Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu (5 Days) – Best Alternative to the Inca Trail

🥾 Hiking: 6-7 hrs
🏕 Camp: Soraypampa (3,900m)
⏰ Departure: 4:30 AM
We start the adventure with a 4:30 AM pickup from Cusco, driving through scenic valleys to Mollepata (2,900m), where we have breakfast and meet our trekking team. From here, we ascend through the Andean highlands to Soraypampa (3,900m), our first campsite. After lunch, we take a side hike to Humantay Lake (4,200m), a mesmerizing turquoise glacial lagoon beneath towering peaks. We enjoy the views before returning to camp, where we have dinner and prepare for the next day's challenge.

🥾 Hiking: 8-9 hrs
🏕 Camp: Chaullay (2,900m)
⏰ Departure: 5:00 AM
We rise early at 5:00 AM for a challenging ascent to the Salkantay Pass (4,630m), the highest point of the trek, offering breathtaking panoramas of Salkantay Mountain (6,271m). After reaching the pass, we descend into the rocky Wayracmachay Valley (3,900m), where landscapes transition from glacial terrain to lush cloud forest. The trail continues past waterfalls and tropical vegetation, leading us to Chaullay (2,900m), where we camp for the night.

🥾 Hiking: 5-6 hrs
🏕 Camp: Lucmabamba (2,000m)
⏰ Departure: 6:00 AM
We start the day at 6:00 AM, trekking through the Santa Teresa Valley, where the scenery dramatically shifts to lush tropical forests, coffee plantations, and fruit orchards. We pass through La Playa (2,100m), a small village where we rest before continuing to Lucmabamba (2,000m). Here, we visit a local coffee farm to learn about traditional coffee production and enjoy fresh Peruvian coffee before settling in at camp.

🥾 Hiking: 6-7 hrs
🏨 Hotel: Aguas Calientes (2,040m)
⏰ Departure: 7:00 AM
We begin trekking at 7:00 AM, following an ancient Inca trail up to Llactapata ruins (2,700m), where we get our first breathtaking view of Machu Picchu. After exploring the ruins, we descend through the Hidroelectrica Valley (1,900m), where we stop for lunch. We then continue along the railway tracks to Aguas Calientes (2,040m), checking into our hotel with an optional visit to the hot springs before our big day at Machu Picchu.

⭐ Highlight: Guided tour of Machu Picchu
🎟 Return: Train to Cusco
⏰ Departure: 5:30 AM (bus to Machu Picchu)

We wake up early and head to the bus station to catch the first bus to Machu Picchu (2,430m), arriving in time to witness the morning light over the ancient citadel. Our guide provides a 2-hour in-depth tour, covering iconic sites like the Temple of the Sun, Intihuatana, and the Main Plaza. Afterward, you have free time to explore on your own.

Later, we return to Aguas Calientes to board the train back to Cusco, marking the end of our unforgettable adventure.