Salkantay trek, is one of our 5 days classic hiking programs, organized in private service; it runs about 36 miles, starting at the northwest from Cusco city, we will pass the Vilcanota Mountains, which shows the most impressive mountains of Peruvian Andes, its summit reaches “6,272m”, (salkantay means holly, savage mountain), the tour offers one nice landscapes in the region, changing landscapes, different ecosystems.
Fascinating trek that includes humantay lake, considered as one of best new place to visit in peru, the trail leads to machu picchu by an ancient road, where you are able to see impressive landscapes, and ecosystems that makes it even more especial.
This trek is offered, by almost all tour companies, they have set campsites where, more than 90% of them, have the same itinerary. With this issue on mind, our prime salkantay service takes care of it, we have decided to modify our itinerary, which will allow us run away from the crowds, and camp at a place where others won’t.
Hike this fascinating trek, with authentic local Operator Company, our program includes humantay lake tour as part of our excursion; the salkantay program is leaded by expert professional, local guides.
We are 100% local tours operator, leading all daventure tours such as: ancascocha trek, choquequirao, vilcabamba trip, lares valley hiking, etc. all trips in private and small groups.
05:00 hours
The Salkantay Program starts with pick up at 05:00 hrs from your accommodation, then drive to trailhead, passing by several villages and stopping at Mollepata to get some supply such as water, cookies, etc, then drive for 1 more hour, once arriving to soraypampa, we’ll climb up to the famous Humantay lake, after two hours walk, you’ll reach the viewpoint of humantay lake, which has blue green colors water.
After taking pictures, return to the bottom of the valley, and have lunch, then continues hiking towards north, finally reach the campsite by 4pm, located in a quiet point at 4100 meters asl. (this is the trek highest campsite).
we’ll restart at approximately 07:00 hrs, by zigzagging trail right in front of salkantay mountain. After 03 hours climbing, we finally summit the salkantay trail pass 4657m, it is right in front of the majestic mountain” we celebrate by sharing hugs, and taking pictures (we may get there first, the other hikers, are going to camp at further distance).
From here; we descend and arrive on a small plateau, and stop to have our snacks, our trek continues banking a white water river, finally arrive at huayracpampa for lunch; then descend in to the cloud forest, this is the nicest section for those who loves plants, lush forest that will make this part more pleasant, from lunch we are going to descend to collpapampa 2,980 m, which is the union of 03 rivers; (camp in a village with nice weather and view).
You’ll wake up with the natural alarm clock “birds and roosters from the village”, after breakfast continue, by an interesting section banking the santa Teresa river, the area offers dense vegetation, numerous birds on the trees, flowers, orchids and also local fruits. We continue the walk and we may see the Peruvian national bird (gallito de las rocas, rupicola peruviana) then arrive to la playa 2200m (river beach).
Here our trekking chef, will provide us with the delicious lunch, to recover our energy, then we continue, and arrive to lucmabamba by 4 pm. The campground is in the middle of coffee plantations, we can make coffee degustation, then have dinner in a quiet private spot. “Salkantay path lowest campsite, 2000m”.
Today we climb up to an archaeological site named llactapata, “a fascinating inca city on the mountain”, this site is rarely included by other operators”, located at 2 hours from campsite by an uphill path; from where we can visualize the 7th wonder city, after visiting this place, a large switch-back pathway will take us bottom, and reach the hydroelectric village.
After lunch we take the local train, arrive to town by 5.00 pm; as an optional alternative, if you do not want to climb up to the mountain, we take a local van and drive to hydroelectric village, from where we walk by a path, next to train tracks to aguas calientes, after 3 hours of walk, the group is going to arrive to aguas calientes town; then dinner together and spend the night.
Take bus for 30 minutes, once we enter in to the archaeological park, then our guide will bring you for a nice gentle hike to the inca bridge, then return to the city, and receive a guided sightseeing.
Here you are going to see all the most important sectors. (While usual guided visit takes 1.5 hours), our guides are going to make it, in about 03 hours, where you can discover all the most important sectors, you’ll enjoy the sightseeing; the Salkantay Trek will end with taking shuttle bus down to town and return to the city.
At arriving to the city, our guide will take you back to your hotel.
