Salkantay Trek

Day 1 – Lima
Today we will meet you upon arrival at the Jorge Chavez International airport. Right after that, we will be transferred to our hotel in Lima.

Day 2 – Lima
Today we will have our city tour of Lima. Here we will visit the most important districts of the city (modern and colonial). We will visit the neighborhoods of Miraflores, Barranco and Down Town Lima, where we will have the chance to visit the Cathedral and the San Francisco Monastery. We will also have the chance to visit the Main Square and see the Presidential Palace.

Day 3 – Cusco City Tour
Our day starts with a private transfer to the airport to take our flight to Cusco. Upon arrival, we will be taken to our hotel in Cusco to get some rest and start to get acclimated to the altitude. After having a typical Andean lunch, we will start our city tour. Today we will visit the Cathedral, the Koriqancha (Temple of the Sun) and the nearby ruins of Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo and Pucapucara. Tonight we will have the chance to delight ourselves with a typical Andean meal and have a demonstration cooking class.

Day 4 – Sacred Valley
Today we will visit the Sacred Valley of the Inkas. After a light breakfast in the hotel, we will start our day by going to Pisac and tour its world renowned market featured on Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations. From Pisac, we will continue to Urubamba, where we will stop to have lunch surrounded by the steep, snow peaked mountains of the Sacred Valley and in the heart Urubamba River valley. Next, we will continue our tour by going to the Inka mountain fortress of Ollantaytambo. Here we will see beautiful vistas of terraces and the 19,000 ft Mt. Veronica. After finishing our tour at Ollantaytambo we will continue to Chinchero before we going back to Cusco.

Day 5 – Salkantay Trek (Day 1) Cusco to Soyrococha
After a light breakfast, we will leave Cusco at 6am and pass through the towns of Izcuchaca , Limatambo and Mollepata before arriving at Soraypampa (approx. Mid Day). Breathtaking vistas and roadside cliffs make this a bus ride you will never forget. We will break for a wonderful lunch prepared by camp chef in the valley at the foot of Salkantay. After Lunch we meet our mule drivers and begin the trek with a three hour walk to our first campsite at Soyrococha, a beautiful aqua blue lake at the base of Salkantay and its glaciers.

Day 6 – Salkantay Trek (Day 2) Soyrococha to Challway
After a good camp breakfast (7am) we will prepare ourselves to undertake the long and most difficult day of the trip. On our hike to Salkantay pass you will follow the contures of Salkantay mountain. We will cross the Salkantay pass (4,500mt/14,760ft) at approximately 11 am. Reaching this pass is one of the most rewarding experiences of many trekkers carriers. At the pass, we will observe the snowy peaks, glaciers and waterfalls of the Salkantay range. We will then descend from the pass into the glacial valley leading to our lunch site at Huayrac. At Huayrac we will enjoy a streamside, two hour in the lush green glacial valley, where we will all rest and trade stories of our Salkantay pass experience. From Huayrac, we will trek to our second campsite at Challway, deep within a beautiful valley of the Cloud Forrest, above the rushing rapids.

Day 7– Salkantay Trek (Day 3) Challway to Santa Teresa
This day will be unforgettable because of the great variety of flora and fauna we’ll see. Just some of these include, wild coffee, avocado, granadilla, impatiens, numerous wild orchids, and multiples species of hummingbirds. Starting from Challway we will pass through the village of Arranniyuc before descending deeper into the cloud forest. We will follow the course of the Santa Teresa River, observing ever changing varieties of orchids and gigantic waterfalls as they spill down the densely forest valley walls. After arriving and getting settled into our camp site in Santa Teresa town, we will enjoy the beautiful and relaxing thermal hot springs of Santa Teresa. These hot springs are unique for their lack of sulfur smell. The beauty of these hot springs facilities is amazing with its blend of masonry and its naturally incorporated waterfalls. At the hot springs we will share stories of our trek over some Peruvian beer and enjoy one of our first hot showers in days.

Day 8– Salkantay Trek (Day 4) Santa Teresa to Aguas Calientes
After a camp breakfast we will begin today’s trek at 7:30 am by taking an open-air truck to Hydroelectric. Our final days trek follows the rail tracks to Aguas Calientes. As we trek through the Urubamba Valley, we will be flanked by the class 5 rapids of the Urubamba River and the incredible views of nature all around us. As we round the valley to arrive at Aguas Calientes, you will be amazed by your first views of Machu Picchu. Upon arriving in Aguas Calientes we will check-in to our hotel and head out for a much deserved meal and drinks. Perhaps you will sample a pizza from one of Aguas Calientes numerous wood fired ovens, or maybe you will sample cuy if you are more adventurous.

Day 9– Machu Picchu
We will begin our day with a light breakfast and head to our bus for our journey to the majestic Machu Picchu. As the sun rises over the jagged Andes, you will turn to be amazed by one of the Seven Wonders of the World. You will start this amazing day with a privately guided tour of the vast ruins of Machu Picchu. After the tour, you will have the opportunity to exploring Machu Picchu, the Inka Bridge, or the Sun Gate at your leisure. After our day on Machu Picchu, you board the train back to Ollantaytambo, where private transportation will take the group back to Cusco.

Day 10 – Lima
After having our last breakfast in Cusco, we say goodbye to Cusco and board our private transportation to the airport and our flight back to Lima.