{"id":625,"date":"2019-07-28T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-07-28T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/max-haase.com\/?p=625"},"modified":"2026-04-10T09:39:22","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T09:39:22","slug":"salkantay-trek-machu-picchu-peru-wanderung","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/max-haase.com\/en\/salkantay-trek-machu-picchu-peru-hike\/","title":{"rendered":"Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu<\/strong> Five days through the Peruvian Andes, over a 4,630m high pass, through cloud forests and coffee plantations, until sunrise over the most famous Inca ruins in the world. The Salkantay Trek is the best alternative to the overcrowded Inca Trail and was the highlight of my entire trip. Peru trip<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Why Salkantay instead of the Inca Trail?<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n
\"Start<\/a><\/div>\n
\"Morning<\/a><\/div>\n
\"Machu<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The Inca Trail<\/strong> It's famous, but: only 500 permits are available per day (booked out months in advance), it's expensive (\u20ac400-600), and the groups are large. Salkantay Trek<\/strong> It is freely accessible, significantly cheaper (\u20ac200-250 with an agency), at least as spectacular in terms of scenery \u2013 and you reach Machu Picchu via a different, less touristy route.<\/p>\n

The biggest difference: The Salkantay leads along the coast of the same name. Salkantay Mountain (6,271m)<\/strong> Passing by, one of Peru's highest peaks, considered sacred by the Incas. The sight of this ice-covered giant at sunrise from the pass at 4,630m is unforgettable.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

The 5 stages of the Salkantay Trek<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n
\"Hikers<\/a><\/div>\n
\"Salkantay<\/a><\/div>\n
\"Machu<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
day<\/th>\nroute<\/th>\nHeight<\/th>\nHighlight<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
1<\/td>\nMollepata \u2192 Soraypampa<\/td>\n3,800m \u2192 3,900m<\/td>\nLaguna Humantay (turquoise glacial lake)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2<\/td>\nSoraypampa \u2192 Chaullay<\/td>\n3,900m \u2192 4,630m \u2192 2,900m<\/td>\nSalkantay Pass (highest point!)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/td>\nChaullay \u2192 La Playa<\/td>\n2,900m \u2192 2,100m<\/td>\nCloud forest, coffee plantations, orchids<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>\nLa Playa \u2192 Aguas Calientes<\/td>\n2,100m \u2192 2,040m<\/td>\nHot springs in the evening<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5<\/td>\nMachu Picchu<\/td>\n2,430m<\/td>\nSunrise over Machu Picchu<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n
<\/div>\n

Costs, booking & what you need to bring<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cost:<\/strong> \u20ac200-250 with an agency (all inclusive: guide, food, tent, Machu Picchu entrance, return transport). On your own: ~\u20ac100 (Machu Picchu entrance + train), but without a tent and guide in the wilderness.<\/p>\n

Booking:<\/strong> There are dozens of agencies in Cusco. Negotiate the price, but don't choose the cheapest one \u2013 the quality of the food and equipment varies greatly. Recommended budget: at least \u20ac150 per person. Booking online in advance (20-30%) is more expensive than booking on-site in Cusco.<\/p>\n

Packing list:<\/strong> Warm clothing (nights at 4,000m drop below 0\u00b0C), rain jacket, hiking boots, headlamp, sunscreen, water bottles, snacks. The agency provides a tent and sleeping mat, but a sleeping bag (or rental for an extra charge) is recommended.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

FAQ \u2013 Salkantay Trek<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

Is the Salkantay Trek difficult?<\/strong>
\nDay 2 (4,630m pass) is challenging due to the altitude. The rest is quite manageable. Basic fitness and 2-3 days of acclimatization in Cusco are sufficient.<\/p>\n

When is the best time to drink Salkantay?<\/strong>
\nMay to September (dry season). June and July offer the most stable weather. During the rainy season (November to March), the trail is often closed.<\/p>\n

Do you need a guide?<\/strong>
\nNot essential, but highly recommended. The trail isn't marked everywhere, and you can get lost in foggy high mountains. Plus, the guide cooks, and you don't have to lug a tent around.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

More about Peru: Peru Travelogue<\/a> | South America Backpacking<\/a> | Request Collaboration<\/a><\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu: The Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu \u2013 5 days through the Peruvian Andes, over a 4,630m high pass, through\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5862,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_analytify_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29,31,7],"tags":[26,24,10],"class_list":["post-625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-backpacking","category-suedamerika","category-travel","tag-hiking","tag-peru","tag-travel","has-post-title","has-post-date","has-post-category","has-post-tag","has-post-comment","has-post-author",""],"builder_content":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/max-haase.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/625","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/max-haase.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/max-haase.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/max-haase.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/max-haase.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=625"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/max-haase.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/625\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5690,"href":"https:\/\/max-haase.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/625\/revisions\/5690"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/max-haase.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5862"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/max-haase.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=625"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/max-haase.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=625"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/max-haase.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=625"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}