Salkantay Trek and Machu Picchu Tour

Your adventure begins at 3 p.m. on Day 1, when you'll meet your Alpaca Expeditions trekking team at their office in Cusco. If you've already checked out of your hotel, you can store your luggage at the office until it's time to depart.

At 3 p.m., you'll board a private van for a 3.5-hour drive to the Glass Cabañas in Soraypampa, located at 3,800 meters above sea level. You'll arrive just in time to catch the sunset over the glacier peaks, a truly unforgettable sight.

Once you've settled into your rooms at the Glass Cabañas, you'll enjoy a delicious dinner and hot drinks with your fellow trekkers and the Alpaca Expeditions staff.

After dinner, be sure to step outside and admire the night sky. This area is known for its beautiful views of the Southern Hemisphere, so be ready for some unforgettable stargazing.

After a good night's rest, you'll wake up early (around 4-4:30am) to enjoy a hearty breakfast before the longest day of your trek. During breakfast, your trip leader will give an overview of the day's hiking and answer any questions you may have.

Following breakfast, you'll give your duffel bag to the muleteers to carry to the next campsite. Then, you'll begin your hike with a 1.5-hour uphill climb to the renowned Humantay Lake.

Humantay Lake is a stunning alpine lake with crystal-clear turquoise waters and snow-capped mountains in the background. If you're brave, you can even take a dip in the icy waters!

After spending some time at Humantay Lake, you'll begin your way back to the starting point to continue to the lunch spot in Soyroccocha. This portion of the hike is approximately 3 hours on gradually ascending terrain. Along the way, you'll pass breathtaking places such as Salkantay Pampa, which offers outstanding views of the surrounding snow-covered mountains.

After lunch, you'll continue with the next leg of your hike to Salkantay Pass, the highest point of the trek at 4,650 meters above sea level. The group will rest there and you'll be served hot drinks while you enjoy the views.

From Salkantay Pass, you'll embark on the last leg of the hike for the day, a 3-hour downhill trek to the evening's campsite, Wayracmachay. When you arrive at the campsite, the Salkantay trekking staff will have your tents all set up and your duffel bags ready.

In the evening, you'll enjoy a happy hour with hot chocolate and coffee followed by dinner. If the weather allows, you'll also get to enjoy the unbroken views of the sky along with a brief introduction to the visible Inca constellations.

Wake you up early (about 5:30 am) with a hot drink to help you start the day. After packing up your belongings and enjoying a delicious breakfast, you'll begin your hike for the day. This is the 2nd longest day of the trek, with a mix of downhill and uphill hiking.

After about 4 hours of hiking downhill, you'll reach the lunch spot at Ccollpapampa (2,700 meters above sea level). During this portion of the hike, you'll begin to notice the micro-climate and changes in the fauna and flora. You'll go from cold glacier views to warm green jungle surroundings.

After lunch and a well-deserved rest, you'll continue your trek to the unique Hobbit Houses, set up on the hillside from the Salkantay River (2400 meters above sea level). This hike will take approximately 4 hours on gradually downhill terrain.

Along the way, you'll be able to explore beautiful waterfalls, rivers, and more new flora and fauna. You'll also be able to experience another tropical forest micro-climate where local people farm coffee, passion fruit, papayas, oranges, and avocados.

When you arrive at the evening's glamping accommodations, your Salkantay trekking staff will be there to welcome you. At the Hobbit Houses, you'll have time to enjoy a nice hot shower and soak in a wonderful outdoor hot jacuzzi. You can also explore the ecological garden to see some of the local coffee, avocado, chilies, tomatoes, and pineapples.

Dinner tonight will be at the Hobbit Houses building with views of the Salkantay River. Then, as you retire for sleep, you may be able to hear the Salkantay River flowing in the distance.

After a delicious homemade breakfast, you'll start the shortest and often the most exciting day of your Salkantay adventure. Today, you'll experience some of the most beautiful sights along your Salkantay trekking route to Machu Picchu.

You'll explore the tropical forest and visit a local organic coffee farm where you'll have the opportunity to explore orange and avocado plantations and taste freshly-brewed coffee. During your visit to the coffee farm, you'll learn about the region's coffee history and its importance to the area. You'll also have an incredible lunch and a cooking class at the coffee farm.

Then, you'll continue your Salkantay trek to the ancient Inca ruins of Llactapata by hiking along a section of the Inca Trail for approximately 2.5 hours. On your way to the Llactapata Inca site, you'll enjoy amazing views of the Santa Teresa valley.

At Llactapata, you'll get your first glimpse of Machu Picchu, including the main archaeological sites Machu Picchu Mountain and Huayna Picchu Mountain. You'll also have the opportunity to explore the Llactapata Inca ruins site and take unforgettable photographs.

From here, you'll enjoy the last leg of your day's hike with a 15-minute downhill walk to your campsite area. This campsite is owned by a local family and only Alpaca Expeditions has permission to stay there, so you'll enjoy more privacy than other Salkantay trekkers.

You'll find the campsite to be a great place to enjoy the sunset and sunrise over Machu Picchu and the surrounding mountains. Depending on what time you arrive at the campsite, you'll have free time to enjoy the views and relax from hiking. Cold beverages are available at this campsite.

Before your local chef serves you dinner, you'll enjoy another lovely happy hour with tea and coffee. Once the sun has set, prepare yourself for another evening of unforgettable stargazing. You'll see the Milky Way as well as the Inca constellations, much in the same way as the Incan astronomers did to predict the weather.

On the last day of the Salkantay Trek, you will wake up early and hike downhill for 2 hours to the Hydroelectrical Station, where you can admire the impressive 300-meter-high waterfall. From there, you will continue to the Intiwatana (sundial rock), which was once used by the Incas to signal the winter solstice.

Next, you will hike along the train tracks for 3 hours to the town of Aguas Calientes, located at the foot of Machu Picchu. This is the same trail that was used by American professor Hiram Bingham when he rediscovered Machu Picchu in 1911.

Once you arrive in Aguas Calientes, you will have time to relax and enjoy a packed lunch. Then, you will check into your hotel and have the opportunity to visit the famous hot springs (10 soles, not included). In the evening, you will enjoy a final dinner with your Alpaca Expeditions trekking team.

To get the most out of your day at Machu Picchu, we encourage you to have an early breakfast before catching one of the first buses up to Machu Picchu (starting at 5:30 a.m.). This will allow you to get ahead of the crowds and enjoy the sunrise at the top.

Once you arrive at Machu Picchu, your guide will take you directly to the best place to watch the sunrise and take photographs. After sunrise, your guide will show you around the main sectors of the citadel for a total of 2.5 hours.

At the end of the guided tour, you will have some time to yourself to relax and wander around. If you arranged to hike Huayna Picchu, your guide will show you where to begin the hike. The hike will take no more than 2 hours round-trip.

For your return from Machu Picchu, we recommend heading back to Aguas Calientes no later than 2 hours before your train departure. The return train ride from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo will take approximately 2 hours. In Ollantaytambo, Alpaca Expeditions' staff will be waiting for you to bring you back to Cusco by car. The car ride to Cusco will take approximately 2 hours.