DAY 1: Cusco – Soraypampa – Humantay Lagoon – Private Camp Quiswarniyoc
After picking everyone up from their respective places or hotel, we leave Cusco around 5:45 am to the town of Mollepata by car for 2 hours. Once in Mollepata, we stop for a delicious breakfast and also pay an entrance fee of 10 soles to the local municipality. Then we continue by car 1 hour more to Soraypampa where we will meet the muleteers and the horse that will carry all the luggage, food and the 7 kilos of personal belongings of each hiker that will be given to them in the duffel bags. We start the hike uphill to the Humantay Lagoon for 2 hours. When we arrive to the lagoon you will have enough time to explore, photograph the place and the guide will explain you all the meaning of the Humantay Lagoon. After a couple of hours at the lagoon, we start going down to the exclusive Quiswarniyoc camp for 2 hours to have a healthy lunch. After lunch, you have free time to explore the beautiful area and also if you like more hiking you can go up to the Salkantay viewpoint for the panoramic view of the whole region. If you are tired, you can rest in the MOUNTAIN SKY HUST which are the cabins with glass door, inside there are pillows, sleeping pad and lighting for the night.
DAY 2: Quiswarniyuc – Salkantay Pass – Huayracmachay – Chaullay Camp.
The second day of the trek is the most difficult because it takes you up to 4630 m and 20 km of trekking. The cooks will wake you up around 5:00 am with a cup of hot coca tea, then you have time to repack and prepare for the nutritious breakfast that is served around 5:45 am. Then it is time to start the hike up to the highest point of the Salkantay trail at 4630 m which takes 3 to 4 hours all the way uphill with a regular and slow pace. Once you are at the highest point, you have time to enjoy the mountains, to take pictures and the guide will teach you about the mountain gods also you will be part of the small Andean ritual for the Apus the mountain gods. Then you will start descending for 2 hours to the lunch place to rest and enjoy a delicious lunch. After continuing the hike for three more hours to the second camp which is Chaullay, where we provide you with the camping equipment, tea time and dinner also if you wish for ten soles you can rent the hot shower from the locals you can also buy some drinks. The camp is called Chaullay is located at 2900m right at the beginning of the Peruvian Amazon zone.
DAY 3: Chaullay – Sahuayaco beach – Santa Teresa – Hot springs.
The third day is beautiful but hot. You will already be in the jungle zone. We wake you up around 6:00 am with a cup of coca tea, then we provide you with a delicious breakfast, after breakfast around 7: 00 am we start the hike to Sahuayaco beach for 5 hours approximately along the Santa Teresa Valley which is formed by the Salkantay River Along the valley you have the opportunity to see the plantation like coffee, bananas, avocados, Coca, passion fruit, and much more after 5 hours of hiking, we arrive to La Playa Sahuayaco, from where we take the local transportation for one hour to Santa Teresa, which is the third camp.
Once at the camp, you will have a delicious lunch and then there is enough time to get ready for those who want to go to the beautiful hot springs of Colcampayo, which is a 15 minute drive from the camp. At the hot springs, you can spend a couple of hours or whatever you want or whatever the group decides. The hot springs are outdoors, natural and clean which makes a great place to relax then you will return to the camp where you will have tea time and a hot dinner then if you want you can be part of the small celebrations with a bonfire.
DAY 4: Santa Teresa – Lucmabamba – Llactapata – Hidrolectrica – Aguas Calientes.
Llactapata is the only Inca ruin along the Salkantay trail that you have the opportunity to visit on the fourth day, and from Llactapata you can see Machu Picchu, there is a beautiful view of Machu Picchu from a different angle. For this beautiful hike, you start very early in Santa Teresa with breakfast around 5:30 am then take the local transportation for 45 minutes to Lucmabamba to start the hike uphill for 3 hours on the original Inca trail that takes you to the Inca ruins of Llactapata. You will have enough time to enjoy the views of Machu Picchu, Huayna Picchu mountain and you will be able to see once again the Salkantay mountain if you are lucky with the weather. Afterwards, you start walking downhill to Hidroelsctirca for 2 hours to have a nutritious lunch and rest for a while. Then, you start the last part of the trek to Aguas Calientes for 3 more hours along the train track. Once you arrive at the small village, we will take you to the lodge where you will have time to rest by taking a shower. Around 7:00 pm the guide will organize the last dinner at the restaurant in Aguas Calientes after we go to sleep because the next day we have to start very early to go to Machu Picchu.
DAY 5: Machu Picchu – Cusco
On the last day of the tour you will visit Machu Picchu. You need to wake up around 4:00 am to prepare for the hike to the main entrance of Machu Picchu. After taking your breakfast pack you start walking to the Puente Ruinas checkpoint for 30 minutes which is open at 5:00 am where you have to show your passport and your Machu Picchu tickets. After passing the first checkpoint, you will walk up the stairs for an hour to the main gate of Machu Picchu to be there around 6:00 am. Once everyone gathers at the gate, you enter Machu Picchu for the 2.5 hour guided tour to learn all about The Lost City of the Incas. After the guided tour you will have free time to explore the Inca city of Machu Picchu on your own. At 18:45 p.m. you will take a train to Ollantaytambo and from there; a bus will take you to your hotel in Cusco.
