With so many trekking companies in South America offering the Salkantay Trek to Macchu Pichu, how do you choose the best one for you?

It’s possible to book a Salkantay Trek in person in Cusco (where most tours start) or from outside Peru. The price will generally be lower in Cusco, but for those on a tight schedule, booking from home in advance makes the most sense.

Finding a Salkantay Trekking Company From Outside Cusco

Your guidebook is a good start. Guidebooks generally recommend established companies, which lessens the chance that your agent will vanish with your deposit.

Another good source of advice is travel message boards. Search Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree or Bootsnall travel forums for recent first-hand descriptions and personal recommendations.

Finding a Salkantay Trekking Company In Cusco

If you book your Salkantay trek in Cusco, you’ll be spoiled for choice. Every other storefront is plastered with posters advertising trips "leaving tomorrow!" You'll find dozens of fliers on the notice boards at your hotel or hostel, and if you stand still long enough in public, someone is sure to sidle up with offers of discounted treks. So how to choose?

Other visitors are a good resource. Most trekkers do a round trip from Cusco to Machu Picchu and back. Ask around your hostel to see who has recently returned from a trek. If they liked their trip, find out who they went with.

Questions To Ask Your Salkantay Trekking Company

Once you've gathered a few recommended agencies, speak with them yourself, either in person or via e-mail. Have your prospective agency outline exactly what your costs will be, including any add-ons, options, or taxes, and exactly what you will be getting for your money.

Some questions to ask:

Are sleeping bags included?

Will I be responsible for carrying my own gear or will you supply a porter or horse?

How many pounds/kilos am I allowed to hand over to the porter?

Do you provide snacks? First aid kit? Emergency oxygen?

How many people will be in my group?

How many people to a tent? Are single travelers required to share a tent?

Comparing Salkantay Trekking Companies: What’s the Difference?

The most obvious difference between your possible choices will be price. Don't assume that the most expensive company is the best, but do be wary of the cheapest. When comparing a US$400 trek to one that sounds like the same trek for US$150, it's important to consider where the discount is coming from.

Everyone takes the same trail, sees the same Andes, and arrives at the same Machu Picchu. So there are only so many places in which costs can be cut, namely:

* The food,

* The quality of gear,

* The treatment of porters, guides, and pack animals.

Food is a big concern. You will be working hard at high altitude and you will get hungry. You will want and need good meals and sufficient snacks. Better agencies supply better food, and more of it, for both the trekkers and the staff.

Quality gear matters. A better agency will, for example, replace tents before they start to leak, sag, or otherwise become unpleasant to sleep in.

Porters work hard and are easily exploited. Remember that they make this trek week after week, carrying tents, bedrolls, stoves, fuel cans, and possibly your personal gear. Porters make your trek happen, yet often they're miserably paid and miserably treated. An agency offering a trek at a substantial discount has most likely scooped that discount from the pay of their porters.

Generally speaking, you can expect a good five-day tour from a reputable trekking agency to cost about US$375.

Some consider the Salkantay Trek to be a trip of a lifetime. Make the most of it. When you’re ready to choose an agency, go with your instincts and don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as you want.

Here's a helpful packing list of supplies to take with you on the Salkantay trek.