Salkantay Trail To Machu Picchu (5 Days)

The Salkantay trek is fairly difficult and requires a good level of fitness. This is a long trail that traverses through rough mountain terrain and takes you up a high pass. If you plan to conquer this route, you need to be hiking fit and able to trek for multiple hours a day. During the last two months leading up to your Salkantay trek, we suggest a regular exercise routine to improve endurance and stamina. We wish for you to have the best experience possible!

Please see the section above for trip inclusions and exclusions.

We recommend that all clients arrive in Cusco at least 48 hours before the start of your trek. This will give you a chance to acclimatize to the high-altitude conditions. These acclimatization days are important in order to begin the trek comfortably.

The following are essential items for this trek: - Original Passport - Walking boots - Waterproof jacket or rain poncho. - Warm jacket - Sleeping Bag (available to hire for $25). - Hat and gloves - T-shirts - Comfortable Trousers - Sun hat - Sun cream (factor 35 or higher) - Insect repellant - Toiletries and hand sanitiser. - Personal medication - Camera and film - Torch with spare batteries or Headlamps

Please consult with your physician or local travel clinic regarding your visit to South America. If you are visiting the Amazon, a yellow fever vaccination is recommended. Illnesses are more common in the Amazon than in the Andes mountains, where this trek takes place. Entrance requirements for Peru in regard to COVID-19 vaccinations and tests change regularly. You should check up-to-date restrictions before traveling.

For this trip, we do need at least two people booked on a date to confirm departure. If you are travelling solo, you're welcome to book, but please drop us a message beforehand to confirm existing groups.

If you are a solo traveller, you will need to pay the extra cost of the single supplement (US$70). This means private accommodation/tent during the tour. The payment needs to be made in cash USD once you arrive in Cusco.

It’s highly recommended that you take out personal travel insurance. Travel cover can protect you in the case of unforeseen circumstances, including cancellations, injuries, equipment loss, flight changes and other events that could negatively impact your trip. Note that standard insurance often doesn't cover adventure activities. We recommend using specialist adventure travel insurers, like [Rise & Shield](https://riseandshield.com/), for your trip. Specialist insurers can cover unique scenarios, like trekking at altitude or emergency evacuation in hard-to-reach places, that ordinary travel insurance doesn’t cover. It's your responsibility to carefully check the details of your policy to ensure that you're covered for the specific activities you'll be carrying out.

On this trek, Mules/horses will carry cooking and camping equipment as well as 15 lbs/ 7kg of your items. You will need to carry a daypack with items including water, snacks, and additional layers of clothing. You will also need to carry your own sleeping mat and pillow. We recommend bringing only the essentials in order to keep your pack light!

Along the trail, there are fairly regular stops at homes or small shops run by locals. Most of these have toilets available which you can pay a few coins to use. Some bathrooms are kept in great condition, others less so. Bring your own toilet paper and a bottle of hand sanitizer.

The best time for good weather on the Salkantay trek is between the months of April to October. This is when there is minimal rainfall and clear skies. The driest months are June – August (winter in the Andes). December to March is summer in Peru, which means the rainy season. The Salkantay trail runs through mostly tropical cloud forests and is usually very wet and humid over these months.

Any baggage that you don't need for the trek may be stored in your hotel in Cusco (most hotels offer this service free of charge). In the unusual case that your hotel does not provide this service, we will store your baggage safely in our office free of charge.

While staying in Aguas Calientes, it is possible to visit the hot springs located here (in Machupicchu Town). The entrance is not included in the cost of this tour. It costs approximately s/20 soles (US$ 6). Note: we do not visit the hot springs of Cocalmayo located in Santa Teresa.

We strongly recommend hiking sticks for this trek. Especially for those with any known knee problems. The poles will assist your balance and reduce the impact on your knees. We rent hiking sticks for $15. After booking, please let us know if you would like to rent a pair, you can pay for these in cash when you get to Cusco.

We take a maximum of 10 people per group.

We will pick you up from your hotel to begin your trek, upon finishing, we will drop you back here.

Of course, without any additional costs! When you make your reservation, please inform us of any dietary requirements, including allergies. We provide vegetarian options and can cater to lactose-intolerant or gluten-intolerant diets. Most of our main meals are buffet-style, so you can pick and choose. If you have preferences( for example, strongly dislike onions, tomatoes, or mushrooms) we will ask our chef to leave out or separate these items. Please note, we cannot accept individuals with life-threatening allergic reactions

Hiking up the neighboring mountains to the Machu Picchu site ( Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain) is an extremely popular add-on to this tour. These mountains have an additional cost of $85 USD per person and need to be booked in advance. If you would like to add one of these mountains to your Machu Picchu visit, please let us know once you have confirmed your booking (use the button on your tour dashboard; MESSAGE THE GUIDE). This extra activity is subject to availability. You will need to pay this balance at our offices once you arrive in Cusco.

For this trip, we do need at least two people booked on a date to confirm departure. If you are travelling solo, you're welcome to book, but please drop us a message beforehand to confirm existing groups. Once we have two or more bookings, the only events that may jeopardise your travel dates are natural disasters or other circumstances that may put your safety at risk.

Yes! If you would like to add extra days to your stay in Cusco and visit Rainbow Mountain, please 'Message Your Guide' from your Skyhook Dashboard after making the booking. Any activities (including Rainbow Mountain) that are not included in the itinerary of this trip will need to be arranged directly with the local operator and paid for in the country.

Machu Picchu entrance tickets can sell out, especially in season. So, it is advisable to book your trip in advance. We can only confirm your trip once we have secured your Machu Picchu entrance ticket. If we are unable to get a ticket for your date, we will recommend an alternative date or refund your booking in full. Please immediately follow your booking by providing your passport information to your host on your Skyhook dashboard. Note that if we have confirmed the purchase of your ticket and you need to change dates/ cancel your trip, the ticket price is non-refundable (as cash or Skyhook credit). If a date change is possible, you will need to pay the extra cost of a new ticket.

Certainly, Every day we receive many clients with food allergies to nuts, wheat, etc. Please inform us in detail of your condition upon making your reservation. We ask that you declare the severity of your reaction and any medication that you take in case of an emergency. If your allergy is severe, you need to be accompanied by someone who will take responsible for your condition and is prepared with all emergency medication. WE CAN NOT ACCEPT CLIENTS WITH LIFE-THREATENING ALLERGIES