Hiking Guide: Salkantay Trek -Know Before You Go

The Salkantay Trek is a relatively easy hike, so you don't need to be a hiking fanatic to enjoy this trail.

The toughest thing about the trail is the elevation, particularly on Day 1 + 2 - for this reason, I HIGHLY recommend spending at least 3 days in Cusco to acclimatise, and perhaps even do another day hike (such as Rainbow Mountain) to get used to the altitude.

Since I did this trek with a tour group (Machu Picchu Reservations), we had horses to carry our gear, our meals cooked for us, and accommodation organised each night which meant we only had to carry our day pack. It is possible to do this trail self-guided and you can find accommodation and restaurants along the way, so you could also pack relatively lightly if you were to do this option.

Should I hike the Salkantay Trek?

There are a lot of accommodation options along the trail in the villages if you are planning to hike self-guided!

Cost

Tour with Machu Picchu Reservations: USD$370 returning by train (USD$280 by bus)

Inclusions:

• Tour guide

• 5 breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 4 dinners

• 4x nights accommodation (2x mountain huts, 1x tent, 1x hotel in shared room)

• Machu Picchu ticket

• Machu Picchu guided tour

• Duffel bag hire for gear (up to 7kg)

Exclusions:

• Tips (approx. 10% split between guide, chefs and horse drivers)

• Alcohol & snacks

• Hot Springs (PEN 40/AUD$16.70/USD$10.70)

• Ziplining (PEN120/AUD$50/USD$40.25)

• Upgrade to Vistadome train

• Sleeping bag (available to rent for USD$10)

• Insurance

Given we had a horse to carry up to 7kg of our stuff, it made packing a lot less stressful! However after spending months doing self-guided hiking I was so used to packing light, I actually think I packed TOO light in this instance. Whilst lots of girls had new pretty outfits and make up to get gorgeous Machu Picchu shots, I was wearing the same clothes I'd worn for days.

On top of the below list, it's also important to bring cash for tipping, hot springs, and snacks/alcohol along the way!

What to Pack

Final Tips:

• Ensuring you give yourself enough time to acclimatise in Cusco is the best advice I can give! Altitude sickness can effect anyone, no matter your fitness level.

• If I were to go again, I would opt for the normal train instead of the Vistadome. The train was super delayed, so it was dark most of the journey.

• If you have your heart set on a certain circuit at Machu Picchu, you can go straight to the tourism office in Agua Calientes when you arrive on day 4. They set aside a certain amount of tickets each day for the following day, for last minute visitors.

• If you catch the bus vs. the train back from Agua Calientes, note you will have to walk an additional 2-3 hours back to Hidroeléctrica.

If these posts have inspired you to hike the Salkantay Trek, check out Machu Picchu Reservations for more information! (Not sponsored, just loved my tour!).

Read my Guide to Cusco to help plan your acclimatisation days, and to experience all this great destination has to offer!