ITINERARY

Day 1: Cusco – Mollepata – Soraypampa

We will pick you up in Cusco between 4:30 a.m. and 4:40 a.m. to take the bus to Mollepata. We will begin a spectacular scenic tour through the plains of Anta with beautiful panoramic views of the majestic Salkantay and the Apurímac River Valley. After a 2-hour trip, we will stop in Mollepata for breakfast (not included). There we will meet our support staff. They will load the equipment onto horses and mules. Around 9:30 a.m., we will begin our hike to Soraypampa. It will take us approximately 4 hours to reach Soraypampa, the first camp, where we will have lunch. After lunch, in the afternoon, we will visit Humantay Lake, which will take us 3 hours of hiking round trip from the camp to see the Humantay glacial lake. In the evening, we will enjoy a hot and delicious dinner.

Day 2: Soraypampa - Salkantay Pass - Huayramachay - Chaullay

In the morning, we will wake you up with coca tea. Around 5:00 a.m., we will have breakfast. Around 6:00 a.m., we will begin the most difficult day of the entire Salkantay trek; we will hike to the highest point of the trek. We will reach the summit of the trek. We will enjoy spectacular views of the mountains and the imposing snow-capped peaks of Salkantay (6,264 meters above sea level), known as the second highest mountain in the Cusco region. After a 2-hour descent, around 1:00 p.m., we will have our delicious lunch in the area called Huayracmachay. We will then continue our hike to Chaullay, approximately 3 hours downhill, arriving at our camp in Chaullay = 2900 meters above sea level, where we will sleep in spectacular cabins. Around 6:00 p.m., we will have dinner to recover our energy from the hike.

Day 3: Chaullay | Collpapampa – La Playa – Aguas Calientes

We will begin our hike towards the Santa Teresa Valley. Today we will hike for 6 hours. We will see a village called Colpapampa, also known as “the eyebrow of the cloud forest,” where we can observe the flora and fauna, including the beautiful bird called El Gallito de las Rocas. After a hearty lunch in La Playa, we will take transportation to the hydroelectric plant for an hour and a half.
Then we will walk 10 kilometers for 3 hours to the village of Aguas Calientes, where we will spend the night in a hotel.

Day 4: The most important day: Machu Picchu!

We will wake up early to avoid the crowds at the top of Machu Picchu and enjoy its serenity under the soft morning light. The entrance checkpoint to Machu Picchu is open from 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. We will ascend to Machu Picchu (optional bus ride for $12.00) and enter the hidden royal citadel of the Incas. Here we will have a 2-hour guided tour, and finally return to Cusco by minivan or train, depending on your choice.