Beautiful trek and takes you through some of the most spectacular terrain in the Cusco area. Salkantay meaning ‘savage mountain’ in Quechua and is the highest peak in the Vilcabamba mountain range and one of the highest in the Andes 6271m (20573fts)
We will climb as high as 5028m/16495ft, have amazing views of beautiful landscapes and also have the possibility of observing andean animals such as : condors (if we are lucky), alpacas in their natural habitats. This walk connects with the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu for the last 4 days and has a unique experience of the Salkantay trek and the famous inca trail to Machu Picchu the Inca Trail. So you will combine the most popular treks in Peru.
Your tour guide and your driver will pick you up from the lobby of hotel at 4.30 am and you will drive for around 2.5 hours to the trailhead, Marccoccasa (3300 meters). Where you will meet your horse man and all your team and have some time to prepare for the day (duffle bag and daypack) and enjoy your delicious breakfast. You will experience the amazing views of the andes with the lushness of the valley Today the hike will be moderate. enjoying the beautiful views Until we reach our lunch place ,it will be a gradual uphill climb about 3.5 hours. After lunch the hike will be less inclined and easier to walk. The views along the way change drastically: You will also experience a large temperature drop from warm to cold. Please make sure you have your warm jacket and gloves in your day pack for the cold afternoon. Our campsite will be at Soraypampa (3800 meters) upon your arrival we will enjoy hot drinks such as : hot chocolate, coca tea. Hot water.
Elevation: From 2900 to 3800 meters high
Walking Distance: 11km / 6.8 miles
Considered: Moderate
Weather: Warm to hot
We will Wake up very early and enjoy the hot drinks and breakfast, after that you will get prepared for the day. We will introduce you to the alpines microclimate and amazing views of the high glacier peaks which are considered to be the highest peaks around cusco and the father of the other mountains. You will begin with a climb of 2 hours to the most beautiful blue lake (turquoise) located right at the bottom of Humantay glacier mountain. The Incas used to celebrate ceremonies for the god of water and the Apus. You will return to the main trail and continue with the trek to get Salknataypampa where we will eat our lunch and enjoy the views of another mountain which is even higher: Salkantay Mountain (6215 m) . After our delicious lunch we will have a 2 hour steep climb to our second campsite at Ichupata or Pampa Japonesa (4200 m). Today will be a cold day so please take with you your warm hat, sunglasses and gloves in your daypack. At the campsite you will be welcomed by our team – Porters and enjoy our happy hour. hot drinks and dinner. Tonight you will be able to see constellations and the views of salkantay peak. This is the highest campsite so it should be a cold night, up to -5 celsius below.
Elevation: From 3500 meters to 4300 meters
Distance: 13 km / 8 miles
Considered: moderate to difficult
Weather: Cold
Today we will start with our hot tea and breakfast, today is our top day challenging . Your guide will take you up the INCA CHIRIASSCA pass (5000 meters high) with a smooth slow and steady pace walking throughout the amazing views of the glacier mountains. Upon our arrival to the hisgtest point we will see phenomenal views of the beautiful valleys, lakes and possibly some spectacular anden birds. Then you will start descending where there is an optional hike to a glacier, which only takes 30 minutes. Afterward, descend to your lunch spot where your porters will be waiting with the traditional hot tea and delicious lunch. We will take a nap and then we will walk down through lush green valleys we will stop along the way for spectacular photos, before reaching your campsite to rest and enjoy dinner
Elevation: from 4300 meters to 5000 meters then to 37500 meters high
Distance: 14 km / 8.6 miles
Considered: Difficult
Weather: Cold all day
Today we will reach the classic Inka trail to Machu Picchu. We will start our hike and we will descend the last part of Salkantay trek where we will see a farmers living as they have since the time of the inca, then we will visit a inca site on the way and the tour guide will introduce the history of the inca trail to Machu Picchu then your tour guide will head you to the new and different vegetation you will past by hight jungle microclimate and finally reach the classic inca trail where our chef will serve our lunch. Then we’ll hike uphill and get to our campsite to relax
Elevation: From 3750 meters to 3000 meters then up to 3800 meters high
Distance: 14 km / 8.6 miles
Considered: Moderate to difficult
Weather: Cold in the morning, warm in the afternoon
The most interesting and challenging day on the inca trail we will wake up very early in the morning with coca tea and delicious breakfast and then we will climb up to the puna area where we will see the andean vegetation (ichu) and some llamas around here. We will hike up to get to the dead woman’s pass (4200 meters high) where you will see beautiful valleys, mountains and glaciers, take some photos and relax. We will descend on the rock paved trail towards our lunch spot on the way we will observe kinds of flowers – orchids and in this area you will have a chance to see a lot of hummingbirds. Once we get you our lunch our team will welcome us and then we will continue with our adventure and we will begin to walk uphill for around 1:30 minutes. We will visit one of the ruins along the way to Runkurakay . This place was used for the chaskis. After we will continue to reach our second peak Runkurakay (4000 meters heights) and we start descending to reach our campsite and see a small lake called yanacocha where the incas organized ceremonies to worship to the water and then we will descend and reach the Sasaymarca a beautiful inca site where we will see beautiful inca ruins such as original inca house. Water fountains, and the most beautiful and spectacular views of the sacred valley. After take a lot of pictures we will go head to reach our campsite called Phuyupatamarca
Elevation: From 3800 meters to 4200 meters (the pass), 3600 meters (the lunch) and again 4000 meters (the pass), 3600 meters (the camp)
Distance: 18 km / 11 miles
Considered: Difficult
Weather: You will experience the 4 seasons all in just one day
The easiest- we will enjoy our breakfast and we will have the beautiful views of mountains that surround us. One of them is Machu Picchu Mountain and the Aguas Calientes village.we will hike 10 minutes and we will get Phuyu Phata Marca Town in the cloud. This place was used for the Incas nobles who made studies about astronomy. Then we will get to the high jungle and along the way we will see many orchid butterflies once we get to Wiñay Wayna (2600 meters high) we will enjoy our lunch and then we will rest. During the afternoon we will visit the most beautiful inca ruin along the inca trail to Machu Picchu called Wiñaywayna (forever young) . You can enjoy the beauty of the water channels, terraces, and temples. They used to live here to make religious ceremonies. And then return to our campsite to prepare yourself recovery energies at night we will have our last happy hour and dinner where the porters will say final goodbye
Elevation: From 3600 meters to 2600 meters high
Distance: 6 km / 3.7 miles
Considered: EasyWeather: Warm and humid
The most important day for you, so you will wake up very early to enjoy breakfast and l walk 1 hour and a half to see the sun gate where you will have a frist chance to see Machu picchu and experience some spectacular views of the stunning mountains, valleys, rivers once we finally arrive to Machu Picchu AND we will have a guided tour in the last city of the incas to , then go to Aguas Calientes by bus (approximately 30 minutes). After lunch and rest for a little bit we will need to be at the train station 30 minutes before our train departs back to Cusco.
PERMITS : In order to book your Inka trail , the Peruvian government limited the number of Inca Trail trekking permits to 500 per day. Everyone entering the trail needs a permit including the trekker, guide, porters and other support staff. Permits often sell out several months in advance and you must book well ahead to secure your place. When you send us your personal details required you must fill in alternative start dates that are possible for you to begin the trek. If your preferred date is sold out we will use one of these alternative dates for your permit. Once we purchase your permit from the National Park office, you are 100% confirmed to start this day, this date cannot be changed.
Permits are completely non-refundable or transferable, so please make sure the date you booked is a good date to start this adventure.
If you change your passport after booking your inca trail permit or you are planning to travel with a different passport, you MUST also bring the passport you used to book your permit, or you will not be able to hike the Inca Trail.
STUDENTS: If you want to get student discount there are requirements must be met
Original student ID gives from the university in PVC material and it must have the next requirements: university information, personal student information, student picture, and expiration date valid only for one year, it year must coincide with the year that student visit Machu Picchu, the discount until 25 years old.
If you purchased a permit with the student discount and you do not bring your card or it is not valid at the time of your trek start they will not allow you to enter the trail.
HUAYNA PICCHU: Only 400 people are allowed to climb this mountain per day.and it’s strongly recommended to book in advanced and the price is $75 per person we recommended to climb Huayna Picchu in the 10-11 am time slot as otherwise you miss your guided tour. We recommend booking about 4 months in advance to secure your space as it is very famous and they do sell out well in advance.
EXTRA NIGHT: If you would like to stay spend the night in Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu Town. Just let us know we will organize your return train for the next day. You can either organize your accommodation by yourself or we can assist with making bookings. If you were thinking of going back to Machu Picchu the next day, you will need to book a new entrance ticket to get into Machu Picchu and the round-trip bus tickets to Aguas Calientes
RETURN TRAIN TO CUSCO: The return train is the Expedition train included in the price which departs either at 2:55, 3 :20 , 4:22,. The train that is booked depends on availability and is confirmed at your briefing. if you would like to upgrade your train to the Vistadome train which is an extra $70 per person. Please tell us of your preference at the time of booking. None of the trains go straight to Cusco, they only run either to Ollantaytambo or Poroy but in either case we will be waiting for you and transfer you back by bus to your hotel (2 hours from Ollantaytambo and 25 minutes from Poroy).
FOOD ON THE TREK: The food. It is always fresh and most of it is organic. There is always a lot to eat and lots of options including vegetables, meat, chicken, fish and other types of protein and carbohydrates. We accommodate all dietary requirements including vegetarian options and any food allergies. We do not provide any alcoholic drinks on the trek.
OUR EQUIPMENT: We provide 4-person tents (for just 2 people) and foam mats for everyone. Our dining equipment includes a spacious dining tent, tables and chairs, plates and utensils. We do NOT supply sleeping bags, inflatable air mats or walking sticks, but all can be rented from Hiking Trails Peru.
Important note that if you are over 1.95 meters / 6´4″ tall , you won’t be able to find a sleeping bag rental in Cusco. In this case it is recommended to bring your own.
OUR GUIDES, COOK AND PORTERS: Amazing, helpful, Knowledgeable, fun,, and great people to be around with. Our guides speak good English and are patient and very informative. Our cooks provide amazing family style food for you and our porters and everyone is impressed with what. Your porters will carry everything for you which makes your trek as easy and comfortable as possible, you will see, they are phenomenal! We make sure that all our team of porters are well looked after and we provide all of their equipment so that they can support our trekkers in as much comfort as possible.
STORAGE DURING YOUR TREK: During the Inca Trail trek your main luggage will be stored in Cusco. You will receive a small duffle bag at your Inca Trail briefing to pack your extra clothes in for 4 days. Your team of porters will carry these bags together with the food and equipment for the trail.
Important note that you will not be able to get access to these items until the end of each day as the porters will always be ahead of the group, you should bring a daypack in which you can carry personal belongings such as your camera, water and sunscreen, etc.
The duffle bag carried by the porters must not weigh more than 7kg (15 pounds). You can either store your luggage at your hotel or you can leave it with us.
FITNESS: The Inca Trail is certainly not easy but you do not need to be an athlete or a trekking expert to complete it. Fitness is naturally important but the Inca Trail is the kind of trek that anyone with a positive attitude and determination can do. Obviously the more fit you are, the more you will enjoy the trail, and the more opportunities you will have to enjoy the scenery and Inca ruins along the way. If you do not exercise regularly, it is advisable to do some extra walking, stair climbing or some kind of aerobic activity .
Yes 100% Peruvian!
It is $xxx per person for our 7D/6N trek,
includes a 7kg / 14 pounds weight allowance for your trekking clothes which will be carried by HIKING TRAILS porters . This allows you to walk with just your day pack and enjoy the trek without the additional weight.
We have a minimum of 2 people to start a group and a maximum of 10-12 with two guides. However, most of our groups are of 4 – 6 people. If you are traveling solo, we are very happy to match you up with one of our existing groups.
Please fill in the form from our “Book Now” menu on our website. Then make a deposit of $200 per person which you can do via PayPal . Pay Pal does charge a small fee of 5.5% which is to be paid by the client. This comes to a total of $211 per person including PayPal fees. As soon as we receive both we will book your Inca Trail permits (subject to availability) and email you with a confirmation and your final invoice which can be paid when you arrive in Cusco.
“No”. Once the tickets have been purchased the government does not allow any changes, so we can’t change any departure dates after purchase. Tickets are also not transferable.
Once we pay for your permits and other required tickets, we do not receive any refund from the government or Train Company, so we therefore cannot refund any monies to you.
YES, you absolutely need to bring your original passport and it is very important that it be the same passport number you sent to us to book your Inca Trail permits. If you are in the process of renewing your passport, go ahead and send us your old number to secure your permit, and we can change it when you get your new passport number.
If you want to get student discount there are requirements must be met
Original student ID gives from the university in PVC material and it must have the next requirements: university information, personal student information, student picture, and expiration date valid only for one year, it year must coincide with the year that student visit Machu Picchu, the discount until 25 years old.
If you purchased a permit with the student discount and you do not bring your card or it is not valid at the time of your trek start they will not allow you to enter the trail.
We are an official Inka Trail operator, we are a Peruvian company, we have smaller size groups, the BEST guides, the BEST meals, the BEST camping equipment, private toilets, our camping sites are located at the BEST locations without many other groups around, and very importantly – we are a PORTER FRIENDLY COMPANY, we treat our porters, guides and cooks the best!
We provide 4-person tents but we only put two people in each 4-person tent which means you have plenty of space in your tents to relax and keep your trekking gear.
Yes, we do take our private tent-toilets, And why is it convenient to have private tent-toilets? Because the campsites are not very close to the ranger toilets and it is dangerous to walk at night in the freezing cold and dark.
Absolutely! Our food is the best! We can accommodate your needs without any problem if you are vegetarian, vegan, or have any allergies. All meals are buffet, freshly prepared in the same location where we are camping.
For sure you will have many different varieties of weather as you pass through the numerous microclimates which will depend the day and the elevation you are at, but we definitely suggest you bring clothes for 4 seasons, including waterproof gear. One thing we can say is that weather rarely goes below zero.
It is 75 km / 46.5 miles
The highest point of the hike is INCA CHIRIASSCA 5000
This hike is definitely not easy but is something you can survive, you just need to try to be as fit as possible and believe that this will be a lifetime experience, this is once-in-a-life-time adventure!!
Day 1.- 11 km
Day 2.- 13 km
Day 3 .- 14 km
Day 4 .- 14 km
Day 5. 16km
Day 6 10 km
Day 7 5km
You will have 1 cook per group. The number of porters depends of the size of the group. For group of : 2 trekkers will have 5 porters + 1 cook 4 trekkers will have 7 porters + 1 cook 6 trekkers will have 10 porters + 1 cook 8 trekkers will have 12 porters + 1 cook 10 trekkers will have 14 porters + 1 cook If by any chance we have a larger group, the number of the porters will increase accordingly.
If the group is 8 people or less you will have 1 tour guide. If the group is 9 or more, you will have 2 tours guides.
It will depend a lot on what kind of illness you get and at which point on the Inka Trail. if you become ill before Dead Woman’s Pass (Day 2 highest point ) and feel you won’t be able to continue the hike, you will return with a porter to the trailhead and take the train to Aguas Calientes and then Machu Picchu. where you will meet up with your group. if you become seriously ill, we will return you either by stretcher or horse to the trail head and bring you back to the clinic. we strongly recommend to have travel insurance in case anything happens along the way. Extra expenses due to illnesses are covered by you.
We can provide legal documentation for your travel insurance company to assist in getting the money reimbursed to you. If you become ill after Dead Woman’s Pass it is actually better to just continue on the trail since you are closer to Machu Picchu and at a much lower elevation, Hiking trails Peru tour guides are extremely well-trained on how to assess the situation in case you need any assistance. Our tour guides bring oxygen tanks and first aid kits with all the typical necessary medications. If you have any special medications from your doctor it is a good idea that you bring them with you.
We will collect you from your hotel in Cusco at 4.30 am on the first day and the average time to wake up each day is at 5am. This can also vary depending on your guide and the speed of the group.
Yes, we will absolutely drop you off at your hotel in Cusco after your hike and also we can also drop you off at any hotel in Ollantaytambo , Urubamba in the Sacred Valley. Just let us know in advance.
You will reach Machu Picchu around 7.30am. It is a 2 hour walk to Machu Picchu from the last campsite.and then You will explore Machu Picchu with your tour guide .
Definitely ,Yes, you can, We will book you in the second slot which begins at 10am. This means that you will have your guided tour first, then climb Huayna Picchu on your own. Huayna Picchu is regulated to only 400 people per day and this means that you need to book it far in advance since it tends to sell out quite a bit ahead of time. The price for a permit to climb this mountain is $75 per person
Huayna Picchu is about 1½ hours round trip,
We include bus tickets. The buses depart every 5 minutes and it takes about 30 minutes to get down to Aguas Calientes. the buses are comfortable and clean. Make sure you allow enough time to descend to be sure you have plenty of time to catch your train.
Depends on the train availability. We normally book the trains for either 2:55 pm, 3:20 pm or 4:22 pm. All trains are tourist expedition class. It is a beautiful, scenic train ride and ideally you want to do it in daylight. It does get dark around 6pm here.
You can absolutely upgrade to Vistadome train which has slightly nicer seating, domed glass windows which make for better views of the high mountains and a dance show on board the train. The price is $70 per person which includes the transfer the train station to your hotel in Cusco.
Most people take the tourist expedition class train and the train ride is only 2 hours from Ollantaytambo and as mentioned previously – the major difference is the seating and shows, the views are the same on both trains as they follow the same route, though the Vistadome has windows in the ceiling of the train cars, so that you can see the tops of the mountains en route. If you choose to upgrade to the Vistadome train, it will return to Poroy instead of Ollantaytambo. Poroy is about 25 minutes outside of Cusco. So this means you will not stop in Ollantaytambo to catch the 2 hour bus back to Cusco, instead your train ride will be 3 1/2 hours, leave you in Poroy, and we will pick you up from there for the 25 minute drive to Cusco.
Yes, We can purchase your bus tickets and Machu Picchu entrances tickets for you(Please let us know in advance ). You will go back into Machu Picchu on your own since the guide will have gone back on the 4th day. Then you will take the afternoon train in the following day and use our transportation back to Cusco. Sometimes people don’t want to go back to Machu Picchu but want to stay an extra night at Aguas Calientes and take morning train to Ollantaytambo.Just let us know so that we book your trains accordingly.
It is 2 hours by train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo and then another 2 hours from Ollantaytambo to Cusco by bus. If you upgrade to Vistadome, the train is 3 1/2 hours to Poroy, then 25 by taxi to Cusco.
We prefer that you pay by cash at our office (US dollars or Peruvian soles) but you can also use a Paypal We are required to charge an additional 5.5 % since your card is international.
We have two seasons, rainy and dry season, rainy is from November to March. Dry season is from April to October which is considered to be the best months to do the hike. The Inca Trail is closed for the month of February.
The first day is a little muddy, and not as clean since local people use the same trail for their horses. The second day to Machu Picchu is all paved with stone, most of which are uneven and can make it a little hard to walk on but certainly doable. We do suggest you take trekking poles/walking sticks to help balance yourself.
In our opinion, the Inca Trail is the most beautiful hike in the world! It is the only trail that takes you directly though the Sun Gate into Machu Picchu. It is very historically significant and, very importantly, it takes you through many different microclimates, providing amazing views of the Peruvian Andes. Great valleys, waterfalls, flora and fauna are amazing highlights. There are also many other Inka archeological sites along the way that are just as interesting as Machu Picchu ruins.
This is the trail that the Incas walked to Machu Picchu and it will remain with you forever how wonderful and spiritual this hike is.
What else to say about this beautiful, historic and amazing place. We hiked up the Wayna piccu to get an overlook on the maccu piccu and where lucky. It was absolutely breathtaking!
Our trip in May was my second to Cusco and the first one for my friend. I already had in mind to visit WaynaPicchu since I couldn’t do it in my first trip (my kids were too small for such a hike) and it was more than I expected. Maybe it was the anticipation, or maybe it was the hour hike it took to get there…
It was an awesome climb! And it was Not near as physically challenging as the four day Inca Trail. Looks intimidating but it was fairly safe for a 60+ year old (that is in good physical shape). It took my wife & I about 30 to 40 minutes to climb. It had steel cable handrails along the mountain side for many parts of the climb. You should be acclimated to the elevation prior to climbing. And train on hikes and/or stair master. Spectacular views. Worth the climb and price.
