4-Day Short Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

Highlight of the day: Spend the afternoon admiring the spectacular Humantay Lake.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Sky Camp
Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging
Walking Distance: 10 km / 6.21 mi
Walking Time: 5–6 hours
Starting Elevation: 3,800 m / 12,467 ft
Min. Elevation: 3,800 m / 12,467 ft
Highest Elevation: 4,200 m / 13,780 ft
Campsite Elevation: 3,900 m / 12,795 ft

Today you will get an early start on this adventure. We’ll pick you up from your accommodation in Cusco at 4:30 a.m. and travel for approximately two hours to have a quick breakfast in Mollepata. Our transportation includes cozy blankets in case you need to sleep for a few more minutes. After feeding and resting a bit, we’ll drive for another hour to the starting point of the trek in Challacancha.

Before we start our trek, you will meet the muleteers and cooks who are part of the team and do a final check of your luggage. Then, we will begin our relatively easy three-hour hike to Soraypampa (3,900 m / 12,795 ft), where our first camp is located. Along the way, you will enjoy beautiful glaciers and a deep valley. Also, you will see that an Inca water channel follows us most of the way and is still used by farmers in the area to this day. This stretch has a length of 7 km / 4.35 miles.

Once in Soraypampa, you’ll have some time to get settled into your cozy igloo in our Sky Camp and enjoy your first lunch cooked by our talented chefs. There’s no doubt you’ll be amazed by their talents in the middle of the mountains. Once you’re full of energy, we’ll begin our afternoon trek up to Humantay Lake (4,200 m / 13,780 ft), often called the jewel or gem in the mountains, and you’ll see why once you reach the top.

The round trip is around 2:30 hours long and covers 3 km / 1.86 miles. The distance may seem short, but you may get tired due to its high altitude. You need to go slowly. When you reach the stunning lagoon, you’ll have plenty of time to catch your breath, enjoy the fantastic scenery and contemplate its turquoise waters in contrast to the snowy backdrop. The views here are truly like something out of dreamland.

Once we return to camp, you will have time to enjoy a delicious dinner while watching the sunset behind the mountains. It’s hard to describe the energy of this place, but the inner peace is as close as it gets. Then it’s time to head back to your Sky Camp for a good night’s sleep and contemplate the constellations.

Highlight of the day: Witnessing the energy and hugely powerful gigantic Salkantay Mountain.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Mountain Sky View Campsite
Difficulty: Challenging
Walking Distance: 23.5 km / 14.6 mi
Walking Time: 10–11 hours
Starting Elevation: 3,900 m / 12,795 ft
Min. Elevation: 2,900 m / 9,514 ft
Highest Elevation: 4,630 m / 15,190 ft
Campsite Elevation: 2,950 m / 9,678 ft

Today is the most challenging, but the reward will be great as you will get fantastic views of wonderful landscapes. After tasting our breakfast, we will hike for approximately three hours to the Salkantay pass, where we will spend time taking pictures of the incredible panorama. Afterward, we will descend through the cloud forest to the lunch spot before continuing to the jungle’s edge amidst exotic scenery. Finally, we will arrive at the exclusive Mountain Sky View Campsite in Collpapampa for the night.

In the morning, you will wake up with the day’s first rays and see the Apu Salkantay while enjoying an energizing coca tea. Afterward, you will have a nutritious breakfast before embarking on the 7 km trek for approximately three hours to the highest point of the route, the Salkantay Pass (4,630 m / 15,190 ft). It is a difficult ascent along the “path of the 7 snakes” because of its winding path.

Once at the top, you will appreciate the most magnificent view over the surrounding valleys and the Salkantay mountain right in front of you (6,271 m / 20,574 ft). It boasts the second-highest mountain in the Cusco region, and it’s considered an Apu (Inca God). You will also be able to observe the mountains: Humantay, Tucarhuay, and Pumasillo. After enjoying the views and rest, you will start descending (7 km / 4.35 mi) to our lunch point at Huayracmachay (3,850 m / 12,631 ft). This section is rocky and steep but has impressive views of the surrounding valley.

After a revitalizing lunch, you will enter the edge of the rainforest, also known as the “cloud forest.” This section has a distance of 9.5 km / 5.9 mi and lasts approximately three and a half hours. Along the way, you will enjoy the verdant rainforest and witness how the scenery changes rapidly and drastically from the Andes to the Amazon. You will observe colorful landscapes, unique fauna, and native plants and feel the warmer climate.

After a long day of hiking, you will be glad to arrive at Collpapampa for the night. Finally, we will serve you a hearty meal before resting at our exclusive Mountain Sky View Campsite.

Highlight of the day: Hiking through the lush jungle and reaching the base of Machu Picchu in Aguas Calientes.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel in Aguas Calientes
Difficulty: Challenging
Walking Distance: 19.5 km / 12.12 mi
Walking Time: 6 hours
Starting Elevation: 2,950 m / 9,678 ft
Min. Elevation: 1,800 m / 5,906 ft
Highest Elevation: 2,950 m / 9,678 ft
Accommodation Elevation: 2,040 m / 6,693 ft

The day begins early with tea and breakfast at camp before setting off on a scenic hike through the Santa Teresa Valley. Upon reaching Granadilla, a vehicle will take us to an authentic coffee experience where we’ll prepare our own cup of coffee. After a delicious lunch, we continue to the Hydroelectric train station, where you can either walk alongside the Urubamba River or take the train to Aguas Calientes. Once there, you’ll have time to settle into your hotel, visit the relaxing hot springs, and enjoy dinner at a renowned restaurant—recharging for tomorrow’s long-awaited visit to Machu Picchu.

Today begins at 6:00 a.m. with a warm cup of tea and a nourishing breakfast at camp. We’ll then set out on a scenic hike through the Santa Teresa Valley, following a gently descending trail that reveals spectacular views of rivers, waterfalls, orchids, and plantations of banana, coffee, and avocado. Keep your eyes open—if we’re lucky, we might spot the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Peru’s national bird.

Upon reaching the Granadilla sector, a private vehicle will be waiting to transfer us to La Playa, allowing us to arrive with plenty of energy and time to enjoy an authentic coffee experience. Here we’ll walk through the plantations, participate in the cultivation process, and finally roast, grind, and brew our very own cup of coffee.

After this enriching activity, we’ll enjoy lunch on site and then continue by vehicle to the Hydroelectric train station. From there, we’ll walk along the railway tracks surrounded by lush vegetation beside the Urubamba River. If you feel tired at this stage, you may also take the train to Aguas Calientes instead (not included in the program).

Once in Aguas Calientes, we’ll escort you to your hotel so you can check in and enjoy the comforts it offers. You’ll have free time to visit the town’s famous hot springs, the perfect way to relax after the hike. In the evening, we’ll gather for dinner at a prestigious restaurant before returning to the hotel to rest. Tomorrow, an unforgettable day awaits at the magnificent Machu Picchu citadel.

Highlight of the day: Know every inch of the incredible lost city of the Incas: Machu Picchu.

Meals: Breakfast
Difficulty: Easy
Exploring Time: 2–3 hours exploring Machu Picchu (Optional Activities: Difficulty – Duration varies)
Machu Picchu Site Elevation: 2,430 m / 7,972 ft
Optional Mountains:

• Machu Picchu Mountain: 3,000 m / 9,843 ft (3–4 hours)

• Huayna Picchu Mountain: 2,720 m / 8,924 ft (2 hours)

• Huchuy Picchu Mountain: 2,497 m / 8,192 ft (1.5 hours)

Today our trip has an incredible ending, as you’ll wake up before dawn to reach the Wonder of the World, Machu Picchu, and thus avoid the arrival of large groups. In the morning, you’ll enjoy a guided tour of approximately two hours and then have the possibility to take one of the additional hikes on Huayna Picchu Mountain or Machu Picchu Mountain that will allow you to get a fantastic view of the entire citadel.

In the afternoon, you’ll descend to Aguas Calientes and have time for lunch at a restaurant of your choice before boarding the train to Ollantaytambo. From there, our private transportation will be waiting for you to return to your accommodation in Cusco, taking the best memories of the trip with us.

Today’s the day you’ve longed since you set foot on the trail. You will visit one of the Seven Wonders of the World and UNESCO World Heritage Site, Machu Picchu! We’ll wake up while it’s still dark after enjoying a restful night’s sleep in our hostel. We like to begin this final day early to beat the large crowds at Machu Picchu and enjoy the soft morning light hitting the massive rocks. The entrance opens at 6:00 am, and we want to be one of the first inside.

From Aguas Calientes, we’ll take a bus up to the Inca citadel before entering and gazing in awe at the incredible construction. Once in the complex, you’ll enjoy a tour of approximately two hours with your guide and visit the most essential parts: houses, temples, terraces, and cultivation fields, among others. You’ll truly be amazed by the Incas’ ingenuity, which remains a mystery to this day.

The ancient culture didn’t have modern tools or even iron or steel to work with. Those who constructed the city were geniuses in organizing this community sustainably and beautifully on the side of a mountain, even bringing water in canals and aqueducts through its streets for the people to use. When a Peruvian guide showed this site to Hiram Bingham, it was almost unrecognizable, covered in thick vegetation and disrepair. It has since been cleaned and restored and is now protected and treasured by the world.

After your incredible guided tour of the citadel, you’ll have the chance to enjoy one of the additional hikes up Huayna Picchu Mountain (2,720 m / 8,924 ft) or Machu Picchu Mountain (3,000 m / 9,843 ft); these tickets must be booked in advance. You’ll be able to contemplate an incredible view over the citadel of Machu Picchu, one of the best panoramas in the world.

You need to ensure you come back down to Aguas Calientes to enjoy some lunch before you catch the train back to Ollantaytambo. Your train time will depend on availability. In Ollantaytambo, our private transport will await you to transport you back to your accommodation in Cusco. You’ll now be able to enjoy a well-deserved rest, although your heart will be soaring high in the Andes like a condor for years to come.