Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

You will meet your Bucket List Leaders at the airport and fly out as a group for Bucket Lister + Trips. If you have booked a Bucket Lister Trip we will see you in Peru soon!

If you have transfers with us we will take you to the hotel. For those making their own way, we will see you in Lima.

Welcome Briefing: Your welcome briefing will be at 6 pm at the hotel.

The first stop on our Lima city tour is Huaca Pucllana, a huge archaeological site in Miraflores, one of Lima’s most popular districts. Huaca Pucllana was an important ceremonial and administrative centre of the Lima culture, which developed along this part of the Peruvian coast between 200 AD and 700 AD.

After exploring Huaca Pucllana, we’ll drive to the historic centre of Lima, all of which is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. We’ll go to the beautiful Plaza de Armas (Lima’s main square) which is surrounded by impressive colonial and Republican-era buildings, many of which have ornate wooden balconies. Some of Peru’s most important buildings surround the square, including the Government Palace, Cathedral of Lima, Archbishop’s Palace of Lima, the Municipal Palace, and the Palace of the Union.

We’ll walk one block to the Convent of Santo Domingo. Founded in the 1530s and completed in 1766, it is one of the most important religious buildings in Peru, and its large bell tower is a landmark in the historic center of Lima. As we walk around the interior of the convent, we’ll see the beautiful Sevillian azulejos (ceramic tiles) that decorate the walls, dating from 1604 and 1606. There is also a series of paintings that present passages of the life of Saint Dominic, the founder of the Dominican order, which date to around 1608. At the end of the tour, we will return to your hotel.

After breakfast, you will be picked up from the hotel and taken to the airport where you will board your flight to Cusco. Once you arrive in Cusco, a member of the team will be waiting at the airport to pick you up in our private transport and take you to your hotel.

Our Cusco city tour begins in the afternoon when we’ll first head to the beautiful Koricancha, next door to Santo Domingo Church.

After visiting the Koricancha, we’ll head to Cusco Cathedral, located on the Plaza de Armas.

Our next stop is the imposing Inca fortress of Sacsayhuaman, which sits on a hill above Cusco. Here you will see some of the finest examples of Inca stonework and construction, including massive rocks that were carefully cut and perfectly fitted together to form the walls. From here you’ll also have beautiful panoramic views of Cusco.

After exploring Sacsayhuaman we’ll head up the hill to the Tambomachay Archeological Complex.

Tambomachay is the last attraction on our city tour, after which we’ll head back down into Cusco and drop you off at your hotel.

Our Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu begins when we pick you up from your hotel in Cusco at around 5 a.m. We’ll then travel in our private bus to Mollepata, which takes about four hours. It’s a lengthy trip, but it’s necessary to get out to this relatively remote region. On the way, you’ll be able to enjoy the wonderful scenery, including views of the Izcuchaca and Limatambo mountain ranges. 

Eventually, we’ll arrive at the colourful Andean village of Mollepata, and the trailhead for our Salkantay trek. Here we’ll meet our horsemen, porters, and cooks. Setting off, we’ll trek for about three hours until we reach Cruzpata, where we will have lunch with panoramic views of the beautiful snow-capped mountains of Humantay and Salkantay. We’ll also be able to visit Humantay Lake. Heading on, we’ll trek until we reach our first campsite at Soraypampa, taking in the beautiful landscape along the way. We’ll set up camp and later have dinner, surrounded by mesmerizing scenery.

Maximum Altitude: 4,250m / 13,943ft
Minimum Altitude: 3,850m / 12,631ft
Distance: 12 km / 7.4 miles.

We will wake early and have breakfast around 5:30 a.m. We have a long day of trekking ahead of us, through some of the most incredible scenery in Peru. This will be our most challenging day, as we ascend to the highest point on the trail. 

We first make the climb to a mountain pass at 4,650m (15,200ft) – the highest location on the trek. From here, we’ll have sublime views of two huge snow-capped mountains: Salkantay on the right and Tucarhuay on the left. After a rest and time to enjoy the views, we will continue our walk downhill through a dramatic cloud forest towards Huayracpunku, also known as Huayracmachay, where we will have lunch. We’ll then set off again, trekking for about three hours through jungle-like scenery until we reach our second campsite, Colcapampa, at 3,000m (9,800ft).  We’ll set up the camp and prepare a big meal, a well-deserved reward after a hard day of trekking.

Maximum Altitude: 4650m / 13,943ft
Minimum Altitude: 2920m / 9,580ft
Distance: 22 km / 13.7 miles

Waking at 6:30 a.m., we’ll have a hearty breakfast before setting off. Today, much of our trekking takes us through a region of jungle known as the ceja de selva: the swathe of jungle that lies between the Andes and the Amazon rainforest. We’ll cross the Lluskamayo River and find ourselves in a world of waterfalls, tropical fruits, and colourful birds.

We’ll stop for lunch and then continue trekking for three more hours, until we reach our last campsite at the village of La Playa, at 2,500m (8,202ft). At La Playa, you’ll have plenty of free time to relax and enjoy the nearby hot springs: the perfect way to soothe your aching muscles! Later we’ll have dinner and then turn in for the night, relaxed and ready for our final day of trekking.

Maximum Altitude: 2920m / 9,580ft.
Minimum Altitude: 2100m / 6,890ft
Distance: 15 km / 9.3 miles

On our final day of trekking we’ll have breakfast at 6:30 a.m. before setting off towards Llactapata. It will be a steady three-hour climb, and as we ascend we’ll have wonderful views of the Santa Teresa Valley below us. We’ll reach Llactapata, an impressive Inca ruin that may have served as an important rest stop and roadside shrine on the journey to Machu Picchu, which it is connected to via the Inca Trail. From here we get our very first glimpse of our final destination – Machu Picchu –  in the distance; an inspiring sight indeed! 

After a rest and time to take photos, we will continue along a downhill trail for about two hours, passing plantations where coca, bananas, and other crops are grown. Eventually, we’ll reach the Hydroelectric Station, a well-known point along various routes to Machu Picchu, where we’ll have lunch. Then we will walk for a couple more hours until we reach Aguas Calientes, the lively town that sits below Machu Picchu. 

After checking in to your hotel you’ll have some free time, so you can explore the town and, if you like, visit the nearby hot springs. We’ll have dinner in one of the many great restaurants in Aguas Calientes, and then you can return to your hotel for an early night before our final day – and our tour of the magnificent Machu Picchu.

Maximum Altitude: 2700m / 8860ft
Minimum Altitude: 1800m /5900ft
Distance: 19 km / 11.1 miles.

To best appreciate Machu Picchu, we’ll wake up early in the morning so we can get to the citadel in good time. You’ll have time for breakfast, and then your guide will pick you up from the hotel at around 5:40 a.m. We’ll then walk to the bus departure point for the short but zigzagging ascent up the road to Machu Picchu. We’ll pass through the gates into the Machu Picchu archaeological site.

Here you’ll begin your guided walking tour with an experienced and highly knowledgeable guide. Our tour of Machu Picchu will last about two hours and will take you to all the most famous and spectacular parts of the extensive archaeological complex.

After the guided tour you’ll have time to explore Machu Picchu as you please, perhaps walking to some less visited parts such as the Inca Bridge. 

Once we’ve finished our tour of Machu Picchu, we’ll take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes where you can relax and have lunch before we board the train back to Poroy and Cusco. Upon arrival at the station, we’ll be waiting to take you back to your hotel in Cusco, where you’ll end your incredible Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu.

After breakfast, you have a free day to explore Cusco as you choose. The capital city of the Inca Empire is now the undisputed archaeological capital of the Americas, as well as the continent’s oldest continuously inhabited city.

Those who have booked the Rainbow Mountain excursion will head out early.

After breakfast enjoy your last day at leisure before transferring to the airport for your return flight home via Lima. 

Please note – if you are booking your international flights yourself you must book a late evening flight from Lima, to allow for the internal flight from Cusco.