The TRUTH about the Salkantay Trek, Peru: An Honest Review and Guide

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Hiking in South America is at the top of many travelers’ bucket lists. With trails like the Torres del Pine W-Trek, the Lost City Trek, or Rainbow Mountain, you could spend months on this continent and just begin to scratch the surface! 

While each country has its own unique charm, we especially fell in love with Peru. So much so that we ended up living here for a few months just to see all that this place had to offer. 

What we found was the Salkantay Trek– possibly one of the best hikes I’ve ever done! The Salkantay Trek is similar to the famous Inca Trail but isn’t quite as popular, despite being listed as one of the top 25 hikes in the world. Taking you to the glorious Machu Picchu, this 4-day trek is not to be taken lightly (but maybe your pack should be!). 

In this blog, I’ll let you in on what to expect on the Salkantay Trek, who I think the hike is best suited for, as well as some other important things to consider like choosing the right tour and more!

About the Salkantay Trek

The Salkantay Trek is one of the most popular ways to get to Machu Picchu. Less famous than the iconic Inca Trail, the Salkantay Trek is both easier to book and cheaper. And on top of that, many say the Salkantay is just as beautiful! For these reasons, many people looking for a multi-day trek to Machu Picchu choose the Salkantay Trek – as we did!

The Salkantay Trek is around 74 km (46 miles) long and is most commonly done over 4-5 days with the last day being the visit to Machu Picchu.

It also holds historical significance, and like the Inca Trail, was a route the Incas once took to get to Machu Picchu. The main difference is that the Salkantay Trek is through the mountains reaching nearly 5,000 meters (16,404 ft) above sea level, whereas the Inca Trail is walking on ruins much of the way. It is said that the Salkantay Trek was the route that religious leaders took to get to Machu Picchu because of the high elevations that brought them “closer to god.”

The Salkantay Trek is named after the mountain that the trail passes, Salkantay Mountain. It isn’t just this mountain you’ll see on the hike though as the trail offers varying landscapes including glaciers and tropical Andean forest.

But should you hike the Salkantay Trek or opt for a different multi-day hike to Machu Picchu? In this blog, I’ll compare the Salkantay Trek with the two other most popular treks, the Inca Trail and Jungle Trek, as well as tell you about my personal experience in detail. This way, you can learn if the Salkantay Trek is for you or not!

Salkantay Trek vs Jungle Trek vs Inca Trail

To me, the first step in reviewing the Salkantay Trek is to compare it to the other options in the area for guided hikes to Machu Picchu.

As you probably already know, there are three main hikes you can do to Machu Picchu: the Salkantay Trek, the Jungle Trek, and the Inca Trail. Each is special in its own way and suited for a different type of traveler.

Here is a comparison of these three hikes to Machu Picchu:

Salkantay Trek:

• Distance: 74 km (46 miles)
• Time: 4-5 days
• Altitude: 4,580 meters (15,026 ft) at the highest point
• Things to do/see: Humantay Lagoon, Santa Theresa hot springs, Apacheta Pass, views of Salkantay Mountain, ziplining
• Price: $550+ USD
• Season: All year round

Jungle Trek:

• Distance: Approx 60 km (37 miles) biked, 38 km (24 miles) walking
• Time: 3-4 days
• Altitude: 4,316 meters (14,160 feet) at the highest point
• Things to do/see: Abra Malaga Pass, downhill mountain biking, ziplining, whitewater rafting,
• Price: $400+ USD
• Season: All year round (if it is foggy the mountain biking will be canceled)

Inca Trail:

• Distance: 42 km (26 miles)
• Time: 4 days
• Altitude: 4,215 meters (13,829 ft) at the highest point
• Things to do/see: Authentic Inca pathways, Wayllabamba ruins, Phuyupatamarca, Valley of Llulluchapampa
• Price: $700+ USD
• Season: Closed for the entire month of February each year.

If you’re looking for more information about these other treks, read our article about the best guided hiking tours to Machu Picchu here.

Why Choose the Salkantay Trek?

After carefully learning about all of the options to hike to Machu Picchu and completing the Salkantay Trek ourselves, there are a few reasons you should consider the Salkantay Trek over the others including:

• A cheaper option than the Inca trail (and fewer people on the trail)
• Amazing views including the highest pass and views of Salkantay mountain
• Humantay Lagoon (bright blue lake with mountains in the backdrop)
• Option to do the same ziplining tour as the Jungle Trek
• The authentic trail to Machu Picchu was walked by spiritual leaders as it “brought them closer to god”

Related Read: Before you plan your trip find out everything you should know before visiting Machu Picchu and the best tours from Cusco!

Salkantay Trek Review: Important Information to Know/Consider

For my Salkantay Trek review, I’ve broken it down into a couple of stand-out categories below. These cover the main things to know and think about before booking the Salkantay Trek for yourself.

Difficulty of the Salkantay Trek

To me, the Salkantay Trek was a little challenging. I’ve actually done quite a lot of hiking in Peru, and for comparison’s sake, I thought it was harder than the Colca Canyon but easier than any hikes I did in Huaraz, Peru.

The Salkantay Trek is best suited for someone who likes to hike. I wouldn’t recommend it for anybody who has never done multi-day treks before or doesn’t enjoy full days of hiking.

Day 2 is the most challenging day that takes most people around 9 hours. It climbs 600 meters (1,969 ft) in elevation and then descends 1,780 meters (5,840 ft) over 22 kilometers (13.7 miles). This is a full (challenging day of hiking) but, it is also rewarding and beautiful.

The altitude is also a problem. If you get very bad altitude sickness then the Salkantay Trek might not be for you. To prevent altitude sickness, it is best to spend a couple of days in Cusco before starting the trail and take altitude sickness pills while on the trail.

If you like a challenge, the outdoors, and hiking then you’ll love the Salkantay Trek – as I did! You can go on the same tour as we did by reserving online here.

Food and accommodations on the Salkantay Trek

The food and accommodation you get on the Salkantay Trek completely depend on the tour you book. Some more luxurious (and expensive) Salkantay Trek tours provide accommodation along the entire way along with meals supplied by the hotels. Other more budget tours, will camp the first three nights and have a cook come along to make your meals nightly.

On my exact tour, although on the budget side, the meals were delicious and filling. I did bring a few of my own snacks but barely needed them as I was fed enough by my tour guide.

Almost all tour companies provide a hotel on the final night in Aguas Caliente. Although basic, our hotel was a comfortable 2-star hotel with a hot shower and a spacious room.

Along the trail, you will find small shops or places to buy things like snacks, pop, or beer. At the camps at night, you can also purchase items like alcohol or chocolate.

Things to do and see (besides hiking)

If you go on the Salkantay Trek you will have to option to add on a couple of different activities that make your overall trekking experience even more memorable!

The first is the hot springs at Santa Teresa, also known as Cocalmayo Hot Springs. Here, you can soak your sore muscles for a couple of hours for only a couple of extra dollars. After a few days of hiking, you’ll be grateful for this- trust me!

You can also zipline, which is an entirely different sort of adventure from your trekking! Also located in Santa Teresa, this 2-hour zipline tour includes six ziplines, two rappels down waterfalls, and crossing a suspension bridge that will make your stomach drop. While we personally didn’t partake in this zipline adventure, we heard great things from others! You can book this zipline tour in advance for $67 USD per person.

Once you’re at Machu Picchu, there are even more hikes to explore. Machu Picchu Mountain (which we hiked) and Huayna Picchu are both very popular and have limited spots. You can purchase your admission tickets in advance, which gives you time to hike either mountain for even more incredible views!

Booking your tickets in advance to include either hike is essential if you want to add these to your itinerary. Be sure to get tickets for Circuit 1 or Circuit 2, as those are the only ones that include the upper part of Machu Picchu. These are the most popular, so book it as far out as you can.

Purchase your Machu Picchu admission tickets in advance HERE to secure your hike!

Related Read: Before you take off on the Salkantay Trek, need a place to stay. Check out our guide to the best hostels in Cusco so you can rest up before your big adventure!

How to Book the Salkantay Trek

One of the great things about the Salkantay Trek is that, unlike the Inca Trail, it does not need to be booked several months in advance. In fact, there are so many tour companies running this tour that you could literally arrive in Cusco and book the tour for the next day.

However, I don’t overly recommend this.

While you will be able to negotiate the best deal by booking in person last minute, there are no guarantees about what you will get. Tour agencies team up and group people on the same tour charging everyone at different prices. The salespeople will also tell you anything to make the sale even if it is a lie.

If you book in person, there is no guarantee of the quality of the tour you will get, and no repercussions for the tour company afterward if they lie to you (or rip you off).

This is why I recommend booking online! This way, you can read other customers’ reviews ahead of time and have the power to leave your own review afterward. This helps ensure the company stands by what it offers.

We book most of our tours worldwide on Viator. They include detailed descriptions of all inclusions and many tours offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before your tour’s departure date. Not all tours include, this so be sure to double-check your specific tour! And if you have any problems, you can deal with Viator as opposed to having to argue with the tour provider directly.

You can read our blog about the best Salkantay tours here.

Of course, many people book directly in Cusco without any problems. It is totally up to you at the end of the day and I am only sharing my opinion.

It’s also important to note that not all Salkantay Trek tours are created equally, and there are a few things you should consider before choosing your tour (more on that below).

You can browse a range of Salkantay Trek tours on Viator. Our Salkantay Trek tour took a special route, which visited the ancient ruins of Llactapata. So if you want a similar experience, book this exact tour where you’ll spend the night at Llactapata and watch the sunset with Machu Picchu in the distance.

The BEST Salkantay Trek Tours and the Different Types of Tours

Not all Salkantay Trek tours are the same. It’s important that you choose a tour that suits you best so you can have the experience that you’ve always dreamed of. Below, I’ve summarized the main types of tours that you can choose between, as well as the tour we did (and loved)!

Classic 5-day hike

This 5-day Salkantay Hike is known as the “classic” tour because it hits the major highlights of the trail. You’ll spend three nights camping and one night in a hotel, so it’s a good balance of rugged outdoor activities and a bit of comfort!

The highlights of this tour include the gorgeous Humantay Lake, the difficult Salkantay Pass, and the Llactapata archeological site, just to name a few. I also love that this tour is capped at 10 travelers, so you can get to know everyone and work together as a group. There are a lot of details about each specific tour, so I recommend reading each one carefully to pick the best one for you! This experience is $589 USD and is the top-rated Salkantay Trek out there.

Read the nearly 3,000 positive reviews and book this popular tour in advance here!

4-Day hike

This slightly shorter 4-day hike is one of the most popular Salkantay Hikes out there! With over 2,000 positive reviews, I’d say it’s worth the time and money. Because this tour is only 4 days and 3 nights, you are hiking a slightly shorter trail that doesn’t include the Llactapata Ruins. And while I must say this part of the trek is incredible, it is also a difficult portion.

So if you want a slightly shorter/easier option (not saying it’s entirely easy) this is a great choice of tour! This tour also has some incredible stays, such as the Sky Camp Igloos with glass-domed roofs. You will remember the views for a long time after! This experience is $569 USD.

Check availability and book this bucket list hike in advance here.

6-day luxury hike

If hiking all day then relaxing in a jacuzzi or glass cabana sounds like your cup of tea, this 6-day luxury hiking experience is made for you! You will still be putting in the work hiking the strenuous Salkantay Trek over 6 days, but the views and overall payout at the end make it totally worth it.

Just as with the other tours, your final day will be at Machu Picchu where you will have time to explore on your own, continue your hiking adventures, and gawk at the gorgeous scenery. This tour includes a mix of camping and more upscale accommodations, even the chance to stay in a Hobbit Hole. You can book this tour for $650 USD.

Book this luxury hiking experience in advance before spots fill up!

5-day hike– Our personal recommendation

This is the tour we took, and I can’t recommend it enough! We had a wonderful experience and loved the balance of difficult hiking days, authentic rugged camping, and also having the tour take care of us in a lot of ways! With a trek as difficult as the Salkantay Trek, having porters help carry luggage, cook food, and lead the way truly makes a difference– I don’t know if I could have made it without them.

This 5-day tour covers similar ground as many other tours, such as Humantay Lake and Llaqtapata, amongst many other beautiful locations! The best part was staying the night at Llaqtapata the final night, waking up to the sunrise was simply incredible. Our favorite Salkantay Trek tour is $698 USD.

Don’t miss out – book the same tour we took in advance here!

My Experience on the Salkantay Trek and What to Expect

We wrote this story about our INCREDIBLE experience on the Salkantay Trek hoping to help others decide if the Salkantay Trek is the right choice for them. We thought sharing our true experience would be a fun addition to this Salkantay Trek review.

Here’s the story of our tour hiking the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu:

Day 1: Getting to the start of the Salkantay Trek

It was 4 am and we were up and waiting to catch a minibus to start our hike to Machu Picchu. We had booked a slightly different version of the classic Salkantay Trek and were super excited to start.

We drove up a narrow road (similar to the Crazy Road in La Paz, Bolivia in parts) gradually climbing in altitude along the windy road with just enough speed to disrupt any sleep I planned on getting.

We arrived safely with a newfound gratitude for what it meant to be alive and breathing. I’m always thankful for being alive at the end of treacherous drives along sheer drops some hundreds of feet in depth.

After the treacherous drive through the mountains, we were at the beginning of the Salkantay Trek. Our first day involved an easy four-hour hike to our camp.

Camping at “Muddy Town”

The village we camped at translated from Quechua (the native language of the Incas) to “muddy town.” This was very easy to see why as we had rain that day and the floor was inches thick with mud.

The mud didn’t stop us from exploring the area with a hike to a lake at the base of a snow-capped mountain. The mountain was covered in a thick sheet of ice that hung seemingly weightless. The lake was pale green and reflected the mountain peaks off of the calm water.

At Muddy Town, there was a sheltered area with tables where we ate dinner, tents all pre-setup for us, a small shop selling snacks, as well as a pit toilet.

Carlitos

Our tour guide Carlos (or as we called him Carlitos) was short in stature but big in heart. His round face and giant smile gave him one of the friendliest looks I have seen in a person. He talked with so much passion and energy about everything he knew over the 5 days with us.

On our first day, with a strong look of urgency in his eyes, he spoke of his ancestors and what the highlands of South America meant to his people. From the Condor to his native Quechua language, his expressions were deep and as he talked his voice softened as if to hold back tears.

From that moment I think we all realized he was the best tour guide for our hike to Machu Picchu. And it is true, the guide really makes or breaks the tour!

Day 2: The Toughest Day

We woke up at the crack of dawn to Coca tea served to us in our tents as promised to us by Carlitos the night before. Coca is the plant used to manufacture cocaine, but in South America, it has been used for centuries for all sorts of natural remedies.

However, in this case, it was a simple way to get out of bed while it was freezing cold.

We set off at 6 am on the 22 km (13.7 mi) journey that would take us up through the Salkantay Pass. At over 4,600 meters (15,092 feet) it would be the highest Bailey and I had hiked to date. This day was promised to be the most difficult day of the entire Salkantay Trek.

The weather was wet with light rain. The fog moved through the valley like a snake would slither through a rocky path only sometimes giving us small glimpses of the mountains around us.

At the Salkantay Pass, the weather was much more brutal. The cold wind splinted through the warm alpaca jumpers we wore and the rain froze our exposed faces. The weather hindered any chance we had at amazing views along the pass.

As we descended down the rocky path, our surroundings quickly changed from the grey, rocky, low grass landscape to the dense rainforest. The humidity became more apparent as the temperature rose and more plants and animals appeared.

Not so long after, we had arrived at our second camp. Surrounded by green vegetation but still plagued by the muddy ground (worse than our previous night) we took refuge on an elevated wooden deck. Here, we were safe from the rain and spent our evening chatting around a table with beers and tea.

We often discussed in a hopeful tone that tomorrow the sun would shine and joked that there would be a need for sunscreen, a hat, and lots of water to combat the harsh sun.

Day 3: The Inca Trail to Llactapata

It was still dark when we rose from our tents that morning, but to my surprise, I could see in the distance that the fog was clearing and by the time breakfast was finished the sky showed us its beautiful color in small holes in the clouds.

The hike that day was short but grueling as we headed up a steep path built by the Incas hundreds of years earlier. The Incas were magicians with stonework, they could build all the structures they required without the use of cement or any other kind of bonding.

The path was hard to see in most places as hundreds of years of erosion and growth changed the landscape, but in some areas, the quality of Inca stonework remained resistant to the elements and as strong as the day they built it. This made me think of buildings today, even with our advances in technology could they stand the test of time?

“Thank god” I muttered to Bailey as we conquered the last few steps. We sat down on a fallen tree and caught our breath before heading to Llactapata (Inca ruins that were once the guardhouse overlooking Machu Picchu).

Carlitos showed us around the Llactapata ruins site. It was situated on the side of a steep cliff that was dwarfed by the surrounding landscape of the Andes Mountain Range. Through the valley, only 5 miles away, sat Machu Picchu. It sat on a mountain’s peak, the outline of the rock walls was strong against the vegetation.

We simply stared over at the ancient city in utter awe. This was the first time I had seen Machu Picchu with my own eyes, although from a long distance, I was amazed by its beauty and locality.

We spent the night not far from here with mountain views. This was one of the highlights of our time on the Salkantay Trek.

Please Note: This is NOT the traditional Salkantay Trek route and almost all tours now camp at a place called Playa. Some tours (including the one we did) do still visit Llactapata on day 4 so you can enjoy the same magnificent view of Machu Picchu in the distance and walk this true Inca Trail!

Day 4: The final day of the Salkantay Trek

It was our last day before our visit to Machu Picchu and we only had a few kilometers to hike so we decided to take a break at the nearby Santa Teresa Hot Springs. It was a perfect way to soothe our sore feet after the previous days but we still had 8 km (5 mi) to hike so we got moving hoping to arrive in time for an afternoon beer.

The 8 km involved walking along the train tracks that head to Aguas Calientes (the town below Machu Picchu). The hike was easy apart from dodging an approaching train every now and then.

Aguas Calientes is a small town at the base of the mountain in which Machu Picchu sits. Almost everybody who visits Machu Picchu spends the night before here.

We got a hotel on this night, and it was great to have a hot shower! We went out for dinner and beers at a local restaurant with our group where Carlitos briefed us on what to expect for day 5 where we would go to Machu Picchu!

This officially marked the end of the Salkantay Trek for us and what a journey it was!

Related Read: After your time in the mountains, make a trip to Lima! There is so much to do in Lima, Peru with it’s beautiful coast, vibrant streets, and amazing food scene.

Overall Salkantay Trek Review

I loved the Salkantay Trek. To me, it was the perfect combination of a challenging hike mixed with rewarding views as well as having plenty of time to relax.

Sure, the first couple of days and nights are tough camping and walking far distances. But by the time you reach the hot springs, it gets fairly easy, and spending a night in a hotel at Aguas Calientes felt like pure luxury!

I think that after walking for four days Machu Picchu seemed even more amazing.

I would easily recommend the Salkantay Trek to anyone who is up for the challenge! It is so worth it!

You can book our FAVORITE Salkantay Trek online in advance here!

Thanks for reading!

If you’re looking for an epic way to experience the Machu Picchu area, a multi-day trek will not disappoint! Whether you take the classic Inca Trail or give the Salkantay Trek a go, you will have an unforgettable time, at least we did.

I hope that my Salkantay Trek review has helped you decide whether to tackle this hike or not. If you have any questions, be sure to comment below so I can get back to you! While you’re planning your travels, be sure to check out our other South America blogs, and more specifically our Peru blogs!

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