Salkantay Trek Travel Guide (2024) – The Ultimate Guide

Salkantay Trail, an alternative trek to the Inca Trail Salkantay Trek is perhaps one of the most incredible hikes in the Cusco region due to the competition offered by the Inca Trail, which is world-famous and promoted by GoMachuPicchu.Tours

The variety of flora and fauna and the various towns along the way made it one of National Geographic Adventure Magazine’s top 25 adventure trips worldwide. The end of the Salkantay trail takes you to the small tourist town of Aguas Calientes and the Inca citadel at Machu Picchu.

Table of Contents

What is the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu?

The Salkantay Trek or Salkantay route is an alternative to the famous Inca Trail to reach Machu Picchu. This is a slightly strenuous route as it involves a pass at 4600m elevation, but it is more beautiful and possible to hike the Salkantay route in Peru.

Salkantay Trek Short Inca Trail 5 Days

How long is the Salkantay Trek Trail?

The Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu is around 72 kilometers, preferably covered in 5 days and 4 nights. The Salkantay Trek walking trail could be completed in four days and three nights. The last day is all about the visit to Machu Picchu.

What is the weather forecast like for Salkantay Trek, Peru?

The climate is generally pleasant during the day and hot and cold at night. The temperature can drop below zero degrees in some places, especially on the first night. The best time for the Salkantay trek is from May to September, when the weather is more relaxed but rain is less likely. The rainy season lasts from December to March.

How challenging is the Salkantay Trek Peru hiking circuit?

The Salkantay trekking trail has no technical difficulties; it is signposted, and all kinds of hikers walk it. But it’s difficult; you must walk a lot at high altitudes, so there is a risk of altitude sickness. It would be best if you were prepared and adapted and, as always, had travel insurance.

Salkantay 5 Day Trek

Can anyone hike the Salkantay Trek in Peru?

Yes and no. Acclimatized and in relatively good shape, you can hike the Salkantay Trek in Peru. Each hiker’s Salkantay route has to check their physical condition and, above all, their acclimatization level. There are alternatives to combining the adventure through the Salkantay, which is riding horses for specific days, to enjoy your vacation much more.

What are the chances of getting lost on the Salkantay Trek in Peru?

No, you won’t get lost on a hiking trail. It’s hard to get lost. The Salkantay Trail is well-marked and filled with hikers and residents of the Salkantay Trail tour circuit en route to Machu Picchu.

Can I find help on the Salkantay Trek if something happens to me?

Yes. Fortunately, and unfortunately, it is a bustling route. In an emergency, the tour guide always carries a first-aid kit.

We can also always request assistance from other organized groups of travel agents and horses in the area or make satellite calls to request a rescue helicopter.

Also, each stage has escape routes at the end of the Salkantay Trek Trail. Our guides and support teams are trained and prepared for any eventuality.

Do I need to acclimatize for the Salkantay Trek?

Yes. Positively yes. We recommend that you spend at least two or three days in Cusco. Drink plenty of water (juice or tea made from fresh coca leaves), get plenty of rest, and walk to weigh yourself.

If you feel that your body is reacting more or less correctly (considering that you are more than 3500 meters above sea level around Cusco), you are ready for the trip to the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu.

Should I expect extreme temperatures on the Salkantay Trek circuit?

It’s cold; it’s pretty freezing. It depends on the time of year you will go on the Salkantay road, “the first night of Salkantay.”

However, the night and early morning temperatures will drop below freezing for at least the first two days of the Salkantay route. During the day, it will be warm enough to enter the forest in the Amazon region of Machu Picchu.

What is the best time to hike the Salkantay Trek in Peru?

The idea is to hike this route during the dry season, from April to November. It is when it is coldest, but there is little chance of rain. From December to March, it is the rainy season. “You can hike the Salkantay Adventure in the rainy season; the important thing is to bring complete rain gear.”

Can I buy bottled water during the Salkantay Trek?

Yes. You can buy water every 3-4 kilometers on the Salkantay hiking trail. There are also several streams of natural water; visitors can fill their water bottles, but first, they must purify them with purifying tablets, filters, etc.

Do I need to be physically healthy to hike the Salkantay Trek?

The Salkantay trek is not very strenuous, but reaching the highest point at 4,650 meters above sea level will require you to be in good shape. We recommend spending a few days before visiting Cusco or the Sacred Valley to avoid discomfort (altitude sickness) while climbing the Salkantay Trail.

We recommend chewing on coca leaves (available for S/2 at any market in Cusco) or coca candies. So-called Soroche tablets, a highly effective treatment for altitude sickness, are available in all Peruvian pharmacies.

What should we carry when trekking at Salkantay Trek?

Passport (necessary to control the entrance to Machu Picchu)
Backpack
Long pants (not jeans) / Waterproof trekking boots
Thermal clothes that keep you warm at night
Plastic rain poncho
Lantern
Cap or hat
Bathing suits for the hot springs of Aguas Calientes (although they can be bought in nearby stores)
Toilet paper
Sunscreen / Insect repellent
Medicines or products for personal use, such as liquid for contact lenses
Water bottles
Small amounts of money, simple in dollars and soles
Trekking poles
Photographic camera

What is the most challenging section of the Salkantay Trek route?

At 4,645 meters above sea level, the Salkantay Pass is the most challenging part of the trail. Expect wind and cool temperatures. Some excursionists may experience symptoms of altitude sickness called “Soroche.”

Is the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu worth it?

Double yes! The Salkantay Trek is one of the best Peruvian hikes in South America, and the trail is impressive.

Although the Salkantay Trail is challenging and rises more than 4,500 meters from Soraypampa (3900 meters), the Salkantay Trek offers incredible panoramic views, including views of the Salkantay and Humantay Glaciers and the beautiful Amazonian forests of the Santa Teresa Valley.

Is the Salkantay Trek circuit more challenging than the Classic Inca Trail?

Yes. The Salkantay Trek goes higher and is known for the challenging mountainous terrain of the Andes and the Amazon of Cusco. The Salkantay trail, compared to the Classic Inca Trail, has less distance to walk: the Salkantay with the Short Inca Trail has a length of 39.9 km (24.7 miles), while the Classic Inca Trail has 42 km (26 miles).

Does the Salkantay Trek include your entrance ticket to Machu Picchu?

The Salkantay Trek package covers the entrance tickets to Machu Picchu on the day of the guided visit.
On all our Salkantay Treks, with the Short Inca Trail entrance ticket, we add entry to the Inca Trail network of the historic sanctuary of Machu Picchu, which provides access to Machu Picchu only once through circuit number 5 of Machu Picchu.
The Inca citadel of Machu Picchu has five established circuits for guided tours.

Are trekking poles required for the Salkantay Trail?

Walking sticks are guaranteed to make walking more manageable and reduce pain during and after walking. For aluminum trekking poles, it is necessary to bring rubber tips so as not to damage the network of the Salkantay Trek Trails.

Trekking poles are prohibited in the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu because they disrupt traffic or cause accidents. In Machu Picchu, only older adults or people with visible physical disabilities can use trekking poles.

Salkantay Trek 3 Days

How far in advance should I book the Salkantay Trek Trail?

We recommend booking the Salkantay Trek Trail service four months in advance to obtain service for the high season. The high tourist season in Machu Picchu is from May to October.

However, you can book the Salkantay Trek Trail two months in advance, from October to December, and three weeks in advance.

What are the prohibitions in Machu Picchu after the Salkantay Trek Trail?

Visitors must respect the protocols indicated on each tourist circuit.

2024: strictly prohibited!

To carry backpacks or bags of more than 40x35x20 cm. Those that exceed this size or capacity must be deposited in the wardrobe.
Enter with food and utensils.
Enter any illegal substance or its effects.
Enter with any alcoholic beverage or in an ethyl state.
To carry umbrellas. (Caps, hats, and raincoats are allowed.)
To take tripod supports, extensions for cameras, cell phones, or any other element of stabilization or extension for filming and photography unless authorized by the DDC Cusco
Enter with animals, except for guide dogs, when strictly necessary.
Enter without any aerosols.
Enter with any musical instrument, megaphone, or speaker.
Use virtual applications with cell phones or mobile devices in narrow arteries, trails, and congestion sites (these technologies are allowed only in large spaces and areas of explanation).
Enter with high-heeled hiking shoes or hard-sole shoes (only shoes or sneakers with soft or rubber soles).
Access with baby cars (only accessible with baby carriers that do not have metal frames)
Enter with sharps and weapons of any kind.
Enter flags or posters among other objects of this type (flags will be exclusive to tour guides with groups greater than five visitors and will be limited to the model and dimensions presented by the competent authority in coordination with the respective guilds).
To cause tumult, jumping, or to generate disorder in the access of Machu Picchu and at any point inside the same, this concerns the organization and displacement of the groups of visitors.
Enter with clothing intended for advertising purposes.
To climb or lean on walls and structures.
To touch, move, or extract lithic elements. Perform any graffiti.
The disturbing, collecting, or extracting of native flora, fauna, and cultural elements
To carry out activities that distort the sacred character of Machu Picchu, such as fashion shows, dances, social engagements, ceremonies of any kind, and portable seating, among others.
Enter with walking poles with metallic or hard tips (using trekking poles for older adults or with apparent physical incapacity, as long as they have rubber tips).
Perform any activity implying the deterioration of Machu Picchu, its natural environment, and its facilities.
Obscene acts that are contrary to morality and good manners
Undress, disguise, lie down, run, and jump.
They make loud or annoying noises such as clapping, shouting, whistling, and singing, among others, because they disturb the tranquility and sacredness of Machu Picchu.
Perform any fire.
Dispose of waste of any kind.
Failure to respect established circuits and routes
Outpatient commerce in Machu Picchu and the surrounding area until Ruinas Bridge.
Feed the domestic and wild animals of Machu Picchu.
Fly over with paragliding, drones, or any small craft.
To take pictures for advertising purposes or in places of high risk
Illegal entry to Machu Picchu by route is not permitted.

Can I visit the Salkantay Trek Trail with the children and older adults?

Yes! Children can make the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu. Children must like outdoor walks.
Many hiking trails lead to Machu Picchu, but none like the Salkantay Trek Tour, South America’s most famous hiking trail. Cusco is an ideal place to walk the Salkantay Trek through the Andes, jungle, thick fog, ancient stone steps, and Inca ruins.
Don’t hesitate to try the Salkantay Trek Trail with your kids. You might think traveling with them would be inconvenient, but Inca culture’s vibrant nature and dynamic display will keep them entertained. They will see many plants and animals, different people, and exotic words in foreign languages, “such as Spanish.” Inca architecture fascinates travelers, and no time is wasted taking family selfies.
Seniors can also walk the network of Salkantay Trek Trails in Cusco. Of course, older adults must be in good health. It is best to consult your doctor in your home country before making the Salkantay Hiking Trail.