Classic Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu - 5D/4N

We pick you up from your hotel at 4:30 AM and drive for 3 hours to the trailhead at Challacancha, where we meet our horsemen and cook. We begin with a gentle 3-hour hike along an ancient Inca canal to our first campsite at Soraypampa. After enjoying a delicious lunch, we embark on a steep 1.5-hour hike to the stunning, turquoise Humantay Lake (4,200m). Surrounded by glaciers, it's a perfect spot for photos and acclimatization. We return to camp for our first dinner under a spectacular starry sky. • Trekking Distance: 12 km / 7.5 miles • Estimated Time: 6 hours • Starting Altitude: 3,800m / 12,467ft • Campsite Altitude: 3,900m / 12,795ft

We wake you up early with hot coca tea. Today is the longest and most challenging day. We start a 3-hour steep ascent to the Salkantay Pass (4,630m), the highest point of the trek. Here, you will be rewarded with majestic views of the second highest peak in the Cusco region, the sacred Apu Salkantay. After celebrating our achievement, we descend for 2 hours to Wayracmachay for a well-earned lunch. We then continue descending into the high jungle, noticing a dramatic change in flora and fauna, until we reach our second campsite at Chaullay. • Trekking Distance: 22 km / 13.7 miles • Estimated Time: 9-10 hours • Highest Altitude: 4,630m / 15,190ft • Campsite Altitude: 2,900m / 9,514ft

The hardest part is over. Today we enjoy an easy and beautiful hike through the Santa Teresa valley, following the Santa Teresa river. We will walk through lush tropical forest, passing waterfalls, wild orchids, and plantations of passion fruit, banana, and coffee. After 5 hours of hiking, we arrive at our campsite in La Playa / Lucmabamba. Here we will enjoy a traditional Pachamanca lunch (optional, depending on group) and a local coffee tour where you can roast and grind your own organic coffee. • Trekking Distance: 18 km / 11.2 miles • Estimated Time: 5-6 hours • Highest Altitude: 2,900m / 9,514ft • Campsite Altitude: 2,000m / 6,561ft

We start the day by hiking up a newly discovered section of the original Inca Trail for 3 hours to the Llactapata ruins. From here, you will have a unique and distant first view of Machu Picchu across the valley. We then descend for 2 hours to the Aobamba river and Hidroeléctrica, where we have our final lunch with our cook. In the afternoon, we walk for 3 hours along the train tracks through dense jungle to the town of Aguas Calientes. We check into our hotel, have dinner at a local restaurant, and rest up for the big day. • Trekking Distance: 18 km / 11.2 miles • Estimated Time: 8-9 hours • Highest Altitude: 2,700m / 8,858ft • Aguas Calientes Altitude: 2,040m / 6,692ft

The climax of the trek! We take the first bus up to Machu Picchu (or hike up the stairs) to arrive just as the sun rises over the citadel. You will have a comprehensive 2-hour guided tour of the most important temples, palaces, and agricultural terraces. Afterwards, you will have free time to explore on your own, or hike Huayna Picchu (if booked). Later, you will take the bus down to Aguas Calientes, grab lunch, and board the afternoon train to Ollantaytambo, where our private transport will be waiting to take you back to your hotel in Cusco. • Trekking Distance: Exploration of Machu Picchu • Estimated Time: 2-3 hours guided tour • Machu Picchu Altitude: 2,400m / 7,874ft • Return to Cusco: Evening