Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5D/4N

Day 1: Cusco — Mollepata — Sayllapata — Inca Channel — Soraypampa.

We´ll pick you up from your hotel between 5:00 to 5:30 am with our private transportation. but, make sure you have with you the passport and ISIC Card if applicable. Our journey from Cusco to Mollepata town is 2 hours and 30 minutes roughly through the Anta plateau and Limatambo valley enjoying the beautiful andean towns, nice views, landscapes and the Salkantay snow-capped mountain in the background. After enjoy a delicious breakfast in the town known as a Mollepata you will still have few more minutes for buy anything that you could forget. Then, We keep driving for 01 more hours until arrive at Sallapata (3 700 / 12 139 ft) from where is located the starting the hike. However, after double check, all of our equipment in order to start the hike for around 30 minutes uphill then is just flat the rest of the path until lunch spot. We are going to hike for 02 hours and half and is really easy this path because our purpose is that you acclimateze in this altitude in order to make sure that you are good for the next day. after pass beautiful landscapes, flora and fauna along the way. Salkantay Mountain is  majestic and you will see why the andean people use to respect this Sacred Peak. Soraypampa (3 900m / 12 795 ft) is gonna be the luncha sport and the campsite athe same time because after a big and fantastic buffet lunch you will have 20 minutes for taking a rest. then, we have to go to one beautiful blue lagoon located just 01 jours walking up then we will do it small ceremony in order to say thank you and ask for permitions to the mother earth (pachamama). We’re going to come back for tea time or happy hour haviing nice chatting, of course, your mountain guide is gonna introduce the staff and you can know to this people. Because you should need to go to your bed early and before your guide says good night he is gonna explain you really quitly the plan for the following day.

Day 2: Soraypampa — Soyrocochaa — Salkantay Pass (Inca Pass) — Huayramachay — Chaullay — Collpa Pampa.

We´ll wake you up with a cup of a hot drink of coca tea and give you enough time for organizing your belongings in your duffles bags and after that is time to have a special breakfast cooked for you by our chef. Then is time to start the hike because is long day today the first hour is gentle up and after that is coming the another uphill for 03 hours roughly intul arrive to the top or highest point in the trek, after take a good pictures for a nice souvenir that you survive the Inca’s pass we’ll keep walking for 30 more minutes in order to see a beautiful blue Lagoon known as a Salkantaycocha (Savage Blue Lagoon). After this place we starting the downhill for 03 hours approximately for lunch of course on the way is possible to find a beautiful landscape and Andean rabbits (chinchillas). little by little as we descending the weather change and is much warmer. buffet lunch is ready and waiting for us when we are going to have in Huayracmachay village after this you have 15 minutes to take a rest. However, remember is long day in that way we’ve to keep walking down for 04 more hours until arrive to the campsite with our tents up and hot drinks with popcorn. Therefore, we’ll talk about inca’s mommies and how they used to sacrifice to human. we are sure walking and taking pictures without you know this day is gonna pass really fast and the happy hour that we are going to have in this place is short because we will be tired. but, before going to sleep we will enjoy our buffet dinner and short orientation for the following day with the details that you should need to know for it.

Day 3: Collpapampa — La Playa Sahuayaco — Luqmabamba.

This day really early in the morning your porters will wake you up with a hot cup of coca tea to get ready with your belongings before enjoying our big and delicious breakfast for the trek. However, you need to know that is gonna be the short day of all the entire trek. We´ll hike for 05 hours roughly way down until arrive to La playa Sahuayaco (3 305 m / 10 843 ft) of course this area is much better because the same weather is a little bit much warmer and we will starting to see more flowers and beautiful orchids that of course, our mountain guide is going to explain the functions and how these people use each of them as a natural medicine in this regions. although, those areas are beautiful and we can spend hours and hours talking about nature and mountain life we have to keep hiking too Sahuayaco for our buffet lunch but it’s gonna be really good and perfect because these places are areas of avocados lands. then, remember is time to our 20 minutes rest, but, then we have to keep walking for 01 more hour until campsite that is gonna be a coffee farm where you can find a trees of avocados, coffee, passion fruit, coca leafs and see at the same time how this farmer process the coffee after that is time to have a hot water and hot drinks in the happy hour. afterwards, we have to enjoy our dinner and do it the plan for the next day. however if the weathers permit us we’ll talk about Inka astronomy and of course the relations that used to exist between all the cultures in the world.

Day 4: Luqmabamba — Llaqtapata — Aguas Calientes.

we´re going to wake you up at 5:30 am. and before leave the campsite enjoy a breakfast at 6:00 am. then we’re going to start our trek through Inca Trail way up until arrive at Llaqtapata from where we’ll have the chance to see Machupicchu from this mountain and then enjoy our box lunch there. however, then we’ll keep walking down into the valley below. the path winds its way down the mountain, passing through heavily wooded cloud forest where we can see a variety of wildlife and small plantations grown by the local people. It’s about 2 hours walk down to the bottom of the valley and a further 30 minutes until the hydroelectric plant where we’ll see a stunning waterfall that is a byproduct of the project. From hydroelectric, we’ll wait to the train because is this place where we’re going to take the train to Aguas Calientes (Machupicchu town) for around 40 minutes and then after getting off the train straight to do check in our hotel. After a hot shower and rest a little bit we have dinner at night in order to do it the plan for the following day. one of the new seven wonders (Machupicchu) is gonna be our itinerary the next day. At the same time this day we’re going to say goodbye to our porters and we’re going to do a small ceremony in order to say thanks for that amazing job that they’ll do for you (if you wish to give tips for them in this small ceremony). then we recommend you go early to your bed to sleep because the following day we´ll wake you up really early in the morning in order to arrive for the sunrise over the Machu Picchu ruins.

Day 5: Aguas Calientes — Machupicchu — Cusco city.

We have to wake up very early in the morning of the five days in order to see the sunrise in Machupicchu (if the weather allows) We’ll start with breakfast at the hotel and then head to the bus that will take us to Machupicchu archaeological site. just after getting into Machupicchu we’re going to good spot to take amazing and unforgettable pictures for your Facebook profile. Afterward, your guide is gonna explain you for 2 hours tour in all Machupicchu site and if you want to visit the place by yourself the guides are gonna explain you at that moment. but, before your tour guide will provide your bus ticket for Aguas Calientes town from where you´re going to meet with your tour guide where he is gonna give you tren tickets and explain how to take the train in order to back to Cusco. If you´d like you to have the chance to climb up to Huayna Picchu Mountain that takes around 50 minutes to wreathe summit. From this please you can see Machu Picchu and you will feel as you never did from this, please. But if you want to hike to this mountain just let us know in advance (cost for it $ 20 dollars extra).

Included:

• Professional Tour Guides: all of our tour guides are from the university and at the same time, they speak really good English. however the most important is that all our tour guides are local people that grew up in the Andes with much ancient knowledge ready to teach you any ancestors tradition but at the same time, they are funny and so professionals making sure safe and happy.
• Permits: after we just receive your deposit and information about you. our staff is in charge to get your permits for the Inca Trail. this permits are for a specific date and your name have to be the same as your passport details.
• Briefing: one night before start your trek, you need to come to our office for the group briefing with your guide. well in this place we´ll give you the duffle bag that our porters are gonna carry for you. helping you 7 kg/ 14 pounds of your weight. making you to enjoy this trek and be something unforgettable for your life.
• Chefs: our food will be cook by our professional chefs according to the things that you eat and if you have some allergies to some products just let us know in order to avoid to put in your meals. Porters: our staff is included for porters that are in charge to carry the weight of all of the team as the food, tents, plates, bowls, chairs, etc. but at the same time always ready to help you.
• Transportation: transportations for all the trek is included from the beginning to the end with cars and train (we´ll pick you up from your hotel and take you back in your hotel ¨our service is the door to door¨).
• Equipment: Sparrow adventure has the best equipment that you need for your trek in order to take you safe and happy enjoying at the same time.
• Food: our healthy and organic food is gonna be prepared by our chef that have a lot of experience cooking in the mountain and at the same time you have the chance to tell us if you don´t eat some allergies in that way our chef will cook without that things.
• Water: this important element we´ll start to supply for your first lunch to your last breakfast and you can refill your plastic bottle or camelback. but from where come this water ?. well this water is taken from the natural springs that there are along the way. filtered and then boiled in order finally to cool down before to give you for a drink or refill your bottles. remember that is really important to drink plenty of water for your hike.
• First Aid Kit: your safety (healthy, safe, satisfy and enjoying) is one of our first priorities. in that way, this first aid kit that we have is complete with basic things that you can need for the trek and oxygen tank just in order to take you safely.
• Extras: we consider it´s just couple details for your trek because we already tell you all the things that you need probably just that you need to get rain poncho, sun cream, and few things that you can get here and is not so much complex to buy.

Not included:

• Daypacks: you should need to bring your own day pack for the hike although it doesn’t have to be so big as a personal experience we suggest to get small o medium day pack but not so big in order to enjoy on the way because remember that our porter are gonna helping you part of your weight. the backpack that you´ll bring has to be with enough space for your: water, sun cream, sun hat, few warm layers, camera, personal snack, headlamps and few more things that you can consider important for your trek.
• Headlamps: with our experience in the mountain we recommend to have your personal headlamps for the trek because if you need to move from one place to another one or go to the toilet for sure you´ll need one. remember that these campsites are places with lights.
• Packing list: we suggest you bring for the hike warm layers for the nights, three t-shirts, hiking pants, the jacket is basically the things that you´ll need and if is waterproof or rainwater resistant could be much better. anyway with your rain poncho is gonna be fine. because it cover you until your knees. however you can´t forget to bring hiking boots or trekking shoes and sandals or sneaker.
• Extra Snack: You can bring your own snack or get here.
• Rentals: Each hiker needs basically a sleeping bag and is optional the inflatable air matt and walking stick for good trek but if you don´t have any of those things, no worries because you still have the chance to rent with us really good equipment.
• Sleeping bag: 20 US$
• Inflatable air matt: 15 US$
• Walking sticks (pair): 15  US$
• Huayna Picchu: this is the name of one mountain next to Machu Picchu site from where you can get nice view of the archeological site surrounding by the Urubamba river and you have the chance to hike to this mountain but let us know when you booking with us because this permit is limited however if you don’t get this permits not worries because you still have the chance to go to the Inca bridge and enjoy the ruins of Machu Picchu because it is really big site.

Altitude Sickness

It’s common to start to wondering about altitude sickness if you thinking to come to Peru, especially in Cusco. however, It’s easy to figure out this problem. You just need to spend a few days in Cusco drinking plenty of water and coca tea.

This is the High Altitude Symptom

headache, tiredness, dizziness, nausea, tingling, loss of appetite, trouble sleeping, vomiting. Please, If you feel any of this problem contact our company or call a doctor in order to help you. but, this symptom usually is gonna be temporal just you need to drink plenty of water and coca tea. However, some times our customer prefers pills and in that way, we suggest you have an (acetazolamide or dexamethasone) and come a few days before to Cusco.

Weather

In general, the weather here in the Andes is unpredictable and that is the way why we suggest to our customers have to be ready for a rainy or sunny day. although, if you have waterproof clothes for sure it’s gonna helping us so much.

First Aid Kit

All of Our mountain guides have their first aid kits and a lot of training in first aid in the mountains and every year they received classes of doctor with the most frequent problems as a (diarrhea, cuts, headache, scrapes,etc.) at the same time they have an oxygen tank in order to help you to feel much better. However, It’s fine if you thinking to bring your own first aid kit for the trek.

Travel Insurance

Always is gonna be a good idea to have travel insurance for your tour or trek and more if you thinking to travel for a few weeks or more of one month. Although, for sure you need to have one if you have any serious illness just in case if something happens.

Please, if you don’t have one is fine.

Environmental Impact

This company is a travel agency that protects our environment. because, as you know the biggest problem that we have been suffering on our planet is global warming. but, we’re a sustainable company that we use a biodegradable staff and at the same time, our principal job is to teach to everyone protect this home (earth planet).

Community

The most important for us is our workers and of course, it means their families of the communities that everybody feels so proud of all of then. because, they still keep having our culture and thanks to all of those things is possible to know more knowledge about our ancestors as their traditions, behaviors, customs, etc. However, our job is to help all of then with books, computers, buildings and with the most important points teaching to everybody how important is our culture and protect everything left by our ancestors. because We think that “Love just the things that you know” and that’s why we have to help to all of then. However, We have to keep teaching not to loss their behaviors or customs in order to preserve and conserve this amazing culture Inca.