This unique and specially designed 5 day Salkantay Trek Machu Picchu has unsurpassable views of the snow-capped mountains of Humantay and Salkantay, the holy Apus of the Incas. Trek off the beaten path, following our exclusive trekking route, where you visit two incredible crystal clear glacial lakes, Humantay and Salkantay named after each of the peaks which tower over the lakes. Hike through the Andes Mountain range with its spectacular scenery and views of the colorful valley landscapes below and rugged, glacier-covered peaks above. Camp at our private campsite which is more remote and off the beaten track, so you can avoid the crowds.
Our day will start at 6am, when we will pick you up at your hotel and drive in our private van for 3.5 hours towards Soraypampa. Along the way, you can enjoy some spectacular views of the villages of Izcuchaca, Limatambo, stunning valleys and the spectacular Salkantay snow-capped mountain. At the trailhead, (Soraypampa) we power up with our gourmet breakfast while admiring the exhilarating views of the glaciers of Humantay (5,900m/19,356ft) and Salkantay (6,217m/20,396ft). We will trek for about 2 hours up to the turquoise colored Humantay Lake. We continue with a gentle ascension for 1.5 hours towards Salkantay Pampa, where our trekking chefs will have our delicious and hearty lunch waiting for us with a beautiful view of a glacier. We will take an alternate route hiking uphill for about an hour, trekking along switchbacks, until we arrive at our first campsite at Soroccocha, located at the foot of the great Salkantay Mountain. Then, you’ll enjoy a coffee or hot chocolate and an afternoon snack before dinner. The views on this day will be truly breathtaking!
After a scrumptious breakfast, get ready, get set and go on a moderate climb for your second day on the trail. Within an hour, you will reach the highest point of the trek (4,650m/15,367ft). From here, we take a moment to enjoy nature at its purest form, feeling at one with the massive snow-capped mountains, Salkantay (6,217m/20,717ft), Humantay, Huayanay, accompanied by white lively rivers and small sparkling lakes. You will want to take some time here, to enjoy the panoramic and truly exquisite turquoise, Salkantay Lake. After about half an hour for photos and enjoying the view, we continue down towards Rayanniyoc for lunch. Our finish line for the day is another two more hours to the small village of Colpapampa to spend the night.
After another impressive meal, we are back on the trail, having already passed our mid way point of the trek. Within 3 hours of walking, we are enjoying the beginning of the lush tropical rainforest as we descent towards the Amazon. You will see undulating hills, blanketed by plantations of bountiful fruit bearing trees, coffee and cacao trees. The change in altitude will be obvious the with the flowering orchids and as always plenty of birds to see. Many of the species in this area are endemic to Peru! We arrive at the wonderful Lucmabamaba for lunch with time to rest.
After lunch, we will have an incredible experience of touring a coffee plantation adjacent to the lunch spot. We will begin by observing the fields, learning about the different types of coffee beans and even picking our own. Engulfed within the fields of tomatoes and avocados, are multiple ecosystems, which our guide will point out and explain. We will pick our own fresh produce, which our trekking chef will use for our dinner.
Around 3pm, we will travel by van for about 30 minutes to the natural hot springs at Cocalmayo. Here, we will soak our tired muscles in the naturally hot mineral water, which mother earth has provided for us. Upon our return, our trekking chef with be have created his specialty with our fresh produce from the day.
After a delicious breakfast by our chef, we will continue along the ancient and remote Inca Trail, heading uphill towards the Puncuyoc Pass (2,700m/8,858ft). Along the way, you will need to prepare yourself for fantastic views of these unique valleys and fruit plantations. We arrive to Llactapata Inca Ruins, located directly across from Machu Picchu, where we will appreciate the strategic location of the Grand Citadel of Machu Picchu and its two surrounding mountains Huyana Picchu and Machu Picchu poised above the Aobamba Canyon.
With these spectacular views in our mind’s eye, we descend for 2 hours to the Hydroelectric plant, the primary power source for Cusco, where we will have lunch. Then, it’s the last leg of the journey walking to Aguas Calientes through the National Park of Machu Picchu. Feel your adrenaline start to swirl in your veins as you come closer to the mystical Machu Picchu and the ancient wall that surrounds the Inca Citadel.
This is the day you have been waiting for! Wake up early to a new day of adventure, spending the day with our majestic Machu Picchu. Following in the ancient and remote footsteps of the “Lost City of the Incas,” listen carefully to your guide explain the historical and cultural significance of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will also have free time to explore, take photos, climb Huayna Picchu, Machu Picchu Mountain or walk up to the Sun Gate. Afterwards, we go back to Aguas Calientes and in the afternoon at 4:43pm, we return by Vistadome Train to Ollantaytambo train station. From there, we drive back to your hotel in Cusco, arriving at about 8:30pm.
This unique Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu can be done on any date that is best for you as long as we have a minimum of 2 hikers!
**** This price includes the extra pack horse, which will carry your belongings up to 7kgs. We will provide you with a duffel bag to put your things in.
***We provide large Eureka 4 person tents for each 2 trekkers.
Glamping Peru Treks is a family owned travel agency and direct local tour operator based in Cusco with personal experience over many years of trekking. Glamping Peru Treks is a 100% Cusqueñian Company without any shareholders.
Our dream as a locally based company is to create small personalized tours & treks strictly and only operated by local professional staff, catering to PERSONALIZED and HIGH QUALITY SERVICE.
We take pride in our reputation as a RESPONSIBLE & SUSTAINABLE tour operator. Our staff is considered an extended family! We ensure they are supported financially by offering them a good salary. The owner of Glamping Peru Treks is proud of having such a fantastic team! Without them, we wouldn’t be able to provide the best service and outstanding lifetime experiences to our clients.
In an effort to provide a more personalized service to our passengers, at Glamping Peru Treks we have a policy that our groups will not exceed 8 people. This is part of what sets us apart from other companies that operate departures with bigger groups.
Our itinerary is slightly different than the other trekking companies. Our campsites are far away from others and we visit two amazing glacial lakes, far away from all the other crowds. We hike up to Llactapata Inca ruins, which is directly across from Machu Picchu and you can enjoy the guided tour into Machu Picchu in a small group.
Trekking the Salkantay trail with Glamping Peru Treks is a life changing experience with a fully portered trek, where your comfort and enjoyment are our first priority. We make sure that you get the best experience for your holiday in Peru, while you interact with the locals, explore fantastic sites and re-discover remote ancient Inca towns. Our pack horses will carry your gear, and the horsemen will help set up your tents, avoiding crowded campsites. They will take care of you while you sit back and relax!
We provide the following items to our porters and horsemen for free: Jacket, sun hat, warm hat, t-shirt, pants, hiking boots, comfortable duffel bags, canteen and girdle for protecting their spine, sleeping bags, mattresses and travel insurance. All of our porters are hired from isolated communities and are given the opportunity to work with our company. This allows them to better their economic circumstances as well as getting help for their children’s education! We, Glamping Peru Treks, ensure that all of our employees are treated like family!
OUR TOUR GUIDES
We are so proud of our guides! Highly professional, fluent in English, they are very knowledgeable and passionate for Inca heritage and history. Our guides are dedicated to continuous professional development, constantly learning, to ensure that you receive accurate and recognized theories about Inca and Andean culture. Fun loving, great sports and well – educated, they hold degrees in one of the following: Archaeology, Tourism, Botany, History or Anthropology.
The food on the trek has been highly appreciate by all our clients. They tell us that it was better than in the restaurants! Delicious and abundant gourmet style meals, Peruvian and international cuisine are prepared by our professional and dedicated cooks from a mixture of local and exotic produce. If you have diet restrictions or food allergies, we can cater to your needs! All our chefs and employees have all been trained in the most stringent hygiene protocols to ensure your safety at all times.
Glamping Peru Treks have always believed that we should give back to the communities we pass through during our treks. Therefore, as part of our commitment to responsible tourism, we always do many service projects and hire locally.
Glamping Peru Treks is so proud to be able to support our indigenous communities, not only employing them to join our team but also going back to our own grassroots as we share with their families. It makes us happy to have this holistic approach with our highland employees and their families!
Please read carefully the following information, as it will help with your questions about our services and the trek to Machu Picchu.
You will be welcomed at Cusco airport and taken to your hotel, please ensure that you inform us of your flight details at least 14 days prior to your trek. Look out for our representative holding a Glamping Peru Treks board at the arrival terminal.
It will take place the night before the trek at 6pm at our office, which is located on Calle Santa Teresa Nº383 ; 303 (second floor), we are next to SUBWAY sandwich shop.
Of course! During the Salkantay to Machu Picchu Trek your main luggage can be store at our office or at your hotel, whichever is more convenient for you.
FIRST, to book your Salkantay to Machu Picchu Trek, we need you to fill out our booking form by clicking on BOOK NOW on our homepage or click here the link BOOK NOW.
Please be ready with the following information (FROM EACH PARTICIPANT in your group). We cannot purchase an Salkantay to Machu Picchu Trek permits and entrance tickets without the following information:
SECOND, we require a deposit of $211.00 USD per person, in order, to purchase a permit for the Salkantay to Machu Picchu Trek. You can make you deposit by clicking on the VISA or PAYPAL symbols on the top of our home page, or you can click on the VISA or PAYPAL symbols on our booking page.
If you would like to avoid the high credit card fees in Peru, you can pay in cash at our office (we accept US dollars or Peruvian soles) in Cusco. We have many ATMs withn the historical center to withdraw money. You can also pay by VISA or PAYPAL online but you will have to pay a 5.5% service charge, charged by VISA and PAYPAL. To pay your balance through PAYPAL, you need to log into your PAYPAL account using our email address of glampingperutreks@gmail.com
With alternative treks, we may be able to change dates for a fee depending on what has been already purchased. Please contact the office as soon as possible if you need to change your date. If you cancel your Salkantay to Machu Picchu Trek, the deposit is not refundable!
Yes! You have to bring your original passport as it is very important, in order, to gain entry onto the train, Machu Picchu and other sites. It must be the original passport that you have used to book with us from the start.
In case, you are renewing your passport or changing your name, go ahead and send us your old passport information to secure your permit and we can change it when you get your new passport number or updated your name for a fee of $25 USD per person. We must have a copy of your old and new passport to make the change.
If you do not wish to pay this fee, you will need to bring both your old and new passports to Peru with you. You can enter Peru with your new passport but you will need to show both passports, old and new to enter into Machu Picchu and other sites. If you do not have both, you will not be allowed to enter into these amazing sites.
The weather is very unpredictable and it’s difficult to foresee. We recommend to always dress in layers as it is easier to adjust to the different microclimates through which you trek and to the quickly changing weather.
In general, if you exercise regularly and spend a couple of days in Cusco or the Sacred Valley, you will be able to acclimate normally. It usually takes most people between 24 hours to 2 days.
The recommended remedies for altitude sickness is WATER, COCA TEA and OXYGEN, IF NEEDED. Our guides are trained to treat you for Altitude Sickness. For more detailed information on Altitude Sickness click this link: Altitude Sickness.
The maximum group size is 8 persons. Our groups are between 2-6 persons. Glamping Treks Peru specializes in SMALL, PRIVATE groups and provide a personalized service.
The evening before you start your trek, you will be given a SMALL DUFFEL BAG to pack your clothes and personal items for the next four days. Your weight allowance is up to 7kg/14lbs. This includes 2kg for your sleeping bag and 1kg for your air mattress. Your team of pack horses will carry your duffel bag for you, together with the food and camping gear. It’s important to be aware that you will not have access to your items in the duffel bag until the end of each day, as the pack horses will always be ahead of the group. During the trek, you need a day backpack just big enough to carry your personal belongings such as a warm jacket, a rain jacket, your camera, sunscreen, snacks, water, etc. A 25 to 30L backpack is sufficient.
The Salkantay Trek is a fairly difficult and you should be well prepared and healthy prior to starting it. You have to be moderately fit and exercise regularly. In preparation: try walking 15kms/9 miles in a day or go to a fitness club throughout the months leading up to the trek. It is also important to be well acclimatized to the altitude. Try to spend at least 2 or 3 days in Cusco (3,350m/11,047ft) prior to starting the trek. Always consult your doctor prior to international travel.
Our Salkantay to Machu Picchu trek is unique to us and an out of the way location. Even during peak season, we will only occasionally encounter another group.
This detail has been highly appreciated by most of our clients, especially by female trekkers, who want a bit of privacy, clean and sanitary toilet!! Glamping Peru Treks’ portable bathroom facilities have an individual tent and a camping toilet with a seat. Check out the picture, which illustrates how we set up our camping toilet on the trek by using this link: picture of toilet tent. Our toilets are always set up a comfortable distance from our campsite. At night, if you need to use the toilet, it is readily accessible and clean.
In the unlikely scenario that you are unable to finish the trek due to a health issue, Glamping Peru Treks will assist you to the nearest town for help with transportation. We always carry oxygen on the trek for any respiratory problems. In extreme cases, a helicopter pick up can be arranged at your own expense. (Travel insurance is required and recommended). There are no refunds in the unlikely situation that you are unable to finish the trek.
Generally, those who have to be assisted off the trail are taken to Ollantaytambo and if they recover quickly they, then, continue the journey to Aguas Calientes (extra costs incurred by trekker) and visit Machu Picchu, according to original plan.
Absolutely!! Hotel pick ups and drop offs are included with all of our packages! If you have booked your hotel in the Sacred Valley, we will drop you off there and vice versa.
It will depend on the train time availability (during high season our first time preference could be sold out) but the idea is to give you as much time as possible in Machu Picchu and enjoy the amazing views on the way back to Cusco while on the train. Therefore, we usually book the train at 4:43pm. With this train schedule, you will have more than 4 hours to enjoy Machu Picchu
If you’re happy with the services provided, a tip – though not compulsory – is appreciated. While it may not be customary in your country, it’s of great significance for the people who will take care of you during the trek. It inspires them to give excellent service and is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry across many Glamping Peru Treks destinations. Of course, you are free to tip more or less as you feel it, depending on your perception of the quality and the length of your trip. Remember, a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.
Yes! We are a local, sustainable & responsible tourism operator that incorporates universal principles of tourism: protect the environment and benefit the local communities by respecting their culture and religion. With this in mind, we have trained all our local staff to know and understand, respect the places and the local people.
As a Professional Direct Local Tour operator, we provide you with a duffel bag at your briefing and INCLUDE an extra porter. Who will carry up to 7 kgs/14 lbs including your 2kg sleeping bag, 1kg air mattress and extra clothing.
We highly recommend a small backpack 30 to 40L for hiking in the day. A big backpack will not be allowed into Machu Picchu. The remainder of your belongings will be in your duffel bag at camp.
All of our guides are experts in trekking and hold degrees related to tourism. They are passionate about their career and love to show others about their culture!
We specialize in providing our treks and tours with small groups. It helps create a more unique and personalized experience!
We have more than 6 years experience, in providing high quality service. We are considered one of the few operators that most clients trust.
All of our chefs prepare gourmet meals catering to different dietary needs. This sets us apart from other companies.
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As one of the few tour operators that dedicated itself to social responsibility. We are always looking for innovative ways of caring for our natural surroundings.
Our camping equipment is top of the line being replaced when needed. Our camping equipment is available for rent as well.
All Treks & Tours will be OPERATED by SAM Travel Peru staff and professional guides. What that means for you is that SAM Travel Peru will never pass you onto another company or 3rd Party; we will work with you until we get it right…. All the departures are 100% guaranteed – If you are booked and have made your deposit. ! You are going!
