The Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu
The Most Popular Inca Trail Alternative
An alternative to the Classic Inca Trail, The Salkantay Trek takes you through stunning and varied landscapes high in the South American Andes and ends at Machu Picchu.
The most popular alternative to the Classic Inca Trail, The Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu does not offer the additional Inca ruins that the Inca Trail does, but it is cleaner, less crowded, and does include a very small segment of ancient Inca-built stairs. It also affords fantastic panoramic views, including, on the last day, a unique view of Machu Picchu from behind that will impress upon you just how remote and inaccessible this lost city really was.
Salkantay Trek Details
If you are an experienced hiker, it is permissible to do this trek on your own, however most people prefer the safety and convenience of a group. Treks of various lengths are available from two to eight days, and you should understand that the last day of any length trek is the day spent at Machu Picchu. So for example, if you book the popular five-day trek, you'll be hiking for four days and touring Machu Picchu on the fifth. Almost all tours will collect and drop you off in Cusco.
The highest altitude reached is 4,550 meters/14,927 feet, which is much higher than most people are used to - try to spend at least a couple of days in Cusco acclimating to the higher altitude before starting this trek. You'll be hot and you'll be cold, so be prepared with layers. Depending on your fitness level and trekking speed, each day will consist of five to eight hours of walking.
Along the way you'll sleep in a tent which the trekking staff will set up and take down for you each day. The staff will also cook three meals a day and provide some snacks. Depending on which company you choose, you may or may not be responsible for carrying your own gear - ask about this ahead of time.
On your last day of trekking, you’ll probably (depending on your trekking agent) be given the choice of completing the last ten kilometers from Hidroelectrica town to Aguas Calientes by train or on foot along the train tracks.
In Aguas Calientes (also called Machu Picchu Pueblo) you’ll spend the night in a hotel and get up before dawn the next morning to make the 8km trip up to Machu Picchu. The road is a series of dusty switchbacks; you can choose to walk or take the half-hour tourist mini-bus ride.
Salkantay Trek Scenery
The scenery changes daily on the five-day Salkantay Trek. You'll climb from a flattish valley floor at the trailhead at Soraypampa through bare mountain peaks, up and over rocky passes, beneath the snowcapped Apu Salkantay, the highest peak in the Cordillera Vilcabamba range of the Andes, back down through grasslands, through small villages, make a stop at a natural hot spring, hike along the rushing whitewater of the Rio Urubamba, up again through cloud forests and down past the manmade waterfall from Hidroelectrica's dam.
What Does the Price of the Salkantay Trek Include?
Below is a list of what is typically included in the price of a trek and what is not. Be sure to check with your trekking company for their particular policy.
Included
- Transportation from Cusco to the trailhead
- Meals, boiled water, and snacks daily
- One night’s hotel stay at Aguas Calientes the last evening of the trek
- Admission to Machu Picchu (one day pass) and guided tour
- Transportation from Aguas Calientes back to Cusco
Not Included
- Train fare from Hidroelectrico to Aguas Calientes (US $8, USD preferred)
- Mini-bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu and back down (US $6, USD preferred)
- Any additional nights in Aguas Calientes or subsequent visits to Machu Picchu
Decided to do it? Here's how to choose a trekking company and a list of what to take with you.
If you're not tired of trekking by the time you get to Machu Picchu, you can do some more climbing on Huayna Picchu and Huchypicchu
You can read a long and detailed account of the Salkantay Trek on my travelogue.
