Salkantay plus Short Inca Trail – 5 Days

This unique and specially designed Salkantay Trek plus Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu takes you around the stunning spectacular peak of Mount Salkantay while trekking off the beaten track!

Explore the brilliant turquoise glacial Humantay Lake, one of the most well-known lakes in Peru, and one of the top day trips from Cusco.

Hike through the first section of the Classic Inca Trail, in which you will visit some fantastic Inca ruins like Paucarmarca and Patallacta.

Continue on your path to Machu Picchu, hiking the Short Inca Trail! Walk in the footsteps of the Inca through the Sun Gate to the New 7 Wonder of the world and UNESCO World Heritage Site: Machu Picchu!

Salkantay plus Short Inca Trail – 5 Days highlights:

• Explore the highest and most stunning in the Peruvian Andes.
• Enjoy the view of the enigmatic Mount of Salkantay and Humantay.
• Hike through the quiet and remote Salkantay trail crossing over 5,000 meters high
• Visit & explore the legendary of Machu Picchu with a private guide.
• Book the Salkantay plus Short Inca Trail – 5 Days with direct & official local tour operator based in
• Cusco, managed by locals.
• You will savor the Peruvian cuisine, which our master chef will prepare.

Acclimatization:
We recommend you be in Cusco at least 2 days before your trek to be acclimatized to Cusco’s altitude so that you won’t have a problem during the tour.

About us:
Choquequirao Expeditions is a direct local tour operator in Cusco – Peru; we never share our tours with other companies as most of them do to minimize operating costs. We don’t work with intermediaries or have hidden prices; we have the best local guides and professionals. We guarantee that your travel expenditures will support the local economy, and improve the lives of local Peruvians, due to the simple reason we are a local business!

We will pick you up from your hotel early in the morning and have a beautiful scenic drive of 3 hours duration to Mollepata. At Mollepata, we will have breakfast at one of the local houses. During this portion of the drive, we will have our first views of the magnificent Salkantay and Humantay Mountains and observe lush vegetation and the fields of local families growing potatoes, quinoa, lima beans, etc.

We will arrive at Soraypampa (3,800 m/12,467 ft), the trailhead for the Salkantay trek, and meet our support staff, who will pack everything for the trek load the equipment onto horses. The first thing we will do is hike up to the magnificent Humantay Lake. After enjoying the beauty and taking pictures, we hike back down to Soraypampa and “officially” begin the trek.

Today’s hike is uphill from Soraypampa to Ichupata (4,300 m / 14,104 ft) in the upper valley. This is a 5 to 6-hour hike. Along the way, we will pass Salkantaypampa, which is our lunch spot. Ichupata is our camp for the night. We will settle in and have happy hour and a hearty dinner when we arrive.

Early in the morning, you will be woken up with a hot coca tea in your tent; next, you will have a hearty breakfast. After breakfast, we will still hike uphill to get to the Incachiriaska Pass (Frozen Inca Pass) at 5,000 m/ 16,404 ft; during this hike, you will enjoy the breathtaking views of the Salkantay, the glacier moraines, and the different mountain ranges fading away in different directions. After 2 hours of hiking, we will reach the highest pass–Incachiriaska, a cold, windy spot, with some drizzles sometimes or sunny sometimes will welcome us, but the views will be awe-inspiring in every direction.

Eagles, hawks, and condors will put on a show gliding above soaring ice-tipped peaks of Salkantay, and its ranges as we make our way down to the following lunch site, from the pass to the next lunch place is pretty much downhill for 2 hours, upon our arrival, we will have a succulent lunch. After lunch, we will still have two more hours to reach our next campsite located in Pampacahuana at 3,750m/ 12,303ft. Once at our camp, we will have a happy hour (tea time) and dinner.

A great breakfast will prepare us for today, a day of archaeology, since we will cover a section of the Classic Inca Trail, Incan sites, and much more.

After breakfast, we will walk down to the Paucarcancha Incan site for 2 hours, a place with some dwellings terraces here; your guide will start delivering a great history of the site and the Incan empire; it’s how we will reach the classic Inca Trail section, along this section, you will see more Incan ruins, one of the most impressive ones is the Llactapata Incan site, an obligatory stop to make great snapshots. After 5-6 hours of hiking, we will arrive at Km 82, a place for lunch. From Km 82 you will be transferred to Ollantaytambo by our private van, in this town you will stay at a cozy hotel. At night dinner at a local restaurant.

Early in the morning, we go to the train station. One hour free-flowing train ride to 104 km (2,100m/6,927ft) will take us to the beginning of our trek, where we cruise past the first checkpoint with ease. Afterward, we will start a moderate climb for three hours to the chiseled remnants and remote archaeological site of Wiñayhuayna. As we view out with an open mind and heart, we embrace the spectacular plunging views of the Urubamba Canyon and the ethnic wonder of ancient Inca sites; we make our connection into the traditional four-day Inca Trail.

After being with this beautiful sight, we continue onward towards the Sun Gate (2,730mts/9,007ft). Following the ancient remote footpath, we grasp onto our first spectacular view of Machu Picchu in all its brilliance and majestic monumentality. As we move closer to the Citadel of Machu Picchu, you will feel the reasoning of her energetic vibration. Then we take our bus to Aguas Calientes, where we spend the night in our hotel.

Bursting with excitement on your final surreal day, we take the first bus to Machu Picchu archeological site, making sure we tour every nook and cranny of this New 7 Wonder of the World and UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. The Citadel of the Incas, Machu Picchu, what an unforgettable experience. Your guide will expertly direct you through the energetic ruins and diverse main streets. Then on your own, you can wander around the town squares of the world’s spiritual center of esoteric wisdom, as well as climb the intricately carved stairways made of stone. Or you can stay still and find the peace within as you sit in the pure delight of the moment. Finally, climb Huayna Picchu to appreciate the beauty and magnificence of Machu Picchu and the valleys below.

When you are ready, you will descend to Aguas Calientes, have a leisurely lunch on your own, and later on board the train at 2:30 pm or 2:55 pm for the return trip to Cusco, stopping at the Ollantaytambo Station, where our transfer will pick you up to come back to Cusco. The drop-off is at your hotel in Cusco.

• Bilingual English/Spanish speaking tour guide
• Pre-Departure Briefing 1 or 2 days before your trek
• Pick up from your hotel and transportation to Soraypampa
• Four-person tent for every 2 persons.
• Mattress
• Kitchen tent
• Dining tent with tables and chairs
• Toilet tent
• Professional chef and assistant chef
• Horses to carry all the equipment (food, tents, chairs, table, etc.) and 5 kg (9 lbs) per hiker for your belongings
• Duffle bag for your gear
• Emergency horse in case we need it
• 4 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners
• Daily morning boiled and cold water to fill the water bottles.
• Train ticket from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo round trip
• Private van transportation from Ollantaytambo to your hotel in Cusco
• Emergency oxygen bottle, medical kit
• Entrance to Machu Picchu and Inca Trail
• Bus ticket from Machu Picchu to Aguas calientes

• Sleeping bag – you can rent one from us.
• Day 5 Lunch in Aguas Calientes.
• Tips for the crew (guides, porters, cooks, wranglers)
• Ticket for Huayna Picchu Mountain $ 80 usd.

• A light day pack with a change of clothes for the whole period of the trek – prepare for a vast range of changes in temperature
• Rain gear (jacket and pants if available) or rain poncho. Plastic ponchos can be bought for about $1 in Cusco.
• Strong footwear, waterproof trekking boots are recommended. Extra socks are a must.
• Sandals or plastic slip-on thongs are also good to give your feet a chance to breathe in the evenings if you wish to carry them.
• Warm clothes, including jacket, fleeces, gloves, scarf, and beanie/touk. Thermal clothing is also recommended, especially for sleeping.
• Sleeping bag (we can hire these to you)
• Torch/ Flashlight and spare batteries
• Camera, films, and batteries (batteries consume more quickly under cold conditions)
• Hat or cap to protect you from the sun, rain, and cold
• Sunblock
• After-sun cream or hydrating cream for face and body
• Insect repellent – minimum recommended 20% DEET – although no malaria risk has been reported
• Toilet paper, pack in & pack out
• Snacks: biscuits, energy bars, chocolate, raw fruits, muesli, etc.
• Non-disposable canteen (Nalgene type) and water for the first morning.
• We advise you to bring water sterilizing tablets in case you collect water from streams.
• Your own medical kit with any special medications that you might require, paracetamol, second skin for blisters, etc.
• Small towel or sarong
• Bathers/swimsuit (if you intend on swimming in hot springs )
• Cash – sufficient for snacks, tips, and souvenirs.
• Original passport
• Walking sticks or poles (we can hire these to you. Please note poles with metal tips cannot be carried into Machu Picchu and should be left at your hotel on the final day)

We also offer a special service only for you or your group; you have the power to choose the size of your group and the date of departure; we will never add other people since it will be organized only for you.

Our Salkantay plus Short Inca Trail – 5 Days private service includes additional items such as:

• Extra horse to ride (1-2 days only).
• Hotel 3 Stars (At Aguas Calientes Town).
• Extra Porter (to carry your personal stuff 7kg/person)
• North Face 4 season tents.
• Entrance to climb Huaynapicchu Mountain.
• Vistadome train (First class train back from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo).
• Private van from Ollantaytambo to Cusco.
• Bus round trip (Aguas Calientes – Machupicchu – Aguas Calientes).
• Lunch in Machupicchu or Aguas Calientes.
• Sleeping bag.
• 02 waking poles per person.
• 1 duffel bag to carry all your sleeping bags, self-inflating pad, as well as your clothes.
• Tour guide for exploring Machupicchu and Huaynapicchu all day. And of course, we pay a little bit more to our staff and guide.

We offer 3 kinds of service, each with different price ranges and you can book in any of these services according to your convenience, we just need you to be a minimum of 02 people to organize your trip on the date that suits you, all our services are 100 % guaranteed.

We are a direct TOUR OPERATOR that never passes clients to other agencies as most agencies do it here in Cusco to save operating costs with poor quality.

We will make the trip even if there are only 02 people in your group.

Can I be picked up from the Sacred Valley?
Yes, let us know in advance to organize your pick-up time.