Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5 Days / 4 Nights

Itinerary:

1st Day: Cusco – Mollepata (Marcoccasa) – Salkantay Pampa

We will leave Cusco at 5:00 am and head forwards Marcoccasa (3400m/11154f), passing the village Mollepata (3000m/9843f). In Marcoccasa we will meet the horsemen and the rest of the group and start our trek. From Marcoccasa we start hiking into a magnificent valley surrounded by impressive snow-capped mountains, such as the Humantay (5217m/17116f) and the Salkantay snow-covered (6264m/20551f). Our campsite will be at Salkantay pampa (3900m/12795f).

• Transporting time: 3hrs 30
• Climate: moderate and cold during the night
• Hiking time: 6 to 7 hours

2nd Day: Salkantay Pampa – Salkantay Pass – Challway

After breakfast, we will set off towards the Salkantay pass (4600m/15092f) which offers an exceptional view of the snow-capped Salkantay (6264m). Thereafter, we will descend again and will have time to enjoy the increasing vegetation of the ecosystem. Our campsite for this day will be in Challway, in the middle of the tropical forest.

• Hiking time: 7 hours
• Transport time: 1hour 30
• Optional: The hot springs nearby the Collpapampa community are optional and can be arranged at an extra cost.

3rd Day: Challway – Wiñaypoco – La Playa – Lucmabamba

This day is a perfect day to stay in contact with the local flora and its plantations. We will descent further to see the marvelous plantations of coffee, cacao, and fruit. The way to these plantations lies in a beautiful forest, dominated by orchids, bromelias, and other plants. Here we will also meet the local families, in Wiñaypoco (2650m/8694f) and La Playa (2100m/6890f).

Even more interaction with the local people we will have in Lucmabamba, where we will learn how the local people harvest their crops such as coffee and cacao.

This afternoon you stay in contact with a local rural family from the forest in which you will have the opportunity to witness the cultivation and processing of coffee.

Depending on the variety, it takes approximately 3 to 4 years for newly planted coffee trees to begin to bear fruit. The fruit, called the coffee cherry, turns a bright, deep red when it is ripe and ready to be harvested. Due to the botanical characteristics of the coffee tree and the fact that coffee is often grown in mountainous areas, widespread use of mechanical harvesters is not possible and the ripe coffee cherries are usually picked by hand, a labor-intensive and difficult process. We will show and explain to you the complete process from the tree to the cup of coffee. You will also have the opportunity to ask the locals your questions about the process of cultivation.

4th Day: Lucmabamba – Llactapata – Aguas Calientes Town

Early in the morning, we will visit the archaeological complex of Llactapata (2650m/8694f) which is located in a marvelous forest. Here we have the time to enjoy the magnificent view over Machu Picchu and take a lot of pictures. Hereafter we head towards the hydroelectrical station (1950m/6398f) where we will take the train to Aguas Calientes Town. In this town, we will enjoy our lunch and have a good rest because tomorrow we have to get up early.

5th Day: Aguas Calientes Town – Machu Picchu – Cusco

We will leave our hotel early in the morning to go to Machu Picchu by tourist bus. In Machu Picchu, we will have a guided visit of approx. 2 hours whereafter you will have the time to visit the site at your own pace, as well as Wayna Picchu (additional). After the visit to Machu Picchu, you can go back to Aguas Calientes, where you can rest in the hot springs (additional cost of s./ 10). From here we have a train at 2 pm and 6 pm to Cusco.