Salkantay Lodge to Lodge Trek to Machu Picchu

Upon arrival in to Cusco, you will be met & transferred to your hotel.

Cusco, set at an altitude of 3,400 metres in the Peruvian Andes, was once the capital of the Inca Empire. It is known for its Spanish colonial architecture and Incan remains.

NOTE: We recommend at least 2 nights pre-trek in Cusco to help with acclimatization
Overnight in Cusco

Day at leisure in Cusco to relax and start acclimatizing.

Pre trek briefing
This evening you will be collected from your hotel and dropped off for a pre tour briefing, where you will learn about the plans for the next 5 days in the Sacred Valley. The briefing is approx. 45 minutes and allows time for any questions you may have about the days ahead.

Overnight in Cusco

After an early breakfast, your Mountain Lodges of Peru tour guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel in Cusco. The first stop will be a visit to the Quillarumiyoc archaeological site. Next, you will stop in the mountain village of Mollepata. There you will visit El Pedregal, a beautiful farmhouse where you can enjoy a farm-to-table lunch and learn about local agriculture and livestock.

Then, the transfer will take you through a winding mountain road to a site called
Challacancha. Here you will begin your hike to Soraypampa along a picturesque path called the “Camino Real” (Royal Path), which is also a good opportunity to acclimate to the higher altitude. As you round the final turn of the Camino Real, the Salkantay Lodge will come into view.

Note: Although we highly recommend participating in the hike as part of your continued altitude acclimatization, guests may opt out and continue by transport to Salkantay Lodge.

Trekking Time: Approximately 3 hours
Hiking Level: Easy - Moderate

Meals: L (El Pedregal), D (Salkantay Lodge)
Overnight: Salkantay Lodge (12,690’ / 3,869m)

After breakfast, you begin an ascent up the slopes that border the plateau behind Salkantay Lodge*. An hour and a half later, your hard work will be rewarded with a first glimpse of the lake’s glistening turquoise waters and the Humantay glacier looming overhead. Upon arrival, you will have a chance to relax, enjoy a snack, meditate in the tranquility of this magical spot, and participate in a traditional ceremony to honor “la Pachamama” (Mother Earth). After your descent back to the lodge, the Salkantay staff will be waiting with a hot lunch. Afternoon at leisure to relax, enjoy a massage, or soak in the outdoor hot tub for a spectacular view of the Salkantay Peak at sunset. Note: While the morning hike to Lake Humantay is optional, we strongly recommend your participation in preparation for the strenuous hike on Day 3.

• Trekking Time: Approximately 4 hours
• Hiking Level: Moderate

Meals: B, L and D (all at Salkantay Lodge)
Overnight: Salkantay Lodge (12,690’ / 3,869m)

After an early start, the ascent toward the Salkantay Pass begins. You will circle Humantay Peak, gradually making your way along expansive plateaus connected by enormous boulders, remnants of the Rio Blanco Valley that was once bisected
by a fast-flowing river. The last and most challenging part of the ascent is conquering the mountain switchbacks that lead you to the pass, the highest point on the trek (15,213’ / 4,636m). The journey continues with a dramatic descent through
fields of large boulders and natural stone formations often shrouded in fog, followed by a very welcome hot picnic lunch.

After lunch, you will have some time to rest before the final hike through the area’s bucolic countryside; its rolling hills will eventually lead you through marsh-like plateaus to the Wayra Lodge at Wayraccmachay.

• Trekking Time: Approximately 6 hours
• Hiking Level: Challenging

Meals: B (Salkantay Lodge), L (en route) and D (Wayra Lodge)
Overnight: Wayra Lodge (12,812’ / 3,906m)

After a leisurely breakfast at Wayra Lodge, you will continue the descent toward the cloud forest along the banks of the Salkantay River through increasingly verdant scenery. The warm air will begin to rise from the edge of the jungle, accompanied by colorful butterflies and striking orchids. Today you will see more local Andean people as the trail takes you
past their simple homes and makeshift fences. At approximately midday, you will arrive at Colpa Lodge, located on a high promontory at the confluence of three rivers.

The Colpa staff will greet you with a Pachamanca lunch, a traditional Peruvian meal cooked below ground with hot stones that create a natural oven. After lunch, spend the afternoon lounging in the sun or relaxing in the outdoor hot tub while
you take in the panoramic views of the lush green mountains that surround you.

Trekking Time: Approximately 3 - 4 hours
• Hiking Level: Easy to moderate

Meals: B (Wayra Lodge), L (en route), D (Colpa Lodge)
Overnight: Colpa Lodge (9,414’ / 2,870m)

Today you will hike through the Santa Teresa River Valley along a rolling trail that crosses fertile fruit orchards and bisects streams originating from glacier-fed waterfalls. After a hot picnic lunch by the river and some time to relax, the group will continue for one more hour before you are met by an MLP transport vehicle for the short drive to the bottom of the
Llactapata Inca Trail steps that lead to Lucma Lodge. On the way to the lodge you will visit an organic coffee plantation, one of many in the area that produce some of the best organic coffees in the world. You will also begin to notice another
shift in the climate; in Lucmabamba, the hot air and increased humidity signal that you are even closer to the edge of the Amazon Jungle.

• Trekking Time: Approximately 5.5 hours
• Hiking Level: Moderate to Challenging

Meals: B (Colpa Lodge), L (en route), D (Lucma Lodge)
Overnight: Lucma Lodge (7,003’ / 2,135m

After breakfast, depart from Lucma Lodge and embark on a 2-3 hour climb through the cloud forest up a path mostly comprised of original Inca steps. A lush tree line creates green canopies overhead and the constant sound of rushing water
suggests that the river is nearby. Your first milestone today will be the top of the peak, the last one before you descend to the Aobamba River Valley that connects you to Machu Picchu. Upon arrival at the Llactapata Pass (8,974’ / 2,736m), you will
delight in a southeast view of Machu Picchu, a sight few travelers get the chance to admire. After exploring Llactapata, the Inca tambo (fort) that marks the pass, enjoy a picnic lunch at a mountain lookout point with panoramic views. The final
descent along a trail that zigzags down to the roaring Aobamba River will take you through lush bamboo forests, varied fruit orchards, and more coffee plantations. Celebrate as you cross the bridge over the river and take your final steps of the trek en route to the Hidroelectrica train station for a scenic one-hour train ride to the town of Aguas Calientes, on the banks of the Urubamba River at the base of Machu Picchu.

Trekking Time: Approximately 4–6 hours
• Hiking Level: Moderate to Challenging

Meals: B (Lucma Lodge), L (en route), D (at hotel)
Overnight: Inkaterra Pueblo Hotel (6,693’/2,040m)

Your journey to Machu Picchu begins with a morning rollicking uphill bus ride. As you enter the ‘sanctuary’ (as locals refer to it), prepare to be awed by the imposing, skillful architecture of the Watchtower, the Temple of the Sun, and the royal Inca
residences, among others. After a two-hour guided tour, you will have free time to explore on your own, including a hike up Machu Picchu Mountain* for dramatic views that stretch from the Urubamba River Valley to the edge of the Amazon Jungle.
At some point, be sure to take a moment and sit quietly–listen to the wind, meditate, and absorb the mystical energy that envelops you. After the visit you will have lunch in Aguas Calientes before a scenic Vistadome train ride to Ollantaytambo (approximately 1.5 hours) and vehicle transfer to your hotel in Cusco (approximately 1.5 hours). As night falls and you arrive amidst the hustle and bustle of the city, you will be touched by a feeling of peace and rejuvenation that will linger long after your journey home.

Overnight hotel in Cusco

Departure day. Depart any time. Transfer to the airport or bus station is included.