Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu: 5 Days Hiking in Peru
- Five-day trek: 480 US dollars per person
- Additionally, around 150 US dollars for hot springs, restaurants, tips
- Start at 3,900 m, highest point 4,630 m, Machu Picchu 2,400 m
- Toughest day: 22 km, 730 meters uphill, 1,700 meters downhill
- Hot springs on the third day: 3 euros, water around 32 degrees.
Contents of this post6 chapters
Day 1:
The adventure begins
4 a.m.:
Riiiiing, Riiiiing! Alarm goes off! Grab our stuff and off we go!
Finally, our trekking tour, which we had been eagerly anticipating for so long, began. First, we drove for about 2 hours to Mollepata.
In our group were two couples (a Colombian, a Chilean, and 2 Englishmen), and additionally, there were two Americans. In total, we were 8 people, all more or less the same age. Great team! Good start! Upon arrival in Mollepata, we had a hearty breakfast. YUMMY!
Refreshed and highly motivated, we drove for another hour to Challacancha. From there, we began our first 7 km hike to Soraypampa. Around us were enormous, snow-capped mountains and an Inca canal that still carries water to the villages today. The narrow paths, the incredible views, and the light mist created a mystical atmosphere. Perfectly mystical. Three hours later, we reached our first campsite, where we had lunch.
And lunch: Oh my God! It was so delicious!
Quote from our tour guide:
„You will not lose weight on this tour. You will get some.“
How true. How true.
After lunch, we took another 3 km round trip to Humantay Lake. First, it was quite a hike uphill.
This time, we were surrounded by horses, lots of greenery, and again, gigantic mountains.
Some were already struggling due to the altitude and slowed down.
Despite the rainy season, the sun shone all day long, so we continued in T-shirts quite quickly.
After all the effort, then: Humantay Lake. Wow. Just WOW! Take a look for yourself:
About 2 ½ hours passed, and we finally reached our campsite again. Small glass domes with breathtaking views of the stars! What more could you want?
In the meantime, we were treated to delicious coca tea and given plenty of snacks and a mega dinner!
Finally, a few pictures from the tour:
Day 2:
The toughest day of the tour
The second day saw the start of the most strenuous hike. At 5:00 AM, there was a knock on our door, and voilà, fresh coca tea was delivered to our bedside. After a (as always) fantastic breakfast, we laced up our hiking boots, grabbed our trekking poles, and quickly stuffed a couple of snacks into our bags. And off we went. A full three hours (7 km) uphill towards the Salkantay Pass.
Arrived. Way up high!
Let's go on! 6 km downhill. However, with those 1000 slippery stones, it was quite exhausting! But for some reason, we had incredible luck again. It only started raining when we stopped for lunch in Huayracmachay and stopped exactly when we continued.
Unfortunately, the stones were even more slippery now!
Everyone made at least one funny "slip-up move" until eventually, the path became a bit flatter.
Suddenly, we were surrounded by a tropical forest. Plants were blooming everywhere, birds and butterflies flew past us in their various colors, and the temperature rose.
We were in the so-called "Cloud Forest," which stretched over 9 km.
A few more pictures:
Hot. Tiring. Legs and feet noticeably sore.
What could help? Cold beer!
For this reason, we took a break at a bar where an old lady worked. Our tour guide was once very good friends with her husband before he died. After a short time, the lady's eyes became teary, and she told us about her loss. She misses him very much. She is alone. Has little money. Has to take care of everything herself. Bears great responsibility, and due to COVID-19, there are no guests. Despair. Great despair.
How we hope that everything returns to normal!
The journey continued towards the destination. The Salkantay team has opened a completely new accommodation, which we all should inaugurate.
A bit excited, our path led us alongside rivers and waterfalls.
“Life is too short for ‘someday’.”
Janet Dannehl
Done!
Wow. Wow. Wow. Have you ever seen anything like it? Absolutely wow. Definitely an extraordinary overnight stay. And I thought that the first night in the glass domes with a view of the stars couldn't be topped. Well, here's the proof:
After we had calmed down from our amazement, it was time for dinner. Afterwards, we played a few rounds of Uno and emptied one or two bottles of whiskey.
In my eyes, there is nothing more disgusting than whiskey. Sorry - whiskey lovers!
The day ended slowly after a 22 km hike, with an ascent of 730 meters and a descent of 1700m.
Starting altitude: 3900 m
Highest point: 4630m
Put your feet up! Good night!
Day 3:
Hiking. Coffee & Jungle Dorms
As usual, we were woken with coca tea, but this time at a slightly more bearable time of 5:30 a.m. After breakfast, we all gathered to say goodbye to the horse guide. Our luggage, such as our change of clothes, was transported by horses, and the horse guide made sure it arrived safely! With a big hug, a few kind words, and a small tip, we said, "Hasta Luego!".
But what about all our luggage now? Up to this point, the cook, the assistant, and the horse guide had also been hikers, just like us. But from today onwards, the paths allowed the use of vehicles again, in which our stuff could be taken along.
Hooray! Finally, we set off.
On the sides of the road, large avocado and banana trees stood out.
We could hear the water splashing, while in front of us, the huge variety of plants and insects appeared.
This time, the hike was rather "easy," I would say. Super flat route. No big ups and downs. However, some had already developed problems with their knees or hip joints. Most likely from yesterday's downhill hike.
A few hours later, we stopped at a small café in the middle of nowhere. There we tried the delicious, sweet-tasting Granadilla, ate mangoes, and also had a nice, fresh orange juice.
Two dogs played beside us, who then followed us everywhere.
Rain. Damn. Put on the rain poncho. Let's go on!
A total of 18 km later, we visited a family who showed us how they make their coffee.
Shortly thereafter, we ate and moved into our new sleeping quarters in the "Jungle Dorms."
But sleeping was not yet on the agenda! First, we went to the beautiful hot springs.
Pure relaxation with a water temperature of about 32 degrees and surrounded by huge mountains.
What a beautiful end to the day for only
Before I forget!
After that, we encountered such a dog. Mhh... Okayyy... Personally, I don't find it really pretty. However, here in Peru, it's an absolute hit.
A Peruvian Hairless Dog. Elegant, expensive, and incredibly valued. The advantage: With such a dog, you definitely have to vacuum less often! Honestly, it reminds me a bit of the hyenas from The Lion King. But for some reason, it still had something sweet when it looked at you so faithfully.
Day 4:
This day turned out differently than planned!
It rained heavily the night before, making it too dangerous to climb the mountain to LLactapata.
Besides, we wouldn't have had any visibility from the top anyway.
So, we first continued by bus and later hiked for 3 hours towards Aguas Calientes, along the train tracks.
Again, we were surrounded by a tropical forest and wonderful animal sounds.
Indescribable.
In the evening, we checked into the hotel and took a long, hot shower first.
After stuffing ourselves, we lounged in front of the TV.
Well-deserved!
Day 5:
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
The time has come. We're visiting one of the seven new wonders , and that too on Christmas Eve! Oh yes!
Machu Picchu. Be careful. Be careful.
With this word, please pay attention to the pronunciation, otherwise, it could quickly mean
"old tail" for the locals instead of"old peak"!
The Inca city of Machu Picchu is located at an altitude of 2400 meters and remained a hidden city for over 400 years.
Particularly impressive was that every 10 minutes, the view of Machu Picchu changed from completely covered with clouds to completely clear. So, we quickly grabbed our cameras and took photos, photos, photos.
Gradually, the last day of the Salkantay Tour came to an end, but not for our team!
We returned with the ultra-cool train and arranged to have a Christmas dinner with the group at Plaza de Armas and
chatted, chatted, chatted.
Merry Christmas!
Additional Information:
- Cost of 5-day tour:
$480 USD, including accommodation, mostly meals....
- Additional costs approx.: $150 USD per person
for hot springs, some restaurants, tips, souvenirs....
- Hiking poles
I'm super suglad to have had them! They're kinder on the knees! !
- Rain poncho & waterproof shoes
These are totally sufficient,, These are totally sufficient, in my opinion!!
- Thick sleeping bag
Especially at night, it can get quite cold!
Available for rent at most providers.
- Thermo-leggings
I found the leggings perfect for the hike!
- Mosquito spray
You must have this with you!!!!
If you now feel like having the same adventure, you can find our tour provider here, whom we can absolutely recommend:
Next stop: Who knows!
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Salkantay Trek cost?
The five-day tour cost 480 US dollars per person, including accommodation and most meals. On top of that, we spent about 150 US dollars on hot springs, a few restaurant meals, tips and souvenirs.
How strenuous is the second day?
It’s the toughest: three hours and seven kilometres uphill to the Salkantay Pass, followed by six kilometres down over slippery rocks. A total of 22 kilometres with 730 metres of ascent and 1.700 metres of descent.
What do I need to pack?
Trekking poles saved my knees, along with a rain poncho and waterproof shoes, that’s all you need. A thick sleeping bag is important because it gets cold at night; most operators rent them out. I found thermal leggings perfect, and mosquito repellent is a must.
How high is Machu Picchu?
The Inca city sits at 2.400 metres and was considered a hidden city for over 400 years. During our visit, visibility alternated between completely cloudy and clear every ten minutes.
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