By Aiden ArmstrongDo you love the idea of adventuring through the Andes mountains? Do you long to walk the ancient pathways through Incan ruins? If so, then a Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu might be an ideal option for your next excursion. What might you encounter on your trek? What sites will you see and explore along the way?
The Overall Path of Your Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu
The first day of your trek will allow you to explore the city of Cusco while you acclimate to the elevation and get a feel for the area. You’ll also explore Soraypampa and the stunning Humantay Lake. You’ll spend the night at a Suyrococha campsite.
The next day, you’ll begin the day early, and hike upward to the highest pass on tour itself – Salkantay Pass. From this point, you’ll have incredible views of the surrounding snow-capped mountains, the lush lower slopes, and even the vegetation-clad valleys far below. Lunch will be spent at Huaraqmach’ay before you descend to Collpapampa for another night of camping.
The third day of your Salkantay trek to Mach Picchu sees you venturing through the stunning cloud forest that dominates the up and down trail you will follow. You’ll camp in La Playa, but will have a chance to soak away the rigors of the trail in the nearby Santa Teresa hot springs before you retire for the evening.
On the fourth day of your Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu, you will hike to Llactapata and visit several coffee plantations. There is an excellent spot to take photos of Machu Picchu from this point, but you will also continue toward Aguas Calientes, where you will spend the night in a real bed within a hotel.
The final day of your trek will see you hiking toward Machu Picchu and getting your first view of the city for the day at sunrise, so long as the weather permits. You’ll spend about three hours exploring the ruined city, before hiking back to Aguas Calientes, and then catch the train back to Ollantaytambo, and then a drive to Cusco for the evening.
As you can see, there are many amazing sights to experience with a Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu that go well beyond exploring the ancient Incan ruins.
