Itinerary
- Day 1
Cusco to Soraypampa
Your pickup starts early at 4:30 a.m. from your Cusco hotel for the nearly 3-hour drive to Mollepata. Along the way you'll pass snow-capped mountains and colorful valleys, with time to grab breakfast or snacks at your own expense. Once at Challa Cancha trailhead, you'll meet the support staff, organize your gear, and attend a briefing before heading out. The first trek to Soraypampa (3900m/12,795 ft) covers 9 km over about 3 hours. After lunch and a rest, you continue another 5 km (3 hours round trip) to Humantay Lake (4200m/13,779 ft) where you can see the glacier and watch the sunset. The campsite back at Soraypampa offers excellent stargazing through the night.
- Start point
- Cusco, Cusco, Peru (We will pick you up from your hotel in Cuzco, 04:30 - 04:55)
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Full lunch at base camp), Dinner
Included Activities
- Trek to Soraypampa (9 km, approximately 3 hours)
- Hike to Humantay Lake (5 km round trip, approximately 3 hours)
- View Humantay Glacier and sunset
Optional Activities
- Breakfast or snacks in Mollepata (own cost)
Landmarks Salkantay Peak Veronica Mountain Humantay Lake Humantay Glacier - Day 2
Soraypampa to Chawllay
Coca tea arrives at your tent early, followed by a hearty breakfast to fuel the day's hardest push. You'll trek 7 km to Salkantay Pass summit, which takes around 4 hours and tests your endurance. Keep an eye out for chinchillas along the rocky sections, and at the top you'll see Salkantay, Humantay, and Pumasillo peaks covered in snow. After 3 hours descending on gravel and rocky terrain, you reach Huayra Machay for lunch. The afternoon walk covers 9 km over 3 hours through increasingly thick cloud forest to Chawllay Village (2900m/9,514 ft). Colorful orchids and native plants line the forest as you arrive at your campsite.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Hearty breakfast), Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Trek to Salkantay Pass (7 km, approximately 4 hours)
- Descent to Huayra Machay (approximately 3 hours)
- Trek through cloud forest to Chawllay Village (9 km, approximately 3 hours)
Landmarks Salkantay Pass Salkantay Peak Pumasillo Mountain Chawllay Village 
- Day 3
Chawllay to Lucmabamba
Today follows the Salkantay River through thick jungle on a gentle trail that lets you take in the landscape. You'll stop at family hamlets to try local fruits like passion fruit, banana, coffee, avocado, mango, orange, and papaya. Watch for the famous 'Cock of the Rocks' bird if you're fortunate. Lucmabamba, a small town surrounded by coffee plantations, gives you time to walk around and pick up souvenirs. In the afternoon, you have the option to drive about an hour to natural hot springs to relax your muscles after the demanding mountain trekking. Dinner is served back in town once you return.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Local fruits and vegetables at family hamlets), Dinner (Full dinner)
Included Activities
- Trek through jungle along Salkantay River
- Stop at family hamlets to sample local fruits and vegetables
- Explore Lucmabamba town
Optional Activities
- Soak in hot springs (approximately one hour drive, highly recommended)
Landmarks Salkantay River Lucmabamba - Day 4
Lucmabamba to Aguas Calientes
After breakfast around 7:00 a.m., you hike rising trails through coffee, banana, and passion fruit plantations with views over Santa Teresa Valley. Following the Vilcanota River, you reach the Oroya canopy bridge and from there either continue hiking or take a small car (25 minutes) to the Hydroelectric Station. This spot offers your last view of Machu Picchu from behind the sanctuary, and you'll have your final lunch with the entire team. Then you walk along the train tracks to Aguas Calientes, check into your hostel, and have dinner at a local restaurant.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Last lunch with all staff at Hydroelectric Station), Dinner (Dinner at a local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Trek through coffee, banana, and passion fruit plantations
- Cross Oroya canopy bridge
- Walk along train tracks to Aguas Calientes
Optional Activities
- Hike to Hydroelectric Station (alternative to 25-minute car ride)
Landmarks Santa Teresa Valley Vilcanota River Oroya Canopy Bridge Hydroelectric Station Machu Picchu Sanctuary Aguas Calientes - Day 5
Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu and Return to Cusco
An early breakfast gets you ready for the expedition highlight. You'll take one of the first buses starting at 5:30 a.m. (30-minute ride to checkpoint) or hike to Machu Picchu, reaching a viewpoint for sunrise and photos. Your guide leads a 2-hour walk through the citadel explaining Inca history and culture while the hostel keeps your extra bags. After the guided tour, free time allows you to explore independently. If you booked the optional Huayna Picchu Mountain hike beforehand, your guide shows you the trailhead (3-hour round trip). By noon head to the bus line returning to Aguas Calientes for lunch, then catch your train at 6:20 p.m. or 7:00 p.m. After 2 hours you'll reach Ollantaytambo station, then board a bus back to Cusco, arriving around 10:30 p.m.
- End point
- Cusco, Cusco, Peru (San Francisco Plaza Cusco, 22:30 - 23:00)
- Meals
- Breakfast (Early breakfast), Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Early morning bus or hike to Machu Picchu
- Sunrise viewing and photography
- Guided tour of Machu Picchu Citadel (2 hours)
- Free time to explore Machu Picchu
- Bus or train transportation back to Ollantaytambo
- Coach bus transfer from Ollantaytambo to Cusco
Optional Activities
- Huayna Picchu Mountain hike (must be booked in advance, 3-hour round trip, $67 per person)
- Vistadome train tickets ($85 upon request)
Landmarks Machu Picchu Citadel Huayna Picchu Mountain Ollantaytambo Station San Francisco Plaza 
