The Salkantay Trek is an unparalleled adventure. Are you looking for new destinations, places that surprise you, landscapes that leave you breathless with their beauty? The Salkantay Trek has everything you’re looking for and maybe even a little more. You’ll test your physical endurance on a hike towards the sacred Citadel of Machu Picchu, discovering new routes, history, and all the magic of the Andean terrain.
But before you begin, we want to share with you valuable information about this beautiful destination. You must be prepared for this great challenge that will leave you with a smile you won’t be able to erase from your face.
What is Salkantay?
Salkantay or Salkantay is a snow-capped mountain or Apu located in the Vilcabamba Range in the district of Santa Teresa, province of La Convención in the Cusco Department, Peru. It is about 130 kilometers from the Imperial City, approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes by road. The mountain is majestic and imposing, reaching an elevation of 6271 meters above sea level.
The Salkantay Mountain has been visited by mountaineers from around the world who have attempted to conquer its summit. Some were luckier than others, as the mountain decides whether you are welcome or not.
The route leading to Apu Salkantay is also a trekking trail to Machu Picchu, an alternative to the famous Inca Trail. According to records, Apu Salkantay was first climbed in 1952 by a Franco-American expedition, but it would not be surprising if it was conquered much earlier by the men and women of ancient Peru.
What does its name mean?
Its name comes from the Quechua words Salca, meaning wild, and Antay, which experts believe means something like a producer of clouds, snow, and avalanches. Hence its importance and sacred character for the Cusco community.
What is the Salkantay Trek?
The Salkantay Trek is a 5-day, 4-night hiking route where you’ll experience an impressive landscape with a variety of local flora and fauna. This trek will take you to the Machu Picchu Citadel on a journey of almost 70 kilometers, with a maximum altitude of 4600 meters above sea level at the Salkantay Pass. This journey will be physically demanding for you or anyone venturing to experience the Salkantay Trek.
Myth of Nevado Salkantay Salkantay and Ausangate share a legend that tells of two brothers who lived in the city of Cusco. When the town was plagued by a terrible drought, both brothers set out in search of food for their people. Ausangate went south, where he found provisions that supplied his people, while Salkantay walked north and found love.
Today, we are left with stories passed down from generation to generation, recounting and explaining the origin of the peoples that are now the protectors of the magic of the Andean world. Today, only the majestic snow-capped Apus, Salkantay and Ausangate, remain as evidence of a history witnessed by the entire world.
Can I travel alone?
Certainly, but due to the nature of this adventure, it is recommended to travel with a tourism package that ensures a good, trained, and certified guide, appropriate transportation, tents, and tools necessary for the cold climate of the Peruvian highlands, and everything you need when traveling.
Enter our Sun Trail and Salkantay package and leave everything in our hands. This service includes a bilingual English/Spanish guide, tickets and entrances, train, shared transport to the starting point of the hike, return transfer to Cusco, hotel in Machu Picchu Pueblo, meals, and also pick-up service from hotels in the center of the city of Cusco; for other hotels, pick-up will be from the Inca Rail office.
What is the Salkantay Trek like?
The journey begins in the city of Cusco, from where you will be transferred to the town of Mollepata. Once there, you will start the ascent and walk for about 7 hours towards Soraypampa, the starting point for the hike to Laguna de Humantay. Here, you will camp and eat while resting and reviewing the photos you took along the way. On this first day of hiking, you will cover about 16 kilometers, almost 10 miles.
On the second day of hiking, you start the journey after a hearty breakfast to have the strength for the great effort your body is about to make. In this stretch of the trek, you will cover a total of 22 kilometers (13.7 miles). In the first part, you will climb for 3 hours to the highest point of the journey at the Salkantay Pass at 4600 meters above sea level. Then, the descent to Chaullay will begin for about 5 hours, while you observe how the landscape changes, becoming humid and green, full of orchids and other beautiful flowers. This is the easiest hiking day. You will start descending to Playa Sahuayaco and then to Santa Teresa. After walking 16 kilometers (10 miles), you can relax in the Cocalmayo Thermal Baths and enjoy a well-deserved rest.
On this fourth day of trekking, you will reach Machu Picchu Pueblo or Aguas Calientes, first passing through the Hydroelectric Plant and then walking along the Vilcanota River. This hike covers a distance of 16 kilometers (10 miles). On the last day of the trip, you will climb to the Machu Picchu Citadel to enjoy a breathtakingly beautiful landscape. You will absorb the energy and magic of the land of the Incas before returning to the city of Cusco by train and bus.
How is the weather during the Salkantay Trek?
Surely you already know that Cusco is a very cold place where temperatures can drop several degrees below zero, but at the same time, the sun in the highlands burns strongly. When you do the Salkantay Trek, remember that at times you will feel very cold, so you should have appropriate clothing for mountain hiking. At the same time, remember to bring something light for moments of intense heat. Keep in mind that when you arrive in Machu Picchu Pueblo, the climate becomes more tropical, so be prepared for extreme weather changes.
What is the best time for the Salkantay Trek? As it is a highly demanding hike, it is important to be well-prepared and do it at the ideal time. We recommend scheduling your adventure between the months of April and October, which are the dry season months.
What should you bring?
Camera with memory space and spare batteries Sleeping bag Waterproof jacket or coat Special clothing for high mountain hiking Hat or cap Trekking shoes A good trekking backpack Rain poncho Water bottle Water purification tablets Sunscreen Sunglasses Energetic snacks like nuts or cocoa bars Coca or lemon candies Cleaning and personal hygiene products Cash
Fun facts:
The summit of Salkantay has two peaks, the East and the West. Until some time ago, the West peak was slightly higher, as it had a serac (a large block of ice fractured by crevasses in a glacier) at the top, which collapsed in 2019. With the collapse, both peaks now have similar heights. There are some contradictions regarding who were the first hikers to reach the summit of Salkantay, as some say it was the Franco-American expedition, while others claim it was a group of Swiss mountaineers. But both expeditions are dated to the year 1952. On June 17, 2013, Nathan Heald, Thomas Ryan (from the U.S.), and Luis Crispin (from Peru) reached the summit at 10:30 in the morning after 9 hours of climbing. This ascent makes Crispin the first Peruvian to reach the summit, as far as records of these activities are available.