SALCANTAY & INCA TRAIL 6D / 5N

Type of tour: Hiking, camping, adventure, history, culture

Total distance: 70 km /43.49 miles

Maximum altitude: 5000 meters / 16404 feet (Japanese Pampa)

Good for: Moderate physical fitness.

Difficulty: Quite challenging.

Considerations: Permit required for day four.

FIRST DAY: CUSCO – CHALLACANCHA – SORAYPAMPA – SALCANTAYPAMPA – ICHUPATA

The pick-up  time from the hotel in Cusco will be at 04:30 hours then we will go by our bus from Cusco city to Mollepata town (2800 mts / 9186.35 ft). Where we will have breakfast, then continue by bus to Challacancha (3600 mts / 11811.02 ft), here our handler will wait for us with their horses, who will carry on the load to start the adventure. Our guide will give us an introduction to the path to start the ascent towards the Soraypampa esplanade (3800 mts / 12467.19 ft) for about 2 hours until reaching the lunch point, from there, we will have the first views of the imposing Apu Salcantay, also in this part of the road we will be in front of the Humantay mountain; After a break we will go to the turquoise lagoon of Humantay (4200 mts / 13779.53 ft) of 2 hours round trip, its waters come from the snow of the same name. After that we will return to the place of Soraypampa, where we will continue the trek until arriving at Ichupata, there the camping will be installed and we will pass in front of the Salcantay mountain, it is possible to listen to some avalanches. However, do not afraid, that’s not very close to the campsite; the temperature oscillates to zero degrees, cold night of hiking.

SECOND DAY: ICHUPATA O PAMPAJAPONSA – INCAQ CHIRIASCAN – YANACCACCA – SISAYPAMPA Y CANAL INCA

We will wake up our team staff with hot drinks, then we will have breakfast and we will receive previous instructions of our guide to continue the adventure in the microclimate of the Salcantay mountain, one of the most powerful and active deities of the place, it is also appreciated by the inhabitants, the father of all the mountains in the region and even today is the object of great veneration, so that Machu Picchu and Choquequirao maintain an intimate visual contact with the Apu Salcantay. In Yanaccacca our team staff will be waiting for us with hot tea and delicious lunch. During the rest of the day, we will descend through lush green valleys until we reach the Inca canal campsite.

THIRD DAY: CANAL INCA – PAMPACCAHUARINA – PAUCARCANCHA – WAYLLABAMBA

After breakfast we will start the adventure of descent by hillside trails, used by traditional farmers, living in the same way since the ancestral times. Then, we will arrive at the famous Inca constructions, where our guide will provide us with information about the Incas, as it advances towards the microclimate of the jungle; in Paucarcancha we will have lunch. We will continue the road until we reach the village of Wayllabamba Classic Inca Trail, here we will camp around the mountains.

FOURTH DAY: WAYLLABAMBA – WARMIWAÑUSCA – PACAYMAYU

After breakfast we will receive previous indications from our guide to continue the trail for approximately 5 hours of ascent through a diverse vegetation and fantastic landscape dominated by mountains to the highest pass of the Warmiwañusca trek (4215 mts / 13829 ft), where We will have a short break and enjoy the panoramic views; here we will take good pictures with the group, then descend for approximately 2 hours to the valley of Pacaymayu, here we will camp and enjoy lunch and then we will have time to rest; In the afternoon you can watch the sunset over the Vilcabamba mountain range.

FIFTH DAY: PACAYMAYU – CHAQUICOCHA – PHUYUPATAMARCA – WIÑAYWAYNA

After breakfast we will receive instructions from our guide to continue the adventure; On this day we will have the best part of the tour, since we will visit several archaeological complexes such as: Runkarakay, Sayaqmarka, Qonchamarca and Phuyupatamarca, having the guided tour in each one of them; in the course of the road we will pass through several types of Andean environments including cloud forest and Andean tundra. After lunch at Chaquicocha, we will continue until we reach the last Wiñaywayna camp; After dinner we will have a small ceremony to say goodbye to our team staff.

SIXTH DAY: WIÑAYWAYNA – MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO

This day we will have breakfast at 04:00 hours, here we will leave our support staff and we will continue the adventure for 2 hours to Puerta del Sol (Inti Punku) from where we will have a panoramic view of the Inca City of Machu Picchu, then We will descend to the control and later we will have the guided tour of approximately 3 hours through on the agricultural and urban sectors such as temples, palaces, houses, sacred plazas and warehouses.

After the guided tour you will have a free time so that you can take pictures and observe some interesting areas, then we will take the bus to the town of Aguas Calientes, where you will have to board the train to Ollantaytambo and from here return by bus to the city Cusco.

IT INCLUDES:

• The pick up from the hotel.
• Transportation by bus to Challacancha.
• Professional guide.
• Entrance ticket to Salcantay, Inca Trail and Machu Picchu.
• 06 breakfasts, 06 lunches, 05 dinners
• Camping equipment: Matras and Camping tent, tables, chairs.
• First aid kit with oxygen.
• The porters.
• Cook, handler and horses.
• Bus to Aguas Calientes.
• Train back to Ollantaytambo and bus to Cusco.

IT DOES NOT INCLUDE:

• Additional matras.
• Sleeping bag.
• Walking stick.
• Tips

GROUP TOUR:

$ 950 USD per person.

Group tour is done with different Trekkers. This means that it is open for others to join you.

PRIVATE TOUR:

They are available and have a price per group size.

• 2 – 3 Trekkers: $ 1,300 USD per person.
• 4 – 6 Trekkers: $ 1,200 USD per person.
• 7 – 8 Trekkers: $ 1,100 USD per person.

Note * All prices are expressed in USD dollars.

STUDENT DISCOUNT:

$ 30 USDD discount per person.

Student discounts apply to anyone who has a current UNIVERSITY STUDENT CARD or children 17 years old or younger, we need a copy of their passport at the time of booking. Please send to info@wakankiexplorer.com

RECOMMENDATIONS:

• Original passport.
• Hiking boots.
• Waterproof jacket / rain poncho.
• warm jackets.
• Additional sleeping bag and matras.
• T-shirts.
• Comfortable pants.
• Sun hat.
• Sunscreen.
• Insect repellent.
• Toiletries and hand sanitizer.
• Personal medicine.
• Camera and camcorders with additional batteries.
• Torch with spare batteries.

IMPORTANT NOTE

Reservations must be made four months before arriving in Cusco.