SALKANTAY TREK TO MACHUPICCHU 7D/6N

CUSCO - MOLLEPATA - WAYLLABAMBA - INCA TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU

The Salkantay is the highest snow capped mountain in the Machu Picchu region, this is a route linking two major rivers of the department of Cusco, Apurimac and Urubamba which begin the Amazon River and allow you to appreciate the live style of the people who live in the temperate valleys and those who do it in the hills, both compared to the life style of the Quechua population in the empire of the Incas, who used to inhabit the ruins you will see along the original trail towards Machu Picchu.

DAY 1: CUZCO - MOLLEPATA - SALKANTAYPAMPA

You leave the hotel in Cusco after breakfast and drive for two hours along the Cusco - Lima highway to the town of Limatambo, where you visit the Inca archaeological complex of Tarawasi which shows nice walls constructed with fine architecture, then through an unpaved road drive uphill towards Mollepata where some hikers start the trail; you will continue to Soraypampa (12606 ft / 3820 m) starting point of our hike. In the afternoon you walk for an hour and a half by rising path with spectacular views of the snowcapped mountains Humantay (19477 ft / 5902 m) and Salkantay (20700 ft / 6271 m) to Salkantaypampa (14256 ft / 3900 m) which is our camp.

Overnight    :  Campsite at Salkantaypampa
Meals          :  Lunch, afternoon tea, dinner

DAY 2: SALKANTAYPAMPA - SISAYPAMPA

You start hiking early in the morning by a fairly steep path for four hours to the mountain pass of Incachiriasca (16500 ft / 5000 m) which is the highest mountain pass along the route, from the pass you can appreciate the immensity of the Salkantay and get the answer of why The Incas worshiped and offered gifts to the impressive mountain. From there the path descents for two hours and half to our campsite in Sisaypampa (13530 ft / 4100 m) camp from which you will get magnificent views of the Salkantay.

Overnight    :  Campsite at Sisaypampa
Meals          :  Breakfast, Lunch, afternoon tea, dinner

DAY 3: SISAYPAMPA - PAUCARCANCHA

Today is only downhill for five hours walking along the streams created by the melting of the Salkantay massif, on the way you might see wild birds, herds of Llamas, Alpacas, sheep and also walk along small farming communities as well as stopping in one of the community houses to see the lifestyle of the farmers; in Pampacahuana community (12540 ft / 3800 m) you will find an original Inca canal running along a plain of about five hundred meters. In the afternoon, after lunch you descent even more until Paucarcancha (10395 ft / 3150 m) small but impressive Inca complex, which is the starting point of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Our campsite is close to the archaeological site, so you can spend part of the afternoon exploring the Inca ruins.

Overnight    :  Campsite at Paucarcancha
Meals           :  Breakfast, Lunch, afternoon tea, dinner

DAY 4: PAUCARCANCHA (Incarakay) - LLULLUCHAPAMPA

You will walk for three hours along a path full of vegetation down to Km88 (of the rail road from Cusco to Machupicchu). You will start the downhill through the left flank of the Cusichaca river valley to the community of Wayllabamba (9900 ft / 3000 m) which is within the Inca Trail to Machupicchu and an obligatory campsite for some of the group hiking tours, you will continue walking uphill for three more hours over the mountains to Llulluchapampa, across different ecological levels from the Sierra where you see potato and maize plantations to Cloud Forest, very humid and green all year round then the Puna region on the mountains, very cold and you will get spectacular views of Mount Huayanay (117160 ft / 5200 m). Our camp will be in Llulluchapampa (12210 ft / 3700 m)

Overnight    :  Campsite at Llulluchapampa
Meals          :  Breakfast, Lunch, afternoon tea, dinner

DAY 5: LLULLUCHAPAMPA - CHAQUIQOCHA

You start the day hiking up for one and a half hours to Dead Woman’s Pass (13860 ft / 4200 m) which is the second highest point of the route, from there we start descending to Pacaymayo river valley where you have lunch. In the afternoon the trail goes up again getting altitude until the third pass located at (13100 ft / 3970 m), there you can get impressive views of the Pumasillo snow capped mountain which is located in the same mountain range of the Salcantay; then you will go down along a paved Inca highway for one hour to Sayacmarca which is a beautiful city built on a great promontory of the mountain which is accessed via a staircase attached to the mountain wall overlooking the Aobamaba river valley. Camp is only half hour away walking through the cloud forest vegetation to the next campsite Chaquiqocha (11880 ft / 3600 m).

Overnight    :  Campsite at Chaquiqocha
Meals          :  Breakfast, Lunch, afternoon tea, dinner

DAY 6: CHAQUIQOCHA - WIÑAYWAYNA

This is our favorite journey because you will arrive to camp for lunch and will have the afternoon off to rest well to reach your destination tomorrow. The trail is very smooth as you hike uphill for an hour and a half until the pass of Phuyupatamarca where you will visit an archaeological site located five minutes away from the pass. Then the paved stone trail drops off steeply down for two hours towards Wiñaywayna (8910 ft / 2700 m) where you have lunch and camp. In the afternoon is possible to visit the archaeological complex of Wiñaywayna located only five minutes from the camp, this a highly recommended visit, because it is the most beautiful and complete of all the previous archaeological sites you visited along the way.

Overnight    :  Campsite at Wiñaywayna
Meals          :  Breakfast, Lunch, afternoon tea, dinner

DAY 7: WIÑAYWAYNA - MACHU PICCHU - CUZCO

Today you arrive to your destination. The day starts very early in the morning, you walk for two hours to reach Machu Picchu around eight in the morning, the trail goes across the forested Machu Picchu mount to the Sun Gate (Inti Punku) from where you can see for the first time this wonderful city. Upon arrival you will go to the control point to check out and then take a complete tour in Machu Picchu with your Inca trail guide, after the tour you will have some time off to enjoy Machu Picchu on your own before taking the bus down towards the village of Aguas Calientes and then take the train to Ollantaytambo town located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, where a bus will be waiting to transport you to Cusco.

If arriving to the gate the sun is overcast, do not get disappointed because the traditional picture of Machu Picchu is taken from the guard house which is located in the same city.

Overnight    :  None
Meals          :  Breakfast

OUR PRICE INCLUDES:

• A licensed professional English speaking tour guide, who will visit you at the hotel to give you a pre departure briefing
• Duffle bag during the whole period of the trail to take all your personal staff, with no maximum weight per person during the Salkantay part (days 01, 02, 03) and 9 Kilos maximum per person during the Inca trail hiking period (days 04, 05, 06, 07)
• Collection from your hotel and transfer via private transport to Soraypamapa (starting point of the trail)
• Entrance ticket to the Inca trail (days 04, 05, 06, 07) and Machu Picchu
• A spacious three person tent to be used for each two people
• An inflatable mattress
• Sleeping bag during the whole itinerary
• Dining tent with tables and chairs
• Cooking tent
• A toilet tent and portable toilet with bio chemical waste bags
• A chef and assistant chef to cook healthy and hearty meals during the whole itinerary with fresh ingredients
• Horsemen and horses to carry the camping equipment, cooking equipment, food and the client’s duffle bags during Salkantay part (days 01, 02, 03)
• Porters, to carry the camping equipment, cooking equipment, food and the client’s duffle bags during the Inca trail (days 04, 05, 06, 07)
• Accommodation for our team of workers
• Meals described in the program itinerary
• Snacks, everyday alter breakfast
• Boiled cool drinking water during the whole itinerary (morning, afternoon, night)
• First Aid medical Kit and emergency Oxygen Tank
• One way bus ticket from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes town (day 07)
• Vistadome service train ticket from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo station
• Private transport from Ollantaytambo to Cusco

OUR PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:

• First day breakfast
• Last day lunch
• Entrance to Hot Springs
• Tips
• All what is not specified in what the program includes

WE RECOMMEND YOU TO BRING:

• Thermal clothing, it turns very cold alter nightfall all year round
• Rain gear
• Hiking boots water proof
• Sandals or slippers, to walk more comfortably at the camps sites
• Hat for cold and Cap for the sun or it can be used during rainy days, too
• Sleeping bag
• Convertible pants or zip-off pants
• Long johns
• Sun glasses
• An adventure travel towel
• Swim suit, you may want to go to the hot spring in Aguas Calientes town
• Sun cream
• Mosquito repellent
• Snacks, we recommend to bring power bars
• Original passport, which will be used the first day at the check point before going in to the Inca trail and board the trains
• Flash light with extra batteries
• Camera with extra batteries, batteries lose charge easy in cold weather conditions
• A canteen, one you can use throughout the journey, so do not use plastic bottles of water that can be easily discarded. We recommend Nalgene or Camel Back bottle.
• Cash money, Soles or US Dollars
• Walking poles that will allow you to walk with the body upright and do not exert much pressure on your knees on downhil

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