Salkantay to Inca Trail (km 82) 4 Days

We have designed this route from Salkantay to the Inca Trail (km82) of the traditional Inca Trail, for those people who are lovers of nature and culture, since this new route is less known than the traditional route from Salkantay to Machu Picchu by hydroelectric power plant. This route is an off the beaten path trip, perfect for hikers who don’t like crowds. You will tour many Incan ruins such as Paucarcancha, Llactapata, Canamarca Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu.

The Salkantay to the Inca Trail (km 82), it does not require Inca trail permits and is accessible all year round, you will hike the first portion of the classic inca trail, in addition, the trek is beautiful and offers you breathtaking views of glacial peaks and fertile valleys. You can even combine this trek with the short inca trail in 5 days.

Salkantay to Inca Trail 4 Days highlights:

• Hike the first portion of the classic Inca Trail and visit Machu Picchu.
• Camp along remote mountainsides, where we can savor peaceful nights beneath a star-filled sky.
• Amazing natural & cultural history.
• Have the opportunity to see the glaciers of Mount Salkantay and Humantay.
• Enjoy a full day guided tour in Machu Picchu.

Acclimatization:
We recommend you be in Cusco at least 2 days before your trek to be acclimatized to Cusco’s altitude so that you won’t have a problem during the tour.

About us:
Peru Tripper is a direct local tour operator in Cusco – Peru; we never share our tours with other companies as most of them do to minimize operating costs. We don’t work with intermediaries or have hidden prices; we have the best local guides and professionals. We guarantee that your travel expenditures will support the local economy, and improve the lives of local Peruvians, due to the simple reason we are a local business!

We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco early in the morning, and we will make a beautiful panoramic tour of 2 hours to Mollepata. In Mollepata, we will have breakfast in one of the local houses and then continue driving to Soraypampa for another hour; during this part of the trip, we will have our first views of the magnificent mountains of Salkantay and Humantay, as well as observe the lush vegetation and fields of local families who grow potatoes, quinoa, beans, etc.

At this point, we will arrive at Soraypampa (3,800 m / 12,467 ft), the beginning of the trail for the trip to Salkantay, and we will meet with our support staff, who will pack everything for the trip and load the equipment on the horses. The first thing we will do is walk to the magnificent Lake Humantay. After enjoying the beauty and taking pictures, we will walk back to Soraypampa and begin the walk “officially.”

Today’s hike is uphill from Soraypampa to Ichupata (4,300 m / 14,104 ft) in the upper valley. This is a 5 to 6-hour walk. On the way, we will pass Salkantaypampa, which is our lunch spot. Ichupata is our camp at night. When we arrive, we will settle in; we will have a happy hour and a good dinner.

After a tasty breakfast, we will start the steep climb of 3 to 4 hours towards the Incachiriasca pass (4850 m / 15908 ft), the highest of the entire route. We will have incredible views of Apu Salkantay and glacial moraines during this part.

We will make a stop at the Incachiriasca pass above 4,850m to take pictures and enjoy the magnificent view. Then we will descend to our lunch spot in Sisaypampa, a flat area from where you can see the neighboring valleys of the Salkantay mountain. This is a place where we could have the opportunity to see Andean condors.

After our lunch, we will continue to the valley of Pampacahuana (3,700 m / 12,136 ft), located next to an original Inca canal. This will be our campsite for tonight.

Today we change the rhythm to join the Classic Inca Trail. We started with a walk down for 2 hours from Pampacahuana to Paucarcancha (3133 m / 10,276 ft). We will visit the Incan site of the same name. After the tour, we will walk downhill for 5 hours until we reach Km 82, which is the beginning of the classic Inca trail. On the way, we can see in the distance the Inca archaeological site of Llactapata. This is the first incan site that people see on the Classic Inca Trail. Our cook will wait for us with a delicious lunch at Kilometer 82.

After lunch, we will take private transport from Km. 82 and we will move to Ollantaytambo (2,792 m / 9,158 ft), where we will take the train to Aguas Calientes. When you arrive in Aguas Calientes, you will be registered in your hotel room. The natural hot springs of the city are a great place to relax if there is time before dinner. Dinner will be in a restaurant.

We will get up early in the morning, around 4 a.m., to have breakfast, and we will leave to walk to Machu Picchu, which takes an hour and a half to Machu Picchu, but there is another option to take the first bus that departs at 5:30 a.m. Machu Picchu (30 minutes) to appreciate the magnificent city as the sun rises. Your Guide will explain to you with a walking tour (approximately 2 hours) and, after this, you can explore the mysterious city on your own. If you still have energy, you can also climb the mountain Huayna Picchu (2720m / 8890ft) !!! It takes 45 minutes to reach the top of this mountain and have an impressive view of Machu Picchu together with Machu Picchu Mountain.

And after enjoying Machu Picchu, you have to go down to Aguas Calientes to take the train back to Ollantaytambo and then take the bus back to Cusco.

• Pre trek Briefing (briefing at the hotel).
• Pick up from your hotel on the morning of departure.
• Transportation from Cusco to the trailhead at the beginning of the hike by private car.
• Entrance fee to Salkantay.
• Entrance fee to Machu Picchu (Huayna Picchu US$ 80 extra) and Salkantay Trek.
• Professional guide with Spanish / English / Quechua speaking.
• Second Tour Guide over 12 people.
• Tents – 2 people in a 4 person tent, which allows for greater comfort and storage of backpacks.
• Thermarest air-inflate Comfortable sleeping Mattress.
• Professional Cook.
• Cooking equipment.
• Dining equipment, including portable chairs and tables.
• Local food service in the campsites (3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners, 3 snacks).
• Vegetarian and free gluten food for no extra cost.
• Daily tea service (weak up Coca tea and afternoon tea time or happy hour with full of popcorn, chocolate, coffee, and special snacks made by our cooks).
• Water for Drinking: we will supply with filtered and boiled water, and your bottles will be filled at each mealtime. Please bring enough water for the first day only.
• Single tents upon request with no extra cost.
• Camping spots fees.
• Horseman and horses. (they will carry our duffel bag of 7 kilos, including your sleeping bag, matt, and clothes.).
• Local Transportation from Km82 to Ollantaytambo train station.
• Tourist Expeditions Train ticket from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes(round trip).
• Private transportation from Ollantaytambo to Cusco.
• 1-night accommodation in Aguas Calientes (twin bedroom with private bathroom and hot shower).
• Insurance policy of life for cooks and horsemen.
• First-aid kit including emergency oxygen bottle.
• Visit Machupicchu on the last day (2 hours guided tour to explore the whole incan sites).

• Extra expenses.
• Breakfast – Day 1.
• Lunch and dinner – Day 4.
• Pillows.
• Not detailed meals.
• Travel and health insurance (bring copies with you).
• Huayna Picchu entrance US$ 80 extra.
• Sleeping bags (it can be rented from us for US$ 30 for the entire trip).
• Walking sticks (it can be rented from us for US$ 20 for the entire trip).
• Tips (optional).

• Original Passport.
• Original Student Card (if you book as a student).
• A travel insurance card is essential.
• Sleeping bag.
• Walking sticks.
• Rain gear (jacket and pants) or poncho. Plastic ponchos can be purchased for about $ 2 in Cusco.
• Strong footwear, waterproof trekking boots are recommended. Extra socks are a must.
• Sandals or plastic slip thongs are also good to give your feet a chance to breathe at night if you want to take them.
• Warm clothes include jackets, fleeces, gloves, scarf, and knit / tour beanies. Thermal clothing is also recommended, especially for sleeping.
• Flashlight and extra batteries.
• Camera, films and batteries (batteries consume more quickly under cold conditions).
• Hat or cap to protect you from sun, rain and cold.
• Sunblock.
• Insect repellent – minimum recommended 20% DEET – although no malaria risk has been reported.
• Toilet paper.
• Snacks: biscuits, energy bars, chocolate, raw fruits, muesli, etc.
• Non-disposable canteen (Nalgene type) and water for the first morning.
• We recommend bringing water purification tablets if you pick up water from streams.
• Your own special medicines you may need, paracetamol, second skin blisters, etc.
• Small towel.
• Bathers/swimsuit (if you think swimming in the hot springs)
• Cash – sufficient for snacks, tips, and souvenirs.
• Eager and adventurous spirit to enjoy your hike.

We also offer a special service only for you or your group, you have the power to choose the size of your group and the date of departure, we will never add other people since it will be organized only for you.

Our Salkantay to Inca Trail 4 Days private service, includes additional items such as:

• Extra horse to ride (1-2 days only for any emergency).
• Hotel 3 Stars (At Aguas Calientes Town).
• North Face 4 season tents.
• Entrance to climb Huaynapicchu Mountain.
• Vistadome Train (First Class train back from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo).
• Private Van from Ollantaytambo to Cusco.
• Bus Round Trip (Aguas Calientes – Machupicchu – Aguas Calientes).
• Lunch in Machupicchu or Aguas Calientes.
• Sleeping Bag.
• 02 Waking Poles per Person.
• 1 Duffel Bag to carry all your sleeping bags, Mattress as well as your clothes.
• Tour Guide to explore Machupicchu and Huaynapicchu all day. And of course, we pay a little more to our Staff and Guide.

We offer 3 kinds of service, each with different price ranges and you can book in any of these services according to your convenience, we just need you to be a minimum of 02 people to organize your trip on the date that suits you, all our services are 100 % guaranteed.

We are a direct TOUR OPERATOR that never passes clients to other agencies as most agencies do it here in Cusco to save operating costs with poor quality.

We will make the trip even if there are only 02 people in your group.

Can I be picked up from the Sacred Valley?
Yes, let us know in advance to organize your pick-up time (It has an extra cost for it).