You Have To Do the Salkantay Trek. I Don't Make The Rules.
Details, Itinerary, & Packing Advice
This may surprise some of you, but Mitch and I are terrible at planning trips. In November of 2024, Mitch and I decided to plan a trip over the holidays to celebrate his 30th birthday. Our primary objective was the O Trek in Patagonia, but, as we quickly discovered, we missed the permit window.... by several months. As two relatively last-minute planners who are content to show up somewhere and figure out details on the way, we were not prepared to navigate a grueling series of permits and be so thoroughly shut down with a whole month to spare.
We rushed to research other southern hemisphere treks and found a small selection of trails recommended for that time of year. Despite being summer, it was the rainy season, so other notable treks were discouraged during that time frame. When we stumbled upon the Salkantay Trek in Peru, we were immediately intrigued. We had never done a hut-to-hut trek, and wild camping is illegal in that region. Similar to the more popular Inca Trail, it runs between Cusco and Machu Picchu, but instead of traversing the historical roads of the Inca, it follows more rugged scenery.
Since we were going to be in Peru during the rainy season, staying inside overnight didn't seem like such a bad idea. We decided to book through a tour company called Salkantay Trekking. Of course, when we went to complete the booking for the 5 day/4 night tour on November 20th, there were no available slots for the dates we wanted (December 25th - December 29th). The option to do the trek in 3 days/2 nights was available, but we figured, if we were taking the time to travel all the way to South America for this trail, we wanted to spend a good amount of time enjoying the hike, even if it would be doable for us. I decided to email the company and ask if they had a wait list, and they were able to slot us into the dates we wanted, with the caveat that we had to do a different tour at Machu Picchu than the rest of the group. I don't know why that was the limiting factor, but along with saving us several hundred dollars for reasons I don't understand, it got us the dates we wanted.
Salkantay Trek vs. Inca Trail
Salkantay Trek | Inca Trail | |
Distance | 45.5 miles / 73.2 km | 24 miles / 38.6 km |
Elevation Gain | 11,440 ft / 3,487 m | 9,009 ft / 2,746 m |
Maximum Elevation | 15,090 ft / 4,600 m | 13,829 ft / 4,215 m |
Trail Type | Trail | Cobblestone |
Tour Company vs. Self Guided: Which Is Right For You?
You can absolutely plan and complete this trek without the help of a guide company. There are pros and cons to each. While we're usually very independent travelers who prefer to make our own itinerary, we decided that booking through Salkantay Trekking was going to give us the experience that we wanted. Some of the most famous photos of this trek include the glass dome accommodations that are exclusive to this company, and if we had to pay for transportation to and from the trail, lodging, food and water, and Machu Picchu tour tickets anyway, we figured it wouldn't be significantly more expensive to book a tour.
Transportation
One of my favorite parts of the tour company was having transportation already provided for us. I know this is a personal failure and not something everyone struggles with, but as someone who has never lived anywhere with particularly good public transit, I am not great at figuring out transportation logistics, especially in another language. There were several buses and transfers involved in getting from Cusco to the starting point of Callacancha, and not having to stress about navigating to the trailhead or from Machu Picchu was excellent. There are probably several blogs or social media posts from people who have done this trip self-guided, so resources on how to navigate the transportation situation certainly exist if that is the route you're taking. For me, I liked being able to nap on the bus worry-free.
Lodging
Each tour company has its own lodging accommodations along the trail. Salkantay Trekking is known for its beautiful glass domes that allow for some spectacular star gazing and sweeping vistas. All of the accommodations had bathrooms and running water, and only one of them did not have showers on the premises. If you elect to hike this trail without a tour company, there are plenty of hostels along the way, which can be booked in advance over WhatsApp. From blogs I've read, many of the hostels can provide breakfast and/or dinner opportunities for an extra sum. Wild camping is illegal in this region, so do not expect to save money by tent camping along the trail. Please respect local guidance and assume that it is banned for a reason, which overrides one's desire to save money or have a more rugged experience.
Food & Water
If you book this trip through a guiding company, they will provide all meals and water for you, as well as some daily snacks. We also brought a few granola bars and bags of candy from home. If you plan to do this trek solo, you are responsible for bringing and cooking at least most of your own food, and water is available for purchase at various points along the trail.
The water sources along the trail are heavily contaminated, and the water filters that I use for backpacking in the U.S. are not equipped to filter out the tiny viruses and chemicals that can be found in those water sources. Even purifying drops or tablets, which are great for removing viral factors, are not effective in removing the chemical contaminants, and you can risk becoming very sick if you drink water that hasn't been industrially purified.
There are opportunities along the way to purchase snacks and beverages (bring soles because most places do not have card readers), regardless of whether your hike is self-guided or through a tour company.
Machu Picchu Tour Tickets
As a very popular Wonder of the World, Machu Picchu requires tour tickets to enter the premises. I was pitifully undereducated about just how sizable Machu Picchu and its surrounding grounds are, but there are 3 different tour circuits that are led by knowledgeable guides. Circuit 2 is the one that is more often selected by Salkantay Trekking, but Mitch and I did Circuit 3, and we had an excellent experience.
If you are opting to do the Salkantay Trek as a guided experience, it is possible that the Machu Picchu tours are the limiting factor, so if the dates you are looking for are unavailable through your preferred company, I recommend reaching out and asking for other Circuit options. If you are doing the Salkantay Trek solo, try to book your Machu Picchu before looking into any other logistics, unless, for whatever reason, you elect to not visit Machu Picchu while you're there. But speaking as someone who is far more interested in natural wonders than historical artifacts, I could not get enough of Machu Picchu.
Overall Experience
Part of the appeal of a guided experience is the guides themselves. As someone who knew very little about the ecology and social history of the Peruvian Andes, it was an excellent educational opportunity to learn from the guides. Our group of 7 participants had 2 guides, both of whom brought a lot of candor and knowledge. In our specific case, Mitch and I, who were much faster hikers and accustomed to altitude, were more or less adopted by one of the guides, and the other took the rest of the group.
The guided experience came with additional opportunities. For example, one afternoon, we shuttled from our accommodation to a hot spring. One morning, there was a coffee roasting and tasting experience. Our guides pointed out edible berries, endemic flora and fauna, and knew the best spots for photos. I'm sure all of these could be accomplished on one's own, but it would require a significant amount of research and planning.
There were a couple of days with some challenging landscapes that, if inexperienced, could present challenges. Mitch and I were the only ones in our group with any meaningful hiking experience (one of the women had only hiked a couple of times, never done more than 5 miles in one day, and the longest day is 15 miles), and there are built-in ways to reduce the load for an additional fee. To get over Salkantay Pass, you can opt to ride horseback most of the way up. One of the days crosses a road, where a train can shuttle you ahead to Aguas Calientes if you need a break from hiking. These options were both utilized by members of our party.
We also brought a good chunk of soles to tip all the people involved in our tour: the guides, the horseman whose animals portered everyone's gear, and the chefs, which did increase the cost of our experience, but they deserved the extra money for how great they made our experience.
Packing Details
Despite being a multi-day hike, packing for this trip was not too dissimilar from packing for a day hike, with a couple of key exceptions. As mentioned before, there were horses to porter gear. Mitch and I only gave them a few items to carry (they were there whether we utilized them or not), and otherwise, we kept all of our layers, snacks, and water in a day pack.
While Mitch and I both have dedicated day packs for hiking, any regular backpack would do. Until I got mine on Facebook Marketplace in 2022, I just used my school backpack. The tour company provided a cover to keep our packs dry when it rained. I also brought a fanny pack for easy and quick access to snacks, but that's just personal preference. We both brought two water bottles apiece so that we each had a 2 liter carrying capacity at all times.
As far as clothing items go, you can mostly get by with what you already have, but I've linked a couple items I highly recommend. I brought two shirts (one short-sleeved and one long-sleeved) to hike in, a good pair of hiking pants (my favorite are the Stio Pinedale Pants; I wore them on the plane to and from Peru and never got uncomfortable in them), a fleece jacket, a puffy jacket, and a rain jacket. (Note: please be mindful of the time of year you're doing this trek! In the dry season, a rain jacket may be unnecessary, but during the rainy season, where rain is all but guaranteed every day, it would be foolish to not pack one, and the types of layers are certainly dependent on the temperatures you'll be experiencing!) Mitch wore a hat, I wore a neck gaiter as a headband, and we both brought sunglasses.
I personally prefer hiking in trail runners (unless it's a snowy winter hike or I need more stability), but I can only recommend whatever footwear makes you comfortable, and for most hikers, that means boots. Footwear is absolutely crucial for keeping you safe and comfortable while hiking, so if you're getting shoes for this experience, please take time to test them out so you don't get blisters. Good socks are also helpful in blister prevention.
Even though we were with a guide, I brought my satellite communication device. I'd rather have it and not need it than get separated, get hurt, and need some sort of rescue. (Note: if you are planning any international treks, be sure to verify that the country you're going to allows these devices. In a few countries, having a satellite communication device is actually illegal!)
Indoor lodging ensured that we had beds every night, and blankets were often provided, but the tour company recommended that we also bring sleeping bags. Mitch and I both brought our quilts from home, but sleeping bags were available for rent from Salkantay Trekking for those who didn't already have one or want to pack it. They also rent out trekking poles to anyone who wants the extra stability (trekking poles can be transported in checked luggage but are often confiscated if in a carry-on).
For the hot springs, we brough swimsuits and sandals. I used my neck gaiter as a cover up because I believe in multifunctionality.
Honestly, packing for a day hike requires a lot more logistical complications than packing for a guided tour, but if you're doing it solo, the only difference I would suggest is a larger backpack and a cook system for food.
Itinerary
This itinerary covers the 5 day/4 night option, as provided by Salkantay Trekking. That tour company provides shorter and longer excursion options, but 5 days/4 nights is the most popular time range to allow for plenty of downtime and enjoyment.
I cannot stress this enough: fly into Cusco at least 2 days before your first day of hiking, especially if you are not coming from altitude. The city itself is at 11,152 ft (3,399 m), so just sleeping and existing there helps dramatically with altitude acclimation.
Day 1: Shuttle Cusco → Challacancha; Challacancha → Soraypampa (4.4 miles / 7 km)
The views of the peaks in the Vilcabamba mountain range, including Salkantay, are almost immediately visible. The beginning of the hike is largely flat and easygoing.
Humantay Lake is an optional side quest that adds approximately 2 miles (3.2 km), and even though the elevation gain is fairly significant, it is absolutely worth it!
The Sky Camp accommodation is what Salkantay Trekking is most famous for. The domes in the photo on the left (from Salktantay Trekking's website) are where we slept, and the larger dome was the dining hall. Hard to beat stargazing from bed!
Photo: Salkantay Trekking Sky Camp's dining hall
Day 2: Soraypampa → Collpapampa (14.6 miles / 23.5 km)
After an early morning wakeup, we began the trek up and over Salkantay Pass. At 15,090 ft (4,600 m) in altitude, it is the highest point on the trail. Getting an early start helped ensure that we missed bad weather in the mountains later in the day.
Descending from the pass on the other side took us into a cloud forest.
Day 3: Hike Collpapampa → Lucmabamba (6.4 miles / 10.3 km)
This was a largely uneventful hiking day, but we did two side journeys: visiting a coffee roastery and soaking in Cocalmayo hot springs. It was nice to have a restful and relaxing day after so much elevation gain yesterday.
Day 4: Lucmabamba → Aguas Calientes (15.5 miles / 25 km)
The day began with a deceptively challenging incline through the humid cloud forest. Eventually, we descended to the road that leads into Aguas Calientes (the town at the base of Machu Picchu), and much of the day was spent walking along a railway line. It was very flat, so those miles went by fairly quickly.
We stayed in a hotel in Aguas Calientes. As the town name suggests, there are nearby hot springs, but we did not go.
Day 5: Machu Picchu tour; shuttle Aguas Calientes → Cusco
In case you had doubts, Machu Picchu is absolutely worthy of its Wonder of the World status. Even as someone who prefers natural features to ruins, I would be happy to go back again and again and delight in its splendor.
After the tour, we had a few hours to enjoy Aguas Calientes before being shuttled back to Cusco.
What do you think? Have I convinced you? Let me know in the comments!
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