Hey adventure lovers! You probably know about Machu Picchu, that amazing old city high up in Peru. Lots of people want to see it, and there are different ways to get there. The most famous walk is the Inca Trail, but did you know there’s another awesome walk? It’s called the Salkantay Trek!
The Salkantay Trek is a walk through big mountains and changing nature that also takes you to Machu Picchu. It’s known for being really beautiful and a bit more wild than the Inca Trail.
In this story, we will tell you all about the Salkantay Trek. We’ll use simple words so you can easily understand what this amazing trip is like, what you’ll see, how to get ready, and why it’s a fantastic way to reach Machu Picchu. Get ready to walk near a giant, snowy mountain!
What is the Salkantay Trek? (A Mountain Path to Machu Picchu!)
The Salkantay Trek is a walking trip, a trek, that takes several days. Like the Inca Trail, it starts near Cusco and ends at Machu Picchu. But it’s a different path!
This trek is named after a very big, tall, and often snowy mountain called Salkantay Mountain. This mountain is very important and seen as sacred by the local people. The trek goes right near this huge mountain, which is super cool!
Instead of walking on old Inca paths the whole time like the Inca Trail, the Salkantay Trek goes through different kinds of nature. You walk in very high, rocky places near snowy peaks, then down into warmer areas with lots of green plants, like a jungle.
It’s a real outdoor adventure where you walk far and sleep outside in tents or simple places.
Why Choose the Salkantay Trek?
Why do this trek instead of others?
- See Salkantay Mountain Up Close: This is the main reason! You get to walk very close to the giant Salkantay Mountain and see its snowy top and rocky sides. It’s very powerful to be near such a big mountain.
- Beautiful and Changing Views: You see different kinds of nature every day. High snowy mountains, blue lakes, green valleys, thick forests. It changes a lot!
- A Good Challenge: It’s a hard walk, especially going over the highest part, but finishing feels like a big win.
- Machu Picchu at the End: Like the Inca Trail, your big prize at the end is seeing Machu Picchu.
- Easier to Book: Unlike the Inca Trail where tickets (permits) sell out very, very early, it’s usually easier to book the Salkantay Trek without planning a year ahead.
How Long Does the Salkantay Trek Take?
The most popular way to do the Salkantay Trek is in 5 days and 4 nights.
This trip involves walking for about 4 days and then visiting Machu Picchu on the morning of the 5th day. You usually camp in tents for 3 nights and then stay in a simple hotel in the town near Machu Picchu (Aguas Calientes) for the last night.
There is also a shorter version that takes 4 days and 3 nights. This trip moves a bit faster and covers the same path but with less time.
Some companies might offer longer trips too, maybe 6 days, for a slower pace.
The 5-day trek is the most common because it gives you a good balance of walking each day without rushing too much, and you get to see all the cool parts.
Is the Salkantay Trek Hard?
Yes, the Salkantay Trek is hard. Many people think it’s even harder than the Classic Inca Trail.
Why is it hard?
- Going VERY High (Salkantay Pass): The hardest part is going over the Salkantay Pass. This is the highest point of the trek, often over 4,600 meters high! That’s even higher than the highest point on the Inca Trail. At this height, the air has even less oxygen, which makes it very hard to breathe and walk. It can also be very cold and windy up there.
- Longer Distance (sometimes): Depending on the exact path, the Salkantay Trek can be a bit longer in total distance than the Inca Trail.
- Changing Path: You walk on different kinds of ground – rocky paths high up, muddy paths in lower areas, and forest trails.
- Lots of Up and Down: Just like any mountain trek, there are big hills to walk up and long paths to walk down.
But remember, “hard” doesn’t mean impossible! People of many different ages and from many places do the Salkantay Trek. Being in good shape and getting ready for the high places are key.
Getting Ready for the Big Mountain Walk (Simple Steps!)
Getting ready for Salkantay is similar to getting ready for the Inca Trail, but maybe a bit more focus on high places and longer walks.
- Get in Shape: Do some walking or running before your trip. Walk up hills or stairs if you can. The more your legs are strong for uphill and downhill, the better you will feel.
- Spend Time in Cusco First: This is SUPER important for the altitude. Cusco is high, but the Salkantay Pass is much higher. Spend at least 2 or 3 full days in Cusco before starting the trek. Relax, walk slowly around Cusco, drink water, and let your body start getting used to the high air.
- Drink Lots of Water: Helps your body deal with the high place. Drink water before, during, and after the trek.
- Go SLOWly: When you are walking, especially uphill and at the highest parts, walk very, very slowly. Find a comfortable pace you can keep. It’s okay to stop and rest!
- Listen to your Body: If you feel very sick (bad headache, can’t breathe well, feel like throwing up), tell your guide right away. The guide can help you decide if you need to go back down.
Being ready for the high parts and walking slow are your best friends on the Salkantay Trek.
Simple Look at Difficulty Compared to Others
| Feature | Simple Walk on Road | Inca Trail (Classic 4-Day) | Salkantay Trek (5-Day) |
| How Hard (Walk) | Easy | Hard | Harder |
| Highest Point | Normal Height | High (Dead Woman’s Pass ~4200m) | Very High (Salkantay Pass ~4600m+) |
| Total Distance | Short | Medium (~43km / 26 miles) | Longer (~60-75km / 37-47 miles depending on route) |
| Main Challenge | None | Up/Down hills, Altitude | Higher Altitude Pass, Longer Distance, Different Ground |
Salkantay is a bigger physical test for many people.
What Cool Things Do You See Along the Salkantay Path?
The Salkantay Trek is famous for its changing and beautiful views.
Salkantay Mountain
You will walk quite close to the giant Salkantay Mountain itself. It’s huge and impressive, with rocky sides and a snowy top. Seeing it up close, especially as you walk towards the high pass named after it, is a big moment on the trek.
Humantay Lake
Often on Day 1 of the 5-day trek, you take a walk (sometimes a bit uphill) to see Humantay Lake. This lake is famous for its amazing blue or green color, like a jewel, sitting right below a snowy mountain (Mount Humantay). It’s a really beautiful place for pictures and to just look at the water and the mountains around it.
Going from Cold to Warm (Different Nature!)
One of the coolest things about the Salkantay Trek is how the nature changes as you walk down from the high mountains.
- High Up: Near the Salkantay Pass, it’s cold, rocky, and windy. You only see tough grass and small plants. It feels like the top of the world.
- Walking Down: As you go lower, it starts to get a little warmer. More plants appear.
- Cloud Forest: You walk into what’s called a cloud forest. It’s greener, more humid (wet air), with different kinds of trees covered in moss and ferns. The path might be muddy.
- Warmer Area / “Jungle” Edge: Even lower, it gets quite warm, maybe like summer weather depending on the time of year. There are more trees, different flowers, and you might see more birds or insects. This is where some people grow coffee or other fruits.
This change in scenery each day is very exciting! You need to pack clothes for all kinds of weather because you experience them all on one trek!
Other Sights
You might also see:
- Glacial lakes (lakes made from melting ice from the mountains) besides Humantay.
- Waterfalls.
- Local farms and small houses in the lower areas.
- Maybe see how coffee grows if you stop at a farm.
How Life is on the Salkantay Trek (Eating and Sleeping)
Like the Inca Trail, the tour company takes care of most things for you.
- Food: You have a cook with the group who makes warm, tasty meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The food is usually good and gives you energy for walking. You also get snacks for during the day.
- Sleeping:
- High up: The first 1 or 2 nights are usually camping in tents in cold places. You definitely need a warm sleeping bag!
- Lower down: In the warmer part of the trek (like Day 3 or 4), you might stay in simpler places with roofs and beds, not tents, or camp in a warmer spot.
- Last Night: The night before visiting Machu Picchu (usually Day 4), you stay in a hotel in Aguas Calientes town.
- Carrying Bags: On the Salkantay Trek, instead of porters carrying all the big bags like on the Inca Trail, companies often use mules or horses to carry the heavy tents, food, and your big bag for you for the first few days. You still carry your smaller backpack with things you need for the day.
It’s a mix of camping in the wild high up and staying in more simple places as you get closer to the town.
Who Helps You on the Salkantay Trek?
- Guides: Your guide walks with you, keeps the group safe, tells you about the mountains, the nature, and the history (even though you don’t visit as many Inca ruins as on the Inca Trail, the guide still shares info). They are very important!
- Cooks: The cook makes all the food and makes sure you are well fed.
- Horse/Mule Handlers: These people manage the animals that carry the heavy bags. They are also very important helpers.
It’s good to thank the whole team for their hard work at the end of the trek, often with a tip.
Comparing Salkantay to the Inca Trail (Which Walk to Choose?)
Both are great walks to Machu Picchu, but they are different!
| Feature | Salkantay Trek (Usually 5 Days) | Classic Inca Trail Trek (4 Days) |
| Main Focus | Big Mountains, Changing Nature | Inca Path, Many Ruins |
| How Hard (Pass) | Higher (Salkantay Pass ~4600m+) | High (Dead Woman’s Pass ~4200m) |
| Total Distance | Longer (~60-75km) | Shorter (~43km) |
| Main Views | Big Snowy Mountains, Humantay Lake, Green Valleys, Jungle | Other Inca Ruins, Valleys, Cloud Forest, Sun Gate View |
| How You Finish | Walk to Aguas Calientes, Train to Machu Picchu area (Don’t enter via Sun Gate) | Walk the whole path to Sun Gate, Enter Machu Picchu via Sun Gate |
| Sleep | Mix of Camping and Simple Places/Hotel | Mostly Camping |
| Carrying Bags | Often Mules/Horses for heavy bags | Porters for heavy bags |
| Needs Permit? | No (for the trek itself) | YES (Must book very early!) |
| Crowds | Can be busy, but less regulated than Inca Trail | Limited people, but many groups |
Choosing depends on what you want: a tougher mountain and nature focus (Salkantay) or a historical path with many ruins ending at the famous Sun Gate (Inca Trail).
Getting Ready: What to Bring in Your Backpack (Simple Packing!)
Packing is similar to other mountain treks, but remember layers for cold and rain! Your main bag goes on the animals, but you carry a small one for the day.
Your Small Day Backpack Should Have:
- Water bottle (full!)
- Snacks (energy!)
- Sunscreen, sunglasses, sun hat
- Warm hat and gloves (very important for the pass!)
- Rain jacket or poncho (for lower areas)
- Small first-aid kit
- Toilet paper, hand sanitizer
- Camera/phone
- Some cash (small money)
Your Big Bag (Carried by Mules/Horses) Should Have:
- Your sleeping bag (needs to be warm for cold nights!)
- Warm clothes for the evenings and high parts (thermal layers, fleece, warm jacket)
- Hiking pants and shirts for walking (layers!)
- Socks (wool socks are warm)
- Underwear
- Pajamas or warm clothes for sleeping
- Hiking boots (worn in!)
- Sandals or comfy shoes for camp
- Towel
- Toiletries
- Headlamp or flashlight
- Portable charger
Simple rule: Think about getting very cold high up, getting warm walking, and possibly getting wet lower down. Pack layers!
Simple Tips for Your Salkantay Trek
- Go at your own pace: Especially on the big uphill day to the pass. Don’t try to keep up with the fastest person. Walk slowly and steadily.
- Layer your clothes: Put on more layers before you get cold, take them off before you get too hot.
- Drink lots of water and coca tea: Helps with the altitude and staying hydrated.
- Use walking sticks: These really help your knees, especially walking downhill on steep parts.
- Enjoy the changes: Notice how the plants, animals, and temperature change as you walk from high mountains to warmer areas. It’s a special part of the trek.
- Talk to your guide: Ask questions! Learn about the places you are walking through.
- Appreciate the helpers: Say thank you to the guide, cook, and animal handlers.
Ready for the Salkantay Adventure?
The Salkantay Trek is a big, exciting walk for people who love mountains and dramatic nature. It’s harder than some other walks, especially the high pass and the distance, but it takes you through incredible changing views, from snowy peaks and blue lakes down into green, warm valleys, all ending with a visit to amazing Machu Picchu.
If you are looking for a real challenge, want to see giant mountains up close, and experience different kinds of nature on your way to the old Inca city, the Salkantay Trek could be the perfect adventure for you. Get ready to walk high in the Andes and feel the power of Salkantay Mountain!