Cusco: 5-Day Salkantay Ultimate Trek to Machu Picchu

Salkantay is the long way to Machu Picchu, and that is the point. Over five days, you climb to a 4,630-meter pass, circle back to Humantay Lake, descend through cloud forest and reach the Inca citadel with a guide. The route trades a quick arrival for a far more varied approach.

I like two things in particular: the high mountain crossing gives you a real sense of the Andes, and the overnight near Lucmabamba brings you close to a family coffee farm rather than keeping the trek all about the trail. The smaller group, capped at 10, also leaves more room for questions and individual attention.

The trade-off is demanding altitude and several long hiking days. You need to be comfortable with steep climbs and camping, and this is not a good choice if you have altitude sickness or back problems.

What makes this five-day route worth considering

• Humantay Lake at 4,200 meters: A side hike to a turquoise glacial lake puts you beneath the Humantay and Salkantay peaks.
• Salkantay Pass at 4,630 meters: This is the trek’s highest point, where thin air and a hard ascent come with broad views of snow-covered peaks and deep valleys.
• A family coffee-farm stop in Lucmabamba: The route includes time to learn about local coffee growing before you continue toward Machu Picchu.
• A quieter view from Llactapata: An uphill section of old Inca trail leads to ruins with a first view of Machu Picchu from across the valley.
• Most trek meals and camp support are included: A cook, horses for equipment and up to 7 kilograms of your personal items, and a wake-up tea service help lighten the load.
• A guided visit to Machu Picchu: Your guide explains the citadel’s temples, ceremonial areas, terraces and storage buildings.

Five days from high peaks to the Inca citadel

The route changes character almost every day. You start among high Andean peaks, cross the pass, descend into warmer forest and finish with a guided visit to Machu Picchu. That variety is the main reason I would choose this trek over a trip focused only on the citadel.

You will camp for four nights on the trail and spend the final night in a hotel in Aguas Calientes. A professional cook prepares meals during the trek, while horses carry the group’s equipment and up to 7 kilograms of your personal belongings. Your own pack still needs to hold essentials, including water for the first four hours of Day 1.

The tour costs $669 per person. That price covers the guide, cook, camping equipment, most meals, transport, Machu Picchu entry and the bus to the site, along with a hotel night in Aguas Calientes. It is a substantial package, but it includes several services you would otherwise have to arrange or pay for separately.

The price does not cover a sleeping bag or trekking poles, though both can be hired. It also excludes breakfast on Day 1, lunch and dinner on Day 5, travel insurance and the $85 fee for Huayna Picchu. Keep those extras in mind when comparing the total cost.

Day 1: Climb to Soraypampa and Humantay Lake

Your first day starts with a hike toward Soraypampa at 3,800 meters, where Salkantay and Humantay dominate the view. The mountains rise to 6,271 and 5,473 meters respectively, so even before the trek reaches its highest point, the scale of the Andes is clear.

A Peruvian lunch made with local ingredients breaks up the day. After eating, you continue to Humantay Lake at 4,200 meters. Its turquoise water reflects the peaks above, but getting there means another climb at altitude, when your body is only beginning to adjust.

You then return to camp for dinner and your first night outdoors. Bring sun protection and rain gear, as the required packing list suggests, and remember that you must carry your own water for the first four hours. The tour provides water after that.

Day 2: Cross Salkantay Pass at 4,630 meters

Day 2 is the hardest point of the trek. After an early breakfast, you climb to Salkantay Pass, the route’s highest point at 4,630 meters. The air is thin, and the uphill effort can feel slow. Take a steady pace rather than treating the climb as a race.

At the pass, you can look across snow-capped peaks, ridges and valleys. This is the big mountain day, and the effort is part of the reward: you reach a high Andean crossing on foot, rather than simply viewing the mountains from a vehicle.

The route then descends into a high-altitude jungle zone. The shift from cold, exposed heights to greener, lower ground makes the day feel like more than a single climb. You finish at camp after a long day, so expect tired legs and keep your evening simple.

Day 3: Descend through cloud forest to Lucmabamba

The third day takes you farther down into cloud forest. The trail passes waterfalls, fruit-bearing trees and local plant life as the air grows warmer. After about five hours, you reach Playa Sahuayaco at 2,200 meters.

From there, you continue into the area described as the eyebrow of the Amazon, a transition zone between the Andes and the Amazon basin. By afternoon, you reach Lucmabamba at 2,000 meters, where you stay at the final campsite.

The family coffee-farm visit gives this stop a different feel from a night spent only around camp. You can learn about local coffee growing, an everyday part of life here that also connects the trek to the communities along its route. The campsite is also the starting point for an old Inca trail to Llactapata the next morning.

Day 4: Follow the Inca trail to Llactapata

After breakfast, you climb for about two hours on an original Inca trail toward Llactapata, at 2,840 meters. The ruins are less visited than Machu Picchu, and their position offers a first view of the famous citadel from across the valley. That distant view makes a useful preview of the next day, without taking the place of the full visit.

You then descend through cloud forest to the Hydroelectric Station, a walk of about an hour and a half. From there, you travel to Aguas Calientes at 2,040 meters. This is the last transfer before Machu Picchu, and the hotel night gives you a change from camping before the early start.

The day still includes a significant uphill section, followed by a descent and onward travel. It is not a rest day, but it breaks up the mountain crossing and brings you close to the final destination.

Day 5: Explore Machu Picchu with a guide

After breakfast, you take a morning bus up to Machu Picchu at 2,430 meters. Your guide leads a visit through the citadel, explaining its temples, ceremonial spaces, terraces and storage buildings. A guide is valuable here: the stonework is striking on its own, but understanding how different areas were used gives the site more meaning.

You can also hike Huayna Picchu at 2,720 meters or Machu Picchu Mountain at 3,082 meters for a higher viewpoint. Huayna Picchu costs an additional $85 and is not included in the tour price. If either climb matters to you, check the relevant arrangements before booking; the package price does not cover the Huayna Picchu entry.

After the citadel visit, the group returns to Aguas Calientes for time to rest and have lunch. In the afternoon, you board a train to Ollantaytambo, then continue by van to Cusco. Lunch and dinner on this final day are not included, so plan for those costs.

What the included support means on the trail

A professional English- or Spanish-speaking guide leads the trek. Groups of nine or more also have an assistant guide, and the stated maximum is 10 people. The small cap should make it easier to hear instructions and ask questions, especially on a demanding climb or during the Machu Picchu visit.

The cook prepares four breakfasts, four lunches, four afternoon snacks and four dinners. Wake-up tea is brought to your tent each morning, and a dining tent with tables and chairs gives the group a sheltered place to eat. If you have a dietary request or allergy, you need to tell the tour provider when booking and confirm it again at the briefing.

You share a four-person tent with one other trekker, and a double-thickness foam mattress is provided. A sleeping bag is not included, so you will need to bring one or hire one. Horses carry equipment and up to 7 kilograms of your belongings; pack within that limit and expect to carry your own day-to-day essentials.

The team also carries an oxygen bottle and first-aid kit. Those are sensible support measures at altitude, not a substitute for being fit enough for the route or taking altitude symptoms seriously. The tour is specifically unsuitable for people with altitude sickness, back problems or those over 70.

Is the Salkantay trek a good value?

At $669, this is not simply a guided walk. The price includes four days of trail meals, camping support, a cook, horses, a professional guide, transport, the final hotel night, Machu Picchu entry and the bus to the citadel. Those inclusions make the price easier to assess than a bare trek fee.

Still, budget for the items left out. You will need to account for a sleeping bag and trekking poles if you do not bring your own, meals on Day 1 and Day 5, insurance and the separate Huayna Picchu fee if you choose that climb. Travel insurance is highly recommended for the whole trip.

The strongest qualities of the experience are the mountain scenery, the guide and the support team. Those are the features most consistently praised in the available feedback, which includes a 5.0 rating from three reviews. One trekker also described the route as physically and mentally difficult but worthwhile. That is a useful, plain warning: the scenery does not make the climbs easy.

Who should book this trek?

Choose this route if you want Machu Picchu to be the destination of a multi-day mountain trek, not a standalone day trip. You will get a high pass, a glacial lake, changing vegetation, a family coffee-farm stop and the Llactapata viewpoint along the way. The tour suits active hikers who can handle long days, high altitude and basic camping.

It may not suit you if you want a gentle introduction to the Andes, need more comfort at night or have concerns about altitude. The route includes steep uphill sections, a summit at 4,630 meters and several nights in camp. You should be comfortable with the physical demands before committing.

The tour operates with at least two participants and has a maximum group size of 10. It is described as a private group, with pickup from hotels in central Cusco. A briefing takes place one or two days before departure, where you meet the guide and group and receive the duffle bags carried by horse.

Should you book it?

Book this trek if you want the long, scenic approach to Machu Picchu and are prepared for a real physical challenge. Its best value comes from the combination of high mountain hiking, the Lucmabamba coffee-farm visit, trail support and a guided citadel visit, all bundled with key transport and entry costs.

Skip it if you are looking for an easy route, cannot manage high altitude or prefer not to camp. Before booking, check your gear, dietary needs and the extra cost of any optional mountain hike. The trip is demanding, but for a fit hiker seeking more than a quick visit to Machu Picchu, the five-day route offers a memorable way to reach it.

FAQ

How long is the Salkantay trek?

The tour lasts five days, starting in Cusco and ending with transport back from Ollantaytambo.

What is the highest point of the trek?

Salkantay Pass is the highest point, at 4,630 meters (15,190 feet).

Is Humantay Lake part of the route?

Yes. On Day 1, you hike to Humantay Lake at 4,200 meters, then return to camp.

Where do you stay during the trek?

You camp during the trek and stay in a hotel in Aguas Calientes on the night before visiting Machu Picchu.

Are meals included?

Four breakfasts, four lunches, four afternoon snacks and four dinners are included. Breakfast on Day 1 and lunch and dinner on Day 5 are not included.

Is a sleeping bag included?

No. You can bring your own or hire one. Trekking poles can also be hired.

How much personal luggage can the horses carry?

Horses carry equipment and up to 7 kilograms of your personal items.

Is Machu Picchu entry included?

Yes. The tour includes entrance to Machu Picchu and the bus to the site.

Does the tour include Huayna Picchu?

No. Huayna Picchu entry costs an additional $85. Machu Picchu Mountain is also listed as an optional hike, but no additional price is provided for it.

What languages are available, and how large is the group?

The guide speaks English or Spanish. Groups have a maximum of 10 people, and the tour operates with at least two participants.