The Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu in Peru is part of an extensive network of Inca trails that spans over 23,000 km. This system once connected the Tahuantinsuyu, the vast Inca Empire, which covered parts of present-day Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina.
The Inca trail system, running from the coastal regions to the high Andes mountains, also reached the tropical edge of the Amazon rainforest in Peru. It was an incredible feat of engineering that united the empire and enabled communication across its vast territory.
Hiking from the snow-capped Salkantay Mountain to the ancient site of Machu Picchu is an experience that every adventure enthusiast should have at least once. This alternative route to the crowded Inca Trail provides a unique perspective of the stunning landscapes.
Throughout the trek, you will be treated to breathtaking views of towering peaks, lush valleys, and remote villages.
At the end of the journey, you will reach Machu Picchu and see it from the west — a less common but equally captivating vantage point that reveals the full grandeur of this ancient wonder.
We will pick you up from your hotel between 4:20a.m. to 4:50 a.m. then we will drive to the town of Mollepata which is located at a height of 2900 mt – 9514 ft which is at a distance of 2 hours approximately from Cusco where We will take a rest for about 20 minutes (We have a breakfast included and where you have to pay an entrance ticket not included to the community and Humantay lagoon of 20 soles).
Then we will continue our journey towards the place of Challacancha which is the beginning of the walk that has as a height 3600mt-11500ft.
Then we will have approximately 3 hours of travel until arriving at the base of the camp called Soraypampa (Sky Lodge okidoki) that has as height 3912mt-12834ft, where we will have a lunch enjoying the panoramic view of the mountains and its geography as -the snowy of humantay 4200 mt – 13779 ft and also the snowfall of the Salkantay trek 6271mt – 20575ft after a rest we will make an acenso for one hour 30 minutes towards the lagoon of humantay and then we will return to the base of the camp where we will have the time of the tea and also the dinner.
Salkantay Sky Lodge Okidoki Travel
This is the most difficult day, for this reason we wake up at 5:00 am and breakfast will be 5:30 am our walk will start at 6:00am, to make an acenso for about 3 to 4 hours to reach the passage of Salkantay 4630mt – 15190ft,
where we will have a traditional Andean ceremony with the whole group, then we will make a descent to the place of huayramachay 3912mt-12834ft where we will have a lunch and then we will continue for 3 more hours towards the second camp Chaullay -2900mt-9514feet
We will start the day at 6:00a.m. and have breakfast at 6:30 a.m., then we will start the walk in a high jungle with a very beautiful geography of rivers, waterfalls where we can appreciate the flora and fauna of this place such as orchids, coffee and coca plantations, fruit trees, bananas, papaya, avocado, passion fruit, and birds such as hummingbirds, parrots, and cock-of-the-rock, etc.
To get to Sahuayo beach 2064 mt – 6771 ft – where we will have lunch and then we will have a local transport (transportation not included for day 3, from Sahuayaco beach place of lunch to the hydroelectric plant start of the walk to get to town of Aguas Calientes 40 or 50 soles per person)
of approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes to the hydroelectric plant where we will start again our walk of approximately 3 hours to the town of Aguas Calientes or also known as the town of Machu Picchu 2000mt where we will have our accommodation in a hostel and we will also have dinner in a restaurant then we will rest because the next day will be the special day of the visit to Machu Picchu.
This day we will start very early at 4:30 am.
The first part of the trip is flat for ½ hour and then 1 hour of ascent towards Machu Picchu where we will arrive at approximately 6:00 am to be able to see the sunrise and have the exploration of Machu Picchu with our guide for approximately 2 hours.
After a rest you can leave Machu Picchu and begin your descent no later than 10:30 am to begin your walk for 3 more hours towards Hidroeléctrica where we will board the bus to return to Cusco.
Includes the return by bus from Hidroeléctrica at 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and arriving in Cusco between 10:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. (approximately 7 hours). Cusco center
Transportation to return to Cusco on the last day.
This day we will start very early at 4:00am, the first part of the trip is flat for ½ hour and for 1 hour it is an ascent towards MachuPicchu where we will arrive at approximately 6am to be able to see the sunrise and have the exploration of Machu Picchu with our guide for an average of 2 hours approximately,
It is the new government regulation and after your visit to Machu Picchu, you have to go down through the town of Aguas Calientes and to go down you have 2 options depending on your physical condition after the walk…..
First option…a walk of 1 hour and 30 minutes to the town of Aguas Calientes…….
Second option…bus x 30 minutes to the town of Aguas Calientes price 12 dollars per person not included.
Then you have time for lunch not included with some free time,
then you will take the train to Ollantaytambo for approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes and then a bus to Cusco for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes to the center of Cusco.
end of service okidoki travel peru operator
MACHUPICCHU TICKETS ARE INCLUDED:
How many circuits are there now in Machu Picchu for your visit ???
For the visit to Machu Picchu there are now 3 different circuits and now it is really complicated for the guides because it is impossible for the guides to be at the same time in all the circuits…
Which circuit does the guided tour in Machu Picchu include???
The guided tour is only included for the classic circuit or circuit 2. Entry time to Machu Picchu for the guided tour is from 6 am or 7 am. To be able to do this circuit you must book it in advance.
If you want to climb Huayna Picchu Mountain, does it have an extra cost?
But if you want to climb HuaynaPicchu Mountain, it has an extra cost of 20 dollars per person, but you lose your guide service in Machu Piccho…
Because the guide service includes the normal circuit, which is circuit 2 in Machu Picchu, and the guide cannot be on 10 circuits at the same time.
If I do the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu for 4 days and 3 nights, returning by bus on the last day to Cusco from the hydroelectric plant, do I have enough time to climb HuaynaPicchu… ???
With the new government regulation you have time to return by bus that same day, but you will lose your guide service in Machu Picchu because the guide cannot be in 10 different circuits at the same time (but I recommend you return by train so you have enough time to enjoy the mountain or you can also stay one more night in the hostel in Aguas Calientes not included and the next day return to Cusco by bus from the hydroelectric plant included…
but it is only a recommendation – okidoki travel peru operator)
How much time do I have to visit Machu Picchu with the normal circuit 2 if I return to Cusco by bus on the last day after my visit to Machu Picchu…???
you have time to return to cusco by bus after your visit to machupicchu if we book the first entry times to machupicchu which can be 6am, 7am or 8am…..because with the new government regulation for the visit to machupicchu you have approximately 2 hours and you can only visit once…
but if we book check-in times to machupicchu after 8am like 9am or 10am you have to return by train or you can also stay one more night at the aguas calientes hostel not included and the next day return to cusco by bus from hidroeléctrica included… …but it is only a recommendation from the okidoki operator.
The prices for the salkantay vary according to the option how you want to return to Cusco after your guided tour in Machupicchu.
The student discount is for the Machu Picchu ticket, not for our trek. You have to send a copy of your student card before making your deposit, not after.
to make your reservation you need the exact date of your salkantay trek departure because there are no changes or cancellations
To confirm your reservation and your participation in the salkantay trek, you need to make a deposit. This deposit is to reserve all your trek services and, most importantly, the purchase of the Machu Picchu ticket (the Machu Picchu ticket is personal, it cannot be canceled or change date, or transfer to another person )
Cancellations and date changes are not accepted, you simply lose your deposit, there is no refund.
your deposit is not for our pocket ( It is to buy the Machu Picchu tickets and these tickets cannot be cancelled).
And it is for the organization of a good salkantay trek in okidoki and to have this good organization you have to make advance reservations of all the services that you are going to have during the 4 or 5 days of your salkantay trek.
And these reservations are made with deposits so as not to have inconveniences or last minute cancellations from our suppliers and if we cancel these reservations we lose our deposits because this is not a game and by making a reservation with our service providers for the salkantay trekking we are blocking spaces that they can simply give to other tour operators who also need it.