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SALKANTAY TRAIL AND TRAIN TO MACHUPICCHU 5D/4N
This route is designed to get the experience of walking and camping at high altitude through the snow-capped mountains of Salkantay. Our campsites are set up to enjoy the magical views of the mountains during sunrise and sunset, perfect for relaxing at the end of the journey. We then travel in comfort by train and stay overnight in a hotel before visiting Machu Picchu, the magical city of the Incas.
Itinerary
Day 1: Cusco – Salkantaypampa
We leave the hotel in Cusco after breakfast and drive for two hours along the Cusco-Lima highway to the town of Limatambo. Here we visit the Inca archaeological complex of Tarawasi which shows impressive walls constructed with fine architecture. From here we continue along an unpaved road driving uphill towards Soraypampa (12606 ft / 3820 m), the starting point of our hike.
In the afternoon we walk for an hour and a half uphill along a 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.
Day 2: Salkantaypampa – Sisaypampa
We start hiking early in the morning along 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 we will appreciate the immensity of Salkantay and understand why The Incas worshiped and offered gifts to the impressive mountain. From there the path descends for two and a half hours to our campsite in Sisaypampa (13530 ft / 4100 m) camp from which you will get magnificent views of the Salkantay.
Day 3: Sisaypampa – Paucarcancha
Today we walk downhill for five hours along the streams created by the melting of the Salkantay glacier. On the way we may see wild birds, herds of llamas, alpacas and sheep. We will also walk through small farming communities stopping en route in one of the houses to learn about the lifestyle of the farmers. In Pampacahuana (12540 ft / 3800 m) we will find an original Inca canal running through the valley about three hundred meters long. After lunch we descend further until we reach Paucarcancha (10395 ft / 3150 m), a 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 we can spend part of the afternoon exploring the Inca ruins.
Day 4: Paucarcancha – Km88 – Machu Picchu
We walk for three hours along a path full of vegetation down to Km88 of the rail road tracks that travel from Cusco to Machupicchu. We will start the downhill hike along the left flank of the Cusichaca river valley to the community of Wayllabamba (9900 ft / 3000 m) which is located along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. We continue along the right flank of the river down to the Inca city of Patallacta the largest in the area where we will have time to visit this impressive Inca site. Next we continue on to Km88 (8910 ft / 2700 m) to catch the train that will take us to the town of Aguas Calientes where we spend the night in a hotel.
Day 5: Machu Picchu – Cusco
We take the earliest bus to enjoy the sunrise over Machu Picchu. After sunrise our guide will give us a complete tour visiting the nicest parts of the City. You will then have some free time to visit Machu Picchu on your own before we take the bus back to Aguas Calientes and then catch our train to Ollantaytambo town located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, where a bus will be waiting to transport us to Cusco.
The Salkantay trail and train to Machu Picchu 5d/4n program 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 belongings, with no maximum weight per person
- Hotel pick-up and transfer via private transport to Soraypampa (starting point of the trail)
- Entrance ticket to the Inca trail (day 04) and entrance ticket to Machu Picchu (day 05)
- A spacious two person, four season tent, we use The North Face or Hard Wear Mountain Equipment tents
- An inflatable mattress and a pillow per person
- Dining tent with tables and chairs, cooking tent and toilette tent
- A chef and assistant chef to cook healthy and hearty meals during the whole itinerary with fresh ingredients
- Horses to carry the camping equipment, cooking equipment, food and client’s duffle bags
- Accommodation for our workers
- Meals (04 breakfast, 04 lunch, 04 dinner)
- Boiled cool drinking water during the whole itinerary (morning, afternoon, night)
- First Aid Medical Kit and Emergency Oxygen Tank
- Vistadome service train ticket from Km88 to Aguas Calientes town
- Accommodation in a hotel
- Round trip bus ticket Aguas Calientes – Machupicchu – Aguas Calientes
- Vistadome service train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo station
- Private transportation from Ollantaytambo to Cusco.
The Salkantay trail and train to Machu Picchu 5d/4n program does not include:
- Sleeping bag during the whole itinerary (can be rented locally)
- Tips
- All that is not specified in what the program includes
We recommend bringing:
- Thermal clothing, it turns very cold after 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 zipoff pants
- Long johns
- Sun glasses
- A 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 (will be used to board the trains)
- Flashlight with extra batteries
- Camera with extra batteries, batteries lose charge easily in cold weather conditions
- Reusable Water Bottle (to avoid unnecessary waste of plastic disposable bottles)
- Cash, Peruvian Soles or US Dollars
- Walking poles that will allow you to walk with the body upright and help to avoid exerting too much pressure on your knees when going downhill
| Pacha tours & trips E.I.R.L. | |
| Private and Custom Made Travel to Peru and Southamerica | |
| Avenida Tacna # 230, office 303 (third floor), Wanchaq | |
| Cusco - Peru | |
| Phone: | +51 84 237289 |
| Cel Phone: | +51 84 984769540 (24 hours) |
| Email: | info@pachatoursperu.com |
Pacha tours & trips EIRL, Travel Agency and Tour Operator, Cusco - Peru . Copy Right 2008 - Tailor made travel to Peru