Salkantay Trek To Machu Picchu 5 Days And 4 Nights
Overview
Available languages
5 days
Mobile ticket
This trek runs beneath the magnificent Salkantay mountain (20,569ft), one of the highest and most stunning in the Andes. The Salkantay Trek was recently named on the National Geographic Ultimate Adventure bucket list – defined as “The 20 most extreme, hair-raising, legendary adventures on the planet.” It is a trek open to everybody, and the most popular alternative to the Inca Trail trek.
This offers 4 days of trekking through various landscapes including highlands, cloud forest, rain forest and dry mountain. Throughout the trek you have amazing views of Apu Salkantay, Pumasillo Mountain and Humantay Mountain, three of the most stunning peaks of the Vilcabamba Mountain range.
Our trek includes the services of lodging in a very nice hotel on the fourth night of the trek, a very unique coffee plantation tour in the afternoon of day 3, and dinner at great local restaurant in Aguas Calientes.
Additional Info
Service animals allowed
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
What to bring:
Original passport (if you have acquired a new one after you made your booking, bring both)
Down or synthetic feather sleeping bag (can be rented from us)
Clothes (trekking boots, warm fleece jacket, a few t-shirts, socks, sun hat, warm underwear, light long pants, gloves, rain jacket)
Toiletries (toilet paper, wet wipes, personal towel)
Sunscreen SPF 35+ recommended
Head lamp
Sunglasses
Camera with spare batteries (batteries run down faster at high altitudes)
Binoculars
Book to read (you will have some spare time at every camp to read your favorite book)
Trekking poles (recommended especially for the steep descents, can be rented from us)
Insect repellent
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Cusco - Umantay Lake - Soyrococcha
Accommodations
Camping in tents
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
DINNER
Dinner
We will pick you up from your hotel early in the morning and have a beautiful scenic drive of 3 hours duration to Mollepata. At Mollepata we will have breakfast at one of the local houses. After breakfast we will get back on the road for 1 hour and 45 minutes until we reach Soraypampa, the start of the trek. During this portion of the drive we will see our first views of Salkantay and Humantay Mountains. At Soraypampa (12,467 ft) we will meet our support staff, who will pack everything for the trek and load the equipment onto horses. We begin our hike with a visit to Humantay lake. This is a 2 hour excursion. After that expedition, we return to the trailhead and begin the hike to Salkantaypampa. We begin with a gentle 2 hour climb to Salkantaypampa, our lunch spot for the day. After lunch we ascend for 2 hours to Soyrococha (14,332 ft), our camp for the night.
Soyrococcha - Salkantay Pass - Colpapampa
Accommodations
Camping in tents
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
DINNER
Dinner
We start the day with breakfast. After that we are going to hike for 1 hour uphill to the highest point of the trek, the Salkantay pass (15,252 ft). At the top we are going to make an offering to Salkantay and talk about the Inca culture and why this spot is venerated. Our next task is a 2 hour downhill hike to Huayrac (12,464 ft), where we will have lunch. After lunch we will hike downhill for 4 hours until we reach our camp for the night, Colpapampa (10,170 ft).
Colpapampa - Lucmabamba
Accommodations
Camping in tents
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
DINNER
Dinner
We are rewarded with a more gentle hike today. We will have breakfast and then hike 6 hours on gentle up and down segments. We will be hiking through the rain forest, following the path of the Santa Teresa river. Along this path you will see the most beautiful waterfall along the trek. We will reach Lucmabamba, our campsite for the evening, around noon. After lunch, we will do an incredible coffee tour at the plantation adjacent to the campsite.
Lucmabamba - Llactapata - Aguas Calientes
Accommodations
Bed and Breakfast in Aguas Calientes
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
DINNER
Dinner
Mirador de Llactapata
We will wake up early and have breakfast. Today´s hike starts with a moderate 3 ½ hour climb through the rain forest until we reach the Llactapata ruin (8,856 ft), where we will have a thorough tour. This is the location where you will have your first view of Machu Picchu in the far distance. Leaving Llactapata, we begin a 2 ½ hour descent to Hydro, where we will have lunch. At 3 pm we will board the train to Aguas Calientes. On arrival at Aguas Calientes you will check into your hotel. Dinner will be at a restaurant.
Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Cusco
Accommodations
Hotel in Cusco on your own
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
Machu Picchu
You will have breakfast at your hotel before we take a bus to Machu Picchu. Once there you will be given a 2 hour walking tour of the site. If you have elected to climb Huayna Picchu (Not included in the package) you will begin the hike at 10 AM. If you are not climbing the mountain you will have some time to be at Machu Picchu before you return to Aguas Calientes. Once in Aguas Calientes you will board the train to either Ollantaytambo or to Poroy. From Ollantaytambo or Poroy, you will travel by private van to Cusco.
What‘s Included
Dining tent with tables and chairs
Four-person tent for each two persons
Toilet tent with portable toilet
Bilingual English speaking tour guide
Expedition train from Aguas Calientes to either Ollantaytambo or to Poroy
Mattress and pillow
Hot water for washing.
Pick up from your hotel and transportation to Soraypampa on day 1
Pre-Departure Briefing at your hotel 1 or 2 days before your trek.
Emergency oxygen bottle and medical kit.
Wranglers and horses to carry all the equipment (food, tents, chairs, table, etc)
Private transport from Ollantaytambo to Cusco
Daily morning boiled and cold water to fill the water bottles.
Emergency horse in case we need it
Coffee plantation tour in the afternoon of day 3
Kitchen tent
Horse to carry 8 kg of your personal belongings
Expert chef and assistant chef
Duffle bag to pack your personal belongings
Lodging in Aguas Calientes on night 4 of the trek (double occupancy)
Sleeping bag
Day 5 lunch in Aguas Calientes
Tips for the crew (muleteers, chef and guide)
Hiking poles
Round trip bus ticket to Machu Picchu
Pickup points
Tierra Viva Cusco Centro
Calle Cruz Verde 390 Cusco Peru
Options
Salkantay Trek To Machu Picchu 5 Days And 4 Nights
Pickup included
Reviews
50 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Best hiking experience!
E5683NIlukask,Mar 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our walk ended today and I already miss our wonderful guide Lino and the good food that chefs Ronald and André cooked. The whole experience was amazing and I highly recommend it!
Best everrr!
719shaec,Mar 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Completed the 5d/4n Classic Salkantay to Machu Picchu trek. We had a wonderful experience. Our guide Lino was wonderful, his passion for sharing stories and knowledge of the area was inspiring. Our chefs Andre and Ronald were phenomenal, smiles and food a plenty. Felt very well taken care of throughout the trek. An amazing experience and would absolutely recommend!
Best ever
230hampusw,Mar 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00One of the best experiences I've had, our guide Lino was awesome and our chefs were amazing!
Great Salkantay trek experience
brendanrV452QB,Oct 12, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great trek and better people. Couldn’t ask for more from our guide (Lino) and cook (Albert). Genuinely great people to do the trek with! Great communication and they were willing to update our route based on rapidly changing weather conditions!
Salkantay & Machu Picchu
taylorpI9672AX,Sep 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Wow this trek was not for the weak but an absolutely amazing experience! Nilton was a great and very informative guide. He told us so much history and knowledge about the Inca’s, the Amazon, and anything else we asked. He has traveled the world as well to take in knowledge from many other countries. We were surprised to stay in tents the first 3 nights and a hotel the 4th night but it did make our hiking/camping in the wilderness experience more authentic. The horse men and chiefs were fantastic! You will not go hungry. All of the food is spectacular! Every view is breath taking, every climb can be difficult but the steep walk downs are more taxing, the hot springs is amazing, and we would do it all again as a first timer. Definitely go for it!
Inca Trail 5 days, 4 nights.
Joyce U,Jun 30, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I cannot say enough about our experience with this company, especially our group lead by Hipo, head porter Cirilo, and the amazing chef Andres. The most challenging thing I have ever done. We were fed the most amazing meals, treated with such care by the porters and our guide, Hipo, was the absolute best ever. He had everything timed perfectly and his knowledge of the trail and culture was impressive. Highly, highly recommend.
Amazing experience
J9425BAjasmind,May 26, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Just finished an unforgettable trek with Action Peru Treks (booked through Mucj Better Adventures), and I can’t recommend them enough. Our guide, Christian, was phenomenal — incredibly knowledgeable about the history of the Andes, local nature, and culture. He brougut such a calm and relaxed but also a fun and playful energy that made the group feel connected and at ease from day one. He was supported by Eddie, who was also fantastic — super kind, always on top of the details, also full of knowledge, and added his own special touch from his heritage towards the end of the trip. The trek itself was stunning, with beautiful campsites and amazing food (seriously, not your average camping meals). The whole experience felt surprisingly luxurious — tents set up for us daily — and we always felt safe and well looked after.
Amazing trip!
maverickgirl149,May 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was an amazing trip with excellent guides, well organised iternary, great group of people and wildly amazing views! It offers the right amount of challenge and a great time!
Did not disappoint- an amazing experience.
garethb744,Oct 8, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00What an amazing trip- I would thoroughly recommend it. Roxner's organisation of the group of 12 was faultless (and endlessly patient) and our guides Christian and Eddie were knowledgeable, fun and kept us going with the same level of patience. The porters made the trek so much easier and we still never really worked out how the team of chefs managed to keep us so well fed, often the middle of nowhere with no obvious cooking facilities. The trek is not a walk in the park, but as a reasonably active person approaching 50 from the wrong direction it was definitely achievable. The scenery varies between the high mountains and humid subtropical jungle in a matter of hours. Christian and Eddie ensured that the group stayed together without holding anyone back. Mules are on hand for the most challenging parts such as either side of the Salkantay Pass for anyone who is really struggling. Machu Picchu didn't disappoint, with Action Peru ensuring we had early tickets to avoid the huge crowds you see on YouTube. The group split into two at MP, with Eddie being an excellent guide for my group and explaining the significance of the buildings and the site from his perspective as part of the Quechua people.
An excellent trip and would recommend
jeremyhM5555OG,Sep 21, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our guide Christian was superb.. very knowledgable and attentive to all the groups needs. He and the second guide Ericsson went above and beyond to help and make then experience enjoyable
From US$690.00
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Operated by Action Peru Treks