hike to soraypampa
Day 01
hike to soraypampa
Trip Itinerary
Day 1
Day 1: CUSCO – MOLLEPATA - HUMANTAY LAKE - SORAYPAMPA
Highlight of the day: Hike up to the Humantay Lake on the first day of the Salkantay Trekking 4 Days..
The night before your tour, you will receive a short briefing on the hike from your trek leader.
After picking up everyone from their respective places or hotel, we left Cusco around 5:45 am to the town of Mollepata by car for 2 hours. Once in Mollepata, we stop to have a delicious breakfast and also pay 10 soles of the entrance fee to the local municipality.
Then we continue by car for 1 hour more to Soraypampa where we will meet with the horse guys and horse who will take all the luggage, food, and the 7 kilos of each hiker’s belongings.
We start the uphill hike to Humantay lake for 2 hours, When you arrive at the lagoon you will have enough time to explore and photograph the place and the guide will explain all the meaning of the Humantay lagoon.
After a couple of hours on the lake, we start going down for 2 hours to Quiswarniyoc camp which is an exclusive campsite, once you arrive at the camp you will enjoy a delicious lunch prepared by the cooks after lunch basically you have free time to explore the area to see the llamas or if you like you can go to rest.
If you are tired, you can rest in the MOUNTAIN SKY HUST which is the cabin with glass doors, there are pillows, and a sleeping pad and it has illumination for the night.
First day details of Salkantay 4 day
- Meals: Lunch & Dinner
- Hiking Distance: 8 km
- Highest Elevation: 3,800 m
- Campsite Elevation: 3.800 m
- Weather: Cold
- Conditions: Rocky, dusty, and slippery (required: trekking shoes)
L, D
Meals
SKY HUTS
Accommodation
DIFFICULT
Difficulty
8 KM / 6 MILES
Walking Distance
4200 MASL / 15321 FEETS
Highest Elevation
3900 MASL / 12795 FEETS
Campsite Elevation
Day 2
Day 2: SORAYPAMPA - WAYRAQMACHAY - CHAULLAY
Highlight of the day: Reach to the highest point of the Salkantay trail to enjoy the beautiful views of the Salkantay mountain..
We’ll start the day off with hot tea. We will have enough time to pack and enjoy a delicious breakfast as we watch the sunrise. Afterward, you will begin the longest day of your trip to reach ”CHAULLAY ”.
immediately begin hiking up to the highest point of the Salkantay pass trail (4620 masl – 15,255 ft). The distance is 5 km we should complete it in 4 hours. During the ascent through the rocky valley, we can observe the magnificent Salkantay peak and may even see chinchillas on the trail (6217 masl – 20,341 ft). Once we reach the top of the trail, we will enjoy spectacular views of the mountains and the imposing snowy peaks of the Salkantay, Humantay, and Pumasillo.
Salkantay is considered the second-highest mountain in the Cusco region and one of the main Inca Gods known as “Apu Salkantay”. Hiking to the top is the most difficult part of the entire trek. You will feel so accomplished! The next 3 hours is spent heading downhill on the serpent trail along gravel and rocky path to reach Huayracmachay, our lunch spot. In the afternoon we will arrive at the upper part of the rain forest, also called a “cloud forest”. We will cover 9 km in 3 hours until to get to Challway Village (2900 masl – 9,514 ft) our base campsite. t.
DETAILS:
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Hiking Distance: 18 km
- Trail Condition: Rocky, dusty, and slippery
- Weather: Warm to hot (mosquitoes)
B,L,D
Meals
CAMPING
Accommodation
DIFFICULT
Difficulty
23 KM / 16 MILES
Walking Distance
4630 MASL / 15190 FEETS
Highest Elevation
2900 MASL / 9514
Campsite Elevation
Day 3
DAY 3 CHAULLAY – HYDROELECTRIC – AGUAS CALIENTES
Highlight of the day: Hike through a fascinating range of bio-diversity ecosystem from highland to jungle..
On the third day, you will already be in the jungle area. We wake you up around 6:00 am with a cup of coca tea, then we provide you with a delicious breakfast.
Around 7:00 am you start the hike to la playa Sahuayaco for 5 hours approximately along the Santa Teresa Valley which is formed by the Salkantay River.
Along the valley, you have the chance to see plantations such as coffee, bananas, avocados, Coca, passion fruit, and much more.
After five hours of hiking, you will arrive at La Playa Sahuayaco, from where you will take local transportation for one hour to Santa Teresa, where you stop to have lunch then you continue by car for 45 minutes to Hydroelectric then walk 3 more hours along the train tracks to Aguas Calientes town on the flat trail.
Then we take you to the hotel for showering and relaxing, in the evening around 7:00 pm we organized a dinner in a restaurant in Aguas Calientes after we go to sleep.
DETAILS:
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Hiking Distance: 14 km
- Lowest Elevation: 2,000 m
- Trail Condition: possibly slippery
- Weather: Temperate
B,L,D
Meals
HOTEL
Accommodation
DIFFICULT
Difficulty
28 KM / 16 MILES
Walking Distance
2900 MASL / 9514 FEETS
Highest Elevation
200 MASL / 6561 FEETS
Campsite Elevation
Day 4
Day 4: MACHU PICCHU - CUSCO
Highlight of the day: Visit the icon of South America Machu Picchu on the fourth day of your Salkantay trek 4 Days.
Our 4th day, we will start off early (wake-up 4:30 a.m.). Followed by breakfast (5:00 a.m.) at the hotel. After, board the bus to Machu Picchu, which will take approx.. 25 minutes to reach (door open 6:00 a.m.). Please be sure to bring your original passport to show the Rangers (you can get a Machu Picchu seal on your passport).
Your guide will take you to the best places in Machu Picchu while enjoying the sunrise (depending on the weather).
Then you will have a two-hour guided tour. Following this, you’ll have an opportunity to explore Machu Picchu on your own.
- If you have reserved a visit to “HUAYNAPICHHU” (tickets $ 25.00 per person/limited to 400 per day – not included), you’ll begin your hike at 7:00 – 10:00 a.m., please coordinate with the Trek Leader for your visit depending on Municipality’s programmed time.
There are many more activities that you can do. These activities are optional (not included with the package) for example The “Puerta del Sol” (2-hour hike up and down), where you will appreciate the Inca city from a different viewpoint. In the afternoon, you’ll catch the train to reach the City of Ollantaytambo. Upon arrival to Ollantaytambo, we will have transportation waiting to drive you back to your hotel in Cusco.
DETAILS:
- Meals: Breakfast
- Lowest Altitude: 2,040 m / 6.691 ft
- Highest Altitude: 2,440 m / 8,052 ft
Note: If you want to stay an extra night, just lets us know and we can help book a hotel in Aguas Calientes, as well as your train ticket for the next day
Rangers don’t allow people to carry bags bigger than 25 liters when entering Machu Picchu
No trekking poles are allowed in Machu Picchu
Snacks and water are allowed – in bags-
B
Meals
CUSCO
Accommodation
EASY
Difficulty
JUST BY BUS
Walking Distance
2400 MASL / 6523 FEETS
Highest Elevation
3400 MASL / 1053 FEETS
Campsite Elevation
Inclusions
Salkantay Trek 4 Days included
this is all included for the 4 day Salkantay trek
- Bilingual English-speaking tour guide (additional tour guide for groups of nine people or more)
- Pre-Departure Briefing at your hotel 1 or 2 days before your trek.
- TRANSFER FROM AIRPORT TO HOTEL
- SLEEPING BAG
- HIKING POOLS
- BLANKET
- TRANSFER FROM HOTEL TO AIRPORT
- Excellent meals:
- Food includes pancakes, omelets, soups, fresh fruit, avocado, pasta, chicken, fish, meat, and rice, foods that are rich in carbohydrates and suitable for trekking. (Vegetarian, vegan or special diet meals upon request)
- Tea time before dinner (tea, coffee, coca, biscuits, popcorn).
- Boiled water provided from 2nd day (for drinking)
- Wake up to coca tea in your tent
- Buckets of hot water for washing in your tent every day
- Biodegradable soap and hand cleansing gel
- Oxygen Tank & First aid kit
- Four-person tent for every 2 people.
- Chef
- Wranglers and horses to carry all the equipment (food, tents, chairs, table, etc)
- Horse to transport 8 kg of your gear
- Duffle bag for your gear
- Four breakfasts, four lunches, and four dinners
- Emergency oxygen bottle and medical kit.
- One-night hotel accommodation in Aguas Calientes (double occupancy)
- Entrance to Machu Picchu
- Round trip bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu.
Salkantay trek 4 days not included
- Tips: Guide, Cook, Horseman.
- Water on Day 1
- First breakfast-last lunch
- extra horse
Pricing
4 Day Salkantay Trek Prices
For the Salkantay trek 4 days prices permits are needed for your chosen start date. Trek prices are based on the number of people in a group. Prices are valid from March 2023 through January 2024. All prices quoted are $USD
- group service: $499 per person
Important: Price includes up to 7 kilos of your personal belongings to be carried by the mules (NO need of extra Porter hire!).
Discounts:
- Student Discount 20$ dollars
- Those under 15 years will pay as a student: US$20.00
- Under 7 years Discount: US$35.00
Optional Extras (Need to Book in Advance):
- Machu Picchu Mountain climbing: USD 75.00 (Need to book in advance)
- Huayna Picchu Mountain climbing: USD 75.00 (Need to book in advance)
Trip Details
Trip Details Salkantay Trek 4 Days
Trip Details of Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu 4 days / 3 nights
- Trek Name: Salkantay trek 4 days 3 nights
- Trek Duration: 4 Days/3 Nights
- Location/Terrain: Snow-capped , Lagoons, Humanity, Machu Picchu
- Accommodation: beautiful campsites
- Acclimatization: Due to the high altitude, we recommend 2 days in Cusco before embarking on our Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu 4 days
- Adventure Rating Very Strenuous trek
- Activities: Trekking/ Camping
- Altitude: 4620m/14,139ft
- Departures: every day with 2 or more people
- Customizable: Yes!
What to Pack
4 Day Salkantay Trekking Packing List
GO TREKS PERU As a Professional Direct Local Tour operator, we provide you with a duffle bag at your briefing and INCLUDE an extra porter who will carry up to 7 kgs or 14 pounds including your 2.5kg sleeping bag, mattress, and extra clothing. This packing list will show you what you will need
- 2 t-shirts
- 2 hiking pants at least
- 4 sets of undergarments
- 3 sets of hiking socks
- Bathing Suit for the thermal waters
- Couple Fleece/ Thermals
- Warm clothes, down jacket — 2nd campsite temp around 3º Celcius.
- Waterproof gloves (even if they are ski gloves, take them)
- Comfortable shoes for camp
- Quickdry towel. We provide small ones, you might prefer something larger.
- A small bottle of soap: we provide warm water each day to wash.
- Battery Charger: No electricity along the trek
It means that you will do the trek carrying your small backpack with things you need for the day hike and you will have access to the duffle bag at each camping place.
What To Bring
- A good day pack: such as Eagle Creek Afar Backpack (Appropriate pack to carry your personal belongings.)
- Original passport (International Student Identity Card “ISIC” if applicable)
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended but not required
- Lighter trekking boots (with good ankle support)
- 3 pairs of trekking pants (not jeans), 1 hiking, 1 cotton–which is just enough. Please spray both pairs with an insect repellent spray before the trip.
- Layers for variable temperatures especially at night.
- 1 rain jacket: The first night the temperature can be as low as – 5 degrees Celsius/23 degrees Fahrenheit. A rain jacket can be helpful because there are rainy days even in the dry season!
- 1 warm/winter jacket (thermal: wool socks/gloves, scarf, and woolen hat for cold nights).
- 4 pairs of underwear, 6 pairs of socks (Bamboo or cotton/nylon-blend socks dry faster than 100 percent cotton, which lose their softness when air-dried.) It is nice to have a couple of extra pairs of socks to change into at night when you’re not hiking. Also, we recommend bringing both heavy hiking socks and lighter socks as well as the weather is variable, so you want to make sure you’re not too cold or too hot.
- 4 t-shirts, 2 long sleeve shirts
- 1 good sleeping bag liner which is super lightweight and easy to pack. This does its job!
- Travel-size tissues and wet wipes.
- Iron tablets and pills for altitude sickness. Several people on the hike have varying degrees of altitude sickness and both of these remedies (in addition to the coca tea) are very helpful in alleviating the symptoms.
- Sun protection cream (SPF 45 or higher recommended).
- Bug spray with 30% DEET in it–which you need, but it doesn’t work very well. The issue with Cusco outdoor is that most of the bugs are not mosquitoes. They are these small flies you can’t even see that leave weird bites that first look like you pricked your finger and then blow up into itchy red bumps. Unfortunately, these bugs seem to bite you no matter what kind of spray you put on, so bringing some anti-itch ointment could be helpful.
- Re-usable plastic or metal water container or a hydration pack such as Camelback
- Water (Only for the first day of the hike, as we will provide you with water throughout the rest of the hike).
- Camera
- A headlamp to navigate camp in the evenings and pre-dawn mornings with spare batteries
- Bandages or moleskin
- Flip flops to change into at night. Your toes will thank you!
- Toiletries
- Medication (Imodium AD or something for your stomach) because some people get an upset stomach on the trek. Also, Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen can be helpful to help with aches and pains after 8-10 hours of hiking each day.
- Plastic bags for dirty and wet clothes
- Something to read in the evenings
- Extra money for drinks, tips in Soles for cooks, horsemen, guides. (USD$60-70).
- Emergency money of at least 300-450 extra soles (USD$ 220)
FAQ´s
Frequently Asked Questions Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 4 Days / 3 Nights
What is the difference between 4 day and 5 day Salkantay Trek?
On the 4 day Salkantay Trek, we will walk through the same beautiful and scenic landscapes as the 5 day Trek. The difference is that we will climb to the Salkantay Pass on the first day of the trek instead of the morning of the 2nd day. We will also stay in different campsites along the trail than the 5 day Salkantay Trek.
to show the image Salkantay trek 4 or 5 days map
Which is better Inca Trail or Salkantay trail?
The ancient Inca Trail 4 Days, was originally part of the Inca Road system interconnecting the Inca Empire. This classic trek hike through diverse scenery. The Salkantay Trek, on the other hand, is more strenuous and famous for its mountain scenery.
| Inca Trail Hike | Salkantay Trek | |
|---|---|---|
| Scenery | Mountains, cloud forests, and Incan Archaeological Sites | Mountains and abundant wildlife |
| Distance | 26 miles over 4 days | 46 miles over 5 days |
| Difficulty | Moderate (3/5) | Strenuous (4/5) |
| Highest Altitude | 13,828 feet | 15,000 feet |
| Availability | 200 people per day, book in advance. More customizable than Salkantay. | No permit restrictions, an average of 50 hikers per day. |
| Facilities | Mid-range camping or luxury glamping. Porters are available to carry gear. | Options from rudimentary camping to luxury lodges. |
| Best For | Travelers in good hiking shape who value comfortable camps and don’t mind a popular trail. | For experienced, hikers who want to get off the beaten path and value solitude, mountain scenery, opportunities to view wildlife, and a wider range of overnight options. |
