Ahobamba/Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu
Stunning 6-day Ahobamba/Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu in the wild back country of Peru
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The conventional Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu is famous for being a rugged, naturally beautiful route to the famous Incan citadel. Unfortunately, in recent years this hiking adventure has become extremely overcrowded with all kinds of tourists. To steer clear of these throngs of tourists, Haku Expeditions has developed an alternative Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu for strong, experienced trekkers where the crowds are replaced by wildlife and solitude. This 6-day trek is the perfect alternative Inca Trail hike.
Salkantay Trek Description:
The crowds will go to the west of Nevado Salkantay on the classic Salkantay to Machu Picchu route; we’ll venture to the east, where miles of breathtaking Peruvian back country and wildlife await. The Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu crosses two incredible mountain passes, one at Abra Inkachillaska (5,000m) and the other at Abra Palqay (4,700m). We’ll even pass through Apu Salkantay Base Camp, where climbers and mountaineers begin ascents to the highest point of the Vilcabamba mountain range, the mighty Salkantay. The trail then descends the wild, uninhabited Ahobamba Valley, passing pre-Inca ruins on the way north to Machu Picchu. Haku’s Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu boasts spectacular views, flora, fauna, and places that are still truly wild compared to the normal, overpopulated route. This guided backpacking trip is a perfect alternative Inca trail hike.
Why choose Haku’s Salkantay Trek:
There are only two hiking companies in Peru that offer trekking holidays on this particular route of the Salkantay trail. With Haku, you’ll be one of the few people who get to travel by this side of Salkantay to the Lost City of the Incas.
Day by Day
This first day is about relaxing and acclimating. We’ll begin with a 3.5 hour drive from Cusco (3,300m) to Soraypampa (3,900m). After lunch we can relax and enjoy the views of Salkantay mountain.
If you’re feeling especially ambitious today you can hike up to Humantay glacial lake. This lake is gorgeous. However, we must warn you it will be filled with plenty of tourists being bused in from Cusco, and also those who hike the over crowded Salkantay trail. Don’t worry – we’ll have plenty of crystalline glacial lakes to ourselves after we hit the trail!
Salkantay Trek Stats:
Today we’ll leave the tourist crowds of the classic Salkantay Trek behind and head into the wild Peruvian backcountry, on one of the most epic trekking holidays in the world!
We’re starting off strong today — we have two mountain passes to negotiate over many hours of hiking. The first pass, Inkachillaska (4,950m), lies right next to the towering Mount Salkantay, the highest point in the Vilcabamba Mountain Range. A couple of bright green glacial lakes below the pass and views stretching to distant mountain ranges give you the feeling of being among the condors, seeing the world from above. After going down the other side, we have lunch in the spacious pasture Sisaypampa (4,200m). The next pass, Palqay (4,700m), is a 500 meter climb through switchbacks to a rocky mountain ridge between Mount Salkantay and Mount Palqay. This will bring us over the divide and into another world. An hour below the pass, we arrive to Doña Lucilla’s house (4,200m), where we will spend the night. Tonight may be spent in tents or cabins.
Today and on Day 3, we’ll have horses and arriero (horseman) service to carry our expedition and personal gear.
Salkantay Trek Stats:
As we hike deeper into the Ahobamba valley, the mountain walls tower ever higher around us, blocking us from the outside world. Today is much easier than day 2 — only 7km, downhill, giving us time to appreciate the many waterfalls cascading down from the high peaks. In fact, we’ll pass by the highest waterfall in Peru, which is over 160m tall! We’ll arrive at the Ahobamba House (3,500m) around midday, so we’ll have a free afternoon to visit the ruins of a spectacular ancient Inca town right across the river.
Salkantay Trek Stats:
Today is mostly descent into the Peruvian cloud forest. The trail becomes more rugged as it traverses the sides of the valley high above the river. We’ll be hiking through a beautiful canopy of hanging forests and bamboo thickets, through which we’ll still be able to glimpse Salkantay towering over the Ahobamba valley. We’ll spend several hours today with just us and nature, before we finally get to the Cloud Forest House of Mr. Fortunato at 2,100m. Here, his family lives on a self-sufficient farm where they grow a wide variety of products such as coffee, bananas, pineapples, limes, oranges, passion fruit, avocados, potatoes, and yucca. This is where we’ll stay the night and have a meal of delicious, home-cooked, farm-to-table Peruvian food.
Salkantay Trek Stats:
After three days in the wild, today we head back into civilization! An hour below the Cloud Forest House is the Hydroelectric train station, where many routes to Machu Picchu come through. From the Hydroelectric to the tourist town of Aguas Calientes (also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo), it’s an easy 2.5 hour walk along railroad tracks. Tonight’s the night for a nice hot shower and a hot cooked meal! Tonight, you’ll sleep in a comfortable hotel before departing for the famous Machu Picchu in the morning.
Salkantay Trek Stats:
Today you’ll experience Peru’s historical holy grail — Machu Picchu, the “Lost City of the Incas”. If you wake up early enough, you’ll get to see the sun rise on Machu Picchu, a sight you won’t soon forget. Haku will provide a fully guided tour of the city and, if you would like, we can add on Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain for free as well. We’ve purchased a bus ticket for you for both the way up to and down from Machu Picchu, but if you’d prefer a sunrise hike up to the ruins, let us know!
Most people spend upwards of five hours here. Explore the ruins, have a snack, take lots of photos, or just enjoy the views. At some point, however, you’ll have to make it back down in time for your return train to Cusco or Ollantaytambo, which will be the end of an unforgettable journey.
Salkantay Trek Stats:
General Information
What’s the price for my 6-day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu? And what’s included?
The price for this trip is $1550 per person. This trip requires a minimum of two people in order to run.
Included:
Not Included:
Peru’s currency is called the Nuevo Sol. You’ll be able to exchange US currency for the Sol easily in Cusco. The exchange rate often fluctuates between 3.7 – 4 sol per US dollar.
We recommend you bring cash. Peru is still a cash society. Most people don’t have bank accounts as Peruvian banks charge up to $15 per month just to have the account open. So, services like Venmo, Pay-Pal, and Apple Pay aren’t used here. Most local stores, taxis, and local restaurants are cash only.
ATMS charge around $8 to take out $60-200. Banks only allow a small withdrawal daily. Thus, it’s probably a good idea to withdraw a good sum of cash before you come to Peru unless you have a bank that returns the ATM fees. You can also try the app called ATM hero and do a little research before you come to decide if an ATM card or cash is best for you.
The USD, EURO, CAD cash you bring should be non-ripped bills. Small rips or bills that are written on are not accepted for exchange.
Seeing as Peru is a cash society and it is difficult to withdraw large amounts of cash, we require your balance be brought in cash.
TIPPING: Local restaurants generally do not require a tip, however, leaving a few soles is a nice gesture. Tourist restaurants are generally a 10% tip.
Tipping your guide in Peru is generally 10-15% of the price you paid for the tour. Drivers are generally the same amount in soles. (If you tip a guide 200 USD the driver would get often 200 soles) Tips should always be based on performance and are never obligatory.
Each person is required to have a specific travel/trip insurance outside of your credit card or regular medical insurance.
You should get comprehensive coverage with trip interruption/cancellation and with personal liability. Mention all activities that you will be involved in such as mountain biking, hiking at high altitude and whatever other activities you may have planned.
We do not provide refunds. If you should get hurt or sick not only will travel insurance cover your medical expenses it will also cover the lost portion of the trip. Make sure you have trip interruption or trip cancellation included! South America is famous for people striking and shutting down all activities. If you miss your Machu Picchu trip, Galapagos or any other side trip, or even your flight due to strikes the insurance will cover the loss or additional costs that are incurred.
Check out our blog on travel insurance and why it is a must for any South America Vacation!
Salkantay Trek Guided Backpacking Trip Data:
This trip is wild, rugged and intense. You must be physically fit and in shape. You also must be able to carry your own gear. While we do have horses for some portions of the trip there are parts where horses just cannot pass and you will need to carry your gear.
We have rated this Salkantay Trek as suitable for advanced trekker with a fitness level of 4/6.
Advanced Trekkers
4 – You exercise 3-4 times a week on a regular schedule and enjoy physical activities such as biking, hiking, skiing. You are constantly active and like to be fit and healthy.
You enjoy longer hiking days such as 5-8 hours.
All international flights require a layover. Most layovers will be through Lima, Peru or Bogota, Colombia. In the case of flying through Lima most flights will arrive late at night in Lima and flights to Cusco will fly out in the morning. Many people get arrivals at 3-4 am and flights out around 5-6 am.
Your options for layovers in Lima, Peru:
Things to note when arriving in Lima:
As you can see there is a lot that you must do on arrival to Lima. You will need a bare minimum of two hours (if you have only carry-on luggage) in between flights.
What to bring:
We’re super excited you’ve booked your 6-day Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu with us!
We will send you some emails asking you for information. Please get this information to us as soon as possible. We will also need a picture of your original passport in order to purchase your Machu Picchu and train tickets.
If you would like to schedule a call with us we would be happy to have a travel specialist give you a call and discuss all of your questions.
What to expect:
Meals:
Diet Restrictions:
We can accommodate:
If you have dietary restrictions please let us know so we can accommodate you.
Reviews
"For my daughter's 21st birthday, I offered her a trip to Peru, Machu Picchu. We stayed in an appartment in a colonial building, with and organized by Haku Expeditions. We also did the 5 day Salkantay Trek organized by Haku. It was excellently organized from the beginning to the end. While tourism is done very professionally in Peru (we also did some separate trips to Lake Titikaka and some other, smaller trips), the Haku trip stood out. From the start to the end, everything taken care of. That was a good thing considering my daughter is more used to New York City than to mountain treks, and actually, while I personally am a regular on the etape de tour (bicycling), I am not used to high altitude either.
The night before going on the trip, we were introduced to our local guide who spoke a really good English, and definitely knew his business to a professional expert level. It was good to meet him, and we went over the plan for the trek. It was also great that he clearly knew all the local people, so whereever we came we had great food, and immediate contact with people.
The hotels also were all arranged and set up, so even arriving in the dark (which we only did once), was fine. Imagine being in a movie in terms of walking over little bridges with waterfalls and so on, it was really great.
Good hotels, and fantastic restaurant, totally first class anywhere in the world (easily compares to the best restos in NY or London), so great choice by Haku. We really came away with an appreciation for Peruvian food. Lastly then, the trip to Machu Picchu - again well organized, we took one of the very first busses up the mountain to the entrance and the guide took us around so we immediately saw the key points of Machu Picchu. He had been a fantastic guide. The next day we took the train (with some roof windows) back to Cusco, where we were met by a driver to bring us back to the apartment. It had been a truly great experience and fantastically organized by Haku, with not a single thing missing or going wrong. Not sure how else to put it really, considering that must clearly not be an obvious thing to achieve."
When we arrived at Bill and Nic's we met with openness, friendliness and a genuine wish to make our trip a success. Personal service and follow up, good guides both on the Salkantay trail and in the Amazonas. The recommendations for the trips, for meals and for all practical matters were splendid. I would like to come back for some biking - or simply to do our trip again.
"We just came back from a hiking trip to Macchu Picchu in Peru via the Salkantay route with Haku Expeditions. Our trekking along Salkantay as well as the visit to Macchu Picchu were just awesome. Nicole from Haku Expeditions was very flexible in setting up our itinerary and upon arrival in Cusco she organized a briefing with our trekking guides.
The guides were absolutely fantastic. Both were very friendly and helpful, and had tremendous knowledge about the trek, the culture and environment. We did not trek by tent but from cabin to cabin. The accommodations were basic and clean, typically for what I've expected on a trek like this. The food was above expectations. The Peruvian cuisine at high altitude, on the beaten track, tasted so delicious that we hiked almost every day without even having to rely on our snacks during the hike in between the main meals, there was plenty of good food and great hospitality.
Definitely a trip we would like to do over sometime."
My son Cody and I arrived in Cuzco at Bill and Nic's home and immediately felt welcome. We had planned on line with Nicole all the details for a fantastic trip to hike the Salkantay trail to get to Machu Picchu. Upon arrival, Nicole mentioned that there was going to be a strike in the next few days in Cuzco and since we were going to set off to do the hike we were a bit nervous what this meant. NO PROBLEM! Nicole was able to get us an earlier ride to start our hike (leaving Tuesday night instead of Wednesday morning as scheduled) and we had a wonderful experience staying with a Peruvian family. Flor, our new Peruvian friend, welcomed and fed us an incredible meal and we even got to stay in her beautiful new home. It was so inviting and fun to experience being in a real Peruvian home. We woke up in the town that we might not have been able to get to if it would have been another tour company unable to communicate the strike problem to us. The rest of the trip went beautifully, Nicole has the best connections with our guide Josia being the most capable person possible to take us on this fantastic trek. Josia spoke English and was able to communicate the surrounding from the 20,000 Salkantay Peak to all the flora and fauna we passed through. We saw Condors, Chinchillas, picked Passion fruit along the way and tasted some green coffee beans growing in the Jungle we passed through. Josia was the most patient, kind and fun guide you could have. Josia stayed by my side and we had such great conversations about his growing up in the jungle of Peru. We sure enjoyed all the food and Nicole's attention to the lodging and restaurants she booked for us. The train ride back was awesome as well and I could go on and on about all the fun we had. Please trust Nicole and Bill to create a expedition that will meet your needs. They are caring, knowledgeable, and really know how to experience Peru, not as a tourist but as a traveller! I would give them the highest possible stars. Dianne and Cody from Steamboat Springs Colorado
"I contacted Bill and Nicole from Haku when I was planning my month long journey to Peru. My Spanish is mediocre, so working with an English-speaking group was a must. Not only are they an American family living in Cusco, they know everything to do in Peru, how much it costs, and who is the most reputable. I planned my entire trip with them, including Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo, Lake Sandoval in the Amazon, and a 5-day trek through the Salkantay Pass. All of my experiences were fantastic, safe, and affordable. Such a lovely family and reliable business. HIGHLY, highly recommended!"
This 6-day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu is one of our most physically demanding options; it designed for adventure-seekers who are looking for an off-the-beaten-path hiking holiday that stays far from the main tourist circuit.
It is extremely important that you are familiar with the demands and expectations of a long-distance trek in the back country of Peru. If you’re unsure about whether or not this Salkantay trek is for you, get in contact with us and we will help you decide on the best option.
Our 6-day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu is ideal for you if:
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What’s the price for my 6-day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu? And what’s included?
The price for this trip is $1550 per person. This trip requires a minimum of two people in order to run.
Included:
Not Included:
Our Cross Country MTB tours take you from one spectacular destination to the next. On these, you’ll cycle literally across whichever country you’re visiting. For instance, check out our Andes to the Amazon tour, where you travel from Cusco to the Peruvian Amazon.
Our current XC vacations are made up of long-distance rides on backcountry roads. If you are looking for XC singletrack, get in touch with us, and we’ll set up a one-of-a-kind MTB tour suited to your needs.
How we define XC: Anywhere from old logging or fire roads to rolling singletrack, Cross Country trails are generally long distances with both ascents and descents. While trails may be somewhat technical with rock gardens and tight switchbacks, they generally do not have intense steep rock gardens like those you might find in DH or Enduro racing.
An XC bike is often lighter with a slacker head tube angle for better climbing ability and tends to not have a dropper post although the trend is changing. Usually it will be a hardtail or a full suspension bike with a smaller amount of suspension — 100-130mm.
Most XC riders do not wear pads such as elbow or knee pads and wear a half-shell helmet.
Our MTB expeditions are multi-day trips that involve camping, hiking and/or local home stays in the mountains with cooks and porters. At the moment Haku Expeditions offers one complete mountain expedition and also two packages that combine an MTB vacation with a smaller expedition nestled in it.
The front travel for DH bikes is usually somewhere around 200mm with the rear measuring slightly less. Because they generally aren’t pedalled uphill, these bikes are rugged and heavy and usually have less gears. DH riders wear full-face helmets, goggles, and body armor.
At the moment we do not offer a 100% DH trip. Contact us and we can make a custom trip for you! Below, you’ll find our Enduro MTB tours listed that are mostly all downhill and can be done either with a DH bike or an Enduro bike.
How we define DH: DH riding – or Downhill riding — is regarded as an intense, extreme kind of cycling, made for advanced riders who love to navigate roots and rocks and huge drops with furious downhill speed. It requires a stellar sense of balance and technique and a bike with slacker geometry.
The front travel for DH bikes is usually somewhere around 200mm with the rear measuring slightly less. Because they generally aren’t pedalled uphill, these bikes are rugged and heavy and usually have less gears. DH riders wear full-face helmets, goggles, and body armor.
Our Enduro/All-Mountain MTB tours are by far our most popular trips to date. While some of them focus more on descent like Ecuador and Peru, others include plenty of pedaling such as those in Colombia and Nepal.
How we define Enduro/All Mountain: Enduro mountain biking, also known as All-Mountain biking, emphasizes technical ability. If you’re looking for a more adventurous ride, this is the kind of ride for you; usually, an Enduro/All-Mountain trail will involve adrenaline-pumping downhill mountain biking along with sustained climbs.
Enduro riders need bikes that can take burly drops and rugged technical obstacles efficiently while still being light enough to climb with; they almost always use full-suspension bikes with wide tires and longer rear and front suspension travel. Dropper post is a necessity and standard. The front suspension can be anywhere from 140mm to 170mm. Full-face enduro helmets and body amour are a must for Enduro racing.
1 – The Haku Christmas Drive, which includes yearly clothing giveaways, shoe drives, and a public hot chocolate panettone lunch.
2 – School supply giveaway for children of the High Andes.
3 – Bringing bread and fruit to kids living at elevations where none is available.
4 – Facilitating connections between local organic farmers and local restaurants.
5 – Affordable MTB classes for locals taught by professional coaches.
6 – Sustained commitment to hiring out locals to work as drivers, office workers, etc., allowing a great amount of flexibility for family commitments, and paying them fair, livable wages.
7 – Donating 1% of all profits to help educate children in a technical field such as carpentry.
8 – Helping young adults begin a small business working in their technical field or purchasing products from them to help them get started after high school.
1 – Getting your heart rate up isn’t really your thing, and you rarely (if ever) exercise. Your idea of a perfect vacation is total relaxation: sitting on a beach, sipping a mojito, and just generally vegging out.
2 – You don’t necessarily work out regularly but you aren’t averse to the idea of doing something active. Although you don’t exercise that often, you don’t necessarily consider yourself out of shape.
3 – You exercise one to two times a week but do not have a normal schedule that keeps you biking or doing other activities weekly. You don’t go to the gym or train for any specific sports but you lead a relatively active lifestyle by biking, hiking, skiing, or whatever it may be. For biking: climbs and long descents give you some trouble and you tend to get tired after about 2-3 hours on the bike.
4 – You exercise 3-4 times a week and enjoy physical activities such as biking, hiking, skiing. You are active. For biking: you enjoy climbs that are are moderately long and being on a bike for 3-5 hours in one day doesn’t get you too tired or fatigued.
5 – You exercise at least 4 times a week and are an avid athlete that is consistently in good shape. You’re more or less game for any kind of adventure. For biking: you’re comfortable with being on your bike for 5-7 hours a day.
6 – You live and die for exercise, sweat, and suffering. You only want to climb higher, go farther, and prove how much of an animal you are. Steep climbs, long descents and big days are something you are looking to do more of and you can’t wait for your next adventure.
Beginner:
You’ve been riding a mountain bike for a couple of years or less and you’re most comfortable on smooth single-track and wider, forgiving doubletrack. You like rides with scenic views; you like both ascending and descending on well-maintained, safe trails. You’re looking for an active but relaxing mountain bike vacation; you’re not into jumps, drops, super steep trails, rock gardens, roots or taking big risks on your bike.
Intermediate:
You’ve got two plus years of experience mountain biking on single-track trails under your belt; you’ve gotten pretty confident behind the handlebars and are beginning to expand your mountain bike abilities. You like riding most types of terrain, and you’re comfortable both climbing and descending on single-track trails with smaller technical features such as rocky sections, small drops, and small steep sections. You aren’t trying to walk on most of the trail and are looking to take small risks with things like speed, jumps, rock gardens, and stair sets to improve your skills as a mountain biker.
Intermediate Tech:
You’ve got three plus years of riding on singletrack trails of all sorts with features such as rock gardens, steep sections, rolls and drops, roots, and small jumps. You are confident on the bike in most situations. You’re constantly looking to improve your riding skills and enjoy riding for extended periods of time climbing and descending in terrain of all sorts.
Advanced:
Ten plus years of experience riding single-track, freerides and biking of all sorts. You live for steeps, jumps, rock gardens, techy trails, long descents, big ascents and discovering new terrain. Mountain biking is one of your passions and you are ready and confident to do what you love in a new and challenging place. You can handle anything we throw at you — jumps, rock gardens, steps, technical descents, tough ascents, etc. Biking is a central part of your life. For you, the bigger the challenge, the more excited you get.
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"We hiked the 5-day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu in mid-May, 2018. Our guide, Ruben, was really wonderful - very friendly, enthusiastic, and kind, good English, a font of information about local cultures and the natural world, and just great company. Nicole was patient, helpful, and responsive in the trip selection and preparation. The trek itself was really beautiful and rewarding - it turned out to be a great choice and we're really glad we did it. We LOVED the small-group format (max. 5 people) - and ended up being the only ones on the trip so Ruben was our private guide! We were very appreciate of having warm beds to sleep in (in modest lodging) because it got REALLY cold at night, below freezing at the highest elevation (bring many layers!!!). The food was quite yummy, sufficient, and we appreciated the local flavors. And in case you're wondering, the trip is a great value - you definitely get your money's worth!"