Salcantay-Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is combined with an alternative trek next to Salcantay Mountain rated among the best trekking trips in the world because of the exquisite beauty of its natural surroundings. It includes different ecological areas from high deserts to the Andean tropical rain-forest passing throw the Salcantay glacier. Following this ancient Inca Trail, we will be walking past mysterious archaeological sites, half covered by the jungle overgrowth that looks like you are discovering them for the first time, and finally arriving to the lost city of the Incas: Machu Picchu. Our journey is conducted by experienced guides that will make your trip pleasant and safe. Our service includes native "Quechua" porters for your luggage and we will provide delicious meals during the trip

What’s included

Orientation meeting in Cusco (previous to departure date).
Transfer to starting point of the trek Transfer from Poroy train station to the hotel in Cusco (Last day)
Inca trail entrance fee.
Machu Picchu entrance fee
Mollepata entrance fee.
All balanced meals during the trekking (6 days/5 nights), including snacks.
All common camping gear: 3 men mountain tent for 2 people, inflatable sleeping mattress, kitchen dishes, kitchen tent, dining tent, toilet tent (when permitted), table and chairs.
Cook specialized in Andean cuisine.
Horses and mules for the whole equipment (Salkantay section).
Porters for the whole camping equipment including 7 kilograms per client (includes sleeping bag weight) at the Inca trail section.
First-aid kit with oxygen bottle
Professional bilingual guide (English - Spanish), additional cost for other languages
Assistant for every nine clients.
Shortwave radios.
Hotel in Aguas Calientes, Double Occupancy.
Bus ticket from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes (6th and 7th day).
Sanitation care (disinfected dishes, filtered water, etc).
Environmental care (all the garbage goes back to Cusco, portable toilet treatment).
Vistadome train from Machu Picchu to Poroy

We will leave Cusco by bus early today and drive over Tika-Tika pass with the first view of the Salcantay and Humantay peaks in the horizon. After this, we will arrive at Mollepata (9,512 ft.) and continue by car until Challacancha where we will start to hike for 1 ½ hours until reaching Soraypampa where we will have lunch. Also, here we will meet our horse crew; after resting and meeting the rest of the group, we will hike for 1 more hour until getting to our first campsite (Salkantaypampa).
From here we will be able to enjoy the sight of the majestic Apu Salkantay (6271m/20569ft).
(Lunch/ Dinner)
After breakfast, we will start to hike. During this route the Salcantay peak (19,811ft) dominates the sight.
We will continue hiking towards the Incachiriasca pass (15,252ft), where we will enjoy a beautiful view of two glacier lakes. From here on, the trail goes down until our next camp in Sisaypampa (13,776 ft) (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner). 7-8 hours of trekking.
The trek continues down until the end of the valley where it turns north and enters the Pampacahua valley, with an amazing Inca water channel and many agriculture fields along its edges. We will continue walking down and then up, crossing a short pass and then reaching our next camp in Paucarcancha, the first Inca ruins of the journey (10,332 ft). We will spend 5–6-hour trekking.
(Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
After breakfast, we will start going down along an Inca trail until reaching the community of Huayllabamba, where we will join the classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. We will start the ascent close to the Huayruro stream until reaching Tres Piedras Blancas for lunch. Then we will then cross a forest with many native trees as Uncas and Chachacomos and continue our trek uphill until reach Llulluchapampa wherw we will camp 7 – 8 hours trekking.
(Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
Early morning we will start to walk up hill until getting to the Warmiwañusca pass (13,776ft) which has a magnificent view of the trail ahead of us. We will descent over the mountain down to Paaimayo (3,500 m - 11,480 ft.). Then we will ascent again up to the ruins of Runkurakay and the second pass (13,284ft). From this pass we will hike down to the site of Sayacmarca through the elfin forest and a wonderful stone-made trail. A beautiful view of Aobamba valley will surprise us, while we enjoy a leisure walk with amazing views of mount Pumasillo and Salcantay. Following the impressive Inca trail we will find and explore Phuyupatamarca and its sacred water fountains, Trekking 8 -9 hours
(Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
After breakfast we will go down several steps through the Amazon cloud forest until reaching the Inca site of Intipata and then Wiñaywayna (2,650 mts. - 8,692 ft.). Early morning we will start to follow the magnificent cloud forest suspended over the Inca trail until entering Machupicchu through Inti Punku (The Sun Gate), with a magnificent view of the entire citadel. Trekking 6 hours. Arrival and transfer to hotel to visit the citadel the next day.
Breakfast/ Box lunch)
After a breakfast we will take the bus to Machu Picchu citadel, you will be guided in the arqueological site, then when we finish we will go back down to Aguas Calientes to take the traia back to Cusco City.

What’s not included

Meal not described in the program.
Hotels in Cusco.
Extra services not mentioned in the program. Tips and extra expenses
If passengers want to climb to Huaynapicchu Mountain, they must request in advance, book and pay extra fee in advance)
Meals in Aguas Calientes.
Extra services not mentioned in the program.
Tips and extras.