5-Day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu + Vistadome Train

Overview

Day by day itinerary

1. 1Cusco – Soraypampa – Humantay Lake - Salkantay Glamping⌄

   Begin your adventure with an early departure from Cusco, driving through the Andean highlands with sweeping views of valleys.

   Stop in Mollepata, a charming mountain town, to enjoy a traditional breakfast. Continue to Challacancha, where the trek officially begins.

   Hike gradually uphill, until reaching the turquoise waters of Humantay Lake, set dramatically beneath glacial peaks.

   After exploring and taking photos, descend to Soraypampa for a freshly prepared lunch. In the afternoon, continue uphill to the exclusive TreXperience Salkantay Mountain Glamping, located at 4,150 m.

   Spend the evening enjoying a warm dinner, panoramic mountain views and a sky full of stars before resting in your tent.

   Meals: Breakfast: breakfast at Mollepata town · Lunch: at Soraypampa · Dinner: Freshly prepared dinner at Salka Glamp campsite

   Overnight: Glamp Camping in Salkantay

2. 2Salkantaypampa - Wayracmachay - Collpapampa⌄

   Wake up to the crisp mountain air with hot coca tea or coffee served at your tent. After breakfast, begin the steep ascent to Abra Salkantay.

   The Abra Salkantay (4,630 m / 15,190 ft) is the trek’s highest point, where the landscapes of glaciers, rugged peaks, and turquoise lakes create an unforgettable scene. Spend time taking in the views. Continue with a long downhill trek, stopping in Wayracmachay for lunch.

   Along the way, spot Andean wildlife such as vizcachas and falcons. After lunch, descend further as the landscape shifts from andean terrain to lush cloud forest, with waterfalls and warmer air. End the day at Colcapampa, where you’ll stay in rustic Andean huts and enjoy dinner surrounded by nature.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch: At Wayracmachay · Dinner: At Collpapampa Campsite

   Overnight: Stay in comfortable Andean huts in Collpapampa

3. 3Collpapampa - Pachamanca and Coffee experience - Llactapata⌄

   Start the day with a hearty breakfast before trekking through the valley, crossing wooden bridges and passing small waterfalls and rivers. The warmer climate welcomes you with tropical plantations of granadilla, bananas and coca leaves.

   Arrive at Lucmabamba, where a cultural experience awaits: participate in a Pachamanca barbecue, an ancient underground stone cooking tradition and visit an organic coffee farm. Learn how coffee is cultivated, roasted, and ground, before preparing your own fresh cup.

   After lunch, begin a challenging but rewarding 3-hour climb along preserved Inca Trail paths leading to the Llactapata Archaeological Zone. From this remote site, enjoy one of the trek’s most special views: Machu Picchu in the distance across the valley. Camp here and watch the sunset over the mountains.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch: Pachamanca cooking class and coffee experience · Dinner: at Llactapata Campsite

   Overnight: Camping at Llactapata

4. 4Llactapata - Hidroelectrica - Aguas Calientes Town⌄

   Wake up with coffee or tea while admiring a spectacular sunrise over Machu Picchu. After breakfast, descend for about two hours through lush vegetation, spotting orchids, hummingbirds, and butterflies along the way, until reaching Hidroeléctrica

   Here, enjoy a final meal with your trekking chef and say goodbye to the support team. Continue on foot along the railway tracks beside the Urubamba River for approximately three hours. Stop at Mandor, a historic site where Hiram Bingham was guided toward Machu Picchu in 1911, and explore its botanical gardens rich in orchids and birdlife, including the cock-of-the-rock

   By late afternoon, arrive in Aguas Calientes, check into a comfortable 3 star hotel, and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. Relax in the hot springs or explore the town before resting for the big day ahead.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: 3 star Hotel in Aguas Calientes town

5. 5Machu Picchu - Retunr to Cusco⌄

   Rise early and take one of the first buses up to the Santuario Histórico de Machu Picchu (2,430 m / 7,972 ft).

   Enter the citadel at sunrise for breathtaking views of its temples, terraces, and sacred plazas. Your guide will lead a 2–3 hour tour explaining the history and mysteries of this Inca masterpiece. If you pre-booked, hike Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain for panoramic views of the citadel and surrounding valleys. After exploring, return to Aguas Calientes for lunch and to collect your belongings

   Board the Vistadome Panoramic train to Ollantaytambo, enjoying stunning landscapes through wide glass windows.

   From there, a private transfer returns you to Cusco, where your unforgettable Salkantay adventure comes to an end.

   Meals: Breakfast: Hotel breakfast

   Overnight: Not Included