salkantay trek sans guide

Miss Wanderitall

The Salkantay Trek without a guide or tent

• 16 April 2020 15 October 2022

The Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu is one of the most popular trekking routes in Peru , however, is it possible to do it on your own and sleeping at guesthouses , avoiding to hire a guide or carrying your tent and your own food? We found out it was and, moreover, it was amazingly easy and cheap ! So here we provide all the information for you to also live this experience.

The basics of our Salkantay Trek without a guide:

Duration: 5 days/4 nights Date of travel: from June the 23rd to June the 27th, 2019 Number of travellers: two people Time of preparation: a month for the organisation, way longer for the physical training

In this post you will find everything you need to know to prepare for the Salkantay Trek without a guide, on your own  and even better, without carrying a tent to sleep or food for the whole trek ! We will cover where to sleep and eat , all the transportation you will use to get to the starting point of the trek and return to Cusco and how is every day of the trek going to look like .

When you finish reading, you will know everything you need to prepare for this trekking that will take you right to one of the World’s Seven Wonders: Machu Picchu.

Also, if you want to have some useful information about the difficulty of the trek and how to determine if you are prepared to do it, how to prepare the track and what tools you can use to navigate the route, information on altitude sickness and how to minimise its effects, safety along the route and what does your backpack need to contain, check my other post ‘ Salkantay Trek on your own: 5 essentials to prepare ‘.

Salkantay Trek on your own: 5 essentials to prepare

Can I do it on my own?

The salkantay trek without a guide in figures, first night – soraypampa, second night – chaullay, third night – lucmabamba, fourth night – near aguascalientes, 2.3. where to eat, 2.4. transportation, before you start…, side trek to humantay lake, day 2: soraypampa – abra salkantay – chaullay, day 3: chaullay – lucmabamba, from hidroeléctrica to aguascalientes, machu picchu mountain and citadel, to hidroeléctrica and back to cusco, 4. the cost of the salkantay trek without a guide, 1. the business around the salkantay trek.

When we were preparing for our trip to Peru, we learnt that we could arrive to Machu Picchu by trekking instead of taking the train or a bus and we instantly knew that was the option for us. However, almost every piece of information we found regarding the Salkantay Trek was directed at those trekking with a guide or alternatively on how to trek on your own but carrying tent and food. Either was the experience we were looking for. We wanted to carry a light backpack and sleep and eat at guesthouses .

After many searches, we found the amazing blog of Career Break Adventures and their post ‘ Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu (Without a Tent or Guide) ‘. It was our inspiration to prepare our itinerary to trek by our terms : without a guide, without a tent and without carrying the food we would eat for five days.

Once at Cusco and along the trek we spoke with locals and we understood the Salkantay Trek is a huge tourist attraction . Travel agencies are not really interested in you going on your own . For this reason, if you search in the web and if, once in Peru, try to gather information from travel agencies, they will tell you that the trek is not safe and that it’s not possible to do it on your own because you won’t find accommodation or meals. This is absolutely not true .

If you keep reading you will find that the Salkantay Trek passes through several towns and small villages . Almost all of them have accommodation and provide food for their guests. Depending on the day of the trek and your budget, this accommodation may be a private room, a shared dorm or a tent . Your hosts will provide you with everything you need.

Moreover, we were able to keep the cost of the experience at a little less than 150 € per person. All expenses are included in this sum, even the Machu Picchu tickets to the citadel and Machu Picchu Mountain. This is significantly lower than the average cost of a guided tour, ranging from 240 to 420 € (tickets to Machu Picchu -60 € for the citadel, 75 € if you visit also one of the mountains- not included in this price). Later in this post, you will find a compilation of all the expenses we had in the Salkantay Trek without a guide.

Therefore, the only question that will remain is if you are physically and mentally prepared for this trekking, so be sure to read my post ‘ Salkantay Trek on your own: 5 essentials to prepare ‘ for information on that matter.

2. The trekking experience

2.1. in a nutshell.

The Salkantay Trek is a trekking route to arrive to Machu Picchu . It is an alternative to the more famous, but much more regulated Inca Trail, which has a limited number of trekkers allowed per day and gets full months in advance. This is not the case in Salkantay, as there is not a limit in the number of trekkers allowed.

It lasts five days and four nights , visiting Machu Picchu on the last day. With 92 km (57 mi) and almost 8,000 m (26,245 ft) of accumulated elevation gained/lost (3,000 m / 9,840 ft gained and 4,880 / 16,010 ft lost), it is a high demanding extremely beautiful trek. Also, one of the coolest experiences you will have in Peru. Cusco is the ‘base-camp’ you will leave from and where you will return after the adventure.

The Salkantay Trek can be done on your own (either sleeping and eating at guesthouses or carrying your own tent and food) or with an organised group with a guide and porters.

The Salkantay Trek does not require any special skill apart from general fitness and determination . The path is clear and easy to walk, although you can expect some altitude sickness. I believe everyone who is in a good physical condition, has some general knowledge of mountaineering and has thoroughly prepared this trip can do it.

We chose to go on our own and do the Salkantay Trek without a guide and without carrying a tent and food . However, we did carry plenty of snacks (nuts and dehydrated fruit) to substitute most lunches during the trek. We slept every night at guesthouses or campings, where we also bought our meals.

On the first day, we got up early and took the bus to Challacancha , where we started our trek. We walked to Soraypampa , found accommodation, had lunch and left our bags to climb to Humantay Lake .

We slept in Soraypampa and the next morning headed to Abra Salkantay , the highest point of the trek, and started our way down to Chaullay , where we slept on our second night.

The third day we followed a down and easy trail that took us to Lucmabamba to rest.

We started the fourth day climbing to  Llaqtapata , then we descended to  Hidroeléctrica . From there we followed a long, flat and easy trail to Aguascalientes , but we stopped roughly 3.5 km / 2.2 mi before the town to sleep closer to the Machu Picchu entrance. We still were about 2km / 1.2 mi from the entrance, so we would recommend finding a closer accommodation. We never visited Aguascalientes.

On the fifth day we woke up early again to be among the first ones to enter Machu Picchu . We had a hard, short climb to the entrance still at night. Once at Machu Picchu, the first thing we did was climb the quite demanding Machu Picchu Mountain . When we returned to Machu Picchu archaeological site, we took a guided tour and then raced down to Hidroeléctrica to take a direct bus to Cusco .

The second and last day were definitely the most challenging ones.

These are the main numbers that can help you get an idea of what you will be facing:

* We slept roughly 3.5 km / 2.2 mi before Aguascalientes, to be closer to the Machu Picchu entrance

2.2. Where to sleep

In general, you can sleep in guesthouses, home-stays, campings (in which case your hosts will provide you with the tent, sleeping bag and even a pillow). You will even find  fancy expensive domes at some towns. You can’t book these accommodations in advance if you don’t travel with a group, so it’s generally recommended to arrive early to ensure you find a place.

What would happen if you didn’t? You would need to walk a few extra kilometres to reach the next, less popular town. You would for sure find a place to sleep there, but you will probably be tired from the long day walk.

There is hot water everywhere. In general, showers are not included and you need to pay about 10 PEN per person. Toilets can be either private or shared . This will play a role on the price of the room and whether the shower is included or not.

In Soraypampa you will find plenty of guesthouses, campings and domes so just ask around to find the option that works for you.

We slept in a camping. We rented a tent which our hosts prepared for us under a hay cover. Sleeping bags, mattress and a pillow were included, although we didn’t have a shower available. It was a slightly cold night, but we attribute that to the altitude as we were very sheltered from the wind.

For two people, we payed 20 PEN for the accommodation, being our cheapest night in the Salkantay Trek.

We found that most guesthouses offer either rooms, a space for your tent and tents to rent . Showers are available at an extra cost. We arrived at 16.30h and were able to secure one of the last rooms available for 40 PEN for the both of us, so we would recommend to try to arrive earlier, even this is one of the hardest days of the trek.

If rooms are not available when you arrive, you can rent a tent or keep walking to Collpapampa if you still have the energy. It is about 1 km / 0.6 mi from Chaullay and also has plenty of options for accommodation.

As a curiosity, in Chaullay our hosts asked us to have our meals in the kitchen, isolated from other guests. They didn’t want us to share with them that we were doing the Salkantay Trek without a guide.

We found that Lucmabamba was the less crowded place where we slept, because many groups sleep at Santa Teresa to visit its hot springs. There are a very few guesthouses or home-stays , but it is unlikely you find yourself without options because of the low number of tourists visiting.

For us, it was the best night of the whole trek. We rented a room with shared bathroom and a big comfortable bed at Sonia and Walter home stay, in the middle of a coffee plantation, for 50 PEN for both. It was the first night we had electricity.

Some alternatives for this day are the lodges you will find near the main road, just before taking the trail to Lucmabamba (1km / 0.6 mi before Lucmabamba). Also, the nearest towns of Playa Sahuayco or Sahuayco, although they are roughly 4 km / 2.4 mi before Lucmabamba and this would mean a very long fourth day.

The most popular option is to sleep in Aguascalientes (also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo), in which case you will have a lot of options. However, we decided against this for several reasons:

• We were not going to take the train from Hidroeléctrica to Aguascalientes, nor the bus from Aguascalientes to the entrance of Machu Picchu. Therefore the closer we slept from the Machu Picchu entrance the better. We avoided to walk a few kilometres at the end of the fourth day.
• If we had stayed in Aguascalientes, that would mean returning there to get our backpack once our visit to Machu Picchu had ended. Therefore, 4 extra kilometres.
• Everything we read and were told about Aguascalientes prevented us to go there. We understood it is a town filled with tourists coming from the Salkantay Trek, the train to Machu Picchu and the buses to Hidroeléctrica from Cusco – Santa María – Santa Teresa. It has hot springs, party and drunk tourists. We don’t like either of these things, so we decided we could miss it. It is a very personal choice.

We stayed at Mandor (formerly Gea Lodge) , which is the only hostel you will find before Aguascalientes. A dorm with 4 beds, shared bathroom and electricity cost 40 PEN per person.

Around Mandor and until Aguascalientes, there are a few campings available . When we were there on June 2019, they only had tents, however, they were building some bungalows that were supposed to be ready in a couple of months. If we had to recommend you what to do, we would tell you to look for the closer camping to the Machu Picchu entrance, and rent a tent or bungalow to sleep there.

You will have breakfast and dinner in the guesthouse or camping where you sleep. The cost will range from 10 to 15 PEN per person per meal. Don’t expect anything fancy: it will probably consist on an omelette with vegetables and rice, coca tea (mate de coca), juice and coffee. Hot, abundant and nutritive, what else could you need?

Regarding lunch, you may be able to ask for it to-go. You definitely can just stop at any town during the route. However, when we are trekking we always skip lunch and eat plenty of snacks during the day instead (mostly nuts and dehydrated fruits). We prefer this option because we don’t want to waste time waiting for our lunch and, anyway, our body constantly needs the energy from nuts and fruit, and the rest you get from these short stops along the way.

As of water , we carried purification pills and were able to refill our bottles every few minutes for almost the whole trek. The only stage were we couldn’t find water was from Llaqtapata to Hidroeléctrica, on the fourth day. It is also possible to buy bottled water in guesthouses and in the villages you pass, but I would recommend you just to purify it to reduce your plastic waste.

• Bus from Cusco to Challacancha. Leaving from the intersection between Av. Arcopata and Av. Apurimac in Cusco, you take the bus to Mollepata. Once at Mollepata, from where the first bus left you, take another bus or taxi to Challacancha, where you will be starting the trek. You will need to wait for each bus to fill before you leave.
• Train from Hidroeléctrica to Aguascalientes. It will save you from a two hours flat and easy walk at an awfully expensive price: 31 USD per person. Also, if you want to sleep closer to the actual entrance to Machu Picchu, not in Aguascalientes, you will need to walk down some part of the trail, as the train only stops at the end of the line.
• Bus from Aguascalientes to the Machu Picchu entrance. The fact that it costs 12 USD per person is the reason why we decided to walk instead and why we didn’t sleep in Aguascalientes but closer to the Machu Picchu entrance. However, it will save you from a considerably demanding climb.
• Train from Aguascalientes back to Hidroeléctrica.
• Bus from Hidroeléctrica to Cusco. The last direct bus leaves at 16h and arrives at 21.30h, so you better plan your visit to Machu Picchu accordingly. The alternative is changing the bus at Santa Teresa and then again at Santa María, which would take even longer.
• Alternatives for tiredness or sickness. From Playa Sahuayaco (end of third day of the Salkantay Trek) it’s possible to take a bus or taxi to Santa Teresa (popular alternative, particularly among guided groups, because of its hot springs), and another one from Santa Teresa to Hidroeléctrica. Also, the trekking trail goes in parallel to the road during the third day of the trek, so you could take a bus or taxi there.

3. Salkantay Trek without a guide – day-by-day route

Before the trek, we had stayed two nights in Cusco, having previously spent two days in Titicaca Lake and two days in Arequipa, so altitude sickness was not new to us . Also, in this high altitude we had been very active and done a few short treks and a lot of ups-and-downs in the streets of Cusco, so we were better equipped to walk in altitude.

Cusco is also the perfect place for last-minute purchases for the Salkantay Trek without a guide: topographic map and compass, hat, trekking poles… There are plenty of stores with mountaineering equipment around Plaza de Armas so just take the time to visit a few of them to find products and prices that convince you.

In the case of the trekking poles , we bought a pair of them for 80 PEN instead of renting. When we returned back to Cusco, we sold the poles back to one of these stores for 30 PEN. It was way cheaper that if we had rented them, although we had to visit a few stores to find one that would take them.

It was not easy for us to buy a topographic map at Cusco (we had to visit several stores) because, as I said, everything is prepared for you to go in an organised group, so it may be a good idea to buy it online .

Day 1: Cusco – Mollepata – Challacancha – Soraypampa – Humantay Lake

We woke up at 2.45h to be at 3.45h in the Bus Station to Mollepata . We arrived by Uber for 6 PEN from the centre of Cusco. After waiting for half an hour for the bus to be full, and for 15 PEN per person it took us to Mollepata , arriving at 6.15h. Just before entering the town, we passed through a control were we had to pay our 10 PEN per person entry fee to the Salkantay Trek.

We were supposed to take another bus from Mollepata to Challacancha but were told that a taxi was the only option we had available. Apparently, buses are only for organised groups.

So we took a taxi. We were lucky enough to find another couple of travellers that were following the exact same route we were following (also inspired by Career Break Adventures ), so we shared the 15 PEN per person 50 minutes ride. This was the only price we were able to bargain during the trek.

The 2.5h trail from Challacancha to Soraypampa is generally easy. It is steep at the beginning and just before arriving to Soraypampa. In between, it goes next to a river and is flat and narrow.

Once we had found accommodation we took a short nap, had lunch and started our way up to Humantay Lake . It was not long (about 1.5h) but harder than we expected, even with our bags at the campsite. The path was very steep and you definitely felt the lack of oxygen.

You forgot about all that once you arrived to the lake. It is one of the most beautiful places we have ever visited. We lingered there for a little longer than we should have, relaxing, taking pictures and exploring the surroundings. We watched the sunset from that point. On the way down, the sun was already leaving. It was considerably easier, but a little hard on the knees.

The weather had been very pleasant the whole day, we weren’t cold even at the Humantay Lake (4,221 m / 13,848 ft). However, at night temperatures were notably lower and we were glad to have the shelter from the hay cover and the sleeping bag. The sky was clear and full of stars.

In the second day of the Salkantay Trek without a guide, we started walking at 6.30h. A very steep trail with plenty of zigzags that allowed us to gain altitude fast, let you arrive to Abra Salkantay in 4.5h.

We felt lightheaded and fatigued all the way up, having to stop several times to catch our breath. We even had to stop once for half an hour because I felt extremely dizzy. Rest and food helped and healed us every time. Don’t try to hurry to the Pass, listen to your body and give it the rest it needs. Luckily the surroundings are amazingly beautiful.

Once at the top, having completed one of the hardest sections of the trek, the landscape was spectacular. We were not cold at all and we spent a few minutes soaking on the beauty of the mountain range. Then, we started the long 5.5h descend. Very welcomed at the beginning because it was easy and the amount of oxygen was higher and higher. However, 13 km / 8 mi and 1,800 m / 5,905 ft of descend are no joke. It truly felt like the day never ended and the last few hours were nothing short from infernal.

We arrived to Chaullay at 16.30h, got a room, took a shower, had dinner and went to sleep exhausted.

Overall, it was one of the most physically demanding days of my whole life.

We started walking once again at 6.30h. This third day of the Salkantay Trek without a guide was generally easy and downhill, but long. During the first few minutes we walked in the road, until we turned left across the river and took the trail.

From Chaullay to Playa Sahuayco , the path goes down with a few easy and short climbs. For most of the time it crosses the jungle, so be prepared for heat and insects. Once you arrive to Playa Sahuayco and until you turn left for the trail to Lucmabamba , you walk again in the flat road.

Playa Sahuayco and Sahuayco are real towns, not the small villages you will have encountered so far. It will be possible for you to have lunch there, however, we decided to continue.

The last climb from the main road to Lucmabamba is short and not particularly steep. However, we were so tired that it was a huge effort for us. We passed the first home stay we found and settled in the second one because it was slightly cheaper.

It was 13.30h and we had already finished the trekking of the day, so we were really proud – and tired. We rested for almost an hour, took turns on the shower and spent a great part of the afternoon massaging our muscles and stretching. The dinner was amazingly good and we went to sleep feeling a little repaired.

Day 4: Lucmabamba – Llaqtapata – Hidroeléctrica – Aguascalientes

At 3.21h, the rooster that lived next to our room started crowing and didn’t stop. There was not a single ray of light in the sky, so we couldn’t understand what was wrong with that animal, but we slept OK despite of that.

We started walking on our fourth day of the Salkantay Trek without a guide at 6.30h after an amazing breakfast. The first stop of the day was a swing on the way to Llaqtapata viewpoint. We arrived there at 9.30h, after a generally easy climb that combined demanding and relaxed stages. We entertained ourselves for a few minutes swinging and taking pictures.

The short climb from the swing to Llaqtapata viewpoint, where we arrived at 10h, was a little more demanding. There you have views over the whole range of mountains, including the Machu Picchu, so it’s also one of the most spectacular landscapes of the trek.

The descend from Llaqtapata to Hidroeléctrica was long, hot and infernal again. The first stage was easy and fun until you found the zigzags, which descended very steep and lasted for a lot of time. It was not friendly on the knees. After the zigzags, you walked about 2 km / 1.2 mi in the flat road under the noon sun.

Our main problem in this descend and the road, apart from its steepness, was the sun and the lack of water. The shadows of the trees ended almost at the beginning of the zigzag. Also, from Llaqtapata and right before arriving to Hidroeléctrica, there was nowhere were you could refill nor buy some water. You better remember to fill your bottle up before starting this stage!

We left Hidroeléctrica at 13h . The first 10 minutes you will be following an intense climb through the forest. After that, you will find yourself again in the train rails, which you will follow until you arrive. This path is mildly ascending and easy.

We arrived at Mandor (formerly Gea Lodge) , the hostel were we slept, at 14.45h. The room was not the best: we had a beehive next to our window. However, they had a nice terrace that overlooked the river. We spent most of the afternoon there tending to our muscles. We had dinner at Mamá Angélica (our only option) and went to sleep really early. An exciting adventure was waiting for us the following day!

Day 5: Machu Picchu – Machu Picchu Mountain – return to Hidroeléctrica and Cusco

On the fifth day of the Salkantay Trek without a guide we started walking at 4.15h. We were very light having left our backpack in the hostel, which was an improvement! However, it was still dark night, so we relied on our frontal lights to check the path.

We arrived to the queue to the Machu Picchu entrance at 4.45h and were among the first ones there. The entrance opened at 5h and at 5.10h we passed the control. Then, we started the race to the Machu Picchu citadel trying to beat the buses that were already arriving. Our goal was to see the archaeological site without the massive amount of tourists that would arrive.

We were at the second control to Machu Picchu at 6.15h, exhausted and kind of overwhelmed after a very demanding climb filled with steps and still at night. There, we found that if you wanted to hire a guide you needed to do that before accessing the citadel. As our ticket was also for Machu Picchu mountain, we could first go to the mountain and then enter the citadel again with a guide. We guess this will also be possible if the ticket you have is for Huayna Picchu.

We also found that our trekking poles , in which we relied heavily after four days of trekking, had to be left in the lockers . Apparently, to protect the runes, they are only allowed for people over 65yo and with a certified medical condition. Even then, they need to wear a plastic cover.

When purchasing our tickets for Machu Picchu, we decided to climb Machu Picchu Mountain instead of Huayna Picchu because it is higher. And, you know, the higher the better. We didn’t factor that we would be extremely tired from the previous days of trekking, but still we don’t regret this decision.

We checked at the Machu Picchu Mountain control around 7h, where we could stay for four hours. Desperately missing our trekking poles, we started the exhausting and difficult 2h climb. It was very steep with irregular and high steps. After four days of trekking, our legs almost couldn’t carry us. But nevertheless we arrived at the top, having left behind a few people that turned down because of the difficulty.

After resting for a while, we took the mandatory pictures and raced our way down in 40 minutes. Once at the citadel , we were lucky to find a guide who had just started the tour. We joined the group for 20 PEN per person, without having to go outside to look for a guide and enter again.

We truly recommend hiring a guide to be able to appreciate all the history and details of Machu Picchu. For us, the two-hour tour was extremely interesting but also exhausting. At this point, even standing still listening to the explanations of the guide was a huge effort.

The guide was the one who told us that the last direct bus from Hidroeléctrica to Cusco left at 16h. Otherwise we would need to stop at Santa Teresa and then again at Santa María, and we would arrive to Cusco very late at night. It was already 12.45h.

With this new information and no energy left, we started racing down the stairs to the first Machu Picchu entrance . Once at the train rails, we stopped for a couple of minutes to eat a sandwich and have a sugary drink to try to regain some strength. It greatly helped.

We were at our hostel at 14.10h, picked up our backpack and at 14.40h we were back on the train rail, walking non-stop to Hidroeléctrica . It was not the best moment for us, because we had a very close deadline, 7 km / 4.3 mi to go, and we were exhausted. Mind over body, as they say it, so we kept walking. We arrived to Hidroeléctrica at 15.58h and were able to secure passages in the last direct bus to Cusco for 35 PEN per person that left a minute after we arrived.

The first part of the road until you leave the mountain range is interesting, so to speak. The road is very narrow and irregular, drivers tend to drive faster than they should and you have mountain at your left and a very high cliff on your right. It was without a doubt the most dangerous part of the Salkantay Trek. The rest of the drive, using more conventional roads, is only long and boring.

We arrived at Cusco at 21.30h and had enough energy only to take a shower and go to sleep without having dinner.

We have been giving information about prices during the whole post, however, we have also compiled all the costs we had so you can get an idea of how much will you be spending for each category:

In case it is easier for you, here you will find these same amounts in Peruvian soles (PEN):

Note: the cost of the Machu Picchu tickets are not included in the totals of this table

Was this post useful for you? Please let me know and feel free to ask any question in the comments section! You can also support my work and Buy Me A Coffe . I will be immensely happy 🙂

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Also, if you want to have some additional useful information about the difficulty of the trek and what you need to assess to determine if you are prepared to do it, how to prepare the track and what tools you can use to navigate the route, information on altitude sickness and how to minimise its effects, safety along the route and what does your backpack need to contain, check my other post ‘ Salkantay Trek on your own: 5 essentials to prepare ‘.

Day-by-day Itinerary Machu Picchu Nature Peru Salkantay South America Trekking

Machu Picchu Salkantay Trek without a Guide (or Tent)

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Hiking the Salkantay Trek without a guide was one, if not the hardest achievements I’ve ever done physically and mentally. Needless to say it felt like an amazing accomplishment once completed but to say the journey was easy would be an understatement.

It is highly recommended that you trek the Salkantay Trail with a hired guide. I think that going on a guided tour is an excellent approach, but that’s not what this post is about.

In this article, I want to explain exactly how to hike the classic Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu independently, the pro’s and cons of hiring a guide or going at it on your own, what to expect, where to stay, the Salkantay trek cost and any tips that will help you on this adventure.

For full transparency,  I have sprinkled some affiliate links in this post which gives me a small commission at no extra cost to you if you decided to make a purchase. As always, I would never recommend a product or service that I didn't truely believe in. If you find this post useful, you can also treat Jess to a cup coffee by clicking the icon on the bottom of the page. This will allow me to continue to create more content for you to enjoy ☕️. 

Table of Contents

Can I Hike Salkantay Trek without a Guide?

You’ve landed on this post because you want to know if it is possible to hike Salkantay Trek without a Guide? The answer to that question is, Yes!

Unlike the classic Inca Trail, where you can only hike with a guide, the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu can be hiked independently and by staying in tents or homesteads along the way.

There’s not a lot of detailed information online on how to go about hiking the Machu Picchu Salkantay Trek independently so I want this to be the only post you’ll have to read.

About the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

• Difficulty: Strenuous
• Duration: 4-5 Days
• Distance: 46 Miles
• Peak Elevation: 15,090 feet at Salkantay Pass
• Total Cost Per Person: $362 USD

The Salkantay Trek, often referred to as the alternative trek to Machu Picchu is considered to be one of the top 25 hikes in the world, let alone one of the best hikes in Peru .  If you are looking to go hiking in South America, the Salkantay trail should be on the top of your list.

Unlike the classic Inca Trail, the Salkantay Trail doesn’t require a guide.  The Salkantay trail is 46 miles in completion that takes you through rugged mountain terrain and connects Cusco to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu.  The maximum elevation of this strenuous trek is at 15,090 feet at the Salkantay Pass.

On this hike you will see some of the most beautiful landscapes in Peru.  Think snow capped mountains, free roaming horses, alpine lakes, cascading waterfalls and lush subtropical rainforest.

This trek is a combination of culture and natural beauty that has be well preserved by the Peruvian people.  If you’re looking for an extraordinary adventure intertwined with authentic experiences and natural beauty continue reading on.

Machu Picchu Salkantay Trek 5 Days without a Guide (or Tent)

When I first presented this idea of hiking the Salkantay trek to Machu Pichu without a guide, without a tent or without reservations to my partner Joe, he was a bit skeptical at first.  

Heck, all of my friends and family thought I had lost it a bit.  But with a bit of planning, determination and a hunger for adventure, hiking the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu can easily be done on your own.

The Salkantay Trek can be done in 4 or 5 days.  I recommend the Salkantay trek 5 days route as it breaks up the fourth and fifth days and the accommodations on each of those nights are worthy of a stay.

It is possible to camp on this trek, if you are a hard core backpacker and have all the necessary gear.  There are designated campsites along the trail.

I love trekking but I prefer prefer to trek guesthouses like on the Colca Canyon Trek & Quitlotoa Loop which is what we did on this trek.  Now, the Machu Picchu Salkantay trek 5 days without a guide, tent or reservations.

Day 1: Cusco to Soraypampa | Side hike to Humantay Lake

• Distance: 3.7 Miles (Challacancha to Soraypampa)
• Duration: 6 Hours including the side hike to Humantay Lake
• Peak Elevation: 13,845 feet at Lake Humantay
• Total Cost Per Person: 150 Soles = 40 USD

Our day started early with a 3:45am wake up call as we had to make our way to Soraypampa and did not have accommodation booked in advance.  To get from Cusco to Soraypampa you must first catch a collectivo (shared mini-van) to Mollepata.   They leave every hour when the van gets full.  It took about two hours and cost 20 Soles.

There are several collectivo stations in Cusco that go to different towns and villages making it easy and cheap to go on day trips.  If you download the Maps.Me app , the exact location of where the Mollepata collectivo station will pop up.  The Maps.Me app has been one of the best apps and top tips to know before hiking the Salkantay trail .

From Mollepata you’ll then catch a cab to Challacancha where most trekkers begin the hike.  From here it takes 3.7 miles (6.1 kilometers) to reach the town of Soraypampa.  Soraypampa is located at the base of Lake Humantay where you will stay on your first night.

It is possible to catch a cab all the way to Soraypampa which is what we did.  We did this for several reasons.

A – We did not train or prepare for this hike at all so we wanted to save our legs as much as we could. B – We did not have a place to stay in advance so we wanted to get here as early as possible to reserve a room.  – You can now book a place online which I link below 🙂 C – Once you’re here a side trip to Lake Humantay takes an exhausting 1.5-2 hours to complete, so you’ll still get some hiking in on the first day.

The cab ride should cost around 20 Soles but the cabbie ripped us off and we ended up paying 60 as he was arguing with us to pay more.  At this point we had just started our travels and haven’t perfected our Spanish or haggling skills yet.

I’ll go over in more detail where we stayed in Soraypampa in the Salkantay accommodation section but we stayed the Soraypampa Hostel .

We traveled here in shoulder season (April, May, September, and October ) which made finding accommodation the day of relatively easy and stress free.

Check out this post for a detailed guide on how to visit Humantay Lake independently .  It’s one of the most popular places to visit in Peru.

Day 2: Soraypampa to Chawallay

• Distance: 12.44 Miles (20 Kilometers)
• Duration: 11 Hours
• Total Cost Per Person: 110 Soles = 29 USD

Day two requires another early start as today will be the toughest and longest day of the Salkantay trek.  I’m not going to sugarcoat it – today was brutal.  On day two of the Salkantay Trek we climb our highest elevation topping out at 15,090 feet through the Salkantay Pass.

Breakfast that came with our room was served at 5:30am and we were on the trail by 6:15am.  Salkantay Mountain lit up the area and just staring at that beast of a mountain, we knew we were in for a long day.

Starting up the valley, the trail splits with the low path along the river on the left and the high road on the right.  All of the tour groups and mules were taking the high road thus we choose the path to the left.

The first mile you are walking along the river until you gradually start to ascend up a series of switchbacks.  These become very tiring, very quickly as there are parts of the trail that get painfully steep.  It felt like we had to break every 3 steps.  Elevation is no joke, especially for our sea level living assess.

After a grueling 5 hours we reached Salkantay Pass just before noon.   The pass was impressive to say the least.  Let me just say that, reaching Salkantay Pass shouldn’t take 5 hours but we were filming a vlog of the trek, had no training what so ever and unfortunately packed poorly as our bags were too heavy full of camera gear.

We thought the climb was painful, but the descent all the way to Chawallay was inhumane.  The next 5 hours down the valley consisted of a steep, rocky and sometimes muddy trail.

This is where hiking poles are a blessing.  I have never used hiking poles until this hike and I don’t think we would have made it without them.  We each bought a pair of hiking poles in Cusco for 50 Soles a pair.

We finally arrived in Chawallay just after 5.  Everything was hurting.  Our backs, our shoulders, our feet and especially our knees.  We stayed at the Salkantay Hostel which I was able to pre-book online.  This was a game changer as there are only a few private rooms available and they get snagged up quick.  Can we say hot shower and wifi?

Day 3 on Salkantay Trek: Chawallay to Lucmabamba

• Distance: 9 Miles (14.4 Kilometers)
• Duration: 6 Hours
• Peak Elevation: 9400 feet
• Total Cost Per Person: 121 Soles = 33 USD

Day 3, arguably just as hard as the previous day because you’re sore, tired and mentally exhausted as by now you probably have a good idea of what lies ahead of you.  Today’s trek takes you through the valley to the beautiful town full of coffee plantations, Lucmabamba.

Once you make your way through town there are two options.  To the right of the river along a dusty, dirt road or to the left of the river which takes you along mountainsides, past cascading waterfalls and through lush subtropical vegetation.  Needless to say we choose the scenic route to the left.

It went up and down for a bit but the majority of the day was on the decline.  There were a handful of shops selling water and snacks in small villages along the way.  These are nice places to take a load off, eat a snack as there were benches and a comfortable place to sit.  But honestly at this point we were so exhausted that sitting in the dirt wasn’t a rare sight if you saw us.

We crossed a rickety bridge and were finally almost to Lucmabamba.  The man running the Salkantay Hostel that we stayed at the night before, booked us a night at Freddie and Lia’s Coffee Plantation .  Being so tired, sore and border line hangry, heading to an exact location was relieving.  For 15 Soles we even went on a tour of the coffee plantation where we hand roasted some coffee.

Day 4: Lucmabamba to Llactapata

• Distance: 3.7 Miles (6 Kilometers)
• Duration: 3 Hours
• Peak Elevation: 8800 feet in Llactapatata

This is the extra day that makes the Salkantay Trek 5 days.  If you are short on time or are ambitious, you can make in a Salkantay Trek 4 days by trekking from Lucmabamba all the way to Aguas Calientes.

By day 4 you are exhausted – mentally and physically – so a short hike to Llactapata is something to look forward to.  Plus choosing the beauty and views of Llactapata versus the touristy hot springs in Santa Teresa is the way to go.

From Lucmabamba to Llactapata it takes 3 hours on an upward climb for 3.7 miles to the only lodge in the area.  The Llactapata Lodge  is a beautiful property that overlooks the backside of Machu Picchu and offers some of the best views over the valley.

Nothing sounds better than a beer and lunch after hiking uphill in the humid jungle for hours.  Most hikers chose to just pass through Llactapata but I think once they pass through Llactapata they feel otherwise.

Day 5: Llactapata to Aguas Calientes

• Distance: 13 Miles
• Duration: 9 Hours
• Total Cost Per Person: 250 Soles = 67 USD (only because we had to buy 38 dollar train tickets so this expense can be avoided)

From Llactapata, it’s all downhill until you reach the hydroelectrica plant.  This is a long day.  Once you reach the railway station, there are a few restaurants and several shops where you can buy water and snacks.  Get fueled up for the 7 miles along the railroad tracks to Aguas Calientes,

Spoiler alert…Joe messed up his knee on the 3 day and by the time we reached Hydroelectrica, Joe could barely walk.  We figured we would buy a train ticket at the rail station and finish the journey on the train.  Boy were we wrong.  Turns out you can only buy a train ticket in person in Cusco or in Aguas Calientes at the Peru Rail station.

Woof.  At this point, we had three options.  Catch a collectivo back to Cusco and then get a train ticket to Aguas Calientes.  Hobble our way to Aguas Calientes.  Or beg someone to let us on the train.

Thank gosh Peruvian people are some of the nicest people we’ve encountered on all my years of travel.  Thanks to an amazing soul (shoutout to Eduardo), we managed to get on the train and then purchased tickets for that ride once we arrived in Aguas Calientes .

Day 6: Machu Picchu & Huayna Picchu

• Distance: 3 Miles not including wondering around Machu Picchu
• Duration: 3-4 Hours
• Peak Elevation: 8800 feet at the top of Huayna Picchu
• Total Cost Per Person: 570 Soles = 153 USD (Train tickets back to Cusco, Machu Picchu & Huayna Tickets)

The day has finally arrived to visit the great Inca Citadel, Machu Picchu.   Tickets to Machu Picchu must be booked in advance and tickets for Huayna Picchu  farther in advance.  Huayna Picchu is the mountain that overlooks Machu Picchu and I highly recommend that you get tickets for this hike.  The views are well worth the hour steep climb.

There are two ways to reach Machu Picchu once in Aguas Calientes – by bus or you can hike up.  The hike up the mountain is very steep and with Joe’s knee being a bit busted we opted for the bus.  It cost $12 one way per person and tickets can be purchased in town.  Make sure you bring your passport as you need it to buy tickets.

We had tickets for the earliest entry at 6 am.  We were waiting in line by 5:15am and caught the second bus going up the mountain.  I’ve heard contradicting opinions on whether you should get Machu Picchu tickets for sunrise or sunset.

Some say that sunrise tends to be more cloudy at the mountain peaks so when you climb Huayna Picchu you won’t be able to see the ancient city below.  Personally, we had the best weather and not a cloud in sight the morning that we climbed Huayna Picchu and it was so rewarding to be the first ones at the top of the mountain.

I won’t go into too much detail about Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu but if you’d like to learn more check out this post on Machu Picchu tips, tricks, routes, costs and more.

Where to Stay on the Machu Picchu Salkantay Trek

Accommodations in Soraypampa

The small village of Soraypampa has the least amount of choices for walk up accommodations.  Most of the places/dome huts are reserved for tour groups.

There was a small market where all the tour buses parked for day trippers to start the climb up to Humantay Lake.  There was a lovely women inside the market that had 2 rooms available to stay the night for 60 Soles per person.  No shower or heat and only an outside bathroom that you share with a duck.  Yes, there was a duck inside the bathroom when I used it.

There was another option closer to the base of Lake Humantay called Backpacker Humantay , this is where we stayed.  There was a dorm room and 4 small huts with 2 twin beds inside of each.

We paid 80 Soles per person for a private hut and that included dinner and breakfast.  This place also had no heat but each bed had 5 thick blankets and shared shower/bathroom.

Accommodations in Chawallay

There are lots more accommodation options in Chawallay, so walking up and finding a place shouldn’t be a problem.  However, I absolutely recommend that you reserve a room at the Salkantay Hostel ahead of time.

After a long day of hiking its nice knowing you have a comfortable, warm room waiting for you.  Plus it comes with a hot shower, wifi and breakfast.   Salkantay Hostel is pictured above.

Accommodations in Lucmabamba

Make a reservation at an awesome avocado, banana and coffee plantation.  Lucmabamba is full of coffee plantations and most of them have rooms on the farm.

We stayed at Freddie and Lia’s Coffee Plantation and it was wonderful.  The rooms were spacious, breakfast was all grown on the farm, hot showers and a stunning property.  For 15 Soles we got a tour of the beautiful coffee plantation where we roasted our own coffee and then consumed it.  We then bought a bag for 25 Soles because they were the nicest people and the coffee was that good.

Accommodations in Llactapata

There is only one accommodation in Llactapata which thankfully you can reserve online.  The  Llactapata Lodge is a beautiful property that overlooks the backside of Machu Picchu.  The only way to reach this lodge is by trekking 3.7 miles (6 kilometers) the alternative Inca trail to the Lodge.

Accommodations in Aguas Calientes

There are tons of places to stay in Aguas Calientes .  You can get rent a bed if you are on a budget or splurge on a luxurious resort.  After the long trek we wanted to treat ourselves a bit so we opted for a nicer stay at Gringo Bill’s Boutique Hotel .  All the rooms were large with balconies, hot showers with great water pressure, good WiFi and even Netflix.

Guided Salkantay Trek Tour Versus Independently

About 95% of people who embark on this trek do in with on a guided tour.  Now there’s nothing wrong with a guided tour.  It supports the locals, you get to learn more about the history and surroundings and its less rugged.  Below I’ll list the pro’s and con’s of going with a guided tour.

Pro’s on a Guided Tour:

• Guaranteed place to stay every night.
• Hot meals are prepared for you.
• Bags are carried for you.
• Learn about history and your surroundings.
• Not want to have to think or plan logistics.
• Like having everything planned out for you.

Cons of a Guided Tour:

• More expensive
• On a strict time schedule.
• Not able to go at your own pace.
• Hiking with a bigger group of people.

If you have a thirst for adventure, thrive off shocked looks when passing the other trekking groups, are on a budget and prefer to be on your own time with only the company of your group then I would absolutely embark on this adventure independently.

Salkantay Trek Prices

The average price of a guided tour of the Salkantay Trek is anywhere from $350 to $700 per person.  This includes everything from transportation, food, accommodations (usually in a tent) and Machu Picchu entrance tickets.   The total cost we spent $725 as a couple or $362 per person.

This could easily be done for 100-200 dollars cheaper as we splurged on a room in Aguas Calientes, had to buy train tickets from Hydroelectrica, took the bus to and from Machu Picchu, spent extra on tickets to Huayna Picchu, bought hiking poles in Cusco and drank several victory beers on a nightly basis.

We coulda saved $124 alone if we didn’t ride the train from Hydroelectrica or the bus to and from Machu Picchu.  Plus we got ripped off by a cabbie and prefer our own rooms versus a dorm.

Breakdown of Salkantay Trek Cost by Day per Couple

• Collectivo to Mollepata – 40 Soles
• Cab to Soraypampa – 60 Soles
• Entry ticket to Lake Humantay – 40 Soles
• Backpacker Humantay , dinner and breakfast – 160 Soles
• Total = $80 USD or 300 Soles
• Salkantay Hostel – 160 Soles
• Dinner and victory beers – 60 Soles
• Total = $59 USD or 220 Soles
• Room at the coffee plantation – 188 Soles
• Coffee tour x 2 – 30 Soles
• Bag of coffee – 25 Soles
• Total = $65 USD or 243 Soles
• Room Llactapata Lodge – 180 Soles
• Dinner & a beer – 30 Soles
• Total = $56 USD or 210 Soles
• Nice hotel in Aguas Calientes – 200 Soles
• Train ticket from Hydroelectrica – 240 Soles
• Dinner – 60 Soles
• Total = $134 or 500 Soles
• Machu Picchu & Huayna Picchu Tickets – 560 Soles
• Bus tickets to and from Machu Picchu – 180 Soles
• Train tickets back to Cusco – 400 Soles
• Total = $305 USD or 1,140 Soles

Additional Expenses for the Salkantay Trek

• Hiking Poles = 50 Soles
• Total = 25 USD or 50 Soles

Salkantay Trek Preparation

• Book your tickets to Machu Picchu in advance and your tickets to Huayna Picchu farther in advance.
• Book train transportation from Aguas Calientes back to Cusco in advance as well.  Trains fill up quicker going out of town versus going in.
• Book the accommodations I listed in this post in advance if you can.  You’ll be thankful you did.
• No permits are required to hike the Salkantay Trail.
• Hiking poles were a game changer.  You absolutely will need these for the descent from Salkantay Pass.
• Bug spray with high % of deet is necessary once you get to Lucamabamba.
• Avoid altitude sickness by giving yourself time to acclimatize.  Coca leaves and Muna tea.
• Park smart.  Pack light.
• Most hotels and hostels in Cusco offer free luggage storage.
• Drones are not allowed at the summit or on the trail in general.   Reasons being that their are condors that fly and it scares the horses on the trail.   There are no signs posted but a local guide came over and told us that we weren’t allowed to fly as we were flying ours.

🥾 Read Next:   17 Things to Know Before Hiking the Salkantay Trek

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Salkantay Trek Packing List

Packing smart and light is essential for a successful trek.  Below is a quick packing list for the Salkantay trek.  Joe and I made the mistake of over packing and towards the end of the trek, we were dying!

Packing is such a key component to a triumphant trek that I made an entire detailed post about what to bring on the Salkantay trek including what to bring, what not to bring and why.  Here’s a quick Salkantay packing list.

• Proper Hiking Boots
• Warm Jacket
• Rain Jacket
• Long Sleeve Thermal
• Waterproof Hiking Pants  
• Tank Top for Hiking
• Comfy pants or Lounging at Night
• Comfy Flannel  for Lounging at Night
• Shirt for lounging
• 2 Pairs of Hiking Socks
• Head Warmer  or Beanie
• Hiking Poles
• Life Straw Water Bottle
• Hand Sanitizer
• Toilet Paper
• Advil or something of the sort
• Machu Picchu Tickets

Final Thoughts on Machu Picchu Salkantay Trek Without a Guide

If you’ve enjoyed this post about hiking Salkantay Trek without a guide, found it useful or if there’s anything I missed that you think would be beneficial to future hikers, give me a shout out in the comments below.  

I’d love to hear if this post was helpful to someone andI try to keep my guides as up-to-date as possible, so your experiences and any useful information that could help out your fellow travelers goes a long way.

If you are planning your trip to Peru, I spent 2 months traveling around this beautiful country so check out my Peru travel page for inspiration.

Peru Travel Guides

📍Plan your Trip:   The Ultimate Guide to Peru 17 Useful Tips to Know Before Traveling to Cusco 14 Remarkable Things to do in Peru 15 Incredible Places to Visit in Peru 20 Essentials Tips for Traveling Peru 🗺 How long to travel Peru?   2 Week Peru Itinerary ☔️ Best Time to Visit:   Shoulder months of dry season – March-May or October-September. 💰 Average Daily Budget: $40 - 50 a day for basic accommodations and sit down meals. ⛺️ Peru accommodation Guides Where to Stay in Cusco Where to Stay in Lima 10 Epic Lake Titicaca Hotels  🪂 Highlights Machu Picchu Best Hikes in Peru Trekking Salkantay Independently  Sacred Valley Exploring Cusco Hiking Colca Canyon Homestay on Lake Titicaca  Lima's Food Scene Trekking Cordillera Blanca Arequipa Huacachina Desert Oasis 🧳 What to Pack : Salkantay Trek Packing List 🎥 Watch our Peru Series on YouTube 📧 Get on my Email list to see what I’m up to and all the best travel content!

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14 Comments

Great information here! When did you complete the trek? I will begin the hike next week and want to know how recent your experience was.

Also, I am most nervous about lodging in Soraypampa. I have found one place to reserve online but they charge 65 USD (very very expensive compared to everything I have read). Are accommodations easy to spot once in Soraypampa or do you need to ask around?

Hi, I completed the Salkantay trek last month (May 2022). The experience was awesome, it was tough as I did no training what so ever to prepare for the Salkantay trail. Soraypampa has the least number of accommodation options. I stayed at backpacker Humantay at the base of Humantay lake which we walked up around 11 am and were able to secure a private pod. They also had a bunk room that wasn’t full. I would start real early on your first day just to make sure you get a comfortable spot. Plus you can relax for an hour or two before you climb up to Lake Humantay around (start around 1230 to avoid crowds) you’ll have the lake to yourself.

Everything after Soraypampa accommodation wise was full of more options. What was the lodging called in Soraypampa? I never found anything online…also prices seem to be very inflated since COVID.

Thanks for the comment and enjoy your trek! I also did the Colca Canyon without a guide which was awesome, so I’ll be posting that guide in a couple weeks.

Hello, can you please share the prices for accommodation in 2022?

Hi! Yes I wrote down all the prices for accommodation on the Salkantay Trail and what I spent each day under the Salkantay Prices section of my post. For private rooms is was about 40$ a night but I feel like they were inflated because of the pandemic.

It seems like I missed this section by scrolling on my phone. Thank you very much, great and useful blog and vlog!

Thanks so much. Cheers!

Hi Jess, Thanks for all this helpful info! I’ve been seeing various things about getting a permit, and I’m wondering if you needed to get a permit to do this hike?

Aloha Brooke,

No I did not need a permit for trekking Salkantay independently and we did this in May 2022. The main reason we hiked Salkantay was because we planned last minute and didn’t need a permit. Unlike the classic Inca Trail which requires a permit and guide. You do need to have a ticket for Machu Picchu though which should be booked far in advance as limited spots fill up fast.

Thanks for the details of this blog post. We just returned home to Vancouver from our trip to Peru that included a self guided Salkantay Trek. We are a blended family with 5 boys aged 12 – 20. Yours was one of a few blogs that gave us the confidence that we could manage this demanding trek. We stayed in the most of the same locations as you, though we opted to stay at Mandor Lodge instead of Aguas Calientes. It made the day 4 hike much more manageable and the location is gorgeous.

As you mentioned, Manuel, who runs Salkantay Hostel in Chaullay, is fabulous. We booked stays though him at Hostel Nacho in Soraypampa, Salkantay Hostel in Chaullay and Lia B&B (Freddie and Ester – loved Freddie’s coffee experience) in Lucmabamba. All family run by extremely kind and helpful people. Our cost per person with meals was US$95. Truly a bargain. Manuel also arranged for our transportation from Cusco to Soraypampa. Following the pandemic and the protests, activity in Cusco and on the trek are quite slow at the moment so these small family businesses have been suffering. One side benefit for us was that Manuel had the time to take our group to the zip line adventure in Lucmabamba and the hot springs in St. Teresa before dropping us at our accommodation in Lucmabamba. We only hiked 12 km on day 3 before we met Manuel at a shaky bridge crossing that was fun.

One other thing that I wanted to mention is that we booked our Machu Picchu / Wayna Picchu tickets through VTM Peru in Cusco. Juan Carlos was also extremely helpful. He and his guide, Elvis, travelled from Cusco and met us at the entrance to Machu Picchu. Not only does Elvis have the knowledge that you want from a guide, he has a great passion to go along with this knowledge. We also used them for a few activities in the Cusco area. Elvis accompanied us on our ATV tour in the Sacred Valley and guided us through Marmas and the Salinas. Can’t say enough about these guys!!

Thanks again for your blog. I know many will find it (and other similar ones) very useful. I wish I had read your packing list a bit better. We took pack towels and sleeping bag liners and didn’t need them at all.

Hello. I’m so glad you found my post helpful. Hiking Salkantay was a highlight of the 2 months I spent in Peru last summer. The Colca Canyon Trek in southern was also a great time. Cheers.

Hello, Thanks for such a good and useful information about. I am thinking to do Hiking Salkantay for April in 2024. İs that good time to do that.

Hello, Yes I think April is a great time to trek Salkantay without a guide, that’s when I did it – April 2022.

Hi! Do you think there are more places to stay in Chaullay than the Salkantay Hostel? I have been trying to pre-book but it’s unavailable.

Hello. Yes, there are other places to stay in Chawally but not as nice as the Salkantay Hostel…meaning you may not have a hot shower. Those places don’t have the option to reserve online in advance but you can walk up and ask when you arrive.

That’s why I recommend staying at the Salkantay Hostel, so you can reserve a room and guarantee yourself a hot shower and dinner at the end of the day.

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Salkantay Trek Without a Guide: The Best Way to Visit Machu Picchu

When visiting Peru, the number one thing on most travelers’ bucket lists is visiting the sacred site of Machu Picchu. It has skyrocketed in popularity, partially because it became one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. The most popular trek is the Incan Trail. We decided against doing this trek and instead chose to do the Salkantay trek.

The Incan trail takes you along the same paths the Incans took to make it to Machu Picchu. While the cost of travel in Peru is low, these excursions are pricey. I still think it’s a must to add to your Peru itinerary !

When doing the Salkantay trek, you will instead explore the surrounding area and visit some of the most popular sites like Laguna Humantay. This five-day trek will be around 73 Kilometers or 45 miles. It’s also popular to do the Salkantay Trek without a guide.

Table of Contents

Where is Salkantay Located?

The Salkantay trek is located outside of the famous town of Cusco in Peru . The Cordillera Vilcabamba is the mountain range that surrounds this area. These mountains sit high and Mount Salkantay reaches a height of 6,271 meters or 20,574 feet.

How to Get to Salkantay Trek Solo

Known by some as the Salkantay Pass, this trek can be reached easily solo. If you want to come to do this independently, then you’re in the right place.

The cheapest way is to take a collectivo from Cusco and then a cab to the trailhead. This will cut the price in half for a tour company. The added benefit of you going solo is that you’ll be able to start this hike a little bit later in the morning.

• Cusco to Mollepata one-way by Collectivo = 20 Soles (each)
• Mollepata to Saoryapampa one-way by Cab = ~30-40 Soles (total)
• Pay the Entrance Fee in Mollepata

I started at Challacancha, which is a longer route toward the base of Laguna Humantay . It is popular to stop here and do the side hike to the lake.

5-day Salkantay Trek Solo Guide: The Itinerary

The famous 5-day Salkantay Trek can be done solo or with a guide. In this section, I will go over the day-by-day itinerary and hike details.

This can also be done in 4 days but most people opt for the 5-day trek instead.

Day 1 – Challacancha to Soraypampa| Laguna Humantay

Hiking details (includes Humantay Lake):

• Distance: 6.21 miles/10 km
• Duration: 5 – 6 hours
• Highest Elevation: 4,200 meters/13,780 ft
• Lowest Elevation : 3,800 meters/12,467 ft
• Sleeping Elevation : 3,900 meters/12,795 ft

Day 1 of the trek will be long because you must drive a few hours into the mountain. If you go with a guide, they will pick you up early in the morning. Most companies will pick you up around 4 a.m.

If you are doing the Salkantay Trek solo, you get the added benefit of waking up a little later but not by much! It’s important to get an early start to the day.

You will want to catch the collectivo from Cusco to Mollepata. Download the Mapsme app and look for the bus symbol with the word “Mollepata” next to it.

This app is a lifesaver during the trek and for all your travels in South America. It’s offline maps for free!

These colectivos leave when they are full and can take up to an hour to leave. If you don’t want to deal with this and would rather pay a little more, you can ride with a tour group.

Visit one of the many tour agencies in Cusco and ask them to arrange a ride for you. The cost for the colectivo is around 20 soles and a ride with a tour is around 60 soles.

Once you arrive in Mallepata, find a cab to take you to Challancha. The trail is straightforward and can also be found on your offline maps.

After about three and a half miles, you’ll be at Soraypampa. Here, you will begin the hike to Laguna Humantay and stay the night.

Day 2 – Laguna Humantay to Chaullay thru Salkantay Pass

Hiking details (including stops for lunch) :

• Distance: 12.5 miles/20 km
• Duration: ~11 hours
• Highest Elevation: 4,630 meters/15,190 ft
• Lowest Elevation: 2,900 meters/9,514 ft
• Sleeping Elevation: 2,950 meters/9678 ft

After a good night’s sleep, you want to wake up early and eat breakfast. Getting an early start every day will benefit you as you will be less likely to fight daylight.

The trek through the Salkantay pass to our next stop will be approximately 12.5 miles long. On day 2, you will also reach the trek’s highest point, which is 4,630 meters.

You will arrive in Chaullay where there will be multiple accommodations to choose from. The prices for these range from 60 to 80 soles

Day 3 – Chaullay to Lucmabamba

Hiking details:

• Distance: 17 km/10.56 miles
• Duration: 6 – 7 hours
• Highest Elevation: 2,950 meters/9,678 ft
• Lowest Elevation: 2,000 meters/6,562 ft
• Sleeping Elevation: 2,000 meters/6562 ft

Day 3 is, in my opinion, the easiest day of them all. The entire day, either downhill or along a canal in a valley. You will be going from Chaullay to Lucmabamba. This will take you around 5 to 6 hours and is 18km long or 11 miles.

The area around Lucmabamba is known for its coffee plantations, and there will be some here where you can stay.

Day 4 – Lucmbamba to Aguas Calientes

Hiking Details:

• Distance: 25 km/15.53 miles
• Duration: 8 – 9 hours
• Highest Elevation: 2,800 meters/9,186 ft
• Lowest Elevation: 1,800 meters/5,906 ft
• Sleeping Elevation: 2,040 meters/6,693 ft

This is the last real day of hiking, and you will no longer have to sleep in a tent or hostel. Aguas Calientes is the town right below Machu Picchu.

Although it is touristy, it is a really cool town to explore.

This is the longest day of the whole Trek. It will take 8 to 9 hours and is 25km or 15.5 miles long.

The last portion of this day of hiking will be flat but it’ll be next to the train tracks that go into Aguas Calientes. It’s an interesting and surreal feeling to watch passengers from Cusco pass by us and wonder what we have been through the past few days.

This day will take you along some old ruins that are in decent condition.

Day 5 – Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu

Today is the day! Day 5 is solely focused on visiting the historic site of Machu Picchu. Please do not just arrive at Machu Picchu and expect to get in.

You will need to buy a ticket for the bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu if you want to visit the amazing site. You can also take the stairs but it’s a long hike up.

We had an early wake-up call, caught the bus to the top, and explored Machu Picchu for 3 hours.

Completing the Salkantay Trek before arriving here made it much more worth it.

Accommodations during the Salkantay Trek

The Salkantay Trek is so popular that there will be accommodations at every stop, even if traveling solo.

Below, I will go over the options that you will have when arriving at these stops.

Places to stay near Laguna Humantay

When arriving at Soraypampa, there won’t be as many options as other sites along this trek. The best option is to camp in your own tent if you have one. There is a hostel at the bottom of Laguna Humantay called Backpacker Humantay.

It costs 80 soles for the night and this includes breakfast/dinner.

Places to stay in Chaullay

When starting day 2, you will be relieved to know that there are a lot more options for where to sleep when getting to Chaullay.

If you are looking to book in advance, you can at Salkantay Hostel . The cost is ar found $45 for two and includes breakfast.

If you didn’t book ahead, look at maps.me and walk up to any hostel you want and ask if they have a bed. It shouldn’t cost much.

Places to stay in Lucmabamba

There are many coffee and avocado plantations in Lucmabamba. You can do the same as before and just show up, or ask your host in Chaullay to help you book it.

We stayed at the Jungle Domes and absolutely loved it!

They had some of the cleanest bathrooms I’ve seen along the Trek and at this point in the trip, that’s a huge plus.

Places to stay in Aguas Calientes

When arriving at Aguas Calientes on day four, you will soon realize that there is nowhere to camp. This was fine with us, as we were craving a comfy bed and a hot shower.

Hostelworld offers many accommodations. Make sure to book these well in advance, too, as they can sell out fast, especially during peak season.

Things to Know

Salkantay trek without guide or with a tour.

This will depend from person to person. Most of the best guided tours for this trek will cost from $400 – $600 USD.

Doing the Salkantay trek without a guide will mean you can go at your own pace, stay wherever your heart desires, and not be around a bunch of people 24/7.

But there are some pros of taking a tour.

Pros of Going with a Guide

• Fantastic meals cooked for you in a comfortable location
• Larger gear carried for you
• Learn the history of the area through your guide
• No need to plan the hike

Costs of Hiking the Salkantay Trek (4 nights/5 days) Without a Guide

These prices may vary for many reasons, such as what time of year you do the trek and open availability at the hostels.

You can easily spend more or less at the grocery store for lunch and snacks. It’s all up to you and what you’re willing to pack.

Salkantay Trek Details

• Distance:  This hike is around a 46-mile loop in total to reach Machu Picchu. For just the Salkantay Pass, it is 12.3 miles point to point.
• Duration: On average it will take people 5 days to finish. This depends on fitness level and time at the laguna.
• Difficulty:  I’d rank this hike as difficult because of the altitude and elevation gain as well as the length.
• Incline : The max elevation for the Salkantay trek is 4,630 meters or 15,190 feet.
• Hiking Guide:  A guide is not needed for this hike and is easily accessible by the public.

If you want more details and reviews of just the Salkantay Pass part of the trek, you can check it out on Alltrails .

Tips for Altitude Sickness

A common fear of most people when traveling to these parts of Peru is the chance of getting altitude sickness. This isn’t fun and can ruin a trip. Here are some of the best tips to lower the chances of this happening to you while traveling to Peru:

• Drink a lot of water (I like to aim for a gallon a day)
• Rest, Rest, Rest. Sleep is everything with recovery and health.
• If you’re planning on hiking, start with smaller hikes like  Cristo Blanco  (if in Huaraz, then Wilcacocha  )
• Coca is very popular in Peru and having some of the candy on hand can be smart
• Stop and rest wherever you are
• Take ibuprofen

This goes for a lot of hikes in Huaraz and throughout Peru! The altitude can take some time to get used to.

Salkantay Trek Altitude

During the Salkantay Trek, the maximum altitude you will reach is 4,630 meters or 15,190 feet. This elevation is reached normally on day 2, and from the Salkantay Pass, it is mainly downhill until Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu sits at 2,429 meters or 7,972 feet.

Best Time to Hike the Salkantay Trek

The ideal time to hike the Salkantay Trek without a guide is during Peru’s dry season, which is from April to November. These months will have clearer skies and reduced chances of rainfall, setting the stage for an unforgettable hiking experience.

Peru’s location in the southern hemisphere means that, unlike the northern hemisphere, its weather patterns are different.

When I hiked this trek in August, the weather was on our side. Mostly clear skies blessed our journey, as did the Laguna Humantay Trek and other trails along the route.

Where to Stay in Cusco, Peru

• Kokopelli Hostel Cusco : This is the most popular hostel in all of Cusco. It’s not the cheapest place but the atmosphere makes up for that.
• Wild Rover Cusco : If you’re looking for a more social atmosphere with partying, then Wild Rover is your choice.
• Intro Hostels Cusco : With free breakfast and only $8 a night, the Intro hostel is a great choice for backpackers and travelers alike.

Other Hikes in Peru You’d Enjoy:

• Colca Canyon Trek
• Visit Laguna 69 Without the Crowds
• Laguna Churup
• Laguna Llaca

My Experience Hiking the Salkantay Trek

After giving you all of the details for completing the Salkantay Trek solo, I will now go over my experience of this amazing adventure.

This was the #1 thing I did in all of my travels this year and it wasn’t even close.

Arriving at Laguna Humantay Trek Trailhead

When we started our Salkantay Trek, we started some ways further back than you can. I’m not sure why, but it helped us get warmed up for the days ahead.

This day was very easy as most of it was extremely flat, and we followed an aqueduct to the town of Soryapampa.

Many people do this hike as a day trip but it was a great way to start our 5-day journey to Machu Picchu. Laguna Humantay was crystal clear and conditions could not have been better.

Hiking to the Salkantay Pass

Day 2 was when we really started our Salkantay trek. This day was much harder than the previous but the views of the mountains helped take the pain away.

We a handful of times until we arrived at the top of Salkantay Pass (4,630 meters). This is where we ate lunch, had some coca tea, and enjoyed the views.

Shortly after we finished eating, a group of clouds came rolling through and it brought some chilly weather. We took this as it was time to go and we started the rest of the trek to Chaullay.

This 2nd half was much easier as it was all downhill or flat.

Arriving at Chaullay

On Day 2, we stayed the night in Chaullay. We stayed in some huts and had an amazing dinner.

This dinner consisted of some of the best chicken I’ve ever had in Peru. After every day of hiking, we also had pre-dinner which consisted of tea/hot chocolate and popcorn. Man was that some good popcorn.

We didn’t have to wake up as early as the days before. We got to sleep in until 6 am which felt amazing.

Day 3 of the Salkantay Trek

When we started day 3 I thought it was going to be over fast. This day took us a little bit longer than we had planned. There were too many cool places to take a stop at that we couldn’t resist.

At the end of the day, this trek is to be done at your own pace. All that matters is that you enjoyed it.

For a large majority of this day, we hiked along the cliffside in a canal. It felt epic, to say the least.

Unfortunately, we had to push back the coffee tour until the next morning because we ran out of time. This was quite alright because I was itching for a good cup of coffee in the morning.

We had a good supply of coffee during our Salkantay Trek.

Arriving in Pueblo Machu Picchu (Aguas Calientes)

There were some cool things to see like old ruins on day 4 but the main mission was to make it all the way to Aguas Calientes or Pueblo Machu Picchu.

This meant we had to hike close to 16 miles in one day. Our feet didn’t like the sound of that. What kept us going was the hot shower and comfy bed when we arrived.

You really do get to see it all when doing this trek and that’s why I would do it again in a heartbeat.

This day had some of the best viewpoints too. It was hard to get up off the seat and keep moving when it was time.

We were all mesmerized by the views.

Early Morning at Machu Picchu

The day had finally come. This is what many people come to Peru for and what others dream of seeing one day. Machu Picchu is one of the most iconic wonders of the world. I recommend going with a guide here because they will teach you some valuable information you would otherwise not get.

The day started at 6 am as we had breakfast and headed to the bus. The bus takes you straight up to the entrance of Machu Picchu. The only other entrance is the Incan trail entrance and we could easily tell who were the ones that came from there.

The weather was perfect and the site was breathtaking. It was the perfect cap for our Salkantay Trek adventure.

Final Thoughts on the Salkantay Trek Solo

What more can I say? This was an adventure of a lifetime and something that I will never forget. The Salkantay Trek was more than I could have ever imagined. To experience it with some good friends and other travelers was the cherry on top. As I did do this with a group, it is the same path and steps as if you are doing it solo. I would do this hike again with the tour company solely for the food. It was amazing. We had 3-course meals every meal and snacks. They were extremely accommodating and I wish I was back right now.

That being said, I highly recommend this hike to everyone. Even budget travelers can make this trek work.

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Salkantay trek sans guide

• 🗓️ 22 août 2018 | Édité le 24 juillet 2023
• Par Florian Martinet nombre de vues 5.4K
• 💬 38 commentaires

Le Salkantay trek, niché dans les majestueuses montagnes péruviennes, est une expérience inoubliable pour les amateurs de trekking et d’aventure. Beaucoup choisissent de le faire avec un guide expérimenté pour faciliter le voyage, mais pour les voyageurs intrépides, partir en solo est une occasion unique de se connecter intimement avec la nature et de relever des défis personnels. Dans cet article, nous reviendrons sur notre périple, les avantages et les défis de faire le Salkantay trek sans guide en solo, tout en mettant en lumière les aspects essentiels pour une aventure réussie !

Le magazine National Geographic Adventure Travel le compte parmi les meilleurs treks du monde , je passe à côté de la montagne la plus saisissante de la région, culminant à 6270m , je permets aux voyageurs de voir une multitude de paysages incroyables, je suuiiiis, je suis, je suiiiis !? Le Salkantay trek , bien-sûr !

Ce trek dure 5 jours , il est de difficulté moyenne si l’on passe par une agence , difficile en solitaire . Nous avons effectué approximativement 89 km à pied avec 3700 m de dénivelé positif et plus de 15 kg sur le dos.

Les avantages d’effectuer le Salkantay trek en solitaire, sans guide

• Le prix te reviens à 140€ tout compris pour 5 jours ! Transport, hébergement, alimentation, entrée au Machu Pichhu le matin avec accès à la montagne.
• Tu es dépendant de peu de monde , moins de contraintes, presque en totale autonomie dans la nature.
• Tu es très fier  par la suite de l’avoir fait !

Les inconvénient d’effectuer le Salkantay trek en solitaire, sans guide

• Tu portes ton hébergement , ta nourriture et tout le matériel qui va avec sur ton dos, ce qui rend le trek bien plus challengeant et difficile !

Il faut savoir qu’en passant par une agence, tu en auras au minimum pour 230 € , pourboires inclus. Tes affaires sont portées par des chevaux, tu ne fais pas tout le chemin à pied et tu marches en groupe de 10 personnes environ.

Si tu nécessites de louer une tente et autre matériel de camping , on te recommande le magasin Rosly à Cusco possédant du très bon matos à un  excellent  prix  !

Que faut-il emporter pour le trek ?

• Un sac de couchage avec une zone de confort à 0°C
• Bâtons (optionnel)
• Vêtements pour supporter une température de 0 à -5°C mais aussi pouvoir être à l’aise à 20°C au soleil
• Imperméable
• Lampe frontale (flash du téléphone peut suffire)
• Passeport et argent, bien entendu
• Chaussures de treks (on la fait en baskets)
• Casquette, bandana ou bonnet léger pour s’abriter du soleil
• Kit de cuisine avec de quoi réchauffer votre casserole
• Crème solaire
• Produits anti-moustiques (très important)
• Trousse de soin
• Serviette et produits pour soigner son hygiène (brossage de dents notamment et gel douche pour les quelques que tu vas avoir durant le trek)
• Téléphone avec l’application Maps.me
• Batterie externe avec cable USB
• Le rouleau de PQ !
• Saucisson, fromage et vin blanc… Ah mince, on n’est pas en France, compliqué !

Quoi manger lors du trek ?

On n’est pas expert, mais le but est simple, avoir suffisamment d’énergies et d’éléments nourrissants dans le moins de place possible dans son sac !

Voici la liste de ce que j’ai emporté : – 5 soupes – 5 boîtes de thon – Du pain de mie complet – 5 boîtes de pâtes – Une bouteille de 2L d’eau – 10 barres de céréales – Thé et 400g muesli

Ce fut suffisant pour moi, cela dépend des appétits bien-sûr.

Concernant l’eau , on en trouve à chaque point de campement pour environ 10 soles la bouteille ( 2,5 € ) de 2,5 L. Tu as également la solution d’utiliser des pastilles qui traitent les impuretés afin de pouvoir re-remplir ta bouteille avec une eau du robinet ou des différents points d’eau que tu rencontres.

Notre aventure du Salkantay trek sans guide

Jour 1 du salkantay trek – la plus dure journée pour moi.

Levés à 04h30 , direction la rue Acoparta à Cusco pour prendre un colectivo (mini-bus) pour 15 soles ( 4 € ), destination Mollepata à 3h de route.

À Mollepata, il faut payer 10 soles pour le trek, on ne comprend pas bien pourquoi, mais c’est le prix d’entrée pour les gringos . Nous commençons cette journée à 08h45 après avoir testé notre matériel de cuisine pour le petit-déjeuner au bord d’une route en terre, très glamour !

Au programme 23 km dont 1400m de dénivelé positif pour arriver à Soraypampa , s’installer au camping, visiter le lac Humantay et revenir pour la bière de fin de journée. 10 soles ( 2.5 € ) pour un emplacement de tente , c’est le prix que nous avons payé. Les sacs sont à leurs poids maximum, je suis à 20 kg et Valentin à 16 , nous avons adapté en fonction de nos poids respectifs en sachant que nous serons lourdement chargés, mais c’était le prix à payer !

Le temps est magnifique, il fait beau et même chaud (mois d’octobre) ! Certaines montées sont importantes et les premières souffrances au dos et aux épaules se font sentir ! Heureusement le paysage est agréable avec une vue  sur les massifs environnants !

Nous ne croisons quasiment personne à part des locaux avec leurs chevaux durant la journée. Les 5 derniers kilomètres avant d’arriver à  Soraypampa sont le long d’une route étaient interminables , les jambes étaient lourdes , le dos souffrant, mais la démarche assurée, la bière de la victoire en tête !

Nous arrivons à 15h35 , soit après 7h30 de marches et plusieurs pauses. L’endroit où nous posons la tente est magnifique , nous avons en vue le versant d’une montagne menant au lac Humantay avec des dizaines de chevaux , à 3900 m d’altitude.

Nous nous installons, récupérons un peu avant de nous élancer dans l’ascension d’ 1h30 de marche pour atteindre le fameux lac.

Que se fut durs pour les jambes, d’autant plus que le manque d’oxygène lors de l’inspiration se faisait sentir , mais il fallait arriver en haut avant que le soleil disparaisse ! Nous arrivons en haut quelques minutes trop tard, flûte ! Cela n’enlève rien à la beauté du lieu avec un lac à la couleur émeraude et la neige en fond . Un plaisir visuel bien mérité !

Jour 2 du Salkantay trek

La première nuit en tente , ce n’est jamais simple, surtout avec un matelas non gonflable, peu épais, bref, on a bien senti le sol !

Départ un peu tardif à 7h45 (on n’est pas pressé), en direction de Chaullay (19km selon MAPS.ME). Nous commençons directement par la difficulté de la journée, la montée de 1h jusqu’au col de Huayracpampa , situé à 4 460 m . Les jambes fatiguées de la veille, un dos un peu douloureux, on arrive en même temps que les groupes d’agence avec une vue canon sur le glacier de Salkantay !

On profite de la vue 20 minutes et c’est parti pour une longue descente direction Chaullay !

Changement de paysage au fil de la descente avec une végétation qui devient de plus en plus dense au fil des centaines de mètres d’altitude que nous perdons.

On commence à s’habituer au poids que l’on porte sur le dos, la marche est active, nous arrivons à 14h50 dans le premier camping que nous trouvons. 10 soles encore pour un emplacement en tente, c’est parfait.

Jour 3 du Salkantay trek – la plus dure journée pour Valentin

Départ à 07h35 , la journée s’annonce encore ensoleillée, au programme 24 km de marche avec : – une longue descente de 16 km , un dénivelé négatif de 850 m jusqu’à Sahuayaco . – Une seconde partie avec notamment 7 km de montée , plus de 800 m de dénivelé positif avant d’arriver au camping el Abra de Q’elloqasa .

La première partie est une régalade , nous descendons le long de la rivière, le chemin est étroit, mais bien balisé.

Il est déconseillé lors de la saison des pluies , car il peut être dangereux , mais en septembre aucun risque , le terrain est sec et peu glissant. Il y a dans tous les cas l’alternative de prendre la route de l’autre côté de la rivière.

11h35 , nous arrivons au petit village de Sahuayaco où nous prenons des bananes à quelques soles pour reprendre des forces, le plus dur nous attends .

Nous continuons notre route avec 2 vaches nous tenant compagnie pendant quelques minutes et commençons l’ascension . 15 minutes après nous trouvons des installations pour pique-niquer avec poules, chiens et chat nous entourant, c’est l’heure de manger !

Nous faisons connaissance avec une petite fille habitant sur les lieux, contente de croiser des gens par ici, on la comprend ! Nous reprenons nos sacs, le soleil tape fortement, mais nous avons de l’avance sur l’horaire et sommes impatients d’arriver en haut !

Nous montons donc sur ce chemin anciennement utilisés par les Incas , de nombreuses marches en pierre sont présentes, mais cela ne nous facilite pas forcément la montée, l’effort sur les jambes est plus durs et le poids des sacs se fait plus que jamais ressentir . Le nombre de pauses s’accélère sur la fin, on ne voit pas le bout de cette ascension !

Le décors est de plus en plus sauvage avec une jungle dense nous entourant ! Le dernier kilomètre fut un véritable enfer physiquement et mentalement , mais nous approchons du top !

Nous arrivons à 14h30 , le besoin de se reposer est omniprésent , cette montée nous a achevé ! Heureusement l’effort paye et une vue panoramique s’offre à nous avec le mont enneigé du Salkantay , mais surtout le Machu Picchu au loin, signe que l’on approche !

Petit bonheur supplémentaire, il y a une douche ! Après 3 jours , il était temps de faire une petite session nettoyage vivifiante à l’eau froide.

Nos amis allemands et français rencontrés sur la route arrivent à leur tour, eux aussi marqués par cette montée ! L’un d’eux en a fait ressortir son repas à l’arrivée. Vomir avec cette vue sur le Machu Picchu, sûrement une première ! La nuit tombe, nous allumons un feu et partageons un repas autour avant de tomber dans les bras de Morphée.

Jour 4 du Salkantay trek

De el Abra de Q’elloqasa, nous allons à Hidroelectrica , puis Agua Caliente . Premières ampoules pour Valentin, sinon des jambes très lourdes suites à ces derniers jours de marche, heureusement pas de montée aujourd’hui, seulement de la descente et du plat !

14 km jusqu’au camping municipal au pied de l’ascension pour se rendre au Machu Pichhu, juste avant Agua Calientes. En parlant de cette dernière, nous devons nous y rendre pour acheter nos entrées au Machu Picchu avec l’accès à la montagne en plus (200 soles pour le créneau matinal , équivalent à 50 € ). Cette dernière marche est équivalent à 4 km aller-retour .

Nous nous empressons donc, sous un soleil de plomb encore une fois et longeons les rails où le fameux train de Cusco passe pour se rendre au Machu Picchu.

La marche est douloureuse , car elle s’effectue sur des grosses pierres et que la voute plantaire est sûrement fatiguée d’amortir les pas depuis 4 jours maintenant sur le Salkantay trek !

Arrivés au camping , nous constatons que celui-ci est infesté de moustiques , heureusement que nous restons qu’une nuit !

Jour 5 du Salkantay trek

Au programme aujourd’hui plus de 7 km afin de visiter le Machu Picchu (1000m de dénivelé positif), sa montagne et redescendre au camping, suivi de plus de 8 km pour atteindre Hydro Electrica et prendre le mini-bus .

Levés à 4h30 , on s’empiffre de muesli et barres de céréales avant de nous rendre au début de la montée pour atteindre le Machu Picchu. Stupeur ! On voit une queue de 50 personnes bloquées, car ils ouvrent l’accès seulement à partir de 05h00 et nous n’étions point au courant ! Bref nous patientons, les portes s’ouvrent, la montée dura 45 minutes avec une centaine de marches et nous arrivons à 05h50 dans les 10 premiers pour l’ouverture, parfait.

Les gens derrière nous, avant d’entrer.

On entre dans les lieux et nous en prenons plein les yeux ! Le site est vraiment magique avec une vue incroyable sur les montagnes et des ruines marquant le fait indéniable que ces Incas étaient de grands tarés de s’être installés là !

Nous croisons des lamas occupant les lieux avant de commencer la grimpette direction la montagne Machu Picchu !

Encore des marches ! Le soleil présent cette fois-ci pour 45 minutes de montée abrupte ! Le Machu Picchu (le site) s’éloigne petit à petit et nous voici à 3000m surplombant les environs, je n’ai plus les mots !

Petit regret cependant, car depuis de nombreux jours un ourson avait élu domicile en haut de la montagne , mais nous n’avons pas eu la chance de le croiser, flûte ! S’en suit la visite de la cité avec les terrasses de cultures et la zone plus urbaine .

Maïs, pommes de terre et autres légumes se cultivaient sur ces terrasses qui pouvaient nourrir jusqu’à plus de 10 000 personnes ! La zone populaire était quant à elle divisée en plusieurs quartiers : noble, populaire et sacré . C’est ici que se déroulait les activités religieuses et civiles . Cette ancienne cité date du XVème siècle .

À 10h, nous avions fini de contempler le spectacle, nous faisons tamponner notre passeport du logo Machu Picchu avant de redescendre, plier la tente, ranger nos affaires, manger et se rendre à Hydro Electrica avant 14h30 afin de prendre un mini-bus pour Cusco (40 soles, soit 10 € ) et 6h de route.

Ce périple fut une immense aventure , épuisante et magique à la fois ! Nous n’avons aucun regret d’être partis sans agence , bien au contraire, cela a rendu à l’expérience une sensation de mérite bien plus présente !

Si tu as l’occasion de faire ce Salkantay trek sans guide, en solo, où bien tu as besoin d’autres informations, n’hésite pas à nous laisser un commentaire , on y répondra avec plaisir. Il est maintenant temps qu’on redescende en altitude afin de goûter à la découverte de l’Amazonie, à Puerto Maldonado !

Où acheter son ticket pour le Machu Picchu ?

Il est possible de l’acheter à Cusco ou Agua Calientes , mais attention ce n’est pas possible à l’entrée du Machu Picchu. Durant la saison estivale (Avril à Octobre) la demande est plus forte et il faut réserver au moins 1 mois à l’avance pour s’assurer d’avoir des tickets. Le site officiel en ligne est https://reservas.machupicchu.gob.pe/ . Tous les autres sites prennent bien-sûr une marge en plus, donc si vous voulez le prix officiel, c’est ici. Le site n’est pas traduit (sinon ça ne serait pas marrant) donc je te préviens, il faut s’armer de patience, sinon j’ai une solution rapide pour toi un peu plus bas . De préférence utilise la traduction automatique de Google Traduction lorsque tu te rends sur le site, sauf si ton espagnol est au point.

Tu as 4 différents circuits qui parcourent le site de Machu Picchu.

Ces circuits n’incluent pas l’accès aux montagnes Huaynapicchu/Macchupicchu/Huchuypicchu.

Sur le site, tu as le choix entre 4 différents itinéraires :

• Circuit 1,2,3 ou 4 (n’incluant pas l’accès aux montagnes)
• Circuit 4 + accès Montagne Huaynapicchu
• accès Montagne Macchupicchu + Circuit 3
• Circuit 4 + accès Montagne Huchuypicchu

En 2017 , je ne me rappelle pas de ce système de circuits et j’avais l’impression qu’on pouvait se balader où on voulait sur le site (sauf accès aux montagnes payant), mais cela est compréhensible au vue des récents évènements sanitaires.

La solution GetYourGuide

Si tu ne souhaites pas t’embêter avec ces histoires de circuit et juste réserver un ticket te permettant de voir le Macchu Picchu de tes propres yeux, il est également possible d’acheter ses tickets sur Getyourguide. Comme dit précédemment, les prix sont plus chers que sur le site officiel (64 euros au lieu de 40 euros pour un ticket normal adulte), mais vous avez le confort d’un site en français et d’une interface simple d’utilisation, enlevant une bonne partie de stress.

☂️ Quelle assurance pour un voyage au Pérou ?

On a beau être affûté ou en pleine santé, faire son voyage au Pérou sans assurance, c’est courir le risque de payer très cher en cas d’accident. Souscrire à une assurance avec une bonne couverture médicale peut t’économiser des centaines d’euros si un pépin arrive. Afin de partir en toute sécurité, je te recommande Chapka Assurance accessible depuis le lien en vert.

Assurez-vous de lire attentivement ce qui est inclus avant de passer à l'achat. Si vous êtes encore indécis, vous pouvez lire mon article sur la meilleure assurance voyage pour vous couvrir au Pérou .

Où dormir à Cusco ?

Tu pars au pérou à lire également.

• Rainbow Mountain : Comment faire la visite ?
• Glacier Pastoruri : Comment s’organiser pour la visite
• Visite de l’Amazonie : Pérou ou Bolivie ?
• Paramount trek : Conseils pour ton trek au lac Paron
• Máncora : Quoi faire et voir ?
• L’oasis Huacachina : Quoi faire et voir ?

Le Salkantay trek sans guide, en solo, est une aventure extraordinaire réservée aux âmes courageuses en quête de liberté et de connexion authentique avec la nature. Bien que cela implique des défis logistiques et de sécurité, les récompenses sont incommensurables. Marcher à son propre rythme, découvrir des paysages époustouflants et relever les défis personnels font du Salkantay trek en solo une expérience inoubliable. Cependant, il est essentiel que les voyageurs se préparent adéquatement, en faisant preuve de responsabilité et de respect envers l’environnement et les communautés locales. Alors, si tu rêves d’une aventure hors du commun, le Salkantay trek en solo est fait pour toi !

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Salut, Nous aimerions également faire le trek en autonomie. Tu confirmes qu’il faut absolument prévoir toute la nourriture et qu’il n’y a pas moyen de manger sur les campements ? Merci !

Salut Léa, À chaque fois tu peux acheter quelques soupes de pates, barres de céréales et toutes sortes d’aliments de la sorte, mais le prix est assez elevé. Le campement de la 1ere nuit possède une sorte de cantine pour les groupes en agences seulement, le village pour la 2eme nuit possède peut être un restaurant cependant. 3eme nuit il y a seulement un petit stand à snacks, enfin 4eme nuit vous pouvez aller au restaurant à Agua Caliente 🙂 Cela a peut être évolué depuis octobre 2017, pas sûr.

Salut à tous les deux 🙂 Merci pour votre blog c’est un plaisir de vous lire! Je m’apprête à faire le Salkantay trek, mais je cherche la trace GPX du trajet, est-ce que vous l’avez et pourriez me l’envoyer svp ? Encore merci et bonne continuation dans vos voyages^^ Aline

Salut Aline ! Merci beaucoup ! Si tu utilises l’application Maps.me, tu devrais avoir les chemins tracés dessus. Je te conseille d’épingler chaque « village-étape » sur l’application pour t’y retrouver facilement au niveau du parcours et du chemin à suivre ! Tiens nous au courant !

Encore merci pour ta réponse, j’ai encore quelques petites questions 🙂 Comme je veux le faire en 5 jours comme vous, en totale autonomie, peux-tu stp me confirmer : – le nombre de kilomètres que vous avez parcouru lors du trek ? – avez-vous tout fait à pieds ? – où peut-on acheter le ticket pour le Machu Picchu ?

Merci d’avance +++ Aline

Salut Aline, – Environ 89 km totalement à pied de Mollepata jusqu’à Hydro Electrica , le dernier jour. – Tu pourras l’acheter sur place à Agua Calientes à l’endroit prévu à cet effet, la veille de te rendre au Machu Picchu. Bonne journée !

Est ce possible de dormir dans les refuges ou cava prend absolument une agence pour y avoir droit ?et est ce qu’il y a des tentes disponibles à louer sur place ou l’on doit la traîner tout le trajet

Bonjour Martine, il est possible de dormir en refuge sans passer par une agence je pense oui ! Il est surement possible qu’on puisse louer une tente sur place, sauf pour la 3ème nuit, mais ça implique de chercher dans le village d’arrivée et c’est sans certitude.

Et dites moi. Quel est votre 2 ieme coup de cœur de rando au Pérou

Paramount trek et Laguna 69 à partir de Huaraz, qui sont des treks sur une journée 🙂 On a pas eu la chance de faire le Santa Cruz dont on en dit beaucoup de bien !

Merci beaucoup Florian pour ces réponses Et dernière question. Si vous aviez à refaire l’expérience mais que vous deviez choisir entre la région de Cusco et huarez ….. votre émerveillement déjà connu vous amènerait à choisir quelle région 🙂

Le Machu Picchu est tellement incroyable à contempler que mon choix balancerait sur la région de Cusco. La cerise sur le gâteau concernant ce Salkantay trek.

Bonjour ! Je fais ce trek dans 2 semaines ! J’ai un peu peur pour la pluie… Aussi, je n’arrive pas à trouver : el Abra de Q’elloqasa sur la carte de Maps.me… Merci pour toutes ces infos 🙂

Salut Élie 🙂 J’espère que tu seras épargnée ! Alors je viens de checker, il me semble que sur Maps.me c’est « abra El mirador Machu Picchu »

Salut! Juste une petite question comme ca… je cherche où tu as vu que National geographic a mit Salkantay Trek dans les plus belles randonnées du monde! merci 🙂

Salut Antoine ! il a été nommé dans le top 25 par National Geographic Adventure Travel Magazine il y a quelques années 🙂 Malheureusement on retrouve pas cette infos sur leur site, mais sur plusieurs autres points d’infos comme https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Salkantay_trail

Génial ton article.

Je prévois de faire l ascension avec mon frère, est-ce que les sacs à dos t ont posé un pb pour l entre du machu pichu?

Merci Yannis ! On avait laissé nos sacs dans la tente, on était seulement avec des seconds sacs très légers pour la visite du Machu. Sinon je pense que ça pose aucun problème 🙂 en dehors du fait qu’on apprécie toujours un peu moins la visite quand on est chargé, logique. Kiffez bien !!

Bonjour Florian, Merci infiniment pour ce bel article ! Il m’a beaucoup aidé pour la préparation de mon voyage au Pérou, je compte faire le trek du Salkantay à partir du 7 avril cette année, dans le cadre d’un projet personnel et caritatif. (voir mon site web https://partageausommet.com/ ) Aussi, je me demandais, si un TOPO ou une carte détaillées est vraiment indispensable. Ayant fait d’autres trek bien fréquentés où la carte n’est pas obligatoire, je me demandais si c’était le cas pour Salkantay. Si oui, est-ce que tu aurais vu des topos en vente à Cusco ? Merci pour tes réponses et ce super blog ! Jessica

Salut Jessica, merci bien ! Bravo pour ce projet personnel ! Je me suis contenté de l’application Maps.me sur le téléphone, mais il est certains que tu dois pouvoir trouver des cartes à disposition dans différentes agences ou magasin de trekking à Cusco. Même si le chemin est en général plutôt bien indiqué, il vaut mieux avoir une carte papier ou sur téléphone au cas où 🙂 Car le Salkantay peut-être réalisé via plusieurs chemins.

bonjour Florian, Maps.me vous a t-il suffi pour l’itinéraire di Salkantay ? pas de risque de se perdre ? les directions des villages sont-elles mentionnées ?merci

Salut Sarah, Maps.me suffisait oui, chaque jour on créait notre itinéraire du village de départ jusqu’au village/campement d’arrivée. 🙂 Pour te rassurer tu peux toujours récupérer une carte sur Cusco j’imagine 🙂

Salut Florian, Merci pour toutes ces infos 🙂 Je ferai ce trekking au mois de juillet. Je me demandais si tu avais pris tes photos juste avec ton gsm ou si tu avais utilisé un appareil photo. Si c’était avec ton gsm, quel genre de batterie avais tu pour tenir 5 jours ? Merci beaucoup 🙂

Salut Omayra 🙂 On a pris des photos avec gsm, mais également appareil photo. L’idéal est d’avoir une batterie externe 28000mah avec soi et aucun problème pour tenir la durée du trek.

Bonjour ! Merci pour toutes c’est informations, ça m’a vraiment motivé à le faire en solo finalement (debut août) ! ? Mais quand je vois les kilomètres par jour (23km par exemple avec une grosse partie en dénivelé positif) je me demande si il faut une excellente condition physique pour le faire ? (On marche plutôt bien mais pas régulièrement et on ne connaît pas nos capacités en altitude, j’aurai vraiment peur de ne pas tenir). Penses-tu que c’est quand même faisable ? Et tu as fait environ le même parcours que les agences ? Merci d’avance !

Bonjour Amandine 🙂 Oui l’expérience sans agence vaut vraiment la chandelle ! D’après moi, il faut être en bonne condition physique, c’est à dire être quelqu’un effectuant du sport fréquemment ou étant naturellement svelte avec un bon cardio :). Mais pas besoin d’être un très grand sportif. Il y a toujours possibilités de le faire en un ou deux jours de plus si tu le souhaites.

Non les agences font un parcours différent le 3ème jour si mes souvenirs sont bons. À Cusco tu pourras récupérer des plans si nécessaire avec l’itinéraire classique et possiblement celui qu’on a effectué également.

Bon voyage, au plaisir d’avoir ton retour fin août 😀

Salut Florian,

Merci pour les infos, super utile ! Je n’ai peut être pas été hyper attentive mais quand est-ce que vous avez fait le trek ? Je prévois de le faire fin aout et comme c’est le mois où le Machu Picchu est le plus fréquenté j’aimerais savoir si j’ai besoin de réserver quoi que ce soit en avance. Et aussi quel serait le climat là bas ? Merci 🙂

Salut Hélène 🙂 Je ne vis pas au pied du Machu Picchu toute l’année, je t’invite à faire une recherche google concernant la météo sur place 🙂 Nous n’avons rien réservé en avance avant de venir au Pérou 🙂 Bonne journée

Coucou les gars. Nous venons de finir le Salkantay trek seuls! Bon on voulait vous remercier parce que votre article nous a beaucoup servi! C’etait dur et on a pas du tout mis les memes temps que vous 😉 mais merci a vous pour ce partage. Sur la route on a recontre d’autres fous comme nous qui le realisait sans guide et tous ensemble on s’est suivi jusqu’a la fin! Nos aventures sont sur: https://www.instagram.com/avanwithnoplan_official/ Merci encore

Salut Anne, Génial ? Content que l’article vous ait servi un peu ! Je me rappelle très bien de cette sensation, un mélange de joie, de fierté et le sentiment d’avoir vécu une superbe expérience ? Merci beaucoup pour avoir pris le temps de rédiger ce commentaire. Bonne continuation !

Salut Florian, Avez vous du reserver un ticket d’entrée pour accéder aux sentiers du salkantay? Merci et super tous ces articles!! ? Martin

Salut Martin, Oui, nous avons du payer un ticket d’entrée. Je ne saurais plus te dire le prix, mais il était dérisoire. On l’a payé 10 soles par personne à Mollepata. C’était à l’arrache en sortant du colectivo. Bon trip !

Salut, déjà merci pour l’article vraiment top! Juste une petite question, ou trouvé les noms et les lieux des villages/étapes ou camping? Faut il réserver où l’on peux arriver tel une fleur pour pouvoir y passer la nuit ? Merci d’avance

Salut Lucas, quand on l’a fait en 2017, on est arrivé sans rien réserver et je pense que c’est encore totalement le cas ! Dans l’article, on cite le nom de nos villages étapes. Sinon à Cusco tu peux facilement trouver des cartes concernant le Salkantay Trek qui peut être fait en 2/3 tracés différents 🙂

Ta qualité photo est incroyable! avec quelle appareil as-tu pris tes photos ? le machu picchu est vraiment une merveille et pour y être allé c’est impressionnant, super article! merci 🙂 j’ai fais le lac humantay et la machu séparemment, peut-être une prochaine fois pour le salkantay trek..

Salut Thomas, merci ! On était équipé d’un reflex Lumix GX-9 si je dis pas de connerie. Faut dire que le terrain de jeu au Pérou est tellement immense ! Au plaisir de te croiser sur un trek, qui sait ! Bravo pour ton blog

Bonjour, Merci pour votre article qui m’aide bien à préparer ce trek. Je voulais savoir s’il est important de parler espagnol (ce qui n’est pas mon cas) et comment vous aviez fait pour me matchu picchu, si vous aviez pris les billets à l’avance, où, etc. Merci pour la réponse !

Bonjour Julienne, nous avions pris les billets sur place, la veille. Nous avions pas mal de jours restants en Bolivie et l’insouciance de la jeunesse, mais si cela était à refaire, je conseillerais de réserver à l’avance.

D’après mon experience personnel, il n’est pas important de parler espagnol, toutes les personnes que j’ai pu rencontrer travaillant dans le secteur du tourisme avaient les bases en anglais. Il serait préférable d’avoir avec vous un calepin ou application mobile avec les phrases espagnoles couramment utilisées en voyage ainsi qu’un outil de traduction, au cas où.

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Les préparatifs de tour du monde

• L’itinéraire
• Matériel et budget
• Toutes les étapes
• Bilan et budget par pays
• Eurovélo 6 2015
• Vélodyssée 2017
• Route des Grandes Alpes 2019
• Conseils aux voyageurs

Le trek du Salkantay sans guide : les erreurs à éviter

Lors de notre voyage en vélo en Amérique du Sud , nous avons décidé de rejoindre le fameux Machu Picchu en faisant le trek du Salkantay. Un trek exigeant, de 4 jours, pour lequel nous sommes partis sans agence et sans guide. Nous avons porté toutes nos affaires et sommes partis avec la tente et de quoi cuisiner pour être au maximum autonome. Malheureusement, le temps n’a pas été de la partie et ne nous a pas facilité la tâche…

Nous étions partis initialement pour 6 jours (4 jours de trek, 1 jour de visite du Machu Picchu et 1 jour pour le retour à Cusco). Compte tenu des conditions météo, nous sommes finalement partis 7 jours (4 jours de trek, 1 jour de repos forcé à cause de de la pluie, 1 jour de visite du Machu Picchu et 1 jour pour le retour à Cusco). Quoi qu’il en soit, voici le récit de notre trek, avec nos bons plans et les erreurs à ne pas commettre.

1. Le budget

Pour 7 jours , nous avons dépensé un total de 449 soles par personne , soit 118€ (billets d’entrée, transport ,logement et nourriture), répartis comme suit :

Sans prendre en compte la journée de repos forcé à Aguas Calientes, nous aurions dépensé environ 105 € par personne, pour 6 jours . Sachant qu’en passant par une agence, le trek vous coûtera au minimum 200€ (sur 4 jours).

2. Le materiel

Comme nous partons sans agence, nous devons transporter tout notre matériel de camping, de cuisine, … pour être autonome sur le trajet. Voici la liste de ce que nous avons emporté. Pour compléter le matériel que nous avons, nous allons en louer à la boutique Himalaya , au bout de la rue Procuradores , à Cusco.

3. La nourriture (pour 4)

Ne sachant pas si il y avait des points de ravitaillement le long du chemin, nous avons préféré partir avec de de la nourriture pour pratiquement l’intégralité du trek. Dans les faits, il y a toujours des petites tienda dans les villages (Soraypampa, Chaullay, Collpapampa, Playa, Santa-Teresa), où il est possible d’acheter des snacks, des fruits, du pain et éventuellement de quoi cuisiner (pâtes, …). Voici la liste de ce que nous avons emporté au départ, pour 4 jours (de Mollepata à Aguas Calientes) à 4 , sachant que nous pouvions nous réapprovisionner à Aguas Calientes.

4. L’eau

Il y a de nombreux points d’eau le long du trek. Nous décidons de partir avec une gourde par personne et un système pour purifier l’eau : – Hugo et Alix ont une gourde filtrante , très pratique – Nous partons avec des pastilles type Micro-pur , et non avec notre cher filtre , un peu trop lourd pour le trek Même si nous sommes en montagne, il nous a été recommandé de ne pas boire l’eau directement des sources, car les ruisseaux coulent au mlieu des villages. Si vous n’avez pas de système pour purifier l’eau, il est possible d’acheter de l’eau minérale à chaque village.

5. Jour par jour

Jour 1 : mollepata – soraypampa (18 km, d+ 1160 m, d- 120 m).

Nous nous levons à 4h et nous rendons à l’intersection de l’ avenida Arcopata et de l’ avenida Apurimac a Cusco pour prendre un colectivo en direction de Mollepata ( 15 soles par personne ). Nous quittons Cusco à 5h et arrivons au village de Mollepata à 7h , après 2h de route de montagne tortueuse.

La bonne idée – Emporter un sac plastique pour le colectivo ! Si vous êtes sujet au mal des transports, il est judicieux d’emporter un sac plastique pour ce trajet …

Après un petit-déjeuner sur la place du village, nous nous mettons en marche à 8h . Le temps est au beau fixe, nous grimpons tranquillement 900 m de dénivelé dans la matinée. Simon trouve un fer à cheval sur le chemin, nous portera-t-il chance pour la suite du trek ? En après-midi, le temps se couvre mais nous apercevons au loin le mont Salkantay bien que son sommet soit dans les nuages. Nous arrivons à Soraypampa à 17h et nous nous installons au premier camping (1 km avant le village, 5 soles par tente). Nous nous cuisinons un petit repas chaud à la popote. La nuit ne tarde pas à tomber et nous allons vite au lit.

Jour 2 : Soraypampa – Huairaspampa (13 km, D+ 810 m, D- 790m)

Lorsque nous nous réveillons, le temps est couvert, nous ne voyons plus du tout le mont Salkantay. Nous nous mettons en marche à 8h15 et arrivons difficilement au col 4h30 plus tard, à 4.630 m d’altitude . Le chemin est raide, nos sacs sont lourds et nous sommes dans les nuages. Au col, nous ne voyons absolument rien des montagnes qui nous entourent et une petite grêle nous fouette le visage.

L’erreur à ne pas faire – Ne pas regarder la météo avant de partir Nous avions regardé la météo de Cusco mais elle ne correspondait pas du tout à celle de la vallée du Salkantay. Il vaut mieux regarder la météo de Soraypampa ou directement du Machu Picchu.

Nous nous empressons de redescendre pour sortir des nuages et avoir un peu plus chaud. Malheureusement, les nuages nous rattrapent et nous nous retrouvons sous une pluie battante. Nous nous arrêtons à Huairaspampa , à 15h45 . Nous trouvons un petit toit sous lequel nous plantons nos deux tentes ( 10 soles par tente ). Il pleut toute la soirée, mais nous sommes à l’abri.

Jour 3 : Huairaspampa – Collpapampa (10 km, D+ 70 m, D- 1130 m)

Il pleut toujours lorsque nous nous réveillons 😭 Nous avons déjà pris du retard sur la journée d’hier mais nous n’arrivons pas à lever le camp avant 8h20 . Le sentier est boueux, nous marchons sous la pluie et nous ne pouvons vraiment pas avancer vite au risque de glisser dans la boue.

Nous arrivons à Chaullay (lieu initialement prévu pour notre deuxième nuit) à 12h20 , dépités par notre matinée. Nous nous renseignons sur les colectivo pour rattraper notre retard et avançons jusqu’au hameau suivant, Collpapampa , où nous aurons plus de chance d’en attraper un le lendemain.

L’erreur à ne pas faire – Sous-estimer les durées de marche Afin de réaliser le trek entièrement en 4 jours, la deuxième journée de marche devrait débuter de Soraypampa et se terminer à Chaullay (soit 22 km, dont la montée du col à 4.600m). Sachant que la nuit commence à tomber à 17h, il ne faut pas hésiter à partir dès 5h ou 6h pour finir cette étape. En partant à 8h, nous étions pratiquement assurés de ne pas y arriver.

Comme il pleut toujours, nous oublions le camping et trouvons une chambre pour 4 dans une auberge pour 30 soles .

Jour 4 : Collpapampa – Aguas Calientes (27 km en colectivo + 19 km à pied, D+ 900 m, D- 400 m)

Le bus qui doit nous faire rattraper notre journée de retard devait partir de Collpapampa à 7h mais nous ne prendrons la route finalement qu’à 8h. Nous arrivons à Santa-Teresa à 10h , après 2h de bus ( 30 soles par personne ). Il ne pleut plus et nous sommes beaucoup descendu en altitude donc malgré le temps couvert, nous avons chaud.

De Santa-Teresa à Hidroelectrica , il n’y a pas de sentier et nous devons marcher le long de la piste. Nous arrivons à 14h , après 3h de marche et 1h de pause pique-nique dans les bananiers. Il nous faudra encore 3h30 de marche supplémentaires pour arriver à Aguas Calientes (a.k.a. Machu Picchu Pueblo) en longeant la ligne de train qui relie les deux villages.

Nous trouvons une chambre dans une auberge pour 25 soles par personne .

Jour 5 : Aguas Calientes

Aujourd’hui, nous avions prévu de visiter le Machu Picchu dans l’après-midi. Malheureusement, il pleut des cordes… Heureusement, nous n’avions pas réservé nos billets et la météo s’annonce meilleure le lendemain. Nous restons donc une journée à Aguas Calientes, à attendre que la pluie cesse. Une journée de repos forcé, mais qui nous évite de visiter le Machu Picchu sous la pluie.

La bonne idée – Ne pas réserver son billet pour la visite du Machu Picchu Tout le monde vous dira que le nombre de place est limité, mais une fois sur place, il y aura toujours des « désistements » et de nouvelles places disponibles pour le jour même. Si nous avions réservé nos billets, nous aurions dû visiter le Machu Picchu sous la pluie …

Jour 6 : visite du Machu Picchu

La vente des billets pour l’après-midi ouvre à 10h du matin. Nous commençons la queue à 9h et il y a déjà 50 personnes devant nous. Alix reste à faire la queue tandis que nous partons avec Hugo en direction du camping municipal, à 25 minutes de marche d’Aguas Calientes, au pied de la montée qui mène au Machu Picchu. Nous y installons nos tentes ( 15 soles par tente ) et attendons Alix qui revient à 11h10 avec les billets.

Du camping à l’entrée du Machu Picchu, il y a presque 2000 marches à monter et il nous faudra 1h de grimpe pour en venir à bout. Nous arrivons à l’entrée à 12h20, pique-niquons (interdiction de manger sur le site) et entrons enfin sur le site.

Wahou ! Nous restons tous scotchés devant la vue que nous avons. Un rayon de soleil éclaire juste le site, nous sommes conquis ! D’après les dernières suppositions des archéologues et historiens, le Machu Picchu était la résidence d’hiver des Incas de Cusco. Le site étant situé à 2.400 m d’altitude, soit 1.000 m plus bas que Cusco, la température y était plus douce.

Nous visitons tout l’après-midi (le site ferme à 17h) puis redescendons au camping municipal.

Jour 7 : retour à Cusco

Nous quittons le camping municipal vers 8h30 et nous mettrons 2h pour rejoindre Hidroelectrica. Après avoir grignoté un bout, nous trouvons un van qui nous ramène à Cusco pour 150 soles pour 4 .

La route dure 5h30 et nous arrivons à Cusco à 17h30. Nous allons directement rendre notre matériel de location, puis filons à l’ auberge Estrellita , où nous retrouvons nos affaires et une chambre.

Une bonne plâtrée de spaghettis plus tard, nous sommes au lit, contents d’être rentrés de cette excursion épique 😊

6. Notre avis général

Compte tenu de la météo que nous avons eu, nous n’avons aucun avis sur les paysages du trek du Salkantay … Cependant, ceux qui ont eu la chance de faire le trek avec une météo clémente nous ont dit que les paysages, notamment au passage du col, étaient très beaux et variés.

Le trek est difficile, d’autant plus en partant sans agence et en portant un sac lourd avec tout le matériel. Il nous semble donc indispensable d’avoir une bonne condition physique avant le départ. Cependant, il n’y a aucune difficulté pour suivre le sentier du trek, qui est tout de même assez fréquenté.

Quoi qu’il en soit, nous n’oublieront certainement pas cette expérience de si tôt 🙂

PS : Merci à Hugo pour la plupart des photos de cet article 🙂

Pauline & Simon

Passionnés de vélo et de voyages, toujours curieux de parcourir le monde ! Nous partons en 2018 pour un voyage d'un an en Amérique du Sud.

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Deux jours dans la vallée sacrée, sur la trace des incas, la cordillera huayhuash et le parc huascaran : en vélo, au plus près des cimes, bienvenue en equateur , 2 commentaires, hugo et alix.

Parfait tuto pour bien réussir son trek du Salkantay ! Le fer à cheval de Simon vous porte t’il chance désormais ?! 😁

Pauline & Simon

Il est bien accroché sur sa sacoche de guidon, mais pas sûr qu’il nous porte vraiment chance 😆

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The Salkantay Trek: How to Hike to Machu Picchu

By Author Steph Dyson

Posted on Last updated: 20th February 2024

Hiking to Machu Picchu is a bucket-list destination for many. But what many visitors to Peru don’t realize is that there are far more options than just the Inca trail for reaching this world-famous Inca city tucked high into the Andes – such as my new favorite, the Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu. 

The Inca trail is the most famous of all the hikes to Machu Picchu and follows the route of the Qhapaq Ñan or Royal Road. This Inca stone pathway weaves through valleys and across mountains to arrive at the Sun Gate, a doorway into Machu Picchu that sits high above the city.

But, for me, a fan of beyond-the-beaten-path destinations , it is the Salkantay trek that I’ve been long waiting to experience. 

I’d been bewitched by the idea of hiking to Machu Picchu via this alternative route ever since I first lived in Cusco back in 2015. However, life got in the way and I never stepped foot on the path. 

But this year, when Alpaca Expeditions asked me to join them on the Salkantay trail, I jumped at the chance. With the country now fully open to tourists (albeit numbers down to 30% of pre-pandemic levels), there has probably never been a better time to go to Machu Picchu, particularly as there are far fewer hikers on the trails than you would traditionally find. 

Whether you’ve been dreaming about reaching Machu Picchu via this lesser-known route or have had to switch up your plans because the Inca trail is fully booked, here’s everything you need to know about hiking the Salkantay trek. 

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Key facts about the Salkantay trek

How many miles is the salkantay trek.

The Salkantay is a roughly 66-kilometer (41-mile) hike that starts in the sleepy hamlet of Soraypampa and ends at Aguas Calientes, the town below Machu Picchu. There are various different routes that you can take, depending on how many days you want to walk and which company you’re hiking with.  The most common route is the five-day, four-night route, whereby you leave Cusco around 4 am and start on the trail around 8 am, scaling the Salkantay Pass on day one and arrive in Aguas Calientes on the evening of day four to spend the final day at Machu Picchu.  Alpaca Expeditions, like a handful of other companies, have their own glass-roofed huts at Soraypampa, where the trek begins. This means that they take their groups to the trailhead the day before (departing at 3 pm from Cusco) to allow you to start early and beat the other hikers to the trailhead. As a result, they advertise their trek as a five-day/five-night Salkantay hike.  Their hikes also include the route up to Lago Humantay, which adds an extra three hundred meters of ascent and descent to the first day’s hike, plus the incredible scenery of this turquoise lake. 

What is the elevation of the Salkantay trek?

The Salkantay trek starts at Soraypampa at an elevation of 3,900 meters above sea level. The elevation profile for the rest of the hike is as follows: Day One: Soraypampa (3,900 meters) – Humantay Lake (4,200 meters) – Soraypampa (3,900 meters) – Salkantay Pass (4,620 meters) – Wayramachay (3,800 meters)  Distance covered: 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) Total elevation gain: 1,020 metres Total elevation loss: 1,120 metres Day Two: Wayramachay (3,800 metres) – Loreta (2,200 metres) Distance covered: 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) Total elevation gain: 200 metres Total elevation loss: 1,600 metres Day Three: Loreta (2,200 meters) – Llactapata (2,700 meters) Distance covered: 12 kilometers (8.7 miles) Total elevation gain: 600 meters Total elevation loss: 400 meters Day Four: Llactapata (2,700 meters) – Hidroelectrica (1,820 meters) – Aguas Calientes (2,000 meters) Distance covered: 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) Total elevation gain: 180 meters Total elevation loss: 880 metres The first night sleeping at altitude you’re inside a cabin, with a sleeping bag (either your own or rented) and it’s pretty cozy. The second night was also at altitude and despite the sleeping bag, extra blankets, two sleeping mats, and hot water bottle that Alpaca provided, I was still a bit cold and ended up sleeping in my down jacket.  I highly recommend bringing a down jacket (mine is this one from Jack Wolfskin but you can find plenty of down jackets at REI ) plus a waterproof coat (mine is this one from Patagonia ; for men from Patagonia | REI | Backcountry ). They did give us rain ponchos but frankly, any sort of plastic coat is a recipe for sweaty hiking, so I much prefer to have a breathable, lightweight coat that’s great as a windproof layer at high elevations and also as protection against any downpours. 

How fit do I need to be to hike the Salkantay trek?

The Salkantay trek is a moderate hike. The challenge comes from the amount of ascent and distance you’re required to cover on day one, as well as the altitude at which you’re hiking.  The toughest day by far is day one. Not only do you gain 300 metres to reach the dazzling waters of Lago Humantay, but you lose them again as you drop back off the mountain and then climb a further 720 metres to reach the Salkantay Pass. Because you’re hiking at altitude, it won’t be long until you realise how thin the air feels (and how little of it seems to be going into your lungs). If you’re relatively fit and can cope with covering 20 kilometres (12.5 miles) in a day, you shouldn’t have any issues.  Many of my group who had flown straight from home to Peru and hadn’t had time to acclimate beforehand in Cusco for a couple of days really struggled with the first day of the trek.  Therefore I strongly recommend spending at least two days in Cusco before the hike for acclimatisation purposes and also speaking to your doctor to get a prescription for Diamox – tablets that help your body cope at high altitudes. You’ll want to take the tablets once per day, starting 24 hours before you start the trek and continuing until day three when you won’t need them anymore. 

How can you prepare for the high-altitude Salkantay trek?

While being moderately fit and physically able to walk at least 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) at lower elevations is essential, preparing for high-altitude trekking is challenging. This is because you can’t predict how your body will react when it’s faced with these conditions – particularly as it’s not impacted by how fit, young, or healthy you are. In fact, even the fittest people can suffer horrible altitude sickness. As a result, the best preparation for hiking the Salkantay trek is to arrive in Cusco at least two days before the trek begins to give your body time to acclimate. Get plenty of sleep, stay hydrated, and be sure to get some Diamox to help your body adjust. 

Do I need to book the Salkantay trek months in advance like the Inca trail?

Unlike the Inca trail, where there is a limit of 400 trekkers per day and so tickets can be sold out up to six months in advance, there are no limits for the Salkantay trek. This makes it an excellent alternative if you’ve been hoping to hike the Inca trail but have found that there isn’t any space.  The only restriction you’ll face is on the availability of entry tickets to Machu Picchu, so it’s still worth trying to book at least a few weeks in advance, particularly if you’re traveling between June and August. As a result, you’ll find it a good idea to book your trek in advance before you arrive in Peru; you can also check out what we think are the best times to visit Machu Picchu  before deciding when to travel. Better still, while an unlimited number of hikers allowed on the trailhead doesn’t sound fun, if you trek with Alpaca Expeditions, you’ll likely not see anyone else. This is because they schedule the trek to avoid all of the other tours leaving from Soraypampa. Through this wizardry, during the entirety of the five-day trek, we met only six other hikers.

The five-day Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu

The Inca trail is famous for taking you along a stretch of the Qhapaq Ñan or Royal Road, a path used by Inca royalty as well as pilgrims and other administrators to travel between Cusco and Machu Picchu. 

However, what you probably didn’t know is that the Salkantay actually travels along a stretch of Inca road on day three, allowing you to have a little bit of the same experience, just without sharing it with anyone else.

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The scenery is also spectacular and involves a little bit of each of the microclimates that are found surrounding Cusco, and which pay host to everything from spectacled bears (the inspiration for Paddington!) to llamas, alpacas, condors and vizcachas (chinchilla-like rodents).

You travel from high mountain passes to lush cloud forest in just over a day, while you’re always far enough away from towns and villages to have gorgeous starry skies at night. 

Want a cheeky 5% discount on the Salkantay trek?

Alpaca Expeditions  are not only one of the most sustainable companies offering Salkantay and Inca trail treks to Machu Picchu, but their guides, porters and chefs are the ultimate hosts.

They’re now offering Worldly Adventurer readers a 5% discount on all of their hikes – use discount code WorldlyAdventurer when you enquire!

Best of all, unlike on the Inca trail, you don’t share campgrounds with other groups. In fact, we saw only six other hikers from when we started the hike to when we reached Hidroelectrica and began the final trek along the railway line. Therefore, if you’re like me and prefer hiking in destinations where you aren’t surrounded by others, this is the perfect route for you. 

But what’s the hike like day by day? Here’s an itinerary of what you can expect on the Salkantay trek. 

Day Minus One: Pre-trek information session

• Distance hiked: 0
• Total elevation gain: 0
• Total elevation loss: 0
• Time on the trail: 0

I started my Salkantay trek experience two days before we actually started hiking. This is because Alpaca Expeditions invited all of my group to their office in Cusco for a short information session to go over everything we needed to know before we started the hike. 

It was a quick, 15-minute meeting with our guide, Isao, where we were given our lime green duffel bags (for up to seven kilograms of clothes and other items for the hike that would be taken on mules), bright green rain ponchos and rucksack rain covers.

We were also able to reserve a sleeping bag, sleeping mat and trekking poles at this stage, while they made recommendations for essentials we needed to bring (bug spray – bring plenty!).

If I’d been sensible and brought some with me, I would have started taking Diamox this evening or on day zero to help prepare my body for the altitude. Don’t be like me: I highly recommend discussing Diamox or similar with your doctor if you’re planning a short trip to Peru to hike the Salkantay. This is because going directly from sea level to an altitude of up to 4,620 metres (15,157 ft) can be extremely dangerous – trust me: you don’t want to feel as shit as those people in my group who did this.

Day Zero: Cusco to Soyrapampa

On day zero you’ll have time for a relaxed morning and lunch in Cusco, before you’re picked up at your hotel by the Alpaca Expeditions team around 3pm. The minibus will head directly out of Cusco for the spectacular drive through the Andes to the first night’s accommodation.

It’s three and a half hours of serpentine roads with sheer, vertiginous roadsides and lush valleys lined with avocado plants. Keep your eyes peeled for the first glimpses of Nevada Salkantay; we saw it sink into darkness as the sun set behind its snow-laden peak before our van began gaining altitude quickly.

After about two and a half hours you’ll stop in Mollepata, a tiny town en route, to use the toilets and then stock up on any remaining items you might have forgotten, before an hour later reaching the first night’s accommodation: Soraypampa and its glass-roofed cabins. 

If luck’s on your side, the stars should be bright and your chef, sous chef and their merry band of porters will quickly rustle up a delicious two-course meal, giving you plenty of time to head to bed and sleep beneath the stars before an early wake-up call the next morning. 

Day One: Soraypampa – Humantay Lake – Salkantay Pass – Wayracmachay

• Distance hiked: 20 kilometers (12.5 miles)
• Total elevation gain: 1,020 meters (3,346 feet)
• Total elevation loss: 1,120 meters (3,674 feet)
• Time on the trail: Around six hours, plus lunch and breaks 

Day one starts early. At 4.30 am, you’ll be woken up by a knock at the door. For us, it was by Juan Carlos, our second guide, bearing coca tea (coca leaves infused in water) to help settle heads and stomachs from any potential altitude sickness. 

While there are flushing toilets at this accommodation, showers there are not, but your guides will ensure you have hot water for washing hands and faces at every mealtime along the trek.

There will be time for a filling breakfast – omelets, pancakes, cereal, and bread – and to pick up snacks and water ready for the day. Today will be the hardest of the entire trek – there’s no gentle first day to ease you into it – so eat plenty and stay hydrated. You’ll need all the energy you can get. 

At this stage, your body, with the help of Diamox, should be starting to acclimatize to the altitude and be ready for the two-hour climb up to Lago Humantay. Mine felt ok, but as we began the trek, climbing a gentle gravel road that became a steep trail as it emerged out of the valley and up to the shores of Lago Humantay, my lungs were burning and the effort of hiking was already beginning to feel like a challenge. 

At the top, there’s time to relax, take copious photos, and dive into your snacks, before you head back down the way you came, joining the main Salkantay trail back at the bottom of the valley.

For us, we began the ascent to the Salkantay Pass around 10 am, relieved to discover that the other groups of hikers for that day’s walk were long gone, leaving us the trail to ourselves as we passed meadows filled with llamas and then the barren slopes of Nevada Salkantay. 

Keep your eyes peeled for stone-colored vizcachas hiding in the rocks alongside the trail; these chinchilla-like rodents live in this otherwise empty landscape. 

After a further 4.5 hours, and about an hour from the top, you should arrive at your first lunch: prepare to be amazed by what your chef and porters can put together, despite being miles from civilization. 

Our chef, Sergio, his sous chef, and porters had prepared us an extensive lunch of roast chicken, salads, rice, and plenty of vegetables to help give us enough energy to get over the pass. If you’re lucky and well acclimatized, you’ll be feeling extremely hungry right now, so fill your boots and also have a good few cups of coca tea – they’ll help stave off any incoming headache. 

From lunch, it’s a thankfully short final hour to reach the Salkantay Pass. At 4,620 metres above sea level (15,157 feet) and in the shadows of snow-capped Salkantay,  it’s the highest point on the trek and you deserve to celebrate here.

We followed Quechua traditions and made an offering to the Apus (the Gods of the mountains) of some coca leaves given to us by our guide, Isao, while making three wishes. I’m fairly certain at least a few members of the group were wishing to get out of there quickly!

After the pass, it’s a long, two-hour hike down the camp, through the quickly changing scenery that passes from barren rock to become a verdant river valley flushed with powder blue lupins. It’s a dramatic contrast between the hike up and the scenery as you come down. 

When you arrive, finally, at Wayracmachay, your first camp on the trek, your camp fairies (aka the porters, chef, and sous chef) will have been busy preparing the camp. Our tents had been filled with our mats and sleeping bags, plus the welcome addition of fluffy alpaca blankets and, when it was finally time for bed, some extremely welcome hot water bottles. You’ll find flushing toilets, but no showers, here, too. 

Dinner will be another feast of hearty, filling Peruvian food that’ll put you to sleep early, ready for another pre-dawn start.

Day Two: Wayracmachay – Colpapampa – Loreta 

• Total elevation gain: 200 meters (656 feet)
• Total elevation loss: 1,600 meters (5,249 feet)
• Time on the trail: Around seven hours, plus lunch and breaks 

Today, you’ll rise before dawn again, ready for a big breakfast of pancakes, omelet, bread, and the obligatory coca tea to help you start the day. 

While day two of the Salkantay trek is as long as day one, the vast majority of the trail is downhill, so you’ll find it much less taxing. 

From Wayracmachay, it’s a gentle downhill hike along a gravel path. As a group, we had decided that downhill sounded too boring for the day (!) so Isao and Juan Carlos took us off-piste to climb another hill (just 100 meters of ascent this time).

By this stage, the scenery had changed dramatically, and we’d dropped far enough down to find ourselves in thick, lush cloud forest, filled with butterflies and bromeliads suspended from the trees. 

If your guides offer you this detour, I strongly suggest taking it. The payoff for climbing this extra hill is some seriously incredible views back across the valley towards Salkantay and then down into the next valley, where lunch and your accommodation for the night are located.

The views change by the second; the clouds move rapidly as the valley and the mountains beyond appear and disappear in turn. 

From this incredible vantage point, it’s a steep downhill – through cloud forest thick with orchids and hummingbirds to finally hit the road beneath and lunch at Colpapampa. For us, it was mango ceviche followed by mountains of lomo saltado , vegetables, salads and rice.

The final few hours to reach your accommodation are along a flat gravel road that follows the Rio Salkantay as it weaves through the valley.

Finally, you’ll descend down an incredibly steep path to reach your home for the night: Alpaca Expeditions’ very own hobbit holes, complete with lime green, round front doors, and comfy beds. There are even hot showers available and, the pièce de résistance : jacuzzis. 

We saluted a long but incredible day with some cervezas (beers) and even a small pisco sour prepared unexpectedly for us by our chef, Sergio. It’s fair to say we slept like babies – you will too. 

Day Three: Loreta – Lucmabamba – Llactapata

• Distance hiked: 14 kilometers (8.7 miles)
• Total elevation gain: 600 meters (1,968 feet)
• Total elevation loss: 400 meters (1,312 feet)
• Time on the trail: Around five and a half hours, plus lunch and breaks 

Day three starts with a gentle walk through a clutch of villages tucked into the cloud forest, where you’ll meet the resident dogs, chickens, and any other livestock that’s wandering around.

Today will be a fairly relaxed day and give you the opportunity to hike a stretch of the Inca trail that clambers up through lush forest and coffee plantations and, for some parts, still consists of worn stone steps. 

As you climb this five-hundred-year-old stone staircase into the mountains, you’ll realize quite how relieved you are that you didn’t do the Inca trail. It’s tough going on your thighs (perhaps even more so than the climb up to the Salkantay Pass), but a fairly gentle incline up to lunch at a coffee farm, where you’ll also have the chance to pick, toast, and grind your own steaming cup of Joe alongside the owner, Paulina.

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Your chef will also give a demonstration about cooking a traditional Peruvian dish (in our case lomo saltado , with fake meat for the vegetarians), before you dine again like kings, with incredible views across the valley. 

In the afternoon, it’s a tough, sweaty climb up, up and up, although you’ll take plenty of breaks and have the chance to enjoy the pretty flowers and picturesque valley views that characterise this part of the hike.

After around three and a half hours of walking, you’ll finally reach the brow of the hill, from where it’s a short hike down to Llactapata.

An Inca site, it sits across the valley from Machu Picchu – the Inca liked to be able to see this city from other parts of their Empire – which you can see in the distance. It’s here that you’ll suddenly realize just how far you’ve come and how close you are to the end of the hike. 

After half an hour learning a little about this site, which would have acted as a waystation for the chaskis (the messengers of the Inca, who ran along the Inca roads delivering messages across the Empire), it’s a 20-minute hike down the mountain to reach perhaps the most surreal of you campsites.

Offering even closer views of Machu Picchu from its lofty position, the campground below Llactapata is the most remarkable of the whole trip. It’s possible to spend hours here, watching as the sun slips away past the mountains in the west and bathes the Cordillera de Vilcabamba in which Machu Picchu lies in gentle evening light. 

If you can tear yourself away from the view, you’ll be delighted to learn that after a sweaty day’s hike there are hot showers at this campsite (costing around S/10), and mountains of food to help you sleep soundly. 

Because you’re still far away from any towns, there’s very little light pollution, so if the skies are clear, you can expect a sensational view of the Milky Way and the night sky. 

Day Four: Llactapata – Hidroeléctrica  – Aguas Calientes

• Distance covered: 15 kilometers (9.3 miles)
• Total elevation gain: 180 meters (590 feet)
• Total elevation loss: 880 meters (2,887 feet)

You’ll wake early again today in time to eat breakfast as the sun’s rays climb above Machu Picchu and bathe you in their glorious light.

There will be time to enjoy the views while your team packs up camp and you should be on the trail by about 7 am, for a snaking, tough-on-the-knees, steep climb down the mountain and along the Río Ahobamba to reach Hidraelectrica, the hydropower station that produces electricity for Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu itself. 

Here you stop for a final leisurely lunch with your porters and cooking team, before it’s time to bid them farewell and continue along the side of the railway line that connects Hidroeléctrica with Aguas Calientes and beyond, Ollantaytambo. 

While the hike itself is hot and sweaty and feels like you’re starring in the film Stand By Me (yes, you do need to keep an eye out for trains as it’s a functioning railway line – although they do tend to make an awful lot of noise on the approach to allow you to get out of the way), it takes you through the deep mountain canyon that is the Urubamba Valley, with the dramatic steep valley sides rising high above you. 

Along the way, you’ll find the occasional shops operated by those who live in houses dotted along the railway line, where you can pick up snacks of fresh watermelon or ice-cold drinks. 

It’s around 10 kilometers (six miles) along the railway line and a three-hour hike. Finally, you’ll reach the edges of Aguas Calientes, the small but picturesque town that sits beneath the Inca city.

Here, you’ll be checked into your hotel and have some downtime to explore the town or just take a long, hot shower, before heading out for dinner with your group. 

Day Five: Machu Picchu

• Distance hiked: Depends; the path around Machu Picchu is a couple of miles 
• Total elevation gain: Roughly 10-20 meters (32-65 feet)
• Total elevation loss: Roughly 10-20 meters (32-65 feet)
• Time on the trail: Depends; around three hours if just exploring the site. Add a further two hours if hiking to Huyana Picchu. 

Today’s the day you’ve been waiting for: Machu Picchu. To get on the first bus up to Machu Picchu, you’ll wake around 4.30 am and aim to be at the bus stop by 5.30 am, read when it leaves.

It’s a 30-minute drive up to the entrance and definitely worth taking the bus (the tickets are included in the cost of your tour): the walk looked exhausting and takes at least two hours. 

At the top, your guide will show your tickets and you’ll climb the final few steps of Inca stone up into Machu Picchu, a former summer retreat for the Inca emperor and a remarkable example of Inca architecture.

At the viewpoint at the top of the site, if the weather’s clear, you can watch as the sun rises over the mountains, showering the stone buildings and Huayna Picchu, the mountain that sits behind, with morning light.

If it’s not clear, don’t worry: when we arrived, it was cloudy, but the weather came and went quickly, giving us good opportunities for capturing photographs and absorbing the surreal feeling of standing above Machu Picchu. 

In total, you will have around three or four hours in Machu Picchu, which will involve a guided tour by your guide to learn more about life in Machu Picchu, the architecture and the key buildings dotted around.

Since the pandemic, they’ve introduced a very strict route around the site, so you don’t have as much opportunity to explore as you once had. However, it definitely felt like plenty of time for visiting and learning more about the Inca Empire. 

If you want to hike up Huayna Picchu, this will take around two hours and you can expect an alternative view of the site from the top. As my tour was booked quite last-minute, I didn’t manage to get these tickets (it’s recommended to buy them at least a couple of months in advance as they sell out; book them here selecting “Circuito 4 + Waynapicchu”), but other members of my group highly recommended it. The path up is very steep, so definitely not for the faint of heart. 

Around noon, you’ll catch the bus back down to Aguas Calientes for a final lunch. This wasn’t included in our tour, but there are plenty of restaurants within the town. I recommend Chullos Craft Beer & Homemade Food for great local food and beautiful views of the river. 

Early afternoon, you’ll board the train to Ollantaytambo, a stunning, two-hour journey that takes you along the Urubamba Valley and, thanks to the train’s large windows, gives you dazzling views of the surroundings. 

At the station in Ollantaytambo, a bus will be waiting to take you back to Cusco, a final two-hour journey through the mountains. Be sure to have your accommodation booked ready for you when you in the town. You’ll be exhausted but still reeling from an incredible six days!

Preparing for the Salkantay trek

When to travel to cusco and machu picchu.

Unlike the Inca trail, which needs to be booked at least six months in advance, the Salkantay is a trek that can be organised with a lot less advance notice. This is because permits are not required to hike along this trail; instead, you’ll just need to make sure you’ve got a ticket for Machu Picchu.

That said, if you’re planning on visiting between the peak months of May and September, you’ll likely need to reserve this trek at least a few weeks in advance to ensure that there’s time for the company to book Machu Picchu tickets for your dates. 

It’s possible to hike the Salkantay trek all year round, but for the best conditions (and to get those iconic views at Machu Picchu on the final day), try to avoid the rainy season, which is between November and February. 

Alpaca Expeditions do run this trek from the start of March through the middle of January, but as someone who has lived in Cusco and knows how hard it can rain here, I imagine trekking during the rainy months would be a very soggy experience. 

Choosing a sustainable and ethical tour company

One of the main reasons I chose to hike with Alpaca Expeditions is because of their attitude towards their staff. They pay some of the highest wages for porters and guides; the minimum wage for porters by law is S/44 per day, while Alpaca pays them S/180 per day.

As many of their staff come from indigenous and often poor Andean villages scattered across the region, Alpaca Expeditions have also built a house in Ollantaytambo where their staff can stay the night before or after a trek, with its own resident doctor offering them healthcare. 

What’s more, due to limits on entering Machu Picchu, porters who accompany groups of hikers aren’t allowed to enter the site, and many can’t afford the expense of visiting Machu Picchu on their own dime. This means many have spent years hiking to Machu Picchu but have never actually gone in.

To address this injustice, Alpaca Expeditions take groups of their porters, chefs, guides and their families to Machu Picchu twice a year, ensuring that all of their staff can experience the culture of their ancestors and learn about their own history. 

Alpaca Expeditions are also leading the way when it comes to female employment. They were the first tour company to introduce female guides (2017) and then porters (2018) onto the Inca trail and now have women working in every role on the trek and in their office, with an aim to employ an equal number of men and women in the future. 

They’re also doing some amazing work to allow local communities to visit sites such as Machu Picchu, as well as the archaeological sites of Pisac, Ollantaytambo and others in the Sacred Valley .

To achieve this, every Sunday they pay to take a group of 15-17 local children from Cusco or surrounding villages to visit some of these sites and learn more about their heritage, ensuring that they have the same access to their history as the thousands of tourists who explore the region each day.

I followed along for one of these days and it was wonderful to see the kids soaking everything in and even getting to experience the incredible Alpaca Expeditions outdoors lunch, too!

All in all, I found the experience on the trail with Alpaca Expeditions to be even better than I had expected. Their staff are absolute heroes: our guides were good-humoured and extremely supportive when the going got tough on the first day and the rest of our team of chefs and porters ensured that every single meal and camp felt like we’d stepped into our own private resort, no matter how remote the location. 

The cost of hiking the Salkantay trek

The cost of the trek varies depending on the company with whom you go. Alpaca Expeditions isn’t the cheapest and nor is it the most expensive. They offer the five-day/five-night tour that I did at a cost of just $650 USD per person and you can potentially have a group size of up to 16 people. We had nine in ours and it felt like a really comfortable size.

They also commit to running a hike even if they just have two people signed up, which means you’re less likely to get your tour cancelled if they don’t manage to sell other tickets. 

To secure your place on the trek, you will need to make a deposit of $400 USD per person either through PayPal (who’ll charge a 5.5% PayPal fee) or by wire to Bank of America or Citibank (free if you bank with either of these companies). Therefore, it’s worth being aware that the trek may well cost a little more when you’ve factored in the transfer cost. 

Alcohol isn’t included in the cost of the hike but there are places en route where you can buy beers, ranging from a cheap S/5 to a more eye-watering S/20. If you think you’ll want a cold cerveza to celebrate a long day’s hiking, then bring extra soles (small notes preferably as change can be an issue) with you.

Tipping on the Salkantay trek

Before departing for the trek, it’s important to budget into your trip the cost of tipping. While it’s certainly not obligatory, tipping was brought up quite a few times during the hike and our guide made recommendations for the amount of money we should consider tipping per person.

This worked out around S/50 soles per porter (we had four for a group of nine people), $20 USD for both the chef and sous chef, and $40 USD each for our guides. 

It’s worth bearing in mind that there’s often a limit of around S/750 soles (around $200 USD) per day that you can withdraw from ATMs in Cusco, so it might be sensible to bring dollars with you for tipping purposes if you also need to withdraw cash to pay for your tour when you arrive.

Another area to consider when it comes to hiking costs is whether your travel insurance covers hiking up to 4,600 metres.

My travel insurance with World Nomads * required me to pay for additional coverage up to their level three (camping up to 4,500 metres and hiking up to 6,000 metres), which cost an additional $75.33 for my two-week trip to Peru. 

Packing for the Salkantay trek 

If you book before you arrive in Cusco, you should get sent a packing list covering what they recommend you bring. In short, it includes:

• Your passport. You will need to show the original document to get into Machu Picchu. Don’t forget it, otherwise the hiking will have been in vain!
• A day pack. I brought my Osprey 40-litre pack ( REI | Amazon | Osprey ), which comfortably fitted my camera, down jacket, waterproof coat and a couple of other bits and pieces for the day. You could comfortably get away with carrying a 25-litre or 30-litre pack, as the majority of your belongings go into your duffel bag that’s carried by mule. 
• A cosy sleeping bag. You can actually hire one of these for $25 USD for the duration of the trek, so unless you’re particularly attached to your own, then it’s probably easier to just pay this cost. I found the one I rented to be warm and comfortable. I generally recommend the Nemo Disco 15 for women ( REI ) and men ( REI ) if you want to buy one.
• Air mattress. Again, this can be rented for $25 USD. If you want to buy your own, I recommend this one from Therm-a-Rest ( REI | Amazon | Backcountry )
• Trekking poles. I made the mistake of turning these down when I was offered to rent them. Don’t be like me. They’re really helpful for the first day in getting you up the Salkantay Pass and absolutely ESSENTIAL in helping you get back down. Rent them for $25 USD or buy these lightweight ones ( REI | Amazon | Backcountry ). 
• Well-broken-in hiking boots. I can’t stress enough how important it is that you wear hiking shoes that you’ve used before on this trek. Days are long and there’s absolutely nothing worse than getting a bad blister on the first day. All of the downhill can also wreak havoc with your toenails, so they need to be comfortable. I’m a convert of Salomon (women’s: REI | Amazon | Backcountry ; men’s: REI | Amazon | Backcountry )
• Five pairs of walking socks. Seriously, you need a clean pair for each day. I recommend Darn Tough socks (women’s: REI | Amazon | Darn Tough ; men’s: REI | Amazon | Darn Tough )
• Sandals. These are for the evenings when you’ll want to allow your feet to breathe. I love my Teva sandals (women’s: REI | Amazon | Backcountry ; men’s: REI | Amazon | Backcountry )
• Warm clothing. A down jacket (I wear this one from Jack Wolfskin; you can find plenty of others at REI ) and a lightweight waterproof coat (mine is this one from Patagonia ; for men from Patagonia | REI | Backcountry ) are essentials for this trek. I also had a midweight walking jumper and a fleece jumper (women’s: REI | Amazon | Backcountry ; men’s: REI | Amazon | Backcountry ). 
• Two or three pairs of hiking trousers. You want lightweight trousers that won’t be too hot for the warmer days. I like these ones from prAna ( REI | Amazon | Backcountry )
• Long-sleeved hiking tops. I didn’t bring any of these and it was a mistake. Not only do they protect you from the sun (which is fierce at this altitude) but they can protect you from the mosquitos, too. We only really encountered these a little bit in the evening at Loreta (day three) and during the hike through the cloud forest on day four. 
• Headlamp. This is essential for the camps, as many of them don’t have electricity. You don’t want to trip over and injure yourself when going to the bathroom in the middle of the night. I recommend this one .
• Camera. This hike is incredibly photogenic, so make sure you’ve got a couple of spare batteries for your camera. I travel with the Sony A7iii , an 18-135 lens and a spare battery. 
• Phone charger and adapter plug. There is electricity on days zero, three and five. I use this universal adapter plug .
• A sunhat and sunglasses. Don’t burn your head or hurt your eyes. 
• Mosquito repellent. You will want this for evenings on days three onwards and at Machu Picchu. I use Sawyer insect repellent ( REI | Amazon )
• Dry sacks. While Alpaca did give us plastic bags that we could put our clothes into to protect them from the rain in transit, I prefer to travel with a couple of dry sacks ( REI | Amazon ), as they’re reusable and more environmentally friendly!

Other options for hiking to Machu Picchu

Still not sure which is the right hike for you? Here’s a round-up of the other treks that can get you to Machu Picchu. 

The Inca trail

• Length: 48 kilometers (29.8 miles) 
• Hiking time: Four days/three nights
• Cost: From $695 USD

The best-known trek of all, the classic Inca trail is a four-day, three-night trek up and down the stone pathway of the Inca, stopping at a handful of other Inca sites before arriving at Machu Picchu at dawn on the fourth and final day through the Sun Gate.

This is the only trek that allows you to approach the site through this entrance and have the first dawn views of Machu Picchu.

Read all about the Inca trail to Machu Picchu for more information about this trek and this comparison of the Inca Trail and the Salkantay to learn the key differences. 

It’s also possible to extend this trip to five days/four nights to allow you to take a slower approach to the hike (perfect if you’re traveling with your kids), or do a shortened version of the Inca trail if you’ve got less time but still want to hike this fabled road.

You can even combine a bit of Salkantay with the Inca trail for a seven-day/six-night adventure . 

The Inca Jungle trek

• Length: 89 kilometers (55.30 miles) 
• Cost: From $450 USD

Keen to visit Machu Picchu but want to get your adrenaline pumping even more? The Inca Jungle trek is a route that combines mountain biking, rafting, hiking along sections of the Inca trail, and even ziplining.

It’s not a trip organised by Alpaca Expeditions but there are other companies based out of Cusco who do. 

The Lares trek

• Length: 33 kilometers (20.5 miles) 
• Cost: From $600 USD

Perhaps the least-known of the three main treks to Machu Picchu, the Lares is another alternative route that takes you through Andean villages around the Sacred Valley, where you’ll soak in natural hot springs and climb up into the mountains to a 4,680-metre (15,354-foot) pass.

Considered a little easier, slower-paced, and much shorter than the Salkantay and the Inca trail, it’s a good option for families, as well as those who aren’t sure about their fitness levels! Alpaca Expeditions have a four-day/three-night itinerary . 

The Choquequirao trek 

• Length: 100 kilometers (62 miles) 
• Hiking time: Nine days/eight nights
• Cost: From $1,250 USD

For the really adventurous, the trek to Machu Picchu via Choquequirao is a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. Taking you first to the archeological site of Choquequirao, a mountaintop series of Inca buildings that is only visited by a handful of tourists and where you can camp just beneath, you then continue to Machu Picchu, combining two of the region’s finest Inca cities. 

The hike has plenty of uphill to reach Choquequirao and is a long slog: 100 kilometres (62 miles) in total.

We’ve got information about hiking it independently in this guide to hiking to Choquequirao , while Alpaca Expeditions offer a shortened six days/five nights version of the trek .

I was a guest of Alpaca Expeditions  on this tour, but the experiences, opinions and unfettered enjoyment of the trip are my very own. I don’t promote tours or experiences that I don’t believe to be 100% sustainable, ethical or high-quality.  

* World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers in over 100 countries. As an affiliate, we receive a fee when you get a quote from World Nomads using this link. We do not represent World Nomads. This is information only and not a recommendation to buy travel insurance.

Wednesday 4th of October 2023

Thanks for the article Steph! I would like to give a tip to your readers. If you buy the 5-day Salkantay trek online you pay anywhere between $500 - $700. On the other hand, if you simply walk in to the many tour agencies around Cuzco's Central Plaza (Plaza de Armas), you can get the same trek for between $250 - $300. Everything included. I walked into a few agencies and they were all around the same price. Seriously. I'm not trying to be an A-hole, just trying to save your readers some money. And you don't even need to wait for a spot. I walked into the tour agency and I was on the trail two days later. So my advice is...don't buy it online. Wait until you get to Cuzco and buy it in the agency. Just saying :)

Steph Dyson

Thursday 23rd of November 2023

Hi Gabriel, yes that definitely is an option. However, there's no guarantee the quality of the company you're travelling with and there are some pretty rubbish companies in Cusco who go for low prices and high tourist numbers without any consideration towards quality. Steph

Taylor Nelson

Saturday 3rd of June 2023

Great article Steph! Stoked we were part of your group and you captured the experience magnificently. Arriba, abajo, al centro, sexy movimiento, ADENTRO!

Monday 5th of June 2023

Thanks so much Taylor! I think I captured a lot of photos of the pair of you in the distance as you marched on at incredible speed😉It was great to share the experience with you! Steph

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Hiking the Salkantay Trek

Hiking peru's famous "nature trek".

Heather Jasper

• In this guide
• The Inca Trail
• Choquequirao
• Arequipa & Colca Canyon
• Cordillera Blanca treks
• Responsible trekking

The Salkantay Trek is the most popular alternative to the Inca Trail, described by National Geographic as one of the best treks in the world. While there are no ruins along the way unless you do the lodge-to-lodge version, the opportunity for gorgeous landscapes is even greater than on the Inca Trail , leading it to be known as the “Nature Trek.”

The Salkantay Trek

Difficulty: Challenging

Distance: Approx. 60km (37m)

Duration: Four to five days

Max elevation: 4,630 metres

Accommodation: Camping or lodges

Start/end point: Challacancha - Santa Teresa

Hikers approaching Salkantay Mountain

What you’ll see

From snow-capped mountains down to high jungle, this trek is known for its varied ecosystems and landscapes. You’ll pass high mountain glaciers, walk along rolling fields and pastures, and end up in the high jungle that surrounds Machu Picchu.

Savage mountain

Looming large in the background of this trek is the glacier-clad Mt. Salkantay. It forms part of the fierce Cordillera Vilcabamba range, with a peak that reaches a staggering 6,270 m (20,574 ft) of altitude. Worshipped for thousands of years by the local highlanders, Mt. Salkantay takes its name from a Quechua phrase meaning "savage mountain."

How long is the Salkantay trek?

The length of this hike can vary, both in mileage as well as in the number of days. The traditional version is four days of hiking, covering a distance of about 37 miles. If you choose the much more comfort-oriented lodge-to-lodge version of the trek, you will hike for six days, covering a bit more distance but with less hiking time per day. All trekking agencies include transportation from Cusco to Challacancha. Most include transportation from Santa Teresa to Aguas Calientes, the shuttle from Aguas Calientes up to Machu Picchu itself and the train from Aguas Calientes back to Ollantaytambo with another shuttle to Cusco.

How difficult is the Salkantay trek?

The trek is challenging, primarily because of the altitude. The highest point is the Salkantay Pass, at 4,630 m (15,213 ft) above sea level. Even after crossing the pass, although you will continue descending, there are some ups and downs that will feel very long if you’re not in great shape or not properly acclimatised.

Accommodation

If you do the traditional version, you’ll be camping for three nights and spend the fourth night in a hotel in Aguas Calientes. Your tour of Machu Picchu will be on the fifth morning.

A popular alternative to the original camping route is the Salkantay lodge-to-lodge trek. This is a very different experience, which combines the sense of accomplishment with the added bonus of spending each night in a series of luxury mountain lodges, each with its own distinct character. Replete with goose-down bedding, gourmet food, on-site masseuse and the sublime pleasure of an outdoor jacuzzi, these luxury lodges are just the remedy after a hard day’s hike!

How to book

There are no permits necessary to hike the Salkantay Trek, although this is subject to change. Solo trekking is possible but even experienced trekkers are encouraged to use a trekking outfitter for the added benefit of experienced guides and horsemen to ensure your safety and enjoyment of the experience.

Key considerations

Even for experienced trekkers and the very fit, Salkantay will be a challenge due to the altitude. Prepare yourself with plenty of cardio exercise in the weeks and months before travel, and ensure you’re properly acclimatised in Cusco before setting out.

Most tours do not include a sleeping bag, although they can be rented. Quality varies, and temperature drops to very cold, especially on the first night. It’s recommended to bring your own four-season sleeping bag or a silk liner for extra warmth.

Bring some extra cash with you to tip the support staff on your last night of camping. You’ll also pass huts selling drinks, chips, and chocolate, where small change is needed!

Hiking the Ausangate trek

About the author.

Based in Cusco, Peru, Heather is an expert on travel to Peru and South America. Heather writes on tourism, trekking, and social issues in Peru for publications including BBC Travel, Fodor’s Travel, Matador Network, Thrifty Nomads, World Nomads, Frommer's, Flashpack, and more. Heather co-founded the Covid Relief Project with Henry Quintano Loaiza to assist vulnerable families in the Cusco region.

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