Salkantay Short Trek 4 Days 3 Night

Independent

Lodge & Hotel
ACCOMMODATION
Gastronomy
CULTURAL
Personalized
GROUPS
Moderate to Challenging
DIFFICULTY

Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu: A Scenic 4-Day Trek through the Andes Mountains

The Salkantay Trek independent is an unforgettable 4-day and 3-night hiking route to Machu Picchu in the Peruvian Andes, a popular alternative to the Inca Trail designed for tourists with limited time. This trek in Peru offers stunning mountain landscapes, Inca heritage, and takes adventurers to the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu.

Essential Equipment for the Salkantay Trek: With Refugios Salkantay, you only need to carry a lightweight backpack with essentials like sunscreen, insect repellent, jackets, and snacks. Horses will transport the rest of your belongings.

Overcoming Altitude Sickness and Fatigue on the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu: Altitude sickness and fatigue can be common on the Salkantay Trek. However, the local families of Refugios Salkantay provide support, offering saddle horses and transportation in specific sections at no additional cost.

Accommodation with Local Families and Authentic Experiences: Refugios Salkantay families offer a unique and authentic experience on the way to Machu Picchu. Throughout the route, private rooms with private bathrooms are provided to ensure hikers' comfort and relaxation.

Independent Trek but Assisted by Families: Local families are always present to care for and assist hikers, providing peace of mind and support from the local community during the adventure to Machu Picchu.

Adapting to Dietary Needs and Local Meals on the Salkantay Trek: Refugios Salkantay and local families cater to all dietary needs and preferences, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable trek to Machu Picchu. They specialize in offering traditional, nutritious, and delicious dishes that reflect the region's rich culinary heritage.

Experience Traditional Inca Cuisine: The menu includes Inca dishes like pachamanca, an ancestral cooking technique using hot stones to cook meats and vegetables. This unique culinary experience allows immersion in Inca history and traditions while enjoying delicious, nutritious meals.

Tour Price Per Person

$ 280 USD

4 Days / 3 Nights
Salkantay Short Trek (Independent)


SALKANTAY TREK INDEPENDENT
payment with paypal
Tour Type: Trekking/hiking, cultural, adventurous
Good For: Those in moderate shape or better
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
Considerations: You will always have a saddle horse to ride in the most difficult section (Soraypampa - Paso Salkantay)
Refugios Salkantay

Soray

Refugios Salkantay

Soray

pachamanca experience

Inca road to Machu Picchu, along the mountains

Salkantay

Pachamanca Experience

Salkantay

Coffee Experience

Lucmabamba shelters a unique experience in the expertise of coffee

Lucmabamba

Coffee Experience

Lucmabamba

Refugios Salkantay

Hotel in Aguas Calientes

Aguas Calientes

Refugios Salkantay

Aguas Calientes

Refugios Salkantay

Machu Picchu Historical of the Incas

Machu Picchu

Refugios Salkantay

Machu Picchu

Refugios Salkantay

Trip Details Salkantay Trek

Refugios Salkantay
Salkantay Short Trek 4D / 3N

Hiking the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 4D and 3N

Kraig Adams Salkantay trek experience

The Salkantay trek is a breathtaking adventure that combines natural beauty with cultural richness. With Refugios Salkantay, you can enjoy a deeper and more authentic experience, staying in lodges and homestays that have a history and tradition of their own. This makes the trek more meaningful and allows you to feel part of the local community.

The Salkantay trek is a breathtaking adventure that combines natural beauty with cultural richness. With Refugios Salkantay, you can enjoy a deeper and more authentic experience, staying in lodges and homestays that have a history and tradition of their own. This makes the trek more meaningful and allows you to feel part of the local community.

Kraig Adams perfil Salkantay trek experience

The Salkantay trek is a breathtaking adventure that combines natural beauty with cultural richness. With Refugios Salkantay, you can enjoy a deeper and more authentic experience, staying in lodges and homestays that have a history and tradition of their own. This makes the trek more meaningful and allows you to feel part of the local community.

  • Cusco to Soraypampa (Humantay Lake) on the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

    We will pick you up at your hotel in Cusco between 4:40 am and 5:00 am in our private car, which will take you to the Mollepata community for a 2.5-hour journey towards the start of the Salkantay Trek. In Mollepata, my family will be waiting for you at the restaurant "La Casona", where you will meet the founder of "Refugios Salkantay", Mercedes Sotelo, and have the option to have breakfast before starting the hike.

    You will leave your big backpack with our driver, who will take it to the hostel in Soraypampa. You only need to bring the essentials for the 2-hour hike.

    Start of the hike:
    A member of the Refugios Salkantay family will show you the start of the trail to Soraypampa (7 km - 4.35 miles) on the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu. The first part of the hike ascends a zigzag trail for about 30 minutes to reach a water channel that will guide you to Soraypampa. Upon arrival at Soraypampa, the first house you will see will be Refugios Salkantay, located right by the trail. Here we will invite you to have a coca tea and show you your private room with a private bathroom, hot water shower, and clean towels.

    Experience authentic Inca cuisine: We will help you prepare the pachamanca, an ancestral cooking technique that uses hot stones to cook meats and vegetables. This unique culinary experience will allow you to immerse yourself in Inca history and traditions while enjoying delicious and nutritious meals.

    After lunch and a short break, one of our family members will accompany you for about half an hour to show you the way to the impressive Humantay Lake (4200 m - 13779 feet) on the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu. This is a round trip hike of 5 km (3.1 miles) that will take approximately 3 hours.

    Humantay Lake is one of the most beautiful points of the Salkantay Trek, with its turquoise lake that reflects the surrounding glaciers and the sacred Humantay Mountain. You will also see the spectacular snow-capped peaks of the Salkantay Glacier, one of the most sacred mountains of Inca mythology. Upon return, there will be a snack and a delicious dinner waiting for you.

    Starting elevation: 3,380 meters / 11,089 feet.
    Highest elevation (Humantay Lake ):4,300 meters /14,107 feet.
    OVERNIGHT: Refugios Salkantay: 3,850 meters /12,631 feet.
    Approximate night-time (outside) temperature at the lodge: 0 - 5°C.

    Food (Lunch - Dinner)
    Wifi
    Hot shower
    Cell phone charging
    Bed
    Moderate (10 km / 6,20mil)
    Towels
    5 hours
  • Soraypampa to Lucmabamba (Family Home) on the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

    Wake up to a 5:00 am coca tea alarm, followed by a delicious breakfast waiting for you in our dining room at 5:30 am. (Your main backpacks will be transported by the families of Refugios Salkantay on mules). At 6:00 am, we will start our day's hike by scaling the highest part of the trail, the Salkantay Pass (4650 m/15255 ft). The distance is 7 km (4.34 miles) on a steep ascent and will take approximately 3 hours from the base of the rocky valley to the magnificent Salkantay Mountain (6271 m / 20574 ft).
    When we reach the summit of the pass, we will catch our breath and admire the stunning views of the surrounding valleys and towering snow-capped peaks that surround us, including the mountains Salkantay, Humantay, and Tucarhuay. Salkantay Mountain is the second highest mountain in the Cusco region.

    If you are tired or experience any altitude symptoms, do not worry, there will always be a member of the Refugios Salkantay families nearby and they will have a horse for you to ride on the most challenging part of the trail (Soraypampa to Salkantay Pass). We also have a first aid kit and an oxygen ball.

    Once we have reached the highest point of the hike, we will descend for approximately 2 hours to reach the town of Huayracmachay where a delicious lunch awaits you. Along the way, you will see a small house with a large sign that says Refugios Salkantay, if you are afraid of missing it, do not worry, the local family that accompanied you to the Salkantay Pass on horseback will be waiting for you in Huayracmachay. After a delicious lunch, we will continue our journey to Chalway, accompanied by a member of the local families who will accompany you on horseback, carrying your heavy backpacks. The hike is a picturesque descent of approximately 10 km (6.2 miles) and will take about 3 hours. This is a wide trail that passes through a heavily vegetated area with plenty of tree cover. This is an incredibly beautiful part of the trail with plenty of flora and fauna, panoramic views, and abundant wildlife, with native plants and flowers. These forests are generally quite warm and tropical for much of the year, with high temperatures at certain times of the year. We will then arrive at the town of CHALWAY (2,900 meters / 9,514 feet of elevation).

    Upon arrival, our private vehicle with a member of the Refugios Salkantay families will be waiting to take us to the family home located in Lucmabamba (The House is surrounded by coffee and fruit plants) where a delicious dinner and family sharing await you. You will have a private room with a private bathroom, with hot water showers.

    Starting elevation: 3850m /12631 feet.
    Max elevation: 4660m / 15,288 feet.
    OVERNIGHT: Lucmabamba Lodge: 2400 meters / 7874 feet.
    We include an emergency horse if altitude sickness affects you or if you are very tired, during the most difficult section (Soraypampa - Salkantay Pass)
    Weather: Cold

    Food (Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner)
    Wifi
    Hot shower
    Cell phone charging
    Bed
    Challenging (22 km / 13,67mil)
    Towels
    9 hours
  • Lucmabamba (Family House) – Llactapata – Hydroelectric Station – Aguas Calientes.

    Our local family will wake you up early with a cup of coffee. You will have an interactive cultural experience with the locals, including a meeting with the coffee growers who cultivate their organic coffee, still using traditional methods to roast and grind the coffee beans. Then we will continue through the plantains, granadilla, cassava, and avocado plantations.

    A delicious breakfast will be waiting for you and after breakfast, we will continue to walk very early, along an original Inca trail. After a 2 to 3 hour climb with spectacular views over the Santa Teresa valley, you will reach the Llactapata pass.

    We will then begin to descend for about 10 minutes, arriving very quickly at the Llactapata Inca ruins, the first archaeological site, located right in front of Machu Picchu. During this part of the descent, we will have a continuous view of Machu Picchu as well as Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain. We will continue downhill for about 2 hours until we reach the Hydroelectric Station where a delicious lunch awaits you.

    From this point, you can walk along the train tracks for approximately 2 hours to the town of Aguas Calientes. Don't worry about your large backpacks, they will be waiting for you at the hotel.

    Starting Elevation – 2450 m / 8038 feet
    Aguas Calientes Elevation – 2000 m / 6561 feet
    This is where our services finish and you say “Goodbye” to "Salkantay Refuges!

    Food (Breakfast - Lunch)
    Wifi
    Hot shower
    Cell phone charging
    Hotel Bed
    Challenging (25 km / 15,53mil)
    Towels
    9 hours
  • Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Ollantaytambo - Cusco

    After a delicious breakfast, You'll need to arrive at Machu Picchu early, which means waking up early! Machu Picchu opens at 6 am until 5 p.m. You can either hike up to Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes, which is a 2-hour hike, or take the shuttle bus to the archaeological site for $12 USD (one way) which takes 30 minutes. If you'd like to hire the services of an official guide, there are many at the entrance to Machu Picchu who form groups for a guided tour. The cost usually ranges from 20 soles per person for a group tour to around 200 soles for a private tour. A guided tour usually lasts for 3 hours through this mystical site. A regular entrance ticket will only allow you to visit for approximately 2 to 3 hours. Upon entering Machu Picchu, you'll head to the main viewpoint. Here, you can take your idyllic Machu Picchu postcard photos. You'll visit the most important sites and temples within the archaeological site.

    Tickets for Machu Picchu Mountain or Wayna Picchu Mountain are subject to availability. Consult your Refugios Salkantay specialist for more details when making your reservation. These permits must be reserved in advance and cost $70 USD per person.

    The citadel of Machu Picchu has many steps and uphill climbs.
    Approximately 4 hours.
    Machu Picchu: Easy to moderate.

    Food (Breakfast)
    Easy
    Store Luggage at Hotel
JavaScript Accordion - Example 02
Included in the Package:
Hotel Pick up in Cusco.
Private transport (Cusco - Mollepata / Mollepata - Challacancha.)
Hot shower at all lodges.
Fresh towels and soap are provided at all lodges.
Rooms in private cabins: Soraypampa, Lucmabamba, Aguas Calientes.
We have double rooms, twin rooms, and triple rooms.
Mules and horsemen to carry your personal items for 100% of the route. (Until leaving them at their hotel in Aguas Calientes.)
First Aid kit in all lodges.
All meals are included during the hike until the last day when we reach Hydroelectric.
Cooking classes and enjoy one of the most traditional dishes of the Andes.(New 2023)
NO sleeping bags are needed, you will sleep in a real bed and be super warm.
We also provide a natural walking stick for the hike at no extra cost- one stick per person.
Water is provided.
WiFi Free.
All our Refugios have renewable energy to charge their cell phone.
Coffee tour.
Includes an emergency horse in the most difficult stretch if you are tired or affected by altitude sickness (Soraypampa - Salkantay Pass).
Not Included in the Package:
First breakfast in Mollepata
Entrance to the Salkantay Trail (S/.20 per person)
Entrance ticket to Machu Picchu. Only official website (www.Machupicchu.gob.pe)
Return from Aguas Calientes to Cusco.
2 Options to Return to Cusco form Aguas Calientes:
Option 1:
Train: (AGUAS CALIENTES - OLLANTAYTAMBO) + Bus (Ollantaytambo - Cusco)
There are many train schedules to Cusco. We recommend buying the bimodal service from 2:30 pm in the train companies. www.perurail.com / www.incarail.com
The trip takes approximately 3 to 4 hours to get to Cusco and you will be dropped off a few blocks from Cusco's main square.

Option 2:
Bus (approximate cost $20 per person).
You do not need to book in advance but we recommend leaving at 1 pm maximum from Aguas Calientes.
You have to make a 3 hour walk along the train tracks (Aguas Calientes - Hydroelectric) then a public bus / minibus - 6 hours approx. (Hydroelectric - Cusco).

Any additional information on how to book your entrance to Machu Picchu, or options on how to return to Cusco either by train or bus, we will be happy to help you.
What to Bring:
Hiking boots: comfortable and sturdy with non-slip soles that fit well.
A change of clothes – please be prepared for every type of weather from cold and hot, to wet and dry.(It is important to remember to pack only what is necessary.)
Spare, dry socks are a necessity.
Rain gear: a waterproof jacket and pants to protect from rain. You can buy a rain poncho almost everywhere but best to do so in Mollepata for around $1.50 USD
Hat, sunglasses and sunscreen: to protect from the sun and wind at high altitudes.
Insect Repellent – minimum recommended 20% DEET – although there is no recorded malaria in the area, bites can be itchy.
Sandals to allow your feet to rest.
Swimsuit (if you want to enjoy the thermal springs).
Original Passport and student cards.
Flashlight or headlamp.
Please bear in mind that knives or anything with a sharp metal point will be confiscated in Machu Picchu.
Cash! – Enough for snacks, tips, souvenirs, - bring in small denominations - no large notes.

Per Person

$ 280

  • All our tours are priced in US Dollar.
    You will always have a private room with a private bathroom just for you in all the places where you will sleep.
  • Important:
  • If you are alone, don't worry, check our availability and our dates to be able to join one of our already confirmed groups.
Family Refugios DAY 1

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Family Lucmabamba DAY 2

Mr. Enrique Albarez and family. Very good afternoon I am Enrique Alvarez Davalos with my wife Teofila component of the family Alvares Cardenas, we all a life we have been dedicated to agriculture. A small review that I can give you in 2002 was restored the Inca Trail and at this time I also had the visit of a Dutch friend of a passenger who came. That meant enough incentive to be able to build a small lodge that since then we are focused all my family. Offering our services, the tour and coffee tasting and a shared experience with the passengers. Thanks to Refugios Salkantay for choosing our family since we have been working with them for 5 years with care and responsibility with the passengers. Also, thanks to God for everything.

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Lucmabamba refuge, Refugios Salkantay
Hotel Aguas Calientes DAY 3

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