The Salkantay Trek is an alternative to the Inca Trail to reach Machu Picchu in Peru, a beautiful route that more and more people are encouraged to venture on, is a trek open to everybody, with no limitation on spaces or permits.
Salkantay Trek is located in the same region as the Inca Trail. Located less than fifty miles northwest of the city of Cusco in south central Peru by the Cordillera Vilcabamba and rising to 6271 meters above sea level (20574 ft) Mount Salkantay is an outstanding glacier-capped summit worshipped for thousands of years by locals.
Going on this hike, you’ll be able to see some of the most beautiful places in Cusco. You will have the opportunity to see beautiful landscapes with a variety of endemic flora and fauna, and camp at night in the middle of the sacred mountain.
The maximum altitude reached during the Salkantay trek is 4630 meters or 15190 feet above sea level at “Abra Salkantay” or Salkantay Pass. Machu Picchu itself is at 2430 meters or 7972 feet above sea level. Acclimatization in Cusco is recommended if you are concerned about altitude sickness.
The Salkantay Trail is a unique entrance to the historical and cultural beauty of Machu Picchu. If you are planning to hike the Salkantay, there are different day treks, the most popular are 4 and 5 days.
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Passing through the Vilcabamba Mountain Range, the 37-mile Salkantay hike is not Everest or Annapurna but hill climbing through rough weather and terrain is all but guaranteed—even in the so‑called dry season.
SALKANTAY TREK ALTITUDES AND DISTANCES
Salkantay Trek is a hike in South America and an alternative to the traditional Inca Trail for reaching Machupicchu. It presents a unique combination of culture and mystic, with preserved proudly by the Peruvian people, and is an amazing adventure and extraordinary natural beauty. Salkantay trekking is set at the highest peaks of Humantay Mountain, where the cold ice of the mountains meets the steamy heat of the Andes. The hike is surrounded by the historic Machupicchu (National Park and is considered one of the 25 best hikes in the world). The Salkantay trek is a very diverse and rich geography hike, Andean culture, and history. The Vilcanota mountain range contains two of the twenty highest mountains in the Americas.
The hike along this route offers an amazing diversity of attractions and adventure opportunities found nowhere else on earth. Imagine a walk with a breathtaking view of the most beautiful mountains in the world or a dip in the hot springs of Cocalmayo in the forest, all within a distance of only 50 kilometers.
Many travelers go this route by the promise of adventure and are equally pleased with the friendliness and openness of the Peruvian people. The Inca’s land is an incredibly diverse country that offers something for everyone. A trip through this rare earth once is enough. The first thing many people do after a visit to this country is to start planning the next trip (travel)!
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Salkantay Trek to Machupicchu, this alternative Inca Trail was recently named among the 25 best treks in the World, by National Geographic Adventure Travel Magazine.
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Our Peruvian travel agency will always remain the closest possible and more faithful to local communities and Peruvian culture without compromise.
Salkantay Trek Map shows a great alternative to the Inca Trail.
Salkantay Trek Map to Machu Picchu
The first step in reviewing the Salkantay Trek is to compare it to the other options in the area for guided hikes to Machu Picchu.
As you probably already know, there are three main hikes you can do to Machu Picchu: the Salkantay Trek, the Jungle Trek, and the Inca Trail. Each is special in its own way and suited for a different type of traveler.
Here is a table comparing these three hikes to Machu Picchu:
Salkantay Trek:
After carefully learning about all of the options to hike to Machu Picchu and completing the Salkantay Trek for myself, there are a few reasons you should consider the Salkantay Trek over the others including: