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.
An absolutely fabntastic holiday, well planned and our guide just made this so enjoyable. I've never been on a holiday where I got to see so much - I enjoyed every minute of it and would recommend it to anyone who wishes to go and explore Peru.
In this colorful tour, you will be able to enjoy the fantastic places that the Sacred Valley of the Incas and the southern part of Cusco have. This great cultural and adventure option, can venture to the most outstanding areas and preferred by the public, some of those are: Qoricancha, Saqsayhuaman, Maras, Moray, Chinchero and the Rainbow Mountain, the latter becoming a trend for all visitors that is in Cusco.
In addition to visiting Machu Picchu, one of the wonders of the modern world, the one that will envelop you with all its magic and charm. Get ready for an unforgettable experience in the Andes!
Our Peru adventure was truly magical in so many ways. We met a great bunch of fellow travellers, enjoyed the local history, culture and cuisines, and fulfilled a long held ambition to trek the classic route to Machu Picchu.
Thrill-seekers and cultural explorers alike will find plenty to love on this 12-day Peru trip, designed for adults 25 and older. Starting and ending in Lima, this tour package combines adrenaline-pumping activities like surfing and kitesurfing with awe-inspiring journeys through Cusco and the sand dunes of Huacachina. Beyond the adventure, you’ll have a chance to delve into Peru’s rich history and diverse landscapes, from ancient Inca ruins to bustling city life. With group accommodation, meals, and transport all arranged, you can focus on making the most of every day—whether you’re carving waves, exploring high-altitude cities, or soaking up the vibrant local culture. The USP: a perfect balance of adventure sports and cultural immersion, ensuring every traveler leaves with unforgettable stories and newfound friends.
This Inca Soul Peru tour package showcases the best of Cusco and the Sacred Valley before taking you on the journey of a lifetime along the short Inca Trail to the famous Machu Picchu. This Peru vacation is the perfect mix of culture, history, and adventure for the eager traveler.
You will start your adventure in Cusco, home to a fascinating mix of colonial and ancient architecture. Here you'll explore the city on an expert-guided Cusco city tour and then experience the surrounding areas with a tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
Once you have explored all that Cusco has to offer, head out on the famous short Inca Trail. This is more than a hike; it is an excursion into the past, where you can learn about Inca civilization, culture, and society.
Before the tour ends, you will have the time to visit the Rainbow Mountain.
This once in a lifetime 7- day trip includes a hat-trick of spectacular sights. Explore the Sacred Valley – a 62-mile tendril of fertile land that was pivotal to the Incan empire. Visit the Lost City of the Incas, Machu Picchu – the cloud-kissing city that is a time capsule for Incan culture and a mysterious wonder designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Plus, discover the magic and mysticism of Lake Titicaca in Puno – the sprawling lake which is known as the birthplace of the Incas and is home to the floating islands of Uros, which are so beautiful they have to be seen to be believed.
Don’t miss out on this spectacular tour!
Embark on an unforgettable adventure with a guided trek to Machu Picchu via the scenic Inca Quarry route. Discover hidden archaeological gems, breathtaking Andean landscapes, and local culture as you hike less crowded trails. Experience the thrill of visiting ancient ruins, witnessing spectacular mountain vistas, and camping under the stars. This immersive journey offers a rich blend of history, nature, and cultural encounters, perfect for avid hikers and history enthusiasts seeking a unique and off-the-beaten-path Peru experience.
The travel team designed a solo trip to Buenos Aires and Patagonia for me last year which was outstanding, so when I decided to go to Peru and Machu Picchu, I asked them to design a tour for me again. And again I was thrilled with their services! They tailored the trip to my specific interests and made adjustments as we went through the initial planning stagings until the trip was exactly what I wanted. When I travel alone in foreign countries, I don't want to have to worry about issues with transportation, safety, or unexpected changes to the itinerary. They arranged everything for me - transportation from each location with a driver and a bilingual guide to explain that portion of my trip. There were heavy rains in Machu Picchu before my arrival so some trails were closed and they made last minute arrangements for alternatives without problem. They provide you with multiple ways to contact them 24/7 while you're traveling, and I had to contact them once in the middle of the night to confirm a pickup time - they responded on What's App within 2 minutes and got the issue sorted immediately. I will use their company for any of my travels to South America - they are local experts, professional, and extremely easy to work with. Highly recommend!
As initially mentioned, this trip was absolutely incredible. Alex, our main guide, did a wonderful job getting us to bond as a group and encouraging us to think as one unit while we were trekking together. He also did a wonderful job integrating the porters into the mix while we were on the trail. We truly felt like one big family by the end, and it made the experience extraordinarily special. My partner got ill on the last day of the hike and I was so nervous we weren't going to make it to the end. This hike and seeing Machi Picchu has been a dream of mine for so long. But Alex made sure we got to the end and I was teary-eyed when I say Machu Picchu at the Sun Gate. It was everything I had hoped for, made even better by the wonderful people I was with.
Additionally, the inclusion of the activities with local artisans was wonderful. I loved learning about the different techniques, seeing the local way of life, and being able to buy goods from communities where the impacts would be immediately felt. It's exactly the type of tourism economy that lifts up communities and countries.
G Adventures did an amazing job with this trip and I would book another trip through you all in a heart beat. Thank for for providing me with the opportunity to fulfill my dream, above and beyond what I could have imagined.
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
This trip comes with bragging rights. It’ll take you to Machu Picchu by a route that most tourists don’t even know exists. The trek combines the beauty of the mountains with a cultural visit to two different villages, deep in the mountains.
The trek starts in Lares and takes you through a swathe of the Sacred Valley that’s home to many traditional weavers and farmers. In this part of Peru, the valleys and peaks of the Andes crest and fall like ocean waves, and the hoof marks of alpacas are more common than footprints.
You will also have the chance to enjoy the hot springs, which are divided into various pools ranging from freezing cold to boiling. They are all composed of pure volcanic water, which is medicinal in nature and considered to be good for your bones, stress, muscles and headaches.