Salkantay Trekking Tours

The Extras Listed on Top

Some listings quote a low price and name the missing pieces as extra costs in their own fine print. The figures below come straight from each listing, not from the ticket offices or the train operators, so confirm them at checkout. They matter most on the treks where the ticket and the return are left out.

On the $680 domes trek, the operator asks for the Machu Picchu entrance, the return train or bus, and the trail entrance fee on top of the listing price. On the $462 trek, the Humantay admission, the first-day breakfast, the Consettur bus and one train segment are named as extra.

Treks With the Ticket and the Train Back Included

Seven of the departures carry both the Machu Picchu ticket and the return leg inside the listing price. The classic 5-day trek at $760 includes the ticket, the bus up to the site and a panoramic Expedition or Voyager train back, with groups capped at 10. The glass cabins trek at $695 covers all entry fees, the round-trip Machu Picchu bus, the Expeditions train back and a personal porter of 7 kg, and ends with a 4-star hotel night in Aguas Calientes.

The Vistadome 5-day trek at $698 includes the ticket, the bus and a Vistadome or 360 degree train. The 5-Day Hiking Trek at $500 and the 5-Day Trek with Gear at $650 both include the ticket and the train to Ollantaytambo, and the gear version adds the sleeping bag, trekking sticks and Humantay entry. The Sky Camp 4-Day at $720 includes the ticket and the tourist class train back, though the bus from Machu Picchu down to Aguas Calientes is paid on site.

The private 4-day trek at $1,265 includes the bus both ways, the Hydroelectric train leg and a Vistadome train with a private transfer to Cusco, with the Machu Picchu ticket subject to availability.

Treks That Leave Them Out

The Salkantay Panoramic Domes Trek is the lowest price on this page at $300, and it reads well until you see its exclusions: the Machu Picchu ticket, the sleeping bag and the return train or bus are all paid separately. The guided visit to the site is included, the entry itself is not, so the cheapest listing is not the cheapest trip once the ticket and the ride home are added. The Sky Lodge Domes Trek at $680 asks for the Machu Picchu entrance, the return train to Ollantaytambo or the bus from Hidroelectrica, and the Salkantay and Humantay trail fee of 20 soles on top.

Its domes have private bathrooms and hot showers, which is the appeal, but budget for the extras before comparing it with the inclusive departures. The Star Domes 5-day trek sits between the two: its Machu Picchu ticket is included subject to availability, but the Humantay admission, the Consettur bus and a train segment are extra and the listing is non-refundable.

Cancellation Terms

Cancellation terms split three ways, and they matter more than a few dollars of price difference. The classic 5-day trek, the panoramic domes, the Star Domes trek, the glass cabins trek, the Sky Camp 4-Day, the Vistadome trek and the private 4-day trek are all non-refundable, with all sales final. The Sky Lodge Domes Trek, the 5-Day Hiking Trek and the 5-Day Trek with Gear give free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund.

The small group 4-day trek and the Humantay Lake 2-Day Trek refund in full 6 or more days before departure, 50% between 2 and 6 days before, and nothing inside 2 days. If your flights could still move, the 24-hour listings are the safer booking.

The Stages on a Classic 5-Day Trek

The stage figures below come from Wikivoyage's Salkantay Trek page. Operators' routes vary in campsite, start point and daily order, so treat these as the classic skeleton rather than any single itinerary.

Soraypampa and Humantay Lake

Most departures sleep the first night at Soraypampa, the base camp under Salkantay. Sources put the village between 3,880 and 3,920 m, so you sleep close to 3,900 m on night one. From there the detour to Humantay Lake is about 4 km with 300 m of climbing, and the lake sits at 4,200 m below a glacier of the same name.

The entrance fee is disputed: one source lists 30 soles for foreigners and 20 for Peruvians, another lists 20 soles and 10 soles. Guided treks such as the Humantay Lake 2-Day Trek and the Salkantay Sky Lodge Domes Trek include Humantay Lake on day one.

Over the Salkantay Pass

Day two is the hard day. The Abra Salkantay, the highest point of the trek, is reported between 4,580 and 4,660 m depending on the source, with 4,600 and 4,630 m the most common figures. Salkantay mountain itself stands at 6,271 m, with an alternative published figure of 6,264 m, and its name comes from a Quechua word meaning wild or savage, hence the translation Savage Mountain.

Nights in the high camps drop to minus 10 C at the coldest, so a warm sleeping bag matters. Several operators rent bags separately, and the Salkantay 5-Day Trek with Gear includes one in the price.

Into the Cloud Forest

After the pass the trail drops fast into warmer country. Chaullay sits at about 2,900 m and La Playa at about 2,060 m, and the valley is coffee country, with several tours including a farm visit. This is where the Cocalmayo hot springs near Santa Teresa fit in, with four pools reported at 38 to 44 C. The entry fee varies by listing: one tour charges it as a USD 15 extra, other sources list 10 soles for foreigners.

The Salkantay 5-Day Trek with Gear includes the hot springs in its price.

Hidroeléctrica to Machu Picchu

The last stretch follows the rail line from the Hidroeléctrica station, which sits at 1,890 m. The train to Aguas Calientes takes about 30 minutes, the walk along the tracks about 2.5 hours. The train fare is disputed: Wikivoyage lists US$31 for foreigners, another source about 60 soles or US$19.

Machu Picchu stands at 2,430 m above the town. The Consettur bus runs every 10 minutes, and walking up takes 45 to 60 minutes. Once the trek is done you still need the way back, which is where the train fares in the comparison table matter.

How 4-Day Treks Differ

Four-day versions compress or cut the middle. Common patterns are driving a section by vehicle, merging days three and four, or walking to Hidroeléctrica and taking the short train to Aguas Calientes. The Salkantay Sky Camp 4-Day keeps Humantay Lake, the pass and Sky Camp in three nights, and the Salkantay Sky Lodge Domes Trek runs from Challacancha over the pass to a hotel night in Aguas Calientes in four days.

Four days means longer walking days.

The Two Treks Side by Side

The figures below come from Wikipedia's Inca Trail and Salcantay pages and from Wikivoyage. The Salkantay length is given as a range because guides measure the route from different start points.

Who Each Trek Suits

Salkantay suits trekkers who want to book late, because there is no permit system and dates do not sell out months ahead the way the Inca Trail's do. The scenery is the draw: a 6,271 m glacier, Humantay Lake at 4,200 m, cloud forest and hot springs, plus camps with character such as the glass domes on the Salkantay Glass Cabins Trek. The Inca Trail suits trekkers who want the archaeology underfoot, with Inca sites along the route, and the classic arrival on foot at the Sun Gate.

It requires a registered guide and a permit.

The Mollepata Link

The two routes meet in the same mountains. The Mollepata route to the Inca Trail is the longest variant of that trail and has its highest pass. On the Salkantay side no permit is needed, so dates can be booked closer to departure, with the Machu Picchu ticket the only part that sells out.

Compare the departures in the Salkantay treks side by side table.

Altitudes on the Route

The table gathers the altitudes named in the sources. Where sources disagree, the range is shown rather than one figure, since the pass in particular is reported differently by different guides.

What the Health Advice Says

The NHS says altitude sickness usually occurs above 2,500 m, with symptoms starting 6 to 10 hours after arrival and most cases passing in 1 to 3 days. Above 3,000 m it advises not gaining more than 300 m of sleeping height per night, and if symptoms worsen, descending around 300 to 1,000 m. Confusion, balance problems, breathlessness at rest or a cough with blood need immediate descent and medical help.

Wikivoyage recommends at least 2 to 3 days in Cusco or at a similar altitude before starting. Cusco itself sits at about 3,400 m, so the city is a natural acclimatization stop.

How Hard Is the Trek

The pass day is the test: a climb to around 4,600 m followed by a long descent, and operators rate the trek as challenging with a high level of fitness required. The longest Wikivoyage stages are 20 km a day. Mules carry the bulk of the gear on most departures, 6 or 7 kilos of personal luggage per trekker where the listing states a figure.

Get travel insurance that covers high-altitude trekking, since the pass exceeds the 4,000 m line many insurers use for exclusions, and at least one operator requires cover up to 5,000 m.

The Seasons at a Glance

The table lines up the trail seasons with the Machu Picchu visitor calendar, so you can see when the walking is best and when the site is busiest.

Booking Ahead

Machu Picchu tickets sell out, and operators say it plainly: one listing asks you to book at least five months ahead to secure the entry circuit it wants, and another asks for three months ahead. The Inca Trail closes every February for cleaning. Salkantay has no permit system, so the treks in this catalog sell departures without one.

Cold Nights, Wet Trails

In the dry season the days are clear but the high camps are cold, with operator listings citing nights to minus 5 C and sources reporting down to minus 10 C around the pass. In the rainy season the trail turns to mud and landslides are a known risk. Camp type matters more than people expect: domes and cabins with real beds and hot showers, like the Salkantay Sky Lodge Domes Trek, take the edge off cold nights, and tent nights are where a warm sleeping bag earns its rental.

What the Independent Trek Costs

The table lists the fixed costs an independent hiker pays, gathered from Wikivoyage, ticket guides and trekker reports. Fares marked as reported differ between sources.

What You Organise Yourself

You carry your own pack, and independent hikers are advised to keep it at 4 to 7 kg. Campsites along the route cost about 7 to 10 soles a night. Food is on you for five days.

The Machu Picchu ticket is the real bottleneck: Andina reports tickets are sold exclusively through tuboleto.cultura.pe, and 1,000 in-person tickets a day are sold in Aguas Calientes. Wikivoyage lists the hazards as altitude sickness, sun exposure, cold, landslides, and snakes and tarantulas in the lower sections.

Why Most People Book a Tour

A guided departure puts the ticket, the train or bus back, the meals, the mules, the cook and the camping gear on someone else's list, and many departures also include Humantay entry and hot springs. Prices start at $300 with everything important left out, and reach $1,265 for a private trip with it all in. The comparison table shows which listing includes which, so you can judge whether the tour premium is worth it for your dates.