Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu: 5-Day Cusco Hike & Glamping

The Route Nobody Talks About: Salkantay to Machu Picchu in Five Days

You hike five days from Cusco over Salkantay Pass to Machu Picchu with a professional guide, sleeping in mountain camps and a hotel in Aguas Calientes. The trek includes all meals, transport, gear carrying, and a guided tour of the citadel, with far fewer hikers than the Inca Trail. Book early if you want to climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain on the final day. Those tickets sell out.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Travel to Soraypampa and Humantay Lake

• Pick up at 4 am in Cusco
• Drive 2 hours to Mollepata
• Optional breakfast stop in Mollepata
• Continue to Challacancha
• Start hike to Soraypampa
• Settle at Private Camp in Soraypampa
• Lunch at camp
• Hike to Humantay Lake
• Dinner and sunset at camp

Day 2: Hike Salkantay Pass to Collpapampa

• Wake up at dawn with coca tea
• Breakfast at camp
• Trek 7 km to Salkantay Pass
• Enjoy views of Salkantay Mountain
• Descend to Collpapampa campsite
• Dinner and overnight at Sky Huts Camp

Day 3: Santa Teresa Valley and Hot Springs

• Wake up at 6 am for tea and breakfast
• Hike from Collpapampa to La Playa
• Lunch at La Playa camp
• Optional visit to Cocalmayo Hot Springs
• Return to camp for tea and dinner
• Group bonfire and overnight at Jungle Domes Camp

Day 4: Inca Trail to Aguas Calientes

• Breakfast at camp
• Hike Inca Trail to Llactapata ruins
• Enjoy views of Machu Picchu
• Walk downhill to Hidroelectrica
• Lunch at Hidroelectrica
• Walk to Aguas Calientes town
• Check in to 3 Star Hotel
• Dinner at local restaurant

Day 5: Visit Machu Picchu

• Breakfast at hotel
• Guided tour of Machu Picchu
• Free time to explore site
• Optional climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain
• Optional visit to Sun Gate or Inca Bridge

The experience

You wake up at 4 am in Cusco, blanket wrapped around you in a van that's already moving. It's dark, the city is still asleep, and you're already on your way to a mountain pass most people have never heard of. That's the Salkantay Trek: the alternative to the Inca Trail that fewer hikers take, which means fewer crowds and a lot more space to breathe. The pickup from your hotel in the historic center happens early because the drive to Challacancha takes two hours, and you'll want daylight when you start walking. After a brief stop in Mollepata for optional breakfast, you're on the trail.

Day one ends at Soraypampa, where you sleep in a cabin with a glass roof and wake to Humantay Lake at 4,200 meters: the kind of blue that doesn't photograph right. Day two is the hardest: a 7-kilometer climb over three hours up the "Trail of the 7 Snakes" to Salkantay Pass at 4,630 meters, where Salkantay Mountain (6,271 masl) sits next to you like a second-highest god in the Cusco region. Your legs know it. You sleep that night at Collpapampa in a Sky Huts camp, and the next morning you drop into the Santa Teresa Valley, where the air gets warmer and the jungle starts to show. There's a coffee tour, a zipline, and Cocalmayo hot springs if you want them: all optional, because sometimes after two days of climbing you just want to sit by a fire and listen to the forest. You sleep in a Jungle Domes camp, where you can see stars through the dome above your bed.

On day four, you walk a section of the actual Inca Trail itself, past Llactapata ruins and down to Hidroeléctrica, where you catch your first real glimpse of Machu Picchu across the valley. Then it's two more hours to Aguas Calientes, the town at the base, where you get a hot shower, a private bathroom, and a 3-star hotel room with wifi. Dinner is at 7 pm at a local restaurant, and you're organized for the final morning. Day five is the citadel itself: a 1.5-hour guided tour with your English or Spanish-speaking guide covering temples, terraces, the sundial, the industrial sector. After that, the site is yours. You can climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain if you've booked those tickets in advance, or just walk the Sun Gate and the Inca Bridge at your own pace.

What makes this work is what's included: hotel pickup in Cusco, all meals at camp (with vegetarian and vegan options available), coca tea every morning, a professional chef, horses carrying up to 6 kg of your gear so you don't have to, three nights in glamping camps with electricity to charge your phone, snacks and tea time every afternoon, and the guided tour at Machu Picchu. You get a duffle bag for your belongings, a personal pad and pillow, first-aid equipment, and a pre-trek briefing the night before you leave. It's the kind of detail that means you show up with a backpack and leave with a memory instead of a list of things you forgot to arrange.

What’s included

Hotel pickup from Cusco historic center, private transportation to the trailhead, English or Spanish-speaking professional guide, three nights in glamping accommodation (cabin with glass roof, sky huts, jungle domes with electricity), one night in a 3-star hotel in Aguas Calientes with private bathroom and hot shower, all meals prepared by a professional chef, coca tea every morning, afternoon tea and snacks daily, vegetarian and vegan options available, a duffle bag and horses to carry up to 6 kg of your personal gear, a personal pad and pillow, boiled water for coffee and tea, first-aid equipment and oxygen for emergencies, free luggage storage in Cusco, a 1.5-hour guided tour of Machu Picchu (Circuit 2, departure at 6:00 or 7:00 am), and a pre-trek briefing the evening before departure at the Machu Picchu Expeditions office.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 04:00

AgesAdult (18 to 60 years) · Under 18: can't be included in the booking

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.Operator's directions: “We will pick you up between 4:00 am and 4:30 am, our manager will be calling your name to meet you.”

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Machu Picchu Expeditions

Is this one for you?Right for hikers who want Machu Picchu without the Inca Trail crowds and prefer sleeping in mountain camps over hotels: the five-day pace and included meals and gear carrying mean you focus on walking and views instead of logistics.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. No refund if you cancel.

How many people typically go on the Salkantay Trek?

Group sizes vary, but the trek is designed to have significantly fewer hikers than the Inca Trail, which is why it's chosen as an alternative.

What's the difference between Salkantay and the Inca Trail?

Salkantay is more remote and rugged with fewer crowds. Both end at Machu Picchu, but Salkantay passes through higher mountains and the Santa Teresa Valley before joining the Inca Trail for the final day.

Do I need to be very fit for this trek?

You should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness. Day two (Salkantay Pass at 4,630m) is the hardest day. The trek is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health, or pregnancy.

What if I can't climb Huayna Picchu on the final day?

You don't have to. After the 1.5-hour guided tour, you have the rest of the day to explore Machu Picchu at your own pace: the Sun Gate and Inca Bridge are gentler options.

Is altitude sickness a risk?

Yes. The trek reaches 4,630 meters. Coca tea is provided every morning to help, and the guide carries first-aid equipment and oxygen for emergencies. Acclimatization time in Cusco before the trek is recommended.

What's included in meals?

All meals at camp are prepared by a professional chef. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and afternoon tea (popcorn, cookies, chocolate, coffee) are included. Vegetarian and vegan options are available with no extra charge.

Can I store luggage I don't need on the trek?

Yes. Free storage is provided, and you pack only 6 kg in a duffle bag that horses carry for you.

What happens if weather is bad?

The trek runs in rain or clear skies. Bring waterproof gear. The route is not closed for weather, though conditions can change quickly at altitude.

Do I need to book Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu in advance?

Yes. Both tickets must be booked in advance and are not included in the trek price. They sell out, especially during peak season (May to September).