Salkantay &Inca trail To Machupicchu 6D/5N
DISCRIPTION:
This Salkantay and Inca Trail tour is a perfect combination of two different treks that will give you the best of both worlds! The Salkantay trek has become the number one trekking alternative.On this short six day Salkantay and Inca Trail trek, you will spend the first 3 days on the Salkantay trek before transitioning to the Inca Trail passing through the Humantay Lagoon, the Salkantay Pass and appreciating the flora and fauna.The Inca Trail is one of the most important trekking routes in South America. This is influenced by its original Inca architecture, enjoy the archaeological remains along the way and the natural mix of jungle and cloud forest along the way.
DETAILS OF THE TRIP:
- Duration: 6 days / 5 nights
- Location:Inca Salkantay – (Inca Trail to Machu Picchu)
- Distance: 65 km – 34 miles
- Departure: Cusco
- Difficulty: Moderate,Challenging
- Destination: Machu Picchu
- Type of tour: trekking, cultural, adventure and history
DAY 1: CUSCO – SORAYPAMPA – ICHUPATA:
We will pick you up from your hotel very early at 4:00 a.m. then we will drive three hours to Soraypampa where we will enjoy the first breakfast after breakfast you will meet your crew: chef, support staff (porter) and muleteers. Then you will start with a thirty minute flat hike and then steadily uphill for an hour to the famous Humantay lagoon (4200 masl). After exploring everything, you will hike back to the starting point to continue to the lunch spot at salcantaypampa. This part of the hike will be approximately 2 hours on gradually ascending terrain. On the way, you will pass by impressive views of the snow-capped mountains. We arrive at the lunch point. After lunch, we will have an elevated climb of two hours to reach our second camp, at Ichupata or Pampa Japonesa, where it will be colder so make sure you have a jacket, hat, sunglasses and gloves.
At the camp, the porters will welcome you to enjoy hot drinks and dinners. Tonight is a perfect night to see the constellations and views of Salkantay Mountain. This site is the closest camp to Salkantay, so it is possible to hear some avalanches.
- Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
- Distance covered: 12 km
- Elevation: 4,300 m/14,104 ft.
- Difficulty level: Moderate
- COMODATION: camping
DAY 2: ICHUPATA – INCA CHIRIASCA – INCA CANAL:
We will start very early in the morning, you will wake up early with a hot drink to help you start the day. You will have time to pack and enjoy a hearty breakfast prepared by your trekking chef. We will begin the steep 3 hour ascent to the Incachiriasca pass, the highest pass on the entire route. Once you have reached the top, there will be hot coca tea, views of the valley and lakes, and even wildlife such as condors and hawks.
We will then descend to our lunch spot in yanaqaqa a flat area from where you can see the beautiful valleys and the Salcantay river.After lunch we continue descending to the community of Pampacahuana located next to an Inca canal. This is our camp for the night.
- Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
- Distance traveled: 13 km
- Elevation: 4,700 m/15,416 ft.
- Difficulty level: challenging
- COMODATION: camping
DAY 3: INCA CANAL – PAUCARCANCHA – WAYLLABAMBA – AYAPATA:
After a good night’s rest we get ready for breakfast today we will join the Classic Inca Trail. We start walking downhill for 3 hours from Inca Canal until we arrive to Paucarcancha where you will be your first visit to the archaeological site together with your tour guide you will explore the Inca site in the same place of Paucarcancha have lunch we will also say goodbye to our horsemen (horses), and meet our porters.
After lunch we will walk 25 minutes downhill to the last village of the Classic Inca Trail, this will be followed by a 4 hour uphill hike to ayapata we will walk through many ecosystems, including the cloud forest. after arriving at the camp you can relax and have a hot drink and then at 7:00 PM dinner will be ready and then have a well deserved rest.
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Distance covered: 12 km
- Elevation: 3,300 m/12,136 ft.
- Difficulty level: challenging
- COMODATION: camping
DAY 4: AYAPATA – WARMIWAÑUSKA – CHAQUICOCHA:
The guide will have the task of waking you up early with coca tea to be able to climb the long and steep trail to Warmiwañusca or the mountain of the Dead Woman. We will walk for 4 hours to the highest pass of the mountain the pass of the dead woman (4215 masl/13825ft) when we arrive to the pass we will have a small rest from the top of the mountain.
From the top of the mountain we will be able to appreciate incredible views of the mountain ranges we will appreciate the flora and fauna then we begin to descend to the next valley for an hour and a half until we arrive to the place (PACAYMAYO) where we will have lunch and we will have time to fill the water bottles after lunch we begin to climb again. After two hours walking for 45 minutes we arrive to an Inca site called RUNCURACCAY where we will have time to explore after the second pass again we start descending for an hour until we arrive to another Inca site SAYACMARCA also we will have time to explore after visiting the Inca site we will have 25 minutes walking until we arrive to our campsite CHAQUICOCHA (3700 masl) after dinner if the sky is clear we will have the opportunity to see the constellations or the southern cross.
- Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
- Elevation: 4,215 m/13,829 ft.
- Distance traveled: 16 km/ 9 miles
- Difficulty level: Challenging
- Area: Andes and Cloud Forest
- COMODATION:camping
DAY 5: CHAQUICCOCHA – PHUYUPATAMARCA – WIÑAYWAYNA:
It is the most beautiful and relaxing day, the hike is only 6 hours through different ecological zones. We will start early also at 6:00AM we will walk for 2 hours it is an up and down hike and we will begin to go into the edge of the jungle known as the cloud forest. On a clear day we will have the opportunity to see the Salkantay mountain and the Vilcabamba mountain range arriving at the Inca site Phuyupatamarca we will have excellent views of the Urubamba river we will also have our first view of the Machupicchu mountain after exploring the Inca site we will descend for 3 hours down a flight of steps to our camp on the descent we will arrive at another Inca site (INTIPATA) we will arrive at the camp at approximately 1:00 pm then the rest of the day you can relax. After having a well deserved rest at 4:00 pm you will have the opportunity to visit another Inca site Wiñaywayna is the most spectacular Inca site on the trail after Machupicchu your guide will explain the importance of the site then in the evening after dinner. organize a ceremony to thank them for the great work done we will rest early because the next day we will start very early.
- Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
- COMODATION: Camping
- Altitude: 2,680 m/8,792 ft.
- Walking distance: 10 km/ 6.2 miles
- Difficulty level: easy
- Area: High Cloud Forest
DAY 6: WIÑAYWAYNA – MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO:
Today you will have an early breakfast. We will walk for 2 hours until we reach inti punco (sun gate) which offers spectacular views of Machu Picchu and the mountains. After enjoying the views we will begin our descent to Machu Picchu for a 2 hour guided tour. After exploring we take the bus to Aguas Calientes and have lunch. After lunch, you will head to the train station to take the train back to Ollantaytambo, where our driver will pick you up and take you back to Cusco and drop you off at your hotel.
- Meals: Breakfast
- Altitude: 2,430 m/7,972 ft.
- Distance: 6 km/3.73 miles(2 – hours)
WHAT IS INCLUDED:
- Safety briefing the day before the tour at 18:00 in our office.
- Free luggage storage.
- Pick up from your hotel for the excursion.
- All transport during the tour.
- Personal transport up to 7 kilos
- Professional guides (English-Spanish)
- Experienced cooks and porters
- All meals are prepared with fresh local ingredients.
- Entrance ticket to salkantay, inca trail and machupicchu
- Bus down to Aguas Calientes from Machu Picchu
- Return train back to cusco
- Satellite phones, first aid kit and oxygen tank
- Eureka tents for every 2 passengers
- Private portable toilets
- Return to your hotel
NOT INCLUDED:
- Sleeping bags
- air mattresses
- trekking poles
- Lunch last day after the Machu Picchu Tour
- Huayna Picchu Mountain (optional)
- Original passport (no copy)
- Clothes for trekking
- Hiking shoes
- Sleeping bag
- Hiking equipment
- Hat
- Camera
- Sun protection
- Rain gear
- Flip-flops
- Student card(IF YOU BOOKED AS A STUDENT)
- Insect repellent
- Torch
- This trek covers a total distance of 65 km at high altitude. We recommend that you acclimatise in Cusco 2 or 3 days before doing the salkantay and Inca Trail tour.
- You should bring your own backpack (25 L maximum). As you will be carrying it on your own, make sure you don’t carry anything too big or heavy.
Frequently asked questions
What is the level of difficulty of the 4-day Inca Trail?
The Inca Trail presents different levels of challenge. Throughout this trek, you will face diverse terrain, altitude variations and changing weather conditions, and is generally considered to be ....................
- Duration: 6 Days/5Nights
- Tour Type: Small Group Tour
- Activities: Trekking
- Gruop Size:Up To 10
- Tour Language: English, Spanish
- Accommodation: Camping
- Difficulty:Moderate to Challenging
- Hiking Distance: 65 km / 34 miles
