Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu: 4 & 5 Day Hike from Cusco

75 km through the Andes to Machu Picchu, with a guide and horses carrying your gear

You hike 75 km from Cusco through high passes and cloud forest to Machu Picchu over four or five days, with a professional guide, meals cooked on-site, and horses carrying your gear. You sleep in mountain cabins, cross Salkantay Pass at 4,630 meters, visit a coffee plantation, and get a guided tour of Machu Picchu before returning to Cusco by car or train. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included; the shuttle bus to Machu Picchu and return transport are separate.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Cusco to Humantay Lake Trek

• Hotel pickup in Cusco at 4:00 AM
• Breakfast in Mollepata (not included)
• Travel to Challacancha and meet horsemen
• Hike to Soraypampa
• Visit Humantay Lake and take photos
• Lunch at camp with authentic Peruvian food
• Relax and acclimatize in afternoon
• Dinner and overnight in mountain cabins

Day 2 — Salkantay Pass and Collpapampa

• Breakfast surrounded by Andes
• Hike to Salkantay Pass (4,630 m)
• Rest and take photos at pass
• Descend through cloud forest
• Lunch during hike
• Arrive and relax in Collpapampa cabins
• Dinner and overnight in cabins

Day 3 — Cloud Forest and Coffee Tour

• Breakfast in Collpapampa
• Descend through cloud forest and waterfalls
• Arrive in Lucmabamba
• Enjoy coffee cultivation and roasting tour
• Lunch with authentic Peruvian food
• 4-Day Trek: Transport to Hidroelectrica (not included)
• Walk railway to Aguas Calientes (4-Day Trek)
• Relax or optional activities (5-Day Trek)
• Overnight in family home or hotel

Day 4 — Machu Picchu or Llactapata Trek

• 4-Day Trek: Breakfast at hotel
• 4-Day Trek: Shuttle bus to Machu Picchu
• 4-Day Trek: Guided tour of Machu Picchu
• 4-Day Trek: Return to Cusco by car
• 5-Day Trek: Breakfast and hike Llactapata
• 5-Day Trek: View Machu Picchu from Llactapata
• 5-Day Trek: Descend to Hidroelectrica for lunch
• 5-Day Trek: Walk to Aguas Calientes
• 5-Day Trek: Dinner and overnight in hotel

Day 5 — Explore Machu Picchu and Return

• Early breakfast
• Shuttle bus to Machu Picchu
• Guided tour of Machu Picchu
• Free time or optional Huayna Picchu hike
• Return by car via Hidroelectrica to Cusco
• Optional train upgrade for return

The Experience

The pickup happens at 4:00 AM from your Cusco hotel. You're still half-asleep when the van pulls up, and it's dark enough that the city feels like it belongs to someone else. By the time you reach Mollepata and then Challacancha, the sun is already working on the mountains, and you meet the horsemen who'll carry your camping gear and up to 6 kg of your own stuff for the next four or five days. That's the deal with the Salkantay Trek — you walk, they carry, and you get to move through 75 km of Andean terrain without the weight crushing your shoulders by day two.

The first day takes you from Challacancha through high-altitude grassland to Humantay Lake, a glacial turquoise thing that sits at the base of snow-capped peaks and looks exactly like the photos, except you're standing in front of it and your lungs are working harder than they ever have. You sleep that night in a rustic cabin at Soraypampa, eat an authentic Peruvian dinner the chef prepared on-site, and wake to coca tea and hot breakfast before the real climb. Day two is the Salkantay Pass itself — 4,630 meters, the highest point of the route, where the views of Salkantay Mountain stop you cold for a few minutes. Then you descend into cloud forest, thick and green and dripping, and by evening you're in another cabin at Collpapampa, eating again, recovering.

On day three, the forest gets lusher. You walk past waterfalls and coffee plantations, and when you reach Lucmabamba, there's an included coffee tour where someone shows you how the beans get grown, roasted, and turned into the thing you're about to drink. If you're doing the five-day version, you've got the afternoon free — some people hike to Cocalmayo Hot Springs, some take a zipline (both optional, both cost extra), and some just sit in the cabin and let their legs stop shaking. The four-day trek moves faster: after lunch you take local transport to Hidroelectrica, then walk the scenic railway route into Aguas Calientes, the town at the base of Machu Picchu, where you sleep in a hotel instead of a cabin.

The final day or two is Machu Picchu itself. You take a shuttle bus up (ticket separate), get a guided tour of the site with someone who knows the architecture and the history, and then you're loose to wander on your own, or to hike Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain if you booked those in advance. The return to Cusco is either by car through the valley or by train from Aguas Calientes — the train costs extra but cuts the travel time and the dust. Either way, you're back in the city by evening, and the trek is done.

What’s included

Your trek includes hotel pickup from Cusco's historic center, a professional English/Spanish-speaking guide, three nights in rustic mountain cabins with personal pad and pillow, all meals prepared on-site (breakfast, lunch, dinner, afternoon tea and snacks), horses to carry up to 6 kg of your belongings, coca tea each morning, a duffle bag for your gear, free electricity at camps to charge devices, a guided tour of Machu Picchu (Circuit 2, morning departure), one night in a three-star hotel in Aguas Calientes (five-day trek), a pre-trek briefing the evening before departure, vegetarian and vegan meal options on request, free luggage storage in Cusco, and a first-aid kit plus oxygen bottle for emergencies. Shuttle bus tickets to Machu Picchu, breakfast on the final day, and return train transport are not included.

Good to know

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

Operated by Machupicchu Jungle

Is this one for you?Pick this trek if you want to reach Machu Picchu on foot through the high Andes without managing your own logistics, meals, or weight — the guide, the horses, and the on-site chef handle all three, which is what makes four or five days of hiking at altitude feel possible.

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Top questions

What's included in the Salkantay Trek price?

Hotel pickup in Cusco, professional guide, three nights in mountain cabins, all meals on the trek, horses to carry up to 6 kg of your luggage, coca tea each morning, afternoon snacks, a guided tour of Machu Picchu, one night in a hotel in Aguas Calientes (5-day trek), and return transport to Cusco by car. Shuttle bus tickets to Machu Picchu and train return are extra.

How high is the Salkantay Pass?

4,630 meters (15,190 feet). It's the highest point of the trek.

Can I do this trek in four days instead of five?

Yes. The four-day version skips the Llactapata Archaeological Site and the extra night in Aguas Calientes, moving faster from the coffee tour to Machu Picchu. Both versions include the same guide, meals, and cabins.

What if I'm vegetarian or vegan?

Vegetarian and vegan options are available on request at no extra cost. Tell the operator when you book.

Do I need to be very fit to do this trek?

The trek requires at least moderate physical fitness. The highest point is 4,630 meters, and you're hiking at altitude for four or five days. The operator recommends against this trek for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnancy, or poor cardiovascular health.

What do I pack, and how much can the horses carry?

You get a duffle bag to pack up to 6 kg (13 lbs) of personal gear, which the horses carry. You carry a day pack with water, snacks, and layers. The operator provides a personal pad and pillow at each camp.

Is the guide English-speaking?

Yes, guides speak English and Spanish.

What happens if I want to hike Huayna Picchu at Machu Picchu?

Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain hikes are optional and subject to availability. You need to reserve in advance, and there's an extra cost.

How do I get back to Cusco after Machu Picchu?

The trek includes return by car from Aguas Calientes to Cusco. You can upgrade to train return (Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo, then by car to Cusco) for an additional cost.

When does the trek start, and what's the pre-trek briefing?

The first day pickup is at 4:00 AM from your Cusco hotel. The day before, there's a pre-trek briefing at 5:00 or 6:00 PM at the Machu Picchu Expeditions office.