Short of time? Experience the best of Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu on our three days trek from Cusco. Also known as Salkantay Challenge Trek, this trek covers 48 kilometres through diverse landscapes. It starts near the foothills of the snowcapped Salkantay Mountain. Trekking through the turquoise waters of Laguna Humantay you will be rewarded with sights of colourful valleys and waterfalls. You will then be descending to the cloud forest. This is one of the best treks in South America.
The most challenging yet a remarkable part of the trek is the hike to the highest point of the trek, Salkantay Pass at 4,600m / 15091ft. As most passes on this 3 days Salkantay Trek are at high altitude, we recommend you to be well acclimatised to avoid altitude sickness.
Peruvian Andes witnesses two types of seasons: dry season and rainy season. Rainy season is from December to March. During monsoon, the terrains are a bit slippery and there are chances of landslides. The best time to do the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu is during the dry season, from April until November.
Cusco Hotel Transfer
3 Hours Before Flight Time
At around 0400 AM, we will be picking you up from your hotel in Cusco. Then in our private transport, we will transfer you to Mollepata. It will be a two hours drive. We will stop in Mollepata for breakfast. We will then drive you further to Sorayapampa. This is the starting point of the 3 Days Salkantay Trek.
On the first leg of the trek, we will be hiking to the highest point. Salkantay Pass nestles at 4,650 metres above sea level. From Sorayapampa its a seven kilometres hike to Salkantay pass. This can be covered in three hours. Once we reach Salkantay pass we will stop for a while and immerse in the tranquility. You will have a breathtaking view of the Peruvian Andes from here.
We will then descend to Wayraqmachay where we will stop for lunch. Then we will continue the trek for around two and a half hours to Chaullay. We will be spending the night at Andean Hut in Chaullay.
This section of the trek is quite strenuous and will require a good physical resistance. We highly recommend you to acclimatise well in Cusco before starting the trek.
After breakfast, at 0600 AM, we will start trekking down the hill. This will be an easy day. We will be trekking 17 kilometres down the hill for six hours. Along the way you will be walking through scenic landscapes. The route is rich with wild orchids, coffee plantations, avocados, and some tropical fruits like passion fruit and granadillas.
On the way, we will also be passing through Collapampa town known for its cloud forest. We will stop for lunch here. After lunch you will be transferred to Hydroelectric Power station in our vehicle.
From Hydroelectric it is almost a three hours hike to Aguas Calientes town along the railway lines. This is the same route that Hiram Bingham took while he rediscovered Machu Picchu. We will be accommodating you in an ensuite hotel room in Aguas Calientes. You can spend the evening at the nearby hot springs in Aguas Calientes.
After an early breakfast, you will be hiking along a section of Inca trail for an hour and a half to Machu Picchu. Alternatively, you can take a bus. It takes 25 minutes and costs USD 12 each way.
Once in Machu Picchu, our local expert will give you a two hours guided tour of the Inca site. After the tour, you will have some free time to walk around the citadel. Alternatively, you can visit the Sun Gate which offers an enchanting view of the renowned Inca Ruins.
You can also visit the Inca Bridge. If you have booked hike up to Machu Picchu mountain or Huyana Picchu Mountain, our guide will direct you to the entrance.
At a designated time you will be taking the train from Aguas Calientes train station to Ollantaytambo. Here our representative will meet you and will be transferring you back to your hotel in Cusco. We will return to Cusco at around 1000 PM.
