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5 Day Salkantay trek
Challenging
Trek
5 days

5-Day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

Classic Salkantay 5-day trek is one of the top-rated hikes in the world. Permits not required for hikers to scale one of the most sacred summits of the Andes. Then descend into the verdant, uncrowded backside of Machu Picchu on your way to the ancient Inca ruins.

Duration

5 days / 4 nights

Group Size

2-10

Max Altitude

4,600 m / 15,092 ft

Difficulty

Challenging

Trip Begins / Ends

Cusco / Cusco

Overview

Experience the breathtaking 5-day Salkantay Trek, one of Peru’s most rewarding alternative routes to Machu Picchu. This spectacular journey takes you from the high Andean mountains through dramatic landscapes, crossing the challenging 15,091 ft Apacheta Pass with stunning views of the snow-capped Salkantay and Humantay peaks. Along the way, you'll visit the stunning turquoise waters of Humantay Lake, soak in natural hot springs, hike through lush semi-tropical cloud forest filled with wild orchids and giant hummingbirds, and pass through coffee plantations before reaching the ancient ruins of Llactapata with your first breathtaking glimpse of Machu Picchu in the distance. The trek culminates on Day 5 with an unforgettable guided visit to the iconic citadel of Machu Picchu itself.

Trip Highlights

  • No permits required (unlike Inca Trail)
  • Views of sacred Salkantay peak (6,271m/20,574ft)
  • Diverse landscapes: high alpine to semi-tropical jungle
  • Natural hot springs at Qollpapampa campsite
  • Uncrowded backdoor approach to Machu Picchu
  • Coffee plantation hiking experience
  • Small group sizes (max 10 people)
  • Private guided tour at Machu Picchu included
  • Enough porters to carry all the camping gear and your duffle bags

Day-by-Day Itinerary

What's Included

  • Transportation from your hotel in Cusco to the beginning of the hike

  • All the meals during the hike

  • Camping equipment (cooking utensils, 3-person capacity tents, therma-rest mattress)

  • Wranglers who pack and organize the equipment

  • Horses or mules for carrying the equipment and 1 duffle bag for each hiker (5 Kg. limit per person for personal gear. Excess luggage will be stored in hotel)

  • Licensed Trail Guide and trail chef

  • First-aid equipment

  • 3* Hotel in Aguas Calientes with private bathroom and hot water

  • Entrance tickets to Machu Picchu National Park

  • Round trip bus tickets from the town of Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu

  • Train ticket and ground transfer from Aguas Calientes to Cusco

  • Trekking poles

Not Included

  • International airfare to and from Lima

  • Domestic airfare from Lima to Cusco and Cusco to Lima

  • Cusco airport transfer on arrival (can be arranged on request)

  • Hotel in Cusco (can be arranged on request)

  • Personal equipment for trekking (daypack, sleeping bag - bring your own or rent for $20 pp, but please bring bag liner)

  • First breakfast, last lunch

  • 1 Way Train tickets from Hidroelectric station to Aguas Calientes (bring cash $31-40 USD pp)

  • Travel Insurance (view our TRAVEL FORMS for free quote from SQUAREMOUTH)

  • Tips at your discretion

  • Travel insurance. Visit our Travel Forms for a free Squaremouth quote, or choose your own provider.

Notes

Itinerary subject to change. We do our best to offer equivalent substitutions. We offer our groups a rate of $88 per double room for 3* hotel in Cusco. Let us know your dates & we will reserve the hotel in Cusco for you. All our hikes include superior comfort upgrades - therma-rest mattresses, enough porters to carry all the gear, well-trained trail chef, high-quality meals, English-speaking licensed tour guides.

Is it possible to hike Salkantay and skip the trip to Machu Picchu? Yes. Just ask.

Book A Day Trip From Cusco

$392 per person based on minimum of 2 people, add $378
Peru

1 Day Machu Picchu Express Service with Guided Tour

A quick and fun way to experience the highlight of Peru. Includes transport, tickets and tour guide. 4am. We arrange to pick you up from your hotel in Cusco about 4am and transfer 15 minutes to the city center where you board the bi-modal train service (2h by mini-bus to Ollantaytambo and 2h by train to Aguas Calientes.) The Adios tour guide will be waiting for you at the station on arrival and will walk you to the bus stop. Ride about 30 minutes to the main gate to Machu Picchu where you begin a private tour lasting about 2-3 hours. Get up close to real functioning fountains, walk through original Inka houses, observe religious and astrological features, and learn about the many sacred elements and mysterious carved rocks of one of the noblest ancient civilizations to inhabit the earth. After you exit, take the shuttle bus back to the village and if time permits, you can stop for lunch (at your expense) in the village before boarding the bi-modal train service back to Ollantaytambo, then on to Cusco by 7-8pm. Service concludes at the train office or station. You can walk back to your hotel or catch a taxi.

Minimum 2 people. Includes: roundtrip train tickets from Cusco to Aguas Calientes (bi-modal service), English-speaking tour guide, round trip bus tickets, 1 entry to Machu Picchu on circuit 2 or 3B depending on availability. In case 3B is not available, there may be an extra charge to buy circuit 3A, 3C or 3D. Not included: hotels, meals, drinking water, tips, travel insurance

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$186 USD per person based on minimum of 2, add $60 pp for each additional
Peru

Sacred Valley Tour to Pisac Archaeological Site & Farm to Table Lunch

Explore one of the best Sun Dials in the Sacred Valley followed by a farm to table lunch in the home of a Qechua family. Adios driver and tour guide take you one-hour/15 min drive to the village of Pisac, home of one of the lesser-known archaeological gems of the Sacred Valley. Continue beyond the village and past sweeping agricultural terraces to the parking area. The tour starts with a short walk to the limestone cliffs, where hundreds of holes are bored into the wall. This Inca cemetery has about 3,500 Inca tombs and is the largest in all Peru. The graves, which look like mud swallows’ nests, were the resting places of nobles buried in the fetal position until the last century when they were ransacked by looters. Then you have the option to continue 2h on a roundtrip hike through short tunnels, to a stunning megalithic stone complex. The ceremonial center, also known as the Sun Temple, is one of the marvels of Inca stonecraft. Carved mainly from pink granite, it features one of the few existing inti huatanas, also-called “hitching posts of the sun,” found at other Inca sacred sites like Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu. From there you hike back to your van and drive about 30 minutes to a small Quechua farm where a local family will host a Farm to Table feast. Return to Cusco about 1h/30 minutes and if time permits, you may stop in the village of Pisac to explore the small shops and the narrow village streets. You have the option to continue to the village of Ollantaytambo where our driver will drop you off at your hotel or the train station. Vegetarians welcome.

8:30am Pickup from any hotel in Cusco. Return to Cusco or continue to your hotel in the village of Ollantaytambo.

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165 USD pp based on minimum of 2 ppl. Add $65 USD for each additional person
Hike

Hike Sacred Valley from Moray to Maras - Full day

Enjoy a day exploring the easy rolling hills in the Sacred Valley with a guided walking tour of the Moray archaeological site for 45 minutes then beginning 2-3 hour hike yp 6-7 km over rolling terrain through farms and fields along an old Inca trail. Stop at the Maras Terraced Salt Ponds on the way to the Vilcanota River where the driver will be waiting to pick you up. Return 2 hours to your hotel in Cusco or continue to the village of Ollantaytambo where we can drop you off at your hotel or the train station.

About 2750 m / 9,000 ft elevation. Minimum 2 people. Suitable for inexperienced hikers. After the excursion, our team can return you to your hotel in Cusco or take you to the village of Ollantaytambo and drop you off at your hotel or the train station. (cost of refreshments not included) Includes: private vehicle, driver, English-speaking tour guide, entry tickets, use of trekking poles, and guided tour Not included: hotel, tips, meals, drinking water, travel insurance

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$165 per person based on minimum of 2. Add $45 for each additional person
Hike

Chinchero Weavers & Pocpoc Waterfalls Hike -Full Day

Enjoy a day that combines Peruvian culture with an easy mostly downhill hike. 8:30am. Pickup from your hotel in Cusco and drive 30 minutes to the village of Chinchero where you meet the Qechua women weavers who demonstrate traditional Inca weaving. (Textiles for sale. 100% of sales supports the women's weaving co-op) The hike starts nearby beginning with a descent about 1.5 hours to the Pocpoc waterfalls where you can eat your box lunch picnic. (included) Continue down the trail about 2 hours to the village of Urquillos where the driver will be waiting for pickup. Return to your hotel in Cusco or our team can take you on to the village of Ollantaytambo to your hotel or train station. Average hike duration 4 hours / average distance 11 km, mostly downhill through woods, small farms and along a creek that feeds the Vilcanota River.

Hikers must complete the full hike; no mid-way pickup available.

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$45 per person based on minimum of 2, add $15 USD for each extra person
Peru

Walking Tour of Cusco City Center

Your guide provides insight to local Peruvian culture and ancient Inca civilization with legendary stories and a visit to the main Plaza de Armas, once considered the center of the Inca Empire, and where the statue of King Pachacutec, whose brilliant vision led to the design and building of Machu Picchu, greets everyone. Continue on foot through authentic narrow Inca streets where you explore the historical city including markets and Coricancha Temple, also known as the “Golden Temple of the Sun.” See the remarkable achievements of ancient Peruvians thatinclude stone arches, Inca walls, cobbled streets, and many examples of exotic architecture. Observe the impact of colonial invasion and how the collision of two very different societies fused into one enchanting hub of modern Peruvian culture. About 3 hours at your pace beginning from your hotel in the historical city center.

Based on minimum of 2 people.Add $15 USD for additional people. Includes: English-speaking tour guide, entry tickets, guided tours Not included: hotel, meals, drinking water, tips, travel insurance

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$170 USD per person, add $62 for each additional person
Peru

Sacred Valley Tour by Van - Chinchero - Moray - Maras

Full-day tour on the Chinchero-Moray-Maras route through the beautiful Sacred Valley of the Incas. 08:30 AM Pickup from your hotel in Cusco and drive about 30-40 min to Chinchero, home of the famous colonial style church and archaeological ruins and the backdrop for Qechua women & girls who demonstrate traditional dyeing and weaving. Then drive about 11 KM over dirt roads to Maras Terraced Salt Ponds. Here you learn how salt is harvested and the importance of salt for economic exchange since Inca times. continue for some 20 k to the ruins of Moray to learn about the sophisticated botanical practices of the Inca and how the plants were used for ceremonial purposes. Enjoy short hike around the sink holes. Lunch will be in restaurant along the way. Each town offers its own unique view of life and traditions established long ago. Finally arrive in Ollantaytambo, the oldest still-occupied town in Peru where you visit the prominent ruins overlooking the Sacred Valley.

After the tour our team can take you to the village of Ollantaytambo and drop you off at your hotel or the train station. Or you can return to Cusco Miinimum 2 people, $62 each additional person Includes: private vehicle, driver, English-speaking tour guide, entry tickets, use of trekking poles, and guided tours Not included: hotel, tips, meals, drinking water, travel insurance

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$592 per couple
Peru

1-Day Shamanic Wedding Ceremony

1-day Andean Wedding Ceremony takes place in the Killarumiyoc archaeological complex. The couple exchange vows in the shadow of the Lunar Stone, revered by the Inca as the "Mother Moon" of fertility. The Shaman will conduct the ceremony using special offerings including coca leaves & chicha beer. A small undecorated cake & champagne (or chicha) are provided after the ceremony. Then you return to your hotel in Cusco. Or the ceremony can be combined with any other tours in Sacred Valley or Machu Picchu. (Ceremonies are not permitted in Machu Picchu or any of the historical sites. )

For 2 people. Additional people can be added. Contact us for rates.

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$50 pp (minimum 2 people)
Peru

Add on Mountain Biking to Your Sacred Valley Tour

Enhance your tour of the Sacred Valley by van, on the Chinchero route, with an easy mountain bike ride on beautiful rolling hills near Moray and Maras. After you book your Sacred Valley tour by van, let us know if you would like to include biking. 8:30 AM Our guide and driver pick you up from your hotel, then drive 30 minutes to the Chinchero weavers’ village where local Quechua women demonstrate traditional Incan weaving and dyeing techniques. (textiles are for sale and 100% of sales supports the women’s textile community.) Lunch will be arranged at a restaurant on the way. (at your expense) Continue to Moray to explore unusual geologic sink-holes that the Inca reconstructed into concentric terraces to create a landscape masterpiece. Its purpose has been debated for decades since it was rediscovered from the air in 1931. Drive to Maras terraced salt ponds - a cascade of pink-hued salt crystals from an actively flowing underground stream that has evaporated and pooled on the surface. Each pond is owned and harvested by a local family.

In addition to the cost of your Sacred Valley Tour. Return to your hotel in Cusco, or option to end the tour at your hotel in Ollantaytambo at no extra cost. Includes: full suspension mt bike, helmet, gloves, support van during the ride, private vehicle, driver, English-speaking tour guide, water refills and snacks. Not include: hotel, breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinking water, tips, travel insurance

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$15 pp Cusco / $33 pp Lima
Peru

Airport Transfers Lima/Cusco

Airport transfers in Cusco or Lima.

Minimum 2 people. Sacred Valley or Ollantaytambo transfers are $90 per group for 2-3 people. Contact Adios Adventure Travel for larger groups.

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$150 USD per person based on 2 people, add $60 USD for each extra person
Peru

Cusco Historical Outskirts Hike 4-5h

Hike 4-5h from Tambomachay, Temple of the water also known as the Royal Inca Baths to Qenco, a site of mysterious caves, ancient Burial site, and then to Sacsayhuaman ruins, one of the most significant archaeological legacies of the Incas. 8:30am Our guide and driver will meet you at your hotel to begin the 30 minute drive to the Archeological site of Tambomachay, where you enjoy a short walk to see the ancient Inca temple. Continue on foot through small villages, farms and pastures to the ruins of Qenqo, where it is believed the Incas mummified their dead. Then walk 20 minutes to Sacsayhuaman. Due to the complexity of the layout of the massive blocks of stone, some bigger than a car, it is said that the construction of Sacsayhuaman employed over 20,000 men. During the tour, be sure to notice the amazing views of Cusco. 4-5 hours hike mostly downhill.

Minimum 2 people. Add $60 for each additional person. Bring sunscreen, good walking shoes, hat, and a light jacket. Includes: one way transport from your hotel to Tambomachay where the hike begins, entry tickets, English-speaking tour guide, guided tours and trekking poles. Not included: hotel, meals, drinking water, tips, travel insurance

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$165 USD per person (minimu 2) Add $70 for each extra person)
Peru

Explore Cusco Food Culture with Cooking Class

Adios tour guide will meet you at your hotel and walk (15 min) to the renowned San Pedro market where ingredients from the surrounding mountain communities converge into one exciting display that showcases the unique indigenous culture of the Andes Mts Samples may (or may not) include honey from the mountains, hard boiled quail eggs, fat chunks of choclo corn on the cob, fruit from the nearby jungle, and other unusual foods. After the tour, your guide will escort you to a local restaurant where the chef will guide you through the process of creating your own dynamic Peruvian dishes. Then you dine! Includes Pisco sour or chicha morada (non-alcoholic)

Minimum 2 people. Begins 8:30am when Adios tour guide meets you in your hotel lobby. Includes: English-speaking tour guide, samples at the market, guided tour, cooking class and lunch Not included: hotel, tips, travel insurance, transport (if you want your tour guide to arrange a taxi just let him or her know, and you can pay cash in person in USD or Peruvian currency. Estimated cost less than $10 USD)

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$165 USD pp (min 2) Add $80 for each additional person
Lima

Lima City Tour and Catacombs Tour

Enjoy the beauty of the bustling coastal city with a drive through the most iconic places. Lima colonial and residential areas: you will drive by Kennedy Park and Costa Verde for the panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean. Continue by van to San Martin Plaza, the main commercial area of the old downtown where you begin walking to Giron de La Union, the pedestrian walking alley takes you to the square and Plaza de Armas to view the Peruvian government palace. Then you walk to the Basilica Cathedral of Lima, followed by a guided tour of the famous catacombs. Return to your hotel by car. Total 4 hours.

Average 4 hours. Includes transport, English-speaking guide, and entrance to the Convent of Santo Domingo (Catacombs). Duration: Begins and ends at your Lima hotel. Not included: hotel, meals, water, tips, or travel insurance.

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172 USD per person based on minimum of 2 (add $45 for each extra person)
Hike

Perolniyoc Hidden Waterfalls & Unknown Raqaypata Inca Site

Full one day excursion to a lesser known trail in the Sacred Valley. Explore hidden waterfalls and stop for a picnic on the way (box lunch included.) Continue hike to Rayqaypata about 1 hour up the mountain with fantastic views of the remote Socma Valley with time to explore the deserted Inca ruins. Then return to your hotel in Cusco or our team can drop you off in the village of Ollantaytambo where our service concludes. Perolniyoc comes from the Spanish description who believed the waterfall has the "golden vessel.."

Minimum 2 people. Pickup from your hotel in Cusco at 8:30 am. Drive about 1 hour 40 minutes to the trailhead. Easy to moderate terrain with optional turnaround at any point to go back to the van. No entry tickets required. Hike back to the van about 1 hour; the guide follows your pace. Includes: private vehicle, driver and English-speaking tour guide, box lunch with 1 sport drink, trekking poles Not included: hotel, tips, travel insurance, additional drinking water for the day

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$165 per person based on minimum of 2. Add $62 for each additional person
Hike

Pisac Archaeological Site - Inca Cemetery & Sun Dial - Explore Pisac Village

Day tour with short hike begins from Cusco about 1 hour by van to the Pisac Archaeological Park and the Inca cemetery where you see holes etched into the limestone wall. Then hike about 2 hours roundtrip to the ceremonial center to see one of the few intact Intihuatanas (Sun Dials.) Altitude about 3450 m/11,000 ft with sweeping views of Sacred Valley terraces, upclose access to ancient tombs, short tunnels, and impressive megalithic Inca stonework. Stop in the village on the way back for refreshments and to explore the ancient streets. Return to your hotel in Cusco or transfer to Ollantaytambo.

Minimum 2 people. Suitable for inexperienced hikers. After the excursion, our team can return you to your hotel in Cusco or take you to the village of Ollantaytambo and drop you off at your hotel or the train station. (cost of refreshments not included) Includes: private vehicle, driver, English-speaking tour guide, entry tickets, use of trekking poles, and guided tour Not included: hotel, tips, meals, drinking water, travel insurance

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$195 per person (minimum 2 people) Add $60 for each extra person)
Peru

Rainbow Mountain Day Hike - Vinicunca

Get up close to the breathtaking beauty of Rainbow Mountain with a challenging 3-4 hour roundtrip hike. This tour is best suited for travelers who are fit enough to hike at high altitude for several hours. The challenging is worth it to experience one of Peru's most spectacular natural wonders.

it's best to schedule this 1 day tour at the end of your trip to Peru. Minimum 2 people. 5am pickup from any accommodation in Cusco. (No pickups from Sacred Valley due to extra distance). Ask your hotel to provide box breakfast. We provide, private vehicle, dirver, English-speaking tour guide, trekking poles, entry fees, snacks, box lunch, water refills. Not included: hotel, breakfast, dinner tips, travel insurance, horse rental is one way. (bring 100 soles pp cash to pay the wrangler in person)

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$195 per person based on minimum of 2 people (add $60 each extra person)
Peru

Rainbow Mountain Without the Hike - Palccoyo Route

Experience Peru's stunning Rainbow Mountain without the strenuous high-altitude trek. Reach the viewpoint at Palccoyo to see the colorful striped mountains with a short hike up from the parking area.

it's best to schedule this 1 day tour at the end of your trip to Peru. Minimum 2 people. 5am pickup from any accommodation in Cusco. (No pickups from Sacred Valley due to extra distance). Ask your hotel to provide box breakfast. We provide, private vehicle, dirver, English-speaking tour guide, trekking poles, entry fees, snacks, box lunch, water refills. Not included: hotel, breakfast, dinner, tips, travel insurance, horse rental is one way. (bring 100 soles pp cash to pay the wrangler in person)

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$165 per day per person based on 2 people, $42 each additional person
Peru

South Valley Tour - Tipon - Pikillacta - Andahuaylillas

Spend a full day exploring the region south of Cusco. visit "The Sistene Chapel of the Andes," the pre-Inca town of Pikillacta and the Inca masterpiece of hydraulic engineering at Tipon. At 8:30 am, tour guide and driver will pick you up to begin the drive outside the city to the rural district where you visit the famous church of Andahuaylillas, also known as "The Sistine Chapel of the Andes," laden with frescoes and featuring Baroque architecture. Then you drive to the pre-Incan town of Pikillacta, known for its architecture that characterizes the unique style of Wari culture. From there it's a short drive to the archaeological complex at Tipon, a masterpiece of hydraulic engineering dedicated to the worship of water. These ruins consist of an impressive array of agricultural terraces and platforms, surrounded by enclosures or rooms, storage facilities known as qollqas, pass through the village famous for restaurants serving cuy (roasted guinea pig). Return to your hotel in Cusco.

Full-day tour including private car, driver, English-speaking guide, entry tickets Not included: hotels, lunch, tips, travel insurance, drinking water

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All Day Excursions

Pricing

Starting from

$1,152

per person

Min 2 ppl

5 D / 4 N

Departure: Custom

From
$1,152
Single supplement
$65

Cost is based on 2 or more people sharing double or triple room in hotel

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FAQ & Prep

  • Cancellations after deposit payment or final payment: 100% of the total deposit and/or full payment is retained. Please refer to our detailed cancellation policy or contact us for specific terms.

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