Classic Salkantay Trek (4 Days)
Adventure Tours Peru
12 people
4 Days
Español, English, Portuguese
Prepare for an exhilarating adventure with Peru Jungle Trips on our Classic Salkantay Trek 4 Days, tailored for those who crave excitement and breathtaking landscapes.
Embark on a journey through diverse terrain, from snow-capped peaks to enchanting cloud forests and verdant Peruvian jungle, all leading to the iconic wonder of Machu Picchu.
Experience the dramatic shift in landscapes and climates in just four days, immersing yourself in awe-inspiring vistas that will surely leave you speechless.
On Day 1, trek to the mesmerizing Humantay Lake, a sapphire amidst snowy panoramas. Day 2 brings the challenge of the Salkantay Pass trail, offering panoramic views of the majestic Salkantay Mountain.
But the adventure doesn’t end there! Conclude your epic journey with a visit to the fabled Lost City of the Incas, Machu Picchu. Enjoy a guided tour followed by an ascent to either Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, where you’ll soak in a panoramic vista of the Citadel, transporting you back in time.
Don’t miss out on this unforgettable experience.
Departure & Return Location
Cusco Hotel Transfer
Departure Time
04:30 AM – 05:00 AM
Itinerary
Day 1: CUSCO – MOLLEPATA – SORAYPAMPA
We’ll fetch you from your hotel bright and early at 4:30 a.m., embarking on a scenic 3-hour drive to Mollepata, the starting point of our Salkantay trek. Upon arrival in Mollepata, while you enjoy breakfast, our skilled cook and horseman will organize the camping gear and culinary essentials.
Then, we’ll begin our hike, with the initial 3 hours offering a gradual ascent to Cruzpata, where we’ll relish lunch amid panoramic vistas of majestic snow-capped peaks (Humantay; 4120m/13500ft and Salkantay; 6271m/20575ft)—just a taste of what’s to come!
Our journey continues towards Soraypampa, our first camping spot on the Salkantay Trek (3800 m/11750ft; the highest and chilliest campsite along the route), nestled near the towering Salkantay, Cusco’s second-highest snow-capped mountain.
Day 2: SORAYPAMPA – APU SALKANTAY- CHAULLAY
Following our breakfast, we set out to trek around 5:45 am. Today promises to be the longest day of our journey. The initial 4-hour stretch involves a steady uphill climb to reach the highest point of the Salkantay (4650m), nestled between two towering peaks: Salkantay to the right and Tucarhuay to the left.
From this vantage point, the views of the two snow-capped giants are simply breathtaking. There’s a chance of encountering snow at this altitude.
After a well-deserved break, we’ll continue our trek (now downhill) through a dramatic cloud forest toward Huayracpunku, where we’ll pause for lunch. Following lunch, we’ll resume our journey, heading deeper into the beginnings of the jungle until we reach our second campsite at Chaullay or Colcapampa (3000m along the Salkantay trail).
Day 3: CHAULLAY – LA PLAYA SAHUAYACO (CLOUDY FOREST)
After breakfast, at 6:30 am, we embark on our journey through the high jungle, crossing the Lluskamayo River and several small streams to reach La Playa, a trek lasting about 6 hours.
Today, we’ll traverse valleys and enjoy stunning views of waterfalls, tropical fruits, and lush vegetation. Once we reach Sahuayaco Beach, our muleteers will return to Mollepata via the same Salkantay Trek, where you’ll also have lunch.
From there, we’ll take a local vehicle to the Hidroeléctrica station to commence a further 2-hour walk along the railway tracks to Aguas Calientes.
Day 4: AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHUPICCHU – CUSCO
We rise early in the morning around 4 am, then at 4:30, we have breakfast and set out to walk to Machu Picchu, which takes about an hour and a half. However, there’s another option to catch the first bus departing at 5:30 to Machu Picchu (a 30-minute ride) to witness the magnificent city as the sun rises.
Upon arrival, you’ll enjoy a guided tour of Machu Picchu (approximately 2 hours) led by your guide. Afterward, you’ll have around 30 minutes to explore the citadel further on your own, or you can opt to climb Huayna Picchu (2720m), which takes about 1 hour to reach the summit.
Once you’ve soaked in the beauty of Machu Picchu, you’ll descend to Aguas Calientes, where you’ll have free time to have lunch and visit the hot springs. Then, you’ll need to head to the train station 30 minutes prior to catch the train back to Ollantaytambo. There, we’ll be waiting for you with the minivan to return to Cusco.
Included
- Professional Guides
- Briefing at our office.
- Emergency Horse
- Hotel
- Transportation
- Equipment
- Food, Lunch the last and first day is not included.
- Water
- Extras: small pillow to sleep with, a foam mattress, a day pack and a rain poncho.
- Satellite Phones
Not Included
- Sleeping bag: USD $25
- Inflatable air mat: USD $20
- Walking sticks (pair): USD $20
- Huayna Picchu Mountain $ 35
Packing List
It is important to be prepared for the adventure:
- Passport
- Valid, GREEN ISIC card (if you booked as a student)
- Good daypack (the smaller, the better)
- Entrance Fees
- 1 Warm, down jacket: gets very cold at night
- Headlamp: Essential
- Waterproof gloves (even if they are ski gloves, take them)
- Quick dry towel. We provide small ones, you might enjoy something a little larger
- Small bottle of soap: we provide warm water each day to clean – might make you feel fresh if you had a little soap.
- Battery Charger: There is no place to plug in while trekking!
- Large plastic bags: to help organise and keep clean from dirty
- Sleeping bag: Recommend down bags for -10C at least
- Sunscreen, face moisturiser, bug spray, handsanitiser, wet wipes, toothbrush and paste, toilet-paper
- Personal medication
- First aid kit: band aids, moleskin, etc
- No-hassle best price guarantee
- Customer care available 24/7
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Do not hesitate to give us a call. We are an expert team and we are happy to talk to you.
- +51 998 134 635
- [email protected]
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TripAdvisor Reviews
At Peru Jungle Trips, we work every day to exceed our travelers’ expectations. The reviews on TripAdvisor reflect the commitment, dedication, and quality we bring to every journey through Peru. Thanks to our clients’ trust, we continue creating unique experiences surrounded by nature and Andean culture.
Jodie K2025-09-07Verified Jungle tour Amazing 2 day trip in to Manu National Park. The tour guide Raul and driver Percy were great. We saw so much wildlife, monkeys, tortoise, vultures, hummingbirds, sooo many birds. The accommodation at Bambu lodge was lovely and the night trek was fun. It really was a great experience. Would definitely recommend. Ravi2025-08-27Verified Increíble experiencia con Pedro / Perú Jungle Trips company - Machu Picchu vía Hidroeléctrica y Cusco Pedro me recomendó el tour a Machu Picchu por la ruta Hidroeléctrica entendiendo mi preferencia por caminar siempre que sea posible. Él escuchó mis preguntas y se le ocurrió el consejo apropiado. No solo eso, Pedro es muy conocedor de la historia Inca y lugares de interés relevantes alrededor de Cusco. Gracias a Pedro - pude visitar Saqsaywaman, Templo de la Luna y Kusilluchayoc! Joel S2025-08-18Verified Recorrido de 1 día por el valle sagrado 1 día tour por el valle sagrado fue impresionante. Muy recomendable. Aprende sobre cada sitio. Jhonathan era un guía turístico increíble. Amable, paciente y manteniéndonos a tiempo. Grite al conductor por la conducción dura también. ¡Recomendaría! Cris T2025-08-18Verified Tour de 4 días por el Amazonas Hicimos un tour por la selva de 4 días desde Iquitos y fue irreal! El tour estaba bastante bien planeado y el personal era muy servicial. Nuestro guía (Kev/Kevin) fue genial y servicial, estaba lleno de datos interesantes sobre el Amazonas, también es bastante malo. La comida y el alojamiento era genial también! No había muchos otros viajeros uniéndose a nosotros, pero todavía era increíble y se sentía bastante privado y especial, sin duda recomendaría! Maps374829775792025-07-27Verified Excelente tour Muy buen tour. Buena organización, el guía Rubén muy atento y siempre preocupado por nosotros. El cocinero Lucho nos sirvió platos típicos de la zona, muy ricos y buena preparación considerando que los hace en la selva.La agencia muy atenta y siempre con buena predisposición. de toffol D2025-07-25Verified Special Valle Sagrado Tour Questo tour è stato veramente bello, interessante Ed economic. Altamonte raccomandabile x il servizio di questa agenzia. Pedro il proprietario Vi accogliera' familiarmente. Da non perdere. karinebernard832025-07-24Verified Super expérience! Le magnifique treck pour Choquequirao s’est très bien passé avec cette agence. Pedro à l’agence a été très patient avec toutes nos questions. Le guide Jimmy était vraiment bien, dynamique, motivant et passionné par l’histoire du site. Tout était parfaitement organisé et Jimmy a adapté à notre rythme les étapes pour limiter la marche aux heures difficiles de soleil au zénith. Les étapes étaient très chouettes, on a toujours bien dormi et bien mangé avec des hôtes accueillants. Enfin, le muletier qui nous accompagnait était très agréable et prenait bien soin de ses chevaux, ce qui était très important pour nous. Tout était parfait! Nous recommandons! Sara D2025-07-07Verified Viaje increíble - ¡Muy recomendable! ¡Gira 10/10! Nuestro viaje fue genial: alojamiento cómodo, comida increíble y pudimos ver un montón de vida salvaje y hermosos paisajes en un corto período de tiempo. Nuestro guía, Jimmy, estaba bien informado, era amigable y nos ayudó a comprender mejor las plantas, los animales y la cultura locales. Deseamos haber hecho una de las caminatas más largas para experimentar más, y planeamos regresar. ¡Recomendaría Peru Jungle Trips! Prueba J2025-06-09Verified La mejor experiencia de viaje fue gracias a Peru Jungle Trips Gran experiencia con nuestros amigos de Peru Jungle Trips nos explicaron todo, nos ayudaron y nos atendieron tarde en la noche para coordinar el tour del próximo día. Tom S2025-05-19Verified Excelente viaje. Excelente viaje. Bien planeado y mantenido en el tiempo. Espectacular paisaje y una guía muy informativa. Yo recomendaría.

Thanks to the entire team because it was a wonderful experience.
Don't miss the tour to the Ballestas Islands and the dunes in Ica. Carlos, the man who drove the buggy, was very nice and super friendly, taking our photos and everything!
Thank you, thank you.
In the reserve we could find many types of fauna and the guide gave information at all times and knew many species.
From the moment I arrived in Peru, Peru Jungle Trips made everything feel effortless and personal. Pedro, the owner, greeted me at the airport with a warm, open energy that immediately set the tone for the rest of the journey. He thoughtfully organized both parts of my trip, first to Cusco and Machu Picchu, then deep into the Amazon jungle, handling every detail with care, sincerity.
What made it even more special was the consistency throughout the experience. Every driver and guide I encountered shared the same heartfelt energy. They were easy to find, always on time, and carried a calm presence that helped everything feel aligned. It allowed me to move through the journey with ease and actually enjoy the experience without stressing over logistics.
Then there was Kevin, my guide in the jungle, who took the experience to another level. With a sacred presence and deep knowledge of the land, he didn’t just show me the jungle, he helped me connect with it. He was a kind and gentle spirit, who was fully present. His guidance felt personal and grounded.
Peru Jungle Trips is more than a travel service. It is an experience curated by people who genuinely care. I’m grateful to have found it, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for something meaningful and real❤️