Worried that you could not get the permit for the Inca Trail? We bring to you an opportunity to participate in an equally exhilarating journey through the Andes all the way down to Machu Picchu. Join us on this 4-day trek and travel through a variety of landscapes, ranging from snowcapped mountains to tropical forests and finally dense jungles, past small villages, towns and highland pastures, skirting herds of llamas en route.
Cross the Salkantay Pass (4650m). Enjoy the serene beauty of Humantay Lake (4200). And visit some of the most important Inca sites in Peru, including the majestic Machu Picchu. If you are planning for a trekking trip in Peru along with a visit to Machu Picchu and you want to travel off the beaten path while appreciating the beautiful and diverse nature of Peru, then this trek is for you.
Travel to Peru to retrace the steps of the Incas – Peru's fascinating ancient civilisation. Travel from Cusco, through the fertile heartland of the Sacred Valley and to the magnificent Ollantaytambo ruins before the ultimate destination – Machu Picchu, one of the famed Seven Wonders of the World. This week-long trip is a choose-your-own-adventure type of deal – you can hike the Inca Trail, the Quarry Trail, or take it easy in Cusco and take the train to Machu Picchu. Allowing travellers of all abilities the opportunity to see this wonder first-hand, this trip is a perfect way to see Peru’s highlights when you don’t have more than a week.
Trekking and Hiking
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
If you did not manage to reserve permits for the Inca Trail, we highly recommend the Salkantay as an alternative. Apart from the classic Inca Trail, the Salkantay Trek is without a doubt one of the most beautiful treks in the Andes. National Geographic Adventure Travel Magazine listed it as one of the 25 best treks in the world. The trek is currently open to everyone and there are no limitations on spaces and permits.
The Salkantay Trek will take you through unique and varying landscapes with the scenery nothing short of breathtaking! Photographers will experience sheer ecstasy as we walk along ancient and solitary footpaths: from picturesque grassy highlands to flourishing cloud forests, where luxuriant tropical rainforests meet colossal snow-capped mountains. The Salkantay Trek is off-the-beaten path and authentic. You will be spirited away into a world of phenomenal beauty and abundance of nature, with sacred solitude and hours of deliciously quiet contemplation.
Since the ancient Incan times, the spectacular glacier-capped peak of Mount Salkantay has been considered as sacred and the protector of the local people and their crops. The name Salkantay or Salcantay is a Quechua word meaning invincible, wild or savage. Thus, Salkantay is often called "Savage Mountain". Salkantay (Nevado Salkantay), or Sallqantay in Quechua, is the highest peak of the Cordillera Vilcabamba, which forms part of the Andes Mountain Range, rising to 6271 meters above sea level (20,574 ft). Salkantay is located less than 50 miles from the city of Cusco.
We are looking forward to taking you on a great hike.
Trekking and HikingMountains
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Tent, Hostel
Age Range
5-79 yrs
Operated in
english, peruvian
Destinations
Salkantay, Cusco, Machu Picchu
Salkantay, Cusco, Machu Picchu, Colcapampa, La Playa, Aguas Calientes
Well prepared Salkantay trek 5d/5n zone with Saul G as a guide and Gregorio as a chef and Cesar and Walter as porters. Good food all the way and amazing places to sleep such as the hobbit houses and the star gazing houses the very first night. Bonus was the lomo saltado cooking class and the visit of a coffee farm.
Trekking and HikingCamping
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Salkantay Trek is a popular alternative to the very-crowded classic Inca Trail. It offers more distance, more mountains, more scenery, and a wider variety of landscapes, but still concludes with a visit to the iconic city of Machu Picchu. As the route does not have as many regulations as the Inca Trail, this also means that it can provide a “back door” trek to Machu Picchu when Inca Trail permits are sold out. This new itinerary, Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu via Llaqtapata, includes the highlights of the other Salkantay trek, but avoids many of the areas that are becoming crowded with other trekkers.
This trip is fully-inclusive, including a guide, accommodation, meals and transportation.
Duration: 5 days/4 nights
Distance trekked: about 50km
Elevation: 1900-4600m
Difficulty: Moderate
Crowds: Moderate
Trekking and HikingMountains
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
This 5-day 4-night Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu is an excellent substitute for the Inca Trail — considered by most to be the best alternative route, and maybe even better!
This magnificent trail is perfect for adventurers who wish to become personally integrated in changing ecosystems from one day to the next. You will walk through sweeping, magical landscapes of a snowy mountain paradise to a tropical jungle where you will find a wide range of animals, medicinal plants and flower varieties. Witness with your own eyes a living but ancient culture in remote villages hardly ever seen by foreigners. End your trek at the famed Machu Picchu for an experience of a lifetime.
Let’s start exploring the mountains!
Trekking and Hiking
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Hostel, Tent, Camping
Age Range
5-79 yrs
Operated in
english, spanish
Destinations
Salkantay, Cusco, Soraypampa, Ch
Salkantay, Cusco, Soraypampa, Chaullay, Santa Teresa, Aguas Calientes
Travel to Peru and retrace the steps of the Incas – Peru's fascinating ancient civilisation. Beginning in Lima, the capital of Peru flanked by Spanish colonial architecture, you’ll journey through the fertile heartland of the Sacred Valley, see the magnificent Ollantaytambo ruins and take on your own trail (the Inca Trail, Quarry Trail or scenic train route) to Machu Picchu – nestled high in the Andes, this is one of the Seven Wonders of the World! End it all in Cusco, a foodie’s paradise and cultural hub of nightlife. This eight-day Peruvian tour gets you closer to the secrets of the elusive civilisation that once resided here.
Trekking and Hiking
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
"We did the 2D/1N trip to Machu Picchu. Our tour guides David and Ciprian are truly great people and made sure everyone was taken care of. Ciprian was carrying someone’s backpack to help them out, for the entire 8 mile hike. I got a stomach flu during the second morning and had to miss part of the 2nd day but David gave me a personal tour of Machu Picchu when I started feeling better. That’s when I found out how truly knowledgeable David was because I asked so many questions and David gave detailed and extremely educated responses. Because of this, I have a much deeper understanding and appreciation of the Incas and their culture. David didn’t have to give me a make up tour of Machu Picchu, but he did so out of kindness and care.
Besides the gorgeous views all around and our exceptional tour guides, the next highlight for me was the lunch. We had lunch around 1pm and we were all surprised at how they managed to cook such amazing food without a kitchen. It was better food than some restaurants we had in Cuzco. There was avocado dip and fried wanton, chicken + mango ceviche, lomo saltado, potatoes, battered trout, apple water, various vegetables, and apple pie. The food was truly *chefs kiss* and maybe the best food we’ve had on a hike ever.
I highly recommend this tour and our tour guides David and Ciprian"
Trekking and Hiking
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
WHAT YOU’LL DO
Mesmerizing and mystical, the legend of Machu Picchu may never be fully unraveled. On a six day journey to the heart of it all, lace up those hiking boots to follow Eco Quechua Lodge along overgrown jungle trails, past hidden ruins, and through vibrant Andean communities to the Lost City of the Incas.
"WALKING IS THE SPEED WE WERE CREATED TO USE WHEN TRAVELING THROUGH LIFE."
- JORGEN JOHANSSON, BACKPACKER
The story begins in Cusco on the cobblestone streets that weave between the city's Spanish colonial churches and plazas. Once the beating pulse of the Incan Empire, it now serves as a historic and archeological prelude where the shops and markets that line the city streets expose ancient traditions and timeless customs.
After two days of urban exploration, it's time to hit the trail. Meander from the Sacred Valley to Aguas Calientes via the Malaga Pass, taking time off between two trekking days for a little relaxation. As the elevation rises, well-trod trails reveal unsullied views of the snow-capped Andes and verdant jungle canopies - rewards well worth the effort.
Tucked into the surrounding scenery, the Eco Quechua Lodge is a welcome respite from all that treking. Revive tired muscles with a soak in the nearby hot springs or jolt the senses with a cup of locally grown organic coffee before making the final ascent to the legendary Lost City of Machu Picchu.
Toes still tingling from the excitement - and all that walking - board the plane back home with a weary smile, still entranced by the memory of your time on the trail.
Trekking and Hiking
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Lodge, Hotel, Eco Lodge
Age Range
5-79 yrs
Operated in
english, peruvian
Destinations
Inca Trail, Machu Picchu, Santa
Inca Trail, Machu Picchu, Santa Teresa, Sacred Valley, Chinchero District, Abra Malaga, Llaqtapata, Aguas Calientes, Cusco
This Lares trek is an excellent alternative to those who missed out on the Inca Trail, and a shorter one too. Join us on this 4-day, guided tour and enjoy traveling off the beaten path. Starting from Cusco, this trek will take you through Calca, Huacawasi, Aruraycocha and Yanahuara before you are on your way to Machu Picchu via Aguas Calientes.
The highlight of the trek probably is Machu Picchu, the famous Inca citadel that you will explore during a two-hour, guided tour on the last day of the tour. However, there is more to this trip than just that. Enjoy the stunning scenery of Peruvian highlands, travel past villages where people still live in adobe and stone houses with thatch roofs. Cross two high passes that are more than 4000m and see beautiful natural landmarks along the way, including the gleaming Laguna Aruraycocha.
Visit to Machu Picchu on the final day of the tour. Combine the cultural heritage and natural beauty of the Peruvian Andes with a trip to the most impressive Inca ruin. For more details, please go through the itinerary below.
Trekking and Hiking
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers