Salktantay short trek 4-day

DAY 1: Cusco / Mollepata Challacancha Soraypampa Humantaty Lake Sky Camp

We start the day picking you up your hotel at approx. 04:00AM. We will drive for around 3:15 hours, crossing Anta and Mollepata and ending up at Challancha.. You will see the white, snow-capped mountain of Salkantay and Humantay; two colossal gods of the Incas (Apus), through the bus windows. You will also see the spectacular scenery of high peaks and low valleys in a colorful and contrasting panorama filling every direction you turn eyes on!

After the 2:15 hours of driving from Cusco, we will stop in Mollepata to take advantage of the toilet facilities, souvenir shops, and optional, short breakfast. We will then continue to Challacancha, the starting point for our trek. There, we will meet our support staff, and they will organize all of the equipment and cargo mules.

At around 09:30am, we will begin trekking to Soraypampa (3,900m/12,795ft), the first campsite on our journey. This section of the path takes us over a few deep valleys along the side of a mountain. Along the trail, we;ll follow an ancient Inca canal that still supplies water to farmers in the following valleys. We will travel 7 km (4.35mi) for 3 hours to Soraypampa, where we will have our lunch at the base camp of Salkantay.

After lunch and a short rest, we;ll hike up the unforgettable Humantay Lake (4,200m/13780ft). This is a 3 Km (1.86mi) round-trip which we will walk in a total of 2:30 hours. Humantay lake is one of the most beautiful sights in all the Andes, with unbelievable turquois water reflecting the mountain glaciers of Humantay, like something out of a dream or fairy tale. Back at our camp, the valley;s background at sunset creates the most peaceful scene with and energy that can only be felt and not described.

Because Soraypampa (our camp) is located in the middle of the glacier valleys, the sky is so immensely clear at night that you can genuinely appreciate the stars, constellations, and even comets shooting across the pitch blackness, uninterrupted by the hustle, bustle, or lights of the city. Take a moment this night to recenter your spirit and consider all the deep things of life in the profound silence and tranquility of Soraypampa.

Hikke to the Jewel in the Mountains

• Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging
• Accommodation, Glass-Topped Sky Camp
• Walking distance: 10km/6.21miles
• Starting elevation: 3,800m/12,467ft
• Campsite elevation: 3,900m/12,795ft
• Maximum elevation 4,200m/13,780ft

DAY 2 Soraypampa / Salkantaypampa Salkantay Pass Wayracmachay Chaullay Andean Huts

The Stuning Salkantay Pass and Descent to the Amazonia
After an early wake-up with the first daylight at 5:30 am and a quick but energizing breakfast, we will start trekking up to the highest point of the trail, the Salkantay Pass (4,630m/15190ft). A 7 km (4.34miles) difficult ascent awaits us for 3 hours between the rocky valley base and the magnificent Salkantay Mountain (6,271m/20,574ft).
When we reach the top of the pass, we will appreciate the spectacular views of the surrounding valleys and the imposing mountains of Salkantay, Humantay, Tucarhuay, and Pumasillo. Salkantay is the second-highest mountain in the Cusco region and one of the Inca gods called ldquo;Apurdquo;.
After the climax of today;s trek, there is a 7km (4.35miles) downhill walk on a serpent-shaped, rocky, gravel path that leads to the Wayracmachay lunch place (3,850m/12631mi). There is a perfect valley outlook to rest on the way down that is stunning!
In the afternoon, after our meal, we will enter the upper part of the Amazonia, which is also called the cloud forest. This is an 8km/4.97mi hike completed in 3 hours on a wide trail in the thick and magical tropical jungle. During this part of the trek, you will notice a dramatic change in landscape and the earth;s energy as we move from the Andes to Amazon!

This hike is truly beautiful; the hills are decorated with colorful scenery, unique wildlife, and native plants. The forests are warm and tropical most of the year, with temperate climates. At the end of this outstanding hike, we arrive at a small village Chaullay (2,900m/9,514) for a well-deserved rest from our long day of trekking. This is our camp for the night, surround by valleys, rushing rivers, and lots of vegetation.

• Difficulty: Challenging
• Accommodation: Wooden Camping Chozas Andean Huts
• Walking distance: 22km/13.67miles
• Starting elevation: 3,800m/12,467ft
• Campsite elevation: 2,900m/9,514ft
• Maximum elevation 4,630m/15,190ft

DAY 3 Chaullay / Colpapampa La Playa Santa Teresa Hidroele;ctrica Aguas Calientes.

Highlight of the day: Exploring the luscious jungle and learning all about coffee and the process at the plantations the aroma in the air is heavenly.

The Adventure Continues to Aguas Calientes

At 06:00 am, we will start our trek to the small town of La Playa through the Santa Teresa valley. You will be able to soak up this new, lush landscape during our first 5 hours of hiking today. We will see rivers, will orchids, and coffee, banana, and avocado plantations during the hike. You;ll also be able to taste the famous passion fruit and granadilla fruit along the way!

We will walk through a village called Colpapampa, and then we;ll head to the bottom of the mountains to cross to the left side of the valley. Waterfalls, birds, fruit-bearing trees, flora and fauna will be our mates in this tropical land.

Once in la Playa, we will have a good time enjoying our last lunch with our mountain staff and starting with the coffee show. After relaxing and resting a bit more, our transport will take us to Hidroelectrica train station. Then, we;ll follow the train surrounded by the great vegetation of the place, in the Urubamba river company. If you feel exhausted, you have the option (not included) to take a train to Aguas Calientes (US$34.00).

In this tropical paradise, we;ll see avocado plantations, banana and coffee plants, and various types of birds, especially the cock of the rocks, the national bird of Peru;.

After 3 hours of walking, we;ll arrive at Aguas Calientes town. Here, well head first to our hostel. In your room, you will have a private bathroom, hot shower, wifi, breakfast in the morning, and luggage storage while you visit Machu Picchu. You can rest a bit before dinner or walk around this enchanting place that has the feel of a California Gold Rush town. There are no cars in Aguas Calientes, so it is an especially peace full place to be.

At 07:00 pm, we;ll have dinner at a local restaurant and organize to be ready for the icing on our last adventure day: MACHU PICCHU!

• Difficulty: Challenging
• Accommodation, Comfortable Hostel
• Walking distance: 27km/16.78miles
• Starting elevation: 2,900m/9,514ft
• Campsite elevation: 2,040m/6,693ft

DAY 4 Aguas Calientes / Machu Picchu Ollantaytambo - Cusco

It's the big day! Explore the glorious Machu Picchu and learn all about it from your knowledgeable guide before heading back to Cusco.

High light of the day: One of the New Seven Wonders of the World: The majestic and magnificent Machu Picchu get ready for the experience of a lifetime and to be transported back in time.

Tour of the Incredible Incan Fortress: Machu Picchu

Today we arrive at our treks long-awaited finale, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site Machu Picchu! We will wake up early after a refreshing night at our hostel to beat the crowds to the top of Machu Picchu entrance checkpoint is open from 06:00 am until 5:00 pm.

Well board the bus to Machu Picchu and enter the Royal city of the Incas as one of the first people in the morning. We will have a 2-hour guided tour through this incredible ancient city, visiting temples, terraces, palaces, priests; houses, the Intihuatana, the industrial sector, and the farming fields. Be amazed at the Incas; engineering ingenuity, which was so far ahead of their time and still partially a mystery today.

Without having modern tools or even steel and iron to work with, the people who built this city were genius 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 a state of disrepair. It has since been cleaned and restored and is now protected and treasured by the world at large.

After this tour, you are free to climb up to Huayna Picchu (2,720m/8,924ft) or Machu Picchu Mountain (3,000m/9,843ft), each of which takes 1.5 and 3 hours to hike up and down, respectively. Be sure to book in advance to get tickets for these attractions. You can also opt to hike up to the Sun Gate (2,720m/8,924ft), the main entrance to the Inca Trail or the Inca bridge (no tickets required).

We will be able to stay and enjoy this magical city for more than 7 hours before hiking back down to Aguas Calientes for the train ride between 1:37 pm and 6:20 pm to Ollantaytambo (subject to availability). A private bus will pick up our group and drop you off at your hotel in Cusco at about 20:00 hrs.

Rest your feet and body now; we can assure you your heart will still be soaring for weeks and years to come!

• Difficulty: Easy
• Machu Picchu Mountain Elevation: 3,000m / 9,843ft
• Machu Picchu Citadel Elevation: 2,430m/7,972ft
• Optional Activities: Moderate to Challenging (2-4 hours)
• Machu Picchu Citadel Elevation: 2,720m/8,924ft

• Original passport - 6-month validity from last day you will be in Peru.  There’s an official government checkpoint at the start of the trail that works to enforce the strict limits on how many visitors can walk the trail per day, and for every foreigner beginning a trek it is required that a passport be shown.
• Sleeping Bag: Rated -15C/5F
• Trekking Poles: with rubber tips only allowed. 
• Trekking Towel – A small to medium sized hiking towel can come in great use. LifeVentures or Discovery provide good, quick-drying trekking towels.
• Flashlight: with enough batteries for the different days you will be trekking.
• Canteen or Water Bottle
• Insect Repellent
• Small Locks – To protect your belongings in your rucksack or duffle bag
• Waterproof Ziplock Bags – These come in handy for storing important / valuable items like your money, a passport and electrical equipment
• Isotonic Powder – Can be used to flavour your water nicely and helps replace electrolytes, improving energy levels and aiding water absorption. Here are some good Isotonic powdered drinks
• Diamox – Also know as acetazolamide, is a medication that can be used as a prophylactic (preventative) solution for altitude sickness. It does not cure altitude sickness and should never therefore never be used as a method to continue ascending to high altitudes. It can however help prevent the onset of altitude sickness and is commonly used by high altitude climbers and trekkers.
• General Medications – We recommend taking paracetamol or aspirin for headaches (a common altitude sickness symptom on the Salkantay Trek) and Imodium for diarrhoea (another common problem as food preparation can be a little unhygienic)
• Suncream / Lip balm – No one wants burnt skin or cracked lips! Be sure to bring 1 x suncream (SPF 30) and 1 x lip balm
• Baby wipes – For quick and easy wet washe when no showers are in sight! 
• Blister Plasters – The dreaded blisters! We recommend taking Compeed blister plasters
• Hand Sanitizer – Great for disinfecting hands before and after eating, or when they get dirty during the hike
• Duffel Bag: The evening before you start your trek, you will be given a SMALL DUFFLE BAG to pack your clothes for the next four days. Your weight allowance is up to 7 kg/15.4 lbs. Our horseman will carry your duffle bag for you together with the food and camping gear. It is important to be aware that you will not have access to your items in the duffle bag until the end of each day as the horsemen and horses will always be ahead of the group. During the travel, you need a day backpack big enough to carry your personal belongings such as a warm jacket, raincoat, camera, sunscreen, snacks, water, etc. Usually, to 30 litre backpack is sufficient.
• Daypack: If a porter or pack animal (i.e. yak) is carrying your duffle bag or rucksack then you will want to have a light-weight daypack to carry essentials – like snacks, camera, suncream, personal items (i.e. money and passport) and hat. The best daypacks have compression straps to reduce weight stress on your back and side mesh-pockets for quick access to your water bottles. The Osprey Talon is our recommended daypack. Make sure to bring a rain cover for your rucksack and / or daypack. If you decide to use an Osprey bag then make sure you get an Osprey Raincover that matches the bag size for a snug fit.
• Underware: To aid the wicking process we recommend bringing 4-6 x pairs of breathable sports underwear. We are big fans of Icebreaker underwear, Adidas sports underwear or Under Armour underwear, as these brands specifically focus on manufacturing products that can cope with sweat from high-intensity sport.
• Base Layer: The base layer, or what is often referred to the next-to-skin or first layer is very important on the higher reaches of the Salkantay Trek. The best first layers fit snugly to the skin (reducing air pockets and flow) and consist of high wicking materials to facilitate moisture transfer.We recommend getting 2x top and 1x bottom base layers.
• Trekking Shirts: You will need to bring 4-7 trekking shirts (depending on whether you are doing the shorter or longer Salkantay Trek). We recommend these breathable and lightweight shirts from Hanes. Alternatively, shirts from Icebreaker or Columbia are good. Do not bring cotton shirts as these absorb moisture. A mixture of short and long sleeve shirts are recommended
• Hard shell jacket and rain gear: Encountering rain is always a possibility when trekking, particularly during the rainy season (October-March). You should bring a hard-shell jacket, like the North Face Resolve Jacket. It is also worth taking a compact poncho rain-suit that can quickly be put on should you encounter rain.
• Fleece Jacket: The second layer, or what we call the insulation layer, should be made from fleece material. You can get an insulation layer for both top and bottom, but as you will need to have outer layer shell trousers (see below), we believe the insulation layer for your legs are unnecessary. For your torso second layer though we recommend a Polartec 200 Fleece Jacket. These insulation jackets are very good for hiking in as they provide a great warmth to weight ratio whilst allowing effective moisture transfer. 
• Trekking Shorts: Bring two pairs of trousers and 1x pair of shorts.

The Salkantay to Machupicchu trekking tour is available every day provided there are at least 2 travelers.

• Cancellations 60 days prior to departure: 20% cancellation fee
• Cancellations 45 days prior to departure: 35% cancellation fee
• Cancellations 20 days prior to departure: 65% cancellation fee
• No cancellations allowed 19 days or less prior to departure
• All reservations are not transferrable as the permits and tickets issued are issued exclusively to the original traveler.