Classic Salkantay Trek

You will be picked up from your hotel in Cusco between 4:30am and 4:45am. We will take you to the trailhead for a 3.5-hour drive, where you will enjoy a first breakfast prepared by the chef. Then we start a 3-hour hike to Soraypampa via an ancient aqueduct that supplies water to the farmers in the lower regions. Once in Soraypampa, your trekking chef will be waiting for you for a well-deserved lunch, and then we begin a 2-hour climb to Humantay Lake (4,200m).

On the way, you will see a variety of flora and fauna, including Andean geese (the love bird), deer, and vizcachas (which look a lot like rabbits). We continue climbing for another 2 hours to reach the Salkantay Pampa Base Camp at 3,900m. Here we pitch our tents, have tea and dinner, and admire the clear night sky before retiring for the night.

In the morning, we will surprise you with a hot cup of coffee or coca tea. As you leave your tent, you will be greeted by spectacular views of vast plains and snow-capped mountain peaks. After breakfast, we begin a 2-hour climb to the highest point of our trek, the Salkantay Pass (4,630m). We will spend time at the summit exploring the majestic scenery, including a stunning lake at the base of Salkantay Mountain. From here, it is a 3-hour descent to our lunch stop at Wayracmachay (3,800m).

We'll then begin another 3-hour descent from the highlands into the cloud forest, experiencing one of the fastest changes in weather and temperature. Along the way, we will enjoy a variety of flora, hummingbirds, and orchids until we reach Collpapampa at 2,770 m, where we'll spend the night near a small village.