Day 1: Cusco - Mollepata - Challacancha - Soraypampa - Humantay Lake - Sky Camp
Today, you will get an early start and be picked up from your hotel around 4:00 a.m. You will travel in our comfortable transportation with blankets if you wish to sleep a little longer during the trip. After two hours, we will briefly stop in Mollepata for an energizing breakfast. Then, we will continue to Challacancha, the starting point of the trek.
Before starting our adventure, you will meet the cooks and muleteers and check your luggage one last time before we head out on the trail. You will begin with a moderate three-hour hike to Soraypampa (3,900 m / 12,795 ft), where we will spend the first night. The first part of the section is relatively flat, with a slight ascent through a deep glacier valley. You will notice that much of the trail follows a restored Inca water canal, which local farmers still use today. This trail is 7 km / 4.35 mi in total.
Once in Soraypampa, you will settle into our exclusive Sky Camp for the night. You will have time to rest after enjoying your first lunch around the mountains. After recharging your energy, we will start hiking to the beautiful Humantay Lake (4,200 m /13,780 ft).
This round trip takes three hours and covers 3 km / 1.86 miles. It is not far but take it easy at this altitude. Once you reach the lagoon, you will have time to enjoy the fantastic scenery. Not many places in the Andes are as impressive as the turquoise waters glistening against the Humantay glacier. You will truly feel like you are in a fairy tale.
Upon returning to camp, you will enjoy a delicious and well-deserved dinner in the company of a beautiful sunset. There is no way to describe the
energy here; you will feel tranquility once you arrive. Afterward, you can relax in your igloo at Sky Camp. From the glass roof, you will enjoy a night under the stars, constellations, and comets.
Day 2: Soraypampa - Salkantay Pass - Huayracmachay - Chaullay - Collpapampa (Mountain Sky View)
In the morning, you will wake up with the day’s first rays and see the Apu Salkantay while enjoying an energizing coca tea. Afterward, you will have a nutritious breakfast before embarking on the 7 km trek for approximately three hours to the highest point of the route, the Salkantay Pass (4,630 m / 15,190 ft). It is a difficult ascent along the “path of the 7 snakes” because of its winding path.
Once at the top, you will appreciate the most magnificent view over the surrounding valleys and the Salkantay mountain right in front of you (6,271 m / 20,574 ft). It boasts the second-highest mountain in the Cusco region, and it’s considered an Apu (Inca God). You will also be able to observe the mountains: Humantay, Tucarhuay, and Pumasillo. After enjoying the views and rest, you will start descending (7 km / 4.35 mi) to our lunch point at Huayracmachay (3,850 m / 12,631 ft). This section is rocky and steep but has impressive views of the surrounding valley.
After a revitalizing lunch, you will enter the edge of the rainforest, also known as the “cloud forest.” This section has a distance of 9.5 km / 5.9 mi and lasts approximately three hours. Along the way, you will enjoy the verdant rainforest and witness how the scenery changes rapidly and drastically from the Andes to the Amazon. You will observe colorful landscapes, unique fauna, and native plants and feel the warmer climate.
After a long day of hiking, you will be glad to arrive at Collpapampa for the night. Finally, we will serve you a hearty meal before resting at our exclusive Mountain Sky View Campsite.
Day 3: Collpapampa - Loreta - La Playa - Lucmabamba - Cocalmayo - Jungle Domes
Today we will start the day around 6:00 a.m. for hot tea and breakfast before leaving the camp. Then, we will walk through the Santa Teresa Valley until we reach our first destination, La Playa. During the tour, we will take a more leisurely walk, with more downhills than uphills, as we immerse ourselves in the lush landscape of rivers, waterfalls, orchids, and various plantations: banana, coffee, and avocado. In addition, you may be lucky to see Peru’s national bird, the “Gallito de las Rocas.”
At La Playa, we will enjoy lunch before heading for an hour to Lucmabamba (2,000 m / 6,562 ft), where our campsite is located. In the afternoon, you will have free time to explore the tropical surroundings and visit an organic coffee farm, perfect for coffee lovers. Even if you are not a fan of a cup of coffee, the smell in the air is delicious. This is the primary agricultural industry in the jungle that exports products to the United States, Asia, and Europe. You will also visit avocado and orange plantations.
After this authentic experience, you will go to the hot springs of Cocalmayo to take a comforting bath and relax after several days of hiking. You will take a break and feel the tranquility of the surroundings. Later, you will return to Lucmabamba to spend the night in our Jungle Domes. While resting, you can listen to the different sounds of nature and feel in harmony with mother earth.
Day 4: Lucmabamba - Llactapata - Hidroelectrica - Aguas Calientes
After a good breakfast, you will hike some of the original and world-famous Inca Trail. After climbing for two hours and enjoying fascinating views over the Santa Teresa valley, you will arrive at Llactapata (2,700 m / 8,858 ft), an Inca archaeological site in front of Machu Picchu.
Llactapata is the first Inca complex you will see on the hike, and you will learn all about the mysteries of this ancient culture and the extraordinary site. Even from here, you will get the first sight of Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu. Our guide will explain the history of the Incas while you take as many pictures as you want as a souvenir to share your fantastic experiences with your friends and family back home.
Later, you will descend for an hour and a half and have the chance to glimpse the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu along the way, which will heighten your excitement for tomorrow. We will stop in Aobamba for lunch before continuing for another 30 minutes to Hidroeléctrica (1,800 m/ 5,906 feet). One of the most impressive sights on this stretch is the 250-meterhigh artificial waterfall that powers the entire city of Cusco.
Once in Hidroeléctrica, you will board the train that will take you to Aguas Calientes, appreciating the best scenery along the way. Once in the small town, you will enjoy dinner at an exclusive restaurant and spend the night in a comfortable hotel.
Note: During the rainy season, and for safety reasons, hiking the Llactapata trail is not 100% guaranteed. When there are frequent heavy rains, this trail can become very dangerous.
Day 5: Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Ollantaytambo - Cusco
Today is the day you have been waiting for the whole trip. You’ll finally visit one of the 7 Wonders of the World and UNESCO World Heritage Site – Machu Picchu! You’ll need to be up early to make sure you beat the crowds and enjoy the serenity of the site in the early morning light.
After going up to the Inca citadel by bus, you’ll enjoy an approximately two-hour guided tour to this incredible ancient site to see temples, houses, palaces, and cultivated fields, among others. You’ll be impressed by the intelligence of the Incas in terms of engineering work, which was far ahead of its time and remains a mystery in many respects. The Incas did not have the tools we use today, but they could still build and organize their community on the side of a mountain and even create a water system with aqueducts and canals.
Bonus fact: When a Peruvian guide showed this site to Hiram Bingham, it was almost unrecognizable, covered in thick vegetation, and a state of disrepair. It’s since been cleaned and restored and is now protected and treasured by people from every corner of the globe.
After your guided tour, opt to climb Huayna Picchu Mountain (2,720 m / 8,924 ft) or Machu Picchu Mountain (3,000 m / 9,843 ft) if you book your tickets in advance. These treks will take you two and three hours up and down, respectively.
Be sure to return to Aguas Calientes for lunch before boarding the train to Ollantaytambo. Our private transportation will pick you up at the next station and take you back to your hotel in Cusco. Finally, you will take a well-deserved rest; however, your heart will continue to beat to the rhythm of the Andes for many weeks, months, and years to come.
