The mountains of the Vilcabamba range rise between the Cusco region’s two great rivers, the Urubamba and the Apurimac. Their desolate slopes contrast brilliantly with the lush vegetation of the lowland forests. The white peak of the sacred mountain Salkantay (6,271 meters), shrouded in white clouds that rise from the jungle, dominates Machupicchu and its approach via the world-famous Inca Trail. Treks around Salkantay’s base offer an extraordinary variety of ecological regions, from tropical valleys to glacial steppes.
Cusco - Mollepata - Cruzpata - Sayllapata
Sayllapata - Salkantaypampa - Japanese Pampa
Japanese Pampa - Inca Canal
Inca Canal - Three Stones
Three Stones - Llulluchapampa - Pakaymayu
Pakaymayu - Sayacmarca - Phuyupatamarca - Wiñaywayna
Wiñaywayna - Machupicchu - Cusco
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After an early morning pick-up from your hotel and a ride to the village of Mollepata by private bus, we will have breakfast before we begin our trek. From the subtropical valley of Mollepata, with its citrus groves, we will walk to our first campsite at Sayllapata.
(14 km – 8.7 mi / approximately 7 hours of trekking)
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Today, we will walk to Salkantaypampa and catch our first views of the southern faces of Salkantay (6,271 m – 20,574 ft) and Humantay (5,800 m – 19,029 ft) massifs, both sacred to the people of the Andes. We will camp at around 4,000 m (13,123 ft), amid impressive scenery.
(10 km – 6.2 mi / approximately 6 hours of trekking)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
This is a day of truly spectacular scenery as we reach a high pass just below the snow line, with Salkantay to the east and Humantay to the southeast. The Andean mountain rabbit (vizcacha), condors, and eagles are common along this section of the trail as we descend into the valley with its Inca channels.
(12 km – 7.5 mi / approximately 7 hours of trekking)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Today, we will trek through rolling pastures, following the course of ancient Inca water channels. Later, we will climb toward Three Stones.
(12 km – 7.5 mi / approximately 7 hours of trekking)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Today, we will hike to Llulluchapampa, which features fascinating flora, including orchids, epiphytes, and cloud forest vegetation. We will then ascend to Warmiwanuska Pass (4,200 m – 13,779 ft), the highest point along the Inca Trail, offering excellent views of the Huayanay peaks to the east and the Vilcabamba range to the west. Afterward, we will descend into the Pakaymayu Valley (3,650 m), where we will set up our camp for the night.
(10 km – 6.2 mi / approximately 7 hours of trekking)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
This is one of the most scenic stretches of the trek, as we move into a warmer cloud forest habitat, rich in endemic fauna and flora. Along the way, we will pass through the archaeological sites of Sayacmarca and Phuyupatamarca before descending into the mountain forests that surround the remains of the Inca shrine of Wiñaywayna.
(16 km – 10 mi / approximately 9 hours of trekking)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Today’s trail, high above the Urubamba River, will lead us through forests filled with hummingbirds and orchids to the Sun Gate, where we will get our first glimpse of Machupicchu below, cradled between two peaks and surrounded by dense vegetation. The royal road of the Inca will take us into the city, where we will have time to explore it with our guide. In the afternoon, we will take the bus to the train station in Aguas Calientes for the return train journey to Cusco, followed by a transfer to our hotel.
(5 km – 3.1 mi / approximately 2 hours of trekking)
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Included
– Pick-up from your hotel
–Â Professional guide
– Private transportation by bus: Cusco – Mollepata (trailhead)
– Pack horses to carry equipment and your personal gear (Days 1, 2, and 3)
– Wranglers responsible for the horses (Days 1, 2, and 3)
– Porters (to carry the tents, food, cooking equipment, and personal gear, up to a maximum of 7 kg, including sleeping bag and mattress) (Days 4, 5, 6, and 7)
– A cook to prepare all meals
–Â Cooking equipment, mess tent, dining tent, chairs, tables, and accommodation for the porters and cook
– Mountain Hardwear tents (one 3-person tent for every 2 individuals)
–Â Therm-a-Rest self-inflating mattress
–Â Meals: 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 6 dinners, and snacks. Food is suitable for trekking and rich in carbohydrates.
–Â Boiled water provided at meal times to refill your water bottle
–Â Inca Trail permits and entrance fees for Machupicchu
–Â Bus from the Machupicchu Sanctuary to Aguas Calientes
– Return by Expedition Train (Aguas Calientes – Cusco) (Sometimes the service can be bimodal, that means, train until Ollantaytambo or Poroy train station then bus service of the train company until Wanchaq train station in Cusco).
–Â Transfer from the Cusco train station to your hotel
–Â First aid kit, emergency oxygen, and radio communications
Not Included
– Sleeping bag (Is possible to rent it at our office)
–Â Water purification tablets
–Â Tips for the porters, cook, and guide
–Â Lunch on the last day