The Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu: An Unforgettable Adventure in the Andes

Trekking to Machu Picchu is the hike of a lifetime, so I was super excited to get the opportunity to do it while I was in Peru to open medical clinics with FNE International. The most famous trek to Machu Picchu is the Inca Trail, but after doing much research I decided to do the Salkantay Trek instead. I had read that Salkantay is more difficult and much less busy than the Inca Trail, which were the most swaying reasons along with it being much less expensive.

After even more research, I decided to book my Salkantay Trek with Alpaca Expeditions, a tour company with excellent reviews. I had originally planned to hike with one of my friends without guides, but unfortunately she was unable to make it. This prompted me to look into guiding services since backpacking alone in a foreign country where I don’t speak the language fluently sounded too challenging. I ended up absolutely loving my experience with Alpaca Expeditions and I was lucky enough to make some great new friends along the way!

Day 0: The Ride to Soraypampa

I counted the first day of the Salkantay Trek as a zero day because it was devoted to transportation. I had directions to meet the group at headquarters in Cusco in the mid-afternoon so that we could be shuttled to our starting campsite in preparation for hiking the next day. My day, however, started off with saying a bittersweet goodbye to all of the friends I had made opening medical clinics. As I boarded the bus from Urubamba to Cusco I suddenly realized that for the first time since leaving Boston I was truly alone.

I spent the morning exploring the beautiful city of Cusco before meeting the group I would be spending the next five days with and departing on our journey. It was a three and a half hour van ride to our first campsite in Soraypampa, and I have to say it was a little tedious. The driver of our van was flying around turns up and down mountain switchbacks on dirt roads.

At one point we had to stop to change a flat tire on the van, so we stopped at a convenience store for snacks. It took about a half hour, so this gave me an opportunity to introduce myself to the other hikers on the trip. There was a family of five and a group of two young women who were on the trip, and everyone was very welcoming. I was relieved because the idea of doing a long backpacking trip with a group of strangers had been making me anxious all week.

We made it to the campsite around in the evening, but when I stepped out of the van I was pleasently surprised to see a group of beautiful little cabins in front of me. It was the nicest campsite I had ever been to and we even electricity and running water. It was a little chilly, probably 40 degrees out but still comfortable. After a delicious meal and a debriefing I went to bed early to prepare for the long day of hiking ahead of me. Laying under the glass roof of the cabin I could see thousands of stars in the night sky above. It was silent and peaceful, and I fell asleep with the light of the full moon glowing above my head.

Day 1: Humantay Lagoon and the Salkantay Pass

Day one marked the start of our first day of hiking the Salkantay Trek. We were woken up early in our cabins with a hot cup of coca tea. It was a really pleasant wake up call and started the day off right. After a big breakfast we started off on our way to Humantay Lagoon. It took us a few hours to hike up to the lake, and even though it was only a few miles from the campsite the elevation gain and altitude made it fairly challenging. We took lots of breaks and stayed hydrated to try to ward off altitude sickness.

Once we got to the glacial pool the views were breathtaking. The bright turquoise water and glacier covered mountains in the background were a sight like nothing I had ever seen before. It was stunning. I could have stayed here all day laying on smooth rocks basking in the sun. After hanging out for a few minutes we started the descent back to the main trail.

On our way back down I started to notice that not all of us were going at the same pace. The two women were struggling, no doubt due to the weight of their packs. Our guide, Max, had warned them that it would be too heavy but I guess they didn’t realize how difficult the hike would be. The family of five, two women and a and about my age along with their parents did really well. The parents were a little slower than their kids and I, but they we’re keeping up pretty well and didn’t seem like they had any intentions of giving up.
This was my first time hiking at altitude, and it was unlike any other hike I had experienced in the past. The trail wasn’t particularly steep or difficult, but because we were at 14,000 feet and climbing to 16,000 feet, I was huffing and puffing my way up the mountain. It was a little embarrassing to feel so out of shape, and it really gave me a reality check into what I would be facing in the next few days. I hadn’t realized that we would be going through the Salkantay pass today, so when I found that out I knew what a long day we truly had ahead of us.
The group didn’t arrive at Soyrococha, our lunch spot, until mid-afternoon. I knew we were behind schedule and the two women with us were really struggling at this point. We had an aid horse carrying their bags and they were given oxygen to help with the altitude. The best part about lunch was drinking hot tea after being out in the cold, rainy weather for so long. We desperately needed the warm up, and our porters had made an excellent meal that really hit the spot and gave us the energy we needed to continue.
After lunch the hike up to Salkantay Pass was steep and tough. It felt like I was taking breaks to catch my breath every few hundred yards. My head was pounding and I was a little bit dizzy, but I kept drinking water in the hopes that I would feel better. The two women who had been struggling were falling behind at this point. They both ended up riding the horse up to the start of the pass. They both had mentioned the day before that they were marathon runners, so it was surprising to see how the altitude could affect them so much. The parents of the family travelling with us, Kristen and Mark, made it up without any help so seeing them gut it out was really inspirational and motivated me to keep going.
Unfortunately, when we got to the top of Salkantay Pass it was so cloudy that we couldn’t see anything. During the rainy season in Peru, it rains almost every afternoon. Even so, we were excited to have reached the pass because from here most of the rest of the trek is downhill. We hiked down for a few hours, but with the cloud cover the only views we had were of the wild chinchillas scurrying over the rocks.
As dusk approached it seemed like we were going slower and waiting longer for everyone to catch up, and I was starting to worry that we wouldn’t make it to camp before dark. Surely enough, night fell upon us when we still had a few hours to get to camp. Just before dark we were lucky enough to have some great views of the mountains!
We hiked with headlamps until we made it to Wayracmachay around 8:15. This was a huge relief because at that point we we’re all hungry and tired. I was lucky to get a tent all by myself, so I turned in right after dinner with the comfort of a hot water in my toasty warm sleeping bag. This was one of the longest hiking days I had ever experienced. At a lower altitude, this hike wouldn’t have been difficult, but the altitude made it a humbling experience.

Miles

Feet Gained

Day 2: Mountains, Rainforest, and Jungle Terrain All in a Day

The morning started off with an early wake up call, a cup of tea, and an amazing view. Stepping out of my tent I saw the mountains through which we had just traveled, a pleasant surprise since yesterday’s views were fraught with clouds. I felt so refreshed waking up in the crisp mountain air after a good night’s sleep.
By the time we finished eating our large breakfast the sun was already beating down. Before we got on the trail we were formally introduced to our porters, cooks, and horsemen. They were all very nice and I was incredibly thankful for the delicious meals they had prepared for us.
As we started towards Ccollpapampa we dropped from the alpine zone to the cloud forest, the rainforest, and then into the jungle. The terrain changed quickly and dramatically as we descended and each climate zone brought a completely different ecosystem with it. The alpine zone here was unlike what we have in the White Mountains. I was much less delicate than the alpine zone in the whites, with lots of vegitation, grassy pastures, and cattle grazing all around. I was similar to the Whites in that it’s very rocky, but the well beaten horse path made it much easier to navigate.
The cloud forest is where the clouds usually sit in the mountains. This area had many tall bushes and smaller trees but was still high enough to be out of range of mosquitoes and other bugs. As we descended the trees slowly started to become taller and there was more and more vegetation with less rocks. After a little while we came to the rainforest where we put on bug spray to protect us from the mosquitoes.
I had never been in a rainforest so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. It was so alive with beautiful flora and fauna surrounding the path. We saw orchids and lots of other flowers along with many different types of plants. There were also hummingbirds, green parrots, and butterflies everywhere. It was so beautiful seeing all of the different species thrive, but the downside was that there were now swarms of mosquitoes attacking from every angle.
After stopping for lunch we set off into the jungle for a hike through the local farms. We walked along the path that the river below us had carved thousands of years ago. At one point we took a short cut and used a cable car fly over the river. It was scary but so much fun!
As we walked through the various farms we saw avocados, coffee, and granadillas, small orange fruits similar to passion fruit, growing all around us. Summer is the low season of year for tourism in the sacred valley, so many of the small shops that you can buy fruit from were closed. Luckily we were able to find some ripe fruit on the trees along the public road.

After a tricky river crossing we continued through the jungle where we came across a poisonous snake on the trail. They’re very rare and luckily it slipped away without hurting anyone. Soon after we found a cute little treehouse overlooking the valley near our campsite. When we got to camp I was excited to relax and unwind after the long day, and we stayed Alpaca Expedition’s private campsite complete with a hot tub and showers which were amazing after all of the hiking we had done. After a delicious supper I fell asleep to the sound of the river flowing just beneath the campsite.

Miles

Feet Gained

Day 3: Handmade Coffee and a Sneak Peek of Machu Picchu

The morning started early and after breakfast we got on the trail to La Playa Sahuyaku, a cute riverside town down the road. We stopped for a break there and I some very cute local children. As we walked through the the rainforest we saw many different crops including bananas, avocados, coffee, and agave. After a few hours of walking we reached the Inca trail that we would be following the rest of the way to Machu Picchu. There are many Inca trails all over South America, so although this wasn’t the classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, it was still one used by the Incas many years ago.
The trail was rugged but well beaten and at a steady incline, but after a little while we arrived at Lucmabamba coffee farm. We made our own coffee starting by picking the ripe red beans off the plants around us. Then we shelled, cleaned, and roasted the beans in a traditional Incan pot. We then ground them and used a pour over method to make the coffee. The flavor was so smooth and not acidic or bitter at all. It was almost creamy and by far the best coffee I had ever tasted.
After lunch I did some yoga to refresh my legs and prepare for the impending uphill climb. The Inca Trail was a gradual uphill slope, so not too difficult especially since we had dropped so much elevation the day before. That afternoon I had a little time to do some solo hiking, which was refreshing after being for the group for days. Don’t get me wrong they’re all very nice, but I love solo hiking every once in a while so that I can collect my thoughts and connect with nature.

At the top of the pass there was an old rope swing looking over the valley. It was incredible swinging high over the river and the views were incredible. We soon made it to Llactapata, an ancient Incan site near our campsite. The ruins were so interesting, and knowing that thousands of years ago native people stood her was fascinating. Here we also caught our first views of Machu Picchu here. It looked dauntingly far away, especially since that was our destination the next day.

Our campsite was only a short distance from Llactapata, and had the same, beautiful views of Machu Picchu in the distance. The campsite was beautiful, and there were a few other hikers there from another group. These were the first other hikers we had seen, and it was nice to chat with them about their experiences.

It was Christmas Eve, so we all sat down to a bountiful dinner before performing an Incan Christmas Eve ritual to honor Mother Nature with coca leaves. It really opened my eyes to a small piece of Incan culture and made for a unique holiday in the mountains.

Miles

Feet Gained

Day 4: Hidroelectrica and Aguas Calientes

The day started with an early morning wake up, and stepping out of my tent I saw the views of Machu Picchu in front of me. It took me a few minutes to realize that it was Christmas morning, and our cooks celebrated by baking us a cake. That was really special because we could all tell they put a lot of work into baking and decorating it over a propane stove at our isolated campsite. The cooks and porters were amazing this whole trip, going above and beyond to accommodate our dietary restrictions and feed us amazing meals. We all appreciated them immensely and the whole experience would have been very different without them.
After breakfast we began our journey to Aguas Calientes, the small town at the base of Machu Picchu. We first walked two hours down to Hidroelectrica, a small town at the end of the the train tracks from Cusco to Machu Picchu. After lunch we started our three hour walk along the train tracks to Aguas Calientes. Towards the beginning we saw an ancient Incan sun dial that pointed up to the larger dial on Machu Picchu.
When we finally got to Aguas Calientes after what seemed like many hours of walking, I was very grateful that our trek included the last night in a hotel before heading up to Machu Picchu. As soon as I got there I took a hot shower and sat in bed catching up with my friends and family. After decompressing for a little while I explored Aguas Calientes walking through the markets and the square enjoying the holiday decorations.

Miles

Feet Gained

Day 5: Sunrise at Machu Picchu

Our last day started with a four o’clock wake up before the early morning bus ride up to Machu Picchu. I was conflicted about taking the bus at first because we had just trekked for four days and it seemed counter intuitive. This being said I’m really glad our trek included bus tickets because after yesterday’s walk along the train tracks I was just about done walking on roads.

When we arrived to Machu Picchu at 6:00 our guides immediately took us to the best views over the empty temple. I was really glad we got there early because it was so beautiful in the morning light and we had it all to ourselves. We went right to the guard house to see the iconic view of the ruins. It was breathtaking. The pictures truly don’t do it justice.

Our guides took us on a tour of the ruins for a few hours to teach us about the history they held. We started near the guard house on the terraces in the agricultural part of the temple. It was crazy to think that the retaining walls were so well built that they’re still stable after 500 years. Then we went down to the urban area and saw the temple of the sun where the sun shines in perfectly on summer solstice, December 21st. Summer solstice was just a few days ago, so it was almost lined up.
I didn’t realize that Machu Picchu was actually unfinished when it was abandoned as a result of the Spanish conquerors, so we saw areas that were partially constructed. It was crazy to think that so much time went by between when the Incas evacuated and when Hiram Bingham rediscovered Machu Picchu. There were also lots of friendly llamas across the grounds so I was super excited to get to meet them! That was probably the highlight of Machu Picchu for me.
After the tour I hiked Wyanapicchu Mountain. The hike was steep but short, and it mostly consisted of large stone steps. As I got higher the steps got smaller and more shallow so I had to use my hands and feet to get up. At the top there was nothing protecting me from falling off the stairs and plummeting hundreds of feet to my death. It was worth it because the views of Machu Picchu were amazing.
Wayanapicchu was the only mountain during the whole trip that I actually summited, so it was a great way to finish. Although I was exhausted and sore trekking the past week, the short hike was worth the accomplishment I felt after.
This was my first experience at one of the seven wonders of the modern world, and Machu Picchu was truly deserving for that determination. The architecture and artistry of the grounds was absolutely mind blowing and I feel like it still hasn’t really hit me that I actually got to see it in person.

Miles

Feet Gained

The Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu was a once in a lifetime experience that I will absolutely remember for the rest of my life. Being able to experience such exotic beauty was incredible and I can’t say enough good things about it. Traveling with Alpaca Expeditions was great, and all of their staff were knowledgable. It was such a pleasure to make new friends on the trail and I think that everyone who was on the trek played a huge part in making it such a positive experience for me.

I never thought that Peru would be a place that I would fall in love with, but after this trip I can’t wait to go back. Between opening medical clinics, making lots of great friends, backpacking, visiting Machu Picchu, and surfing in Lima, this was one of the best vacations of my life.

Total Miles

Total Feet Gained

By Lexi Brocoum

Hi! I'm Lexi, an outdoor loving hiker girl born and raised in mountains of New Hampshire. I love traveling, country music, and spending time with my sweet dog child, Lucy.

Backpacking | Peru

0 Comments

December 31, 2018

Stay in the loop!
Join our Mailing List
We promise not to spam you. Unsubscribe at any time.
Invalid email address

WELCOME

Hi! I'm Lexi and this is my pup Lucy. This is our hiking blog where I write all about our adventures! Our goal is to empower you with the tools and advice you need to spend more time in nature. Lucy and I have tested lots of gear, hiked many trails around the world, and learned more about ourselves than we could have ever imagined. Join us as we our continue exploring the backcountry and beyond!

Instagram

…

The Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu: An Unforgettable Adventure in the Andes

December 31, 2018

Miles Hiked in 2021

Feet of Elevation Gain in 2021

Hours Spent on the Trail in 2021

You May Also Like…

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *