Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu: Step into Adventure!

Salkantay Trek isa bout 75km, during the 5d4n expeditions, the first 4 days, we walk about 16km per day, it combines different microclimates along the way, the fisrt and second day we are in the highest point of the path (4600m) highlands, it gives us chance to enjoy the best views to glacier peak, then from day 3 on is clound forest área and its warm, humid, there are mosquitoes.

For Salkantay Trek we pay the entry fee at Mollepata village which the town at the beggining of the path, it never sold out, the most impornat booking this hike is we verify the Machu picchu entry fee at booking time, on the last day we Will visit Machu Picchu citadel for that day we need a entry fee, as many people are traveling the new wonder of the world we highly suggest you may book it in advance that way we can get and guarantee your Machu picchu entry with circuit 1 or 2 which are consider the best option to enjoy the best views and walking tour.

If this hike Will be your first experience, we highly suggest you may practice before you come, you may go to gym, some walking at home, that way you body Will be ready for the hike, there are many begginer hikers going and they complete the hike without a problem, it Will be challenging but not imposible,specially the fisrt and second day when we Will be by the highest part of the trek, we Will have an emergency horse in case you Will be tired and sometimes altitude, you can ride the horse, once we are after the pass , then is mostly down way, you Will not have any problema.

Our Salkantay trek groups are small, we mostly take 2 people as minimun and 12 people as top. Very few times we have until 16 people, from 10 people on we have 2 tour guides , they Will make your experience unique. There are backpaker group going this hike with around 50 to 60 people in the group and definetly the experience is not same tan us, traveling in small group you Will have better experience and your guide Will be mostly available with any questions and information about the beauty of the Salkantay trek to Machu picchu.

Yes, our group are 95% english speaking groups, very few time we have spanish speaker hikers in the group, our guides are fluent en inglish and for sure being a Peruvians we speak spanish and we do our native language as well, el runasimi o el quechua.

During this Salkantay trek we Will spent 3 nights in Camping the fisrt night is in 4100m that is going to be the highest campsite but it offer the best views to Salkantay glacier, then second is already in the beggining of cloud forest área at 2800m, the 3rd night is in jungle área with 2400m, then the 4th night is in a hotel in Aguas Calientes village, w ego the trek with fully camping option, we want to feel the real camping option.

There are many tour companies in Cusco, is bery important you choose a local company that support local economy, Qoricancha Expeditions is one of the leader trekking companies in Cusco and our team are made with 100% local staff – from Cusco and its comunities, our guides, chefs, porters, drivers , the owner are al lof us from Cusco and the villages around Sacred Valley, al lof us Will be greatefully for choosing us.

Yes, your tour to Salkantay Trek, it includes all entry fees for the hike and Machu picchu citadel, once you complete your booking our sales team Will send you an email in which you Will verify if all info you send us is correct, after we receive your confirmation we Will inmediately purchased your entry fees, then al lis confirmed, make sure your travel dates are correct, Machu picchu entry fees are not refundable or tranferable after they are paid.

For the hike, you Will have an experienced chef, who Will prepare all meals along the hike, breakfast, lunch, happy hour and dinner, we have very talent chef, the meals are gourmet and peruvian dishes, you Will have the better and taste meals while you in Peru, that is the opinión of many of our hikers, if you have any food restrictions, we Will be happy to take care, you only need tol et us know all details at booking time.

Yes we include a personal porter for your belonging, for that we Will give you a duffle bag at briefing time, its for 8k per hikers, in that dufle bag you Will pack all cloth you Will take for the hike and we Will take it for you, you still need a small day pack, mostly suggested is the one of $25 or 30 L in which you Will take some personal ítems like wáter, snack, cámara, wallet, sun glasses, things you Will need during the day time or hike. Once you get the campsite your duffle bag Will be ready at your tent.

Mostly everything is cover in the package, howver you still need some extra money for the hike, in some places local people charge a sol for toilet, maybe you want to buy some drinks like, Gatorade, beer , and last lunch after Machu picchu is not include, regular menú there is by 60 soles, and tipping option, groups usually do a small tipping for the horseman, chef , porters and your guide, after many years its being as customary, you can give them as personal appreciation and the amount you consider are ok and welcome, they have already great salary from the company, its just an extra motiviation for them, for sure they do an amazing job on the hike.

We Will have option to take shower on the 2nd, 3rd campsite a regular warm shower, and for sure in hotel in Aguas Calientes, you can take a towel. Its just a basic shower who offer local families,

Yes there is, at the fisrt campsite its just basic, from the second on is better toilets, your tour guide Will let you know the places you Will have acces to the toilet, and is imporant to take at least a roll of toilet paper in your day pack,

Yes, from the second campsite we have option to recharge the bateries, local families have electricity, they usually charge 5 soles for it, another option is you bring a solar recharger which work perfect as well.

We recommend you to bring a daypack of 25 or 30L ones, they are Good size, if you have bigger is absolutely ok as well. For the hike there is no restriction but there is for Machu picchu citadel. If you take bigger you can leave in your hotel in Aguas Calientes or at the storage at main gate of Machu picchu, they keep it for you for 5 soles, and once you complete all guided tour you can pick it up.

On your hike, you Will be support by a tour guide, chef, some porters and horseman, they Will be with you creating a memorable experience, groups usually give them a tipping once they say you Good bye, for that you have to take some extra cash, we recomment around 80 – 100 soles for each porter and horse an like double for your chef, and personal appreciation for the guide. That is from al lof the hiker, no each of you. If you take around 400 peruvian soles each that Will be enough for tipping, last lunch and some extra drinks you may have on the hike.

We usually do not have but it may happen, salkantay pass is at 4600m, we highly recommend you to be in Cusco at least 2 days prior the hike, so you can adjust to the altitude, in case you Will have this problema once we are on the hike, we Will take you back to Cusco, or we can ride a horse as wel just to pass the highest point, if you have the problema after the pass is better to continue, mostly Will bepends on which part of the hike you Will have the problem. We Will help you as much as we can to take you back in Cusco or continue to the hike, in case you Will back in Cusco, we Will take you by train to Aguas Calientes where you Will meet with your group and visit Machu Picchu as Schedule on the last day.

Yes, the package include a 3*** hotel in Aguas Calientes for the 4th night of the hike, it has hot shower, wifi and private romos, we include Matrimonial room for couple and double room from Friends, In case you are solo traveler and do not want to share the room, you may upgrade to single room, it has an extra cost of $40.

Hikking Salkantay we overnight in Aguas Calientes and the last day we Will have chance to take one of the first busses to Machu Picchu, that means we can be one of the first one visiting the New wonder of the world Machu picchu, its opens from 6am on, and in each hour there are around 200 people getting the citadel, you can take the best pictures without people, sunrise happens by 6,30 – to 7am

Yes, after Machu picchu guided tour you may hike this famous mountain, only 200 tcikets are available per day, we highly recommend you book it in advance, at least 3 months before to travel date. its almost 2h up and down.

Machu picchu citade lis betwenn both mountains. Huayna picchu is the small one which is in the backgroung of the citadel, it takes almost 2h up and down and its steep and Machu Picchu mountain takes almost 3h up and down, its higher tan huayna picchu.

Yes is posible, however the Machu picchu entry fee is not posible to change for another day or cancel, basically we Will lose the permits, that means the amount of money we paid for the fee Will not be able to refund, As a company we Will do the best for you and maybe chance to another tour or short hike which allow you to visit Machu picchu on the same day for which we had your ticket, that way we can use the same ticket. to coordinate it let us know by email or whatsap, we Will assist you ASAP and créate a new travel plan to Visit Machu picchu.

On Salkantay trek we use horse to take the camping equipment, so we include 1 emergency horse for day 1 and day 2, horses can go only until day 2, then is national park and is not allow to use horse, according our experience, we can ride horse on the 1 or morning of day 2 to get the highest point of the hike, Salkantay Pass (4600m), after the Summit all is down way which is easier tan way up. Our tour guide and porters Will help you to coordinate in case you need it.

For this hike, you Will need Good trekking cloth, you can review our Packing list. The most important is your Original Passport, small day pack, trekking pant, long sleev t-shirts, trekking boat, socks, sun glasses, sun hat, rain gear (specially in wet season), cámara. Everything else we Will take for you and créate the lifetime experience.