite to the other! Second: compared to other tour companies, the groups at Okidoki are usually small. That allows you to get to know the participants in a more profond way. We happend to be a group of six people and the dynamic within the group was great. Third: the price-performance ratio is unbeatable. Of cours: don’t expect your trip to be luxurious. But keep in mind that you are doing a multiple day trip in the mountains and what they manage to offer, is already impressive. Particularly the first accomondation is very authentic and allows you to sleep under a sky full of stars with view on the salkantay. All accomondations are clean and you‘ll have a good sleep. If it‘s in your budget we would recommend to opt for the train to get back to cusco (costs arround 100 USD more). It only takes 4 hours (instead of 7h by van) and you won‘t have to walk additional 10km to the busstation after your visit to the Machu Picchu on your last day. After two hours train you‘ll get picked up by a van/bus to complete your journey back to Cusco. Overall we would recommend to book a trip with Okidoki for all reasons above and of course the amazing experience of the Salkantay!
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Camille
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Nous avons fait l’Inca Trail en deux jours et l’expérience a été excellente. Tout était parfaitement organisé : transports, repas, hébergement. Notre guide Guillermo connaissait très bien le terrain et a su nous partager sa passion avec enthousiasme. L’arrivée au Machu Picchu par la montagne restera pour nous un souvenir inoubliable - Je recommande!
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Juan Felipe Hedmont
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Una experiencia excelente, This is the best agency to do whatever tour you want in Cusco and Machu Picchu, I did the Salkantay trial with guide, place to sleep and even cheff, amazing experience, totally recommended, thank you Alvaro, Victor and Ronald.
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Neil Chatterjee
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Our experience with OkiDoki was excellent - Alvaro's organization and booking skills were incredible and we even got to do 2 circuits within Machu Picchu on the 2D/1N Inca Trail rather than just one. He even made it so that it was just us on the tour which made it extra special! Our guide, Alcides, was truly exceptional and made the experience 10x better and personalised. I would definitely try to request him if you are doing the Inca Trail with OkiDoki. The lunch we were provided was extremely comprehensive and included many many snacks, so I would not purchase any snacks of your own before going, but definitely bring water! The hotel we were booked in Aguas Calientes + the included dinner was so-so, but for the price you cannot really complain! The only downside we had was that Alvaro was sometimes not great at communicating and his emails sometimes made it seem as though he did not full understand what you were saying. You are also meant to pay the remaining cost (bar the deposit) in-person in cash and we organized this, but Alvaro then began hassling us and saying we had not paid in time despite having a discussion with him about when we were going to pay! This made one of our days in Cusco very stressful and we were rushing our day to get back in time to pay Alvaro and once we did he was not even there and made us wait an extra 2h to turn up and accept the payment. Overall, despite this slightly negative experience, I would still recommend OkiDoki to visit Machu Picchu because of their organization, knowledge of the laws and ticket booking systems, and their database of guides (go Alcides!!!!). Just make sure to complete the payment ASAP when you get to Cusco to avoid issues!
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Aubin Hansz-Mercier
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Je ne peux que recommander, parti pour un treck de 5j pour Choquequirao. Un très bon guide, excellent cuisinier enfin bref, une équipe au top. La qualité de l'équipement fourni était très agréable aussi. Nous avons pu adapter le rythme à notre envie et nous avons visité le site avant tout le monde nous permettant d'être seuls! C'était magique
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Colette Guichard
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Super expérience avec OkiDoki!! Mention spéciale à Guillermo, un guide en or, sympa, drôle et chaleureux. Merci aussi aux chefs qui nous ont régalés pendant ces quatre jours de trek, tout était au top, je ne peux que recommander OkiDoki (petit bonus : les skylodges pour voir les étoiles filantes depuis son lit ;) ! )
Best Tours and Trek in Peru

Best Destinations in Peru Trekking

Peru Destinations: The Best Places to Visit in Peru. There are more than 446 tourist attractions that have sanitary protocols for the prevention of Covid 19 in Peruvian, approved by bio-safe tourist destinations in Peru, for example: travel Machu Picchu by train / by bus, Salkantay Trek, Inca Trail original, Travel Cusco, Sacred Valley Tour, Travel Arequipa, Valley and Colca Canyon, Central Jungle Trips, Travel Puno – Lake Titicaca, Tambopata Tour, Manu Tour, Cordillera Blanca and many travel destinations throughout Peru.

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