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PI-42 Alternative Inca Trail to Machu Picchu: The Salkantay Trail
(5 days/ 4 Nights)
Salkantay Trail-Aguas Calientes-Machu Picchu
The Salkantay Trail stretches beyond the Classic Inca Trail route, bordering the snow peaks that stand like eternal sentinels along the way to the Machu Picchu citadel. It is physical strenuous since it takes 28 hours of trekking reaching almost 14.000 feet of altitude at the Salkantay Pass but the landscape sights are just unmatchable.
Day 1 CUSCO-MOLLEPATA (CRUZPATA)-SORAYPAMPA (B.L.D)
Breakfast early in the morning at your hotel in Cusco. Overland transfer (4-hour drive north-west of Cusco) across the Anta plains, coming upon indigenous villages and arriving at Mollepata (9.000 ft.). Horsemen will be waiting here to help to carry bags and camping equipment. After meeting with them you will be ready to start the trek.
On the trail, halfway to Cruz pata (9.900 ft.) you will able to enjoy some of the finest landscapes of this area. A few hours later you will enter the furthest part of this valley named Soraypampa (11.100 ft.) in which campsite will be set up at the feet of some majestic snow-peaks such as Salkantay (19.300 ft.), Humantay (16.400 ft.) and Tucarhuay (16.350 ft.). Trekking time for the day is approximately 7 hours. Lunch along the trail and dinner in the camp.
Day 2 SORAYPAMPA-SALKANTAY PASS-ARRAYANPATA (B.L.D)
After breakfast at the camp, hike on the highest part of this trail, the Salkantay Pass (13.800 ft.), from where you will begin descending enjoying the magnificent sight of the Andean plateau as it meets the high jungle (yunga). Arrayan pata (10.350 ft.) is our next campsite for the night. Trekking time for the day is approximately 8 hours. Lunch along the trail and dinner in the camp.
Day 3 ARRAYANPATA-COLLPAPAMPA-WIÑAYPOCO-LA PLAYA (B.L.D)
Breakfast at the camp. Hiking down towards the route segment between Humantay and Santa Teresa, arriving at populated areas such as Collpapampa (8.700 ft.), Winaypoco (7.950 ft.) and little time later to our campsite in La Playa (The Beach at 6.330 ft.).
Trekking time for the day is approximately 7 hours. Lunch along the trail and dinner in the camp.
Day 4 LA PLAYA-LLACTAPATA-AGUAS CALIENTES (B.L.D)
Breakfast at the camp and start hiking very early in the morning, taking the way to the famous Inca Trail and heading towards the archeological complex of Llactapata (7.950 ft.) and from here to the Machu Picchu Hydro-electrical Station (5.850 ft.). Just a short walk away you will board the train for a brief ride to Aguas Calientes (6.150ft.), the small village that lies just below the Machu Picchu citadel. You will spend the night at one of the hotels in Aguas Calientes . Trekking time for the day is approximately 6 hours. Lunch and dinner in Aguas Calientes.
Day 5 AGUAS CALIENTES-MACHU PICCHU-AGUAS CALIENTES-CUSCO (B)
Early in the morning, breakfast and take the bus for a ten-minute ride up to the ruins of this Inca citadel. The earlier you get to Machu Picchu, the better to be able to enjoy it before the crowds arrive.
You will have an official guide in English to accompany in your walk through the Inca-sanctuary. After the tour that lasts about two hours you have plenty of time to wonder around the ruins on your own. You may also want to try reaching the top of the Huayna Picchu Mountain or the nearby Temple of the Moon. Meet afterwards with the rest of the party to return to Aguas Calientes, where you will take the train to Cusco. Transfer from the train station to the hotel.
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