Category Salkantay Trek

Cusco · SALKANTAY TREK

The 14 Best Salkantay Treks to Machu Picchu

14 reviewed

No permit, more mountain: Salkantay crosses a 4,600-metre pass under a hanging glacier before dropping into cloud forest. Below are the best Salkantay treks, from budget camping to glamping domes. What each includes, how hard the days run, and which ones finish at the citadel rather than the town below it.

Salkantay Trek Challenge – 3 Days / 2 Nights

Salkantay Trek Challenge – 3 Days / 2 Nights - Day 1: Cusco pickup at dawn, Abra Salkantay, and the hut-camp night

1.Salkantay Trek Challenge – 3 Days / 2 Nights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 101 reviews · 3 days (approx.) · from $680Our pick

A fast guided Salkantay trek that hits Abra Salkantay, coffee valleys, and then Machu Picchu in 3 days with key comforts included.

“Absolutely memorable experience across the Andes, admiring stunning nature, pushing physical limits, and just having so much fun. The three days are very intense and not appropriate for those who conduct a very sedentary life but it's something you'll remember forever. The trekking part was exceptional, maybe the cultural and informational one could be slightly improved. Also you will not sleep much!”

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Small Group 5 Days Salkantay and Machu Picchu by Llactapata Tour

Small Group 5 Days Salkantay and Machu Picchu by Llactapata Tour - Challacancha to Soraypampa: Humantay Views and a First Taste of the Andes

2.Small Group 5 Days Salkantay and Machu Picchu by Llactapata Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 88 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $593

A 5-day Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu via Llactapata and Aguas Calientes, with small-group pacing, horses, camping meals, and guided history.

“We celebrated our 20-year anniversary up on the Salkantay trail. The experience was phenomenal from the beauty of the place to the high quality of service by our guide Carlos, the cook, and the horseman. We really felt like everything was made to attend to our needs. Although it was challenging for first timers to hike in high altitude, we were able to go at our own pace and still enjoy the experience fully.”

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Machu Picchu: 5-Day Salkantay Trek with Panoramic Train

Machu Picchu: 5-Day Salkantay Trek with Panoramic Train - Humantay Lake and Salkantay Glamping: Day 1’s turquoise start (and starry finish)

3.Machu Picchu: 5-Day Salkantay Trek with Panoramic Train

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 79 reviews · 5 days · from $655

5 days hiking Salkantay with glamping and cultural stops, then sunrise Machu Picchu and a scenic Vistadome/360° train back to Cusco.

“Fantastic trip! All of the staff were incredible. The food was delicious and better than the restaurant food we had in aquas calientes. Cesar was a brilliant guide and looked after us really well. Some highlights. Salkantay mountain standing over our campsite first night. The night sky first night. The very distant view of macchu picchu on the fourth night. Some tips - you need cash in Peru. Be prepared. Altitude was a problem on the first day of the trip and medication (acetazolamide) helped those who had it.”

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Salkantay Trek 4 Days to Machu Picchu by Glamping Sky Lodge Dome

Salkantay Trek 4 Days to Machu Picchu by Glamping Sky Lodge Dome - Day 1: Mollepata to Soraypampa—Cruzpata views and your cold-weather camp

4.Salkantay Trek 4 Days to Machu Picchu by Glamping Sky Lodge Dome

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 68 reviews · 4 days (approx.) · from $761

4 days of Salkantay trekking with glamping dome stays and Machu Picchu at sunrise or first light, plus train and hotel included.

“I had such a great time on the Salkantay trek, and a big part of that was thanks to our guide, Fernando. He was so nice and incredibly helpful throughout the whole journey, always making sure we were comfortable and enjoying ourselves. He also had a great sense of humour it was fun to have a joke and a laugh with him along the way. One of the highlights was when he even played football with us during the trek, which made the experience feel extra special. Overall, it was unforgettable, and I’m really glad Fernando was our guide.”

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Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu in 4 days

Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu in 4 days - Day 2 to Salkantay Pass: the climb to 4,630 m and the clouds that follow

5.Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu in 4 days

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 50 reviews · from $590

4-day Salkantay trek from Cusco to Machu Picchu with Salkantay Pass, Humantay Lagoon, cloud forest, sky domes, and guided citadel visit.

“Our guide, Gilber, was very knowledgeable. It was great to have long conversations with him, learning about some historic and other little-known facts.”

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Salkantay Trek Standard 5D/4N

Salkantay Trek Standard 5D/4N - Day 2 Salkantay Pass (4600 m): your toughest climb, then a change of worlds

6.Salkantay Trek Standard 5D/4N

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 48 reviews · 5 days (approx.)

Five days in the Peruvian Andes on a small-group Salkantay trek, with camping, guided hikes, and a sunrise Machu Picchu visit.

“Senhores nao tempo p trabalhar p os senhores. Pais em situacao atipica. Greves de transportes com alguns eventos violencia. Como eu poderia ficar preso em Machu Pichu, fiz minha desistencia. A quadrilha empresarial negou-se a me reembolsar. Opiniao: o contrato é invalidado quando o pais nao oferece as condicoes de seguranca...... Fui roubado em 3.200 R.”

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Salkantay Trek To Machu Picchu 5 Days And 4 Nights

Salkantay Trek To Machu Picchu 5 Days And 4 Nights - Day 3: Rain Forest Hiking Along the Santa Teresa River to Lucmabamba

5-Day: Salkantay Trek to Machupicchu and Humantay Lake

5-Day: Salkantay Trek to Machupicchu and Humantay Lake - Day 1: Humantay Lake, plus that first altitude reality check

8.5-Day: Salkantay Trek to Machupicchu and Humantay Lake

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 42 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $360

5-day Salkantay trek from Cusco to Machu Picchu sunrise with Humantay Lake, jungle trails, camping, meals, and a small-group guide.

“The Salkantay 5 day trek to Machu Picchu was a wonderful experience. Being in a small group made it more exceptional and personal. Our guide, Roger, was super, very helpful, and friendly! I would do it again”

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Salkantay 5-Day Trek To Machu Picchu

Salkantay 5-Day Trek To Machu Picchu - Cusco Morning Pickup, Mollepata Break, and Day 1 to Laguna de Humantay

9.Salkantay 5-Day Trek To Machu Picchu

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 39 reviews · from $797

Salkantay 5-day trek from Cusco to Machu Picchu: guided high-pass crossing, camping, 1 hotel night, and early morning site visit.

“Such a fun and challenging experience. I had no issues completing the trek, you want to make sure you are in good shape before arriving as it can be difficult if you are not prepared for log days and sometimes tough terrain. Beautiful views good food and excellent tour guides! Highly recommend to all!”

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4-Day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

4-Day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu - Day 1, 5:30am: Cusco Pick-Up to Humantay Lake

10.4-Day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 36 reviews · 4 days (approx.) · from $810

4-day Salkantay trek from Cusco to Machu Picchu with a small-group high-pass crossing, camping nights, hotel in Aguas Calientes.

“We did the trip just my friend and I, along with our guide, chef and guy to carry the bags with horses.”

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Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5D/4N or 4D/3N by glamping

Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5D/4N or 4D/3N by glamping - Glamping along the trail: glass roofs, sky huts, and dome life

11.Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5D/4N or 4D/3N by glamping

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 35 reviews · 5 days · from $35Best value

Glamping Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu with Humantay Lake, Salkantay Pass, hot springs, Llactapata ruins, and a guided circuit.

“Excellent trip, with brilliant fresh food cooked every day, a very insightful guide and well arranged transportation, trekking and little tours within the trip. Would highly recommend!”

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Salkantay Trek: 5 Days to Machu Picchu

Salkantay Trek: 5 Days to Machu Picchu - Day 2: Abra Salkantay (About 4,650m) and the Big Terrain Shift

12.Salkantay Trek: 5 Days to Machu Picchu

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 33 reviews · from $909

A 5-day guided Salkantay Trek from Cusco to Machu Picchu with a small group, hot springs choice, comfy camps, and an early, guided citadel visit.

“The tour was incredibly beautiful. We learned so much, and had the opportunity to see incredible natural beauty too! Food was amazing and staff was great!”

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5 Day – Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu – Group Service

5 Day - Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu - Group Service - Day-by-day on the ground: what each stop really feels like

Cusco: 4-Day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu, Panoramic Train

Cusco: 4-Day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu, Panoramic Train - Day 2 Over Salkantay Pass: The Toughest, Most Rewarding Stretch

14.4-Day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu, Panoramic Train

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 17 reviews · 4 days · from $552

4 days from Cusco to Machu Picchu via Salkantay Pass, Humantay Lake, Pachamanca and coffee, then back by scenic panoramic train.

“It was an amazing experience. The landscape you see during this trip is as beautiful as different. Getting up in the middle of the mountains and hiking down into the jungle was amazing. The guide Josè had an answer to every question and took really great care at the whole group. Evangelino, the second guide, took also great care and especially if somebody needed some extra time or had an other belonging he always supported us immediately. The food from our own chef Zenobio was amazing. Three times a fresh cooked local food with plenty of options was great and gives us the energy we needed during the day. In…”

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