Salkantay route to Machu Picchu

Schedule by Day

• Day 1 Lima
  • Upon your arrival, reception at the airport and transfer to the hotel.
  • Overnight at selected hotel at Lima.
• Day 2 Lima - Cusco
  • Transfer to Lima airport to take the flight to Cusco city.
  • Transfer to the hotel.
  • Afternoon City Tour:
  • Visit the city declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco. The tour will start at the temple of Koricancha, an ancient Inca palace where the order of the Dominicans built an incredible church that can still be seen there. Then visit the Main Square, where the Cathedral and the beautiful Church of the Society of Jesus, among other colonial buildings, are located. Continue to the San Cristóbal colonial chruch to enjoy a spectacular view of the city. Afterwards you will go on to the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, an Inca building known for its massive walls of hewn stone, also Qenko and Puca Pucara archaeological complexes.
  • Hike Briefing meeting at the hotel's lobby.
  • Overnight at selected hotel at Cusco.
  • Included: Breakfast.
• Day 3 Sacred Valley
  • Get to know the Sacred Valley. Stop at Racchi vantage point to admire the beautiful natural scenery. You will also go to Moray to see the enormous circular terraces that were used by the Incas as a botanical laboratory. This is followed by the Maras salt pans, which produce the finest salt in the world, used by great international chefs. A delicious lunch will be served in a local restaurant. After lunch you will continue to Ollantaytambo, one of the most imposing building complexes of the Inca Empire and the site of one of the Spanish Conquistadors' rare strategic defeats. Famous for its terraced fields (cut into the hillsides), Ollantaytambo was an effective fortress as well as a religious centre. Finally, a visit to the village of Ollantaytambo, the only “living Inca town” and the best remaining example of Inca urban planning, with stone-paved streets that have been continuously inhabited since the 13th Century.
  • Overnight at selected hotel at Cusco.
  • Breakfast and lunch.
• Day 4 Cusco – Challacancha – Soroycocha
  • We will leave Cusco early and drive to the village of Mollepata, a nice andean village situated in a citrus growing area at a subtropical region at 2803 masl. En route we will visit the archaeological site of Tarawasi, one of the nicest buildings in the region before getting to Mollepata. After that we will continue driving up over a dirty road until we arrive to Challacancha.
  • Once there we will meet the horse handlers as well as the horses, which will provide support during the trek. Once at Challacancha we will start the climb toward Salkantaypampa, where we will have lunch.
  • After a short rest we will continue to climb toward Soroycocha (4,200 masl), which will also be the first campsite. From there we will have a magnificent view of Apu Salkantay (snowcapped mountain 6271.00 masl), Guardian Lord of Cusco.
  • Camp overnight.
  • Included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• Day 5 Soroycocha – Qollpapampa
  • After a healthy breakfast, early in the morning, forecasting a long journey we will depart around 6:30 am, toward Collpapampa, we will start to ascent until arrive to Salkantay Mountain pass (4525masl) at the side we will enjoy wonderful views of the surrounding glaciers and the snow-capped mountain of the Vilcabamba Mountain Range, show us the southern face of the Salkantay towering above us. We will have the possibility to see chinchillas and Andean Condors in their natural habitat and eventually arriving to Huayracmachay, where we will have lunch.
  • Then, we will start descending towards a more tropical climate and into the so-called cloud forest. Along the route, we will be able to see the remains of an original ancient Inca path, approximately 6 meters wide. We will also walk along the Salkantay River, eventually arriving to the second camp site at Qollpapampa (2870m), a beautiful spot with some natural hot springs to relax in.
  • Camp overnight.
  • Included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• Day 6 Qollpapampa - Lucmabamba
  • After breakfast we will descend through a narrow path toward the banks of the Cachora or Santa Teresa River. On this day we will be able to enjoy a warmer and more humid climate, at this altitude there is a marked change in the flora and fauna, becoming more verdant and preparing us for subtropical foliage. En route we will pass through wild fruits plantations such as passion fruit and coffee plantations. We will pass the waterfalls of Coripacchi, the settlement at Wiñaypoko, where we will enjoy a delicious Lunch. In the afternoon we will continue travelling close to the banks of the river as we pass Sahuayaco, a small village with less than 20 families. Later, we will arrive to our campsite at Lucmabamba.
  • Camp overnight.
  • Included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• Day 7 Lucmabamba – Llactapata – Machu Picchu Town
  • After breakfast, we will start to walk toward La Playa village and then cross the river to start climbing to El Mirador or Abra Q’elloqasa (2860 masl). From there we will have an exceptional view of the Lost City of the Incas, the legendary Machu Picchu, from a different angle.
  • We will take a break and enjoy our last lunch amongst nature at the lookout point of Llaqtapata (2650masl) from where we can view both Machu Picchu and the Salkantay Mountain, to later take a good rest, enjoying the added value of the Llactapata ruins, which have recently been restored. We will then descend towards the Aobamba River, crossing lush bamboo forests, more orchards and coffee plantations, bringing us to the Machu Picchu hydroelectric plant. Once there we will board train that takes us to Puente Ruinas (short, scenic 30-minute train ride), arriving to Aguas Calientes, transfer to the hotel for rest.
  • Overnight at selected hotel at Machu Picchu.
  • Included: Breakfast, lunch.
• Day 8 Machu Picchu – Cusco
  • Early in the morning we will take the first bus up to the Sanctuary; the guide will offer a full guided tour of this spectacular place. Then, we will have free time to explore after the tour. After that we will return to Aguas Calientes to take the afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo, where the bus will be waiting for us to transfer to the hotel in the Sacred Valley or Cusco city.
  • Overnight at selected hotel at Cusco.
  • Included: Breakfast, lunch.
• Day 9 Cusco - Lima
  • Transfer from the hotel to the airport to take the flight to Lima.
  • Arrival and board the connecting international flight back home.
  • Included: Breakfast.