Salkantay Trekking ToursSalkantay Trek Cost: What You Actually Pay
The Salkantay trek cost on this site runs from $300 to $1,265 per person, and the gap between those two numbers confuses almost everyone. This page breaks down what each price band buys, which extras sit outside the listing price, what to tip in soles, and what the trek costs if you walk it without a guide. Every figure comes from the tour listings and the published sources behind them. When you know what moves the price, you can match a trek to your budget instead of guessing. The bookable treks are compared on Salkantay trekking tours.
The main square of Aguas Calientes, the town below Machu Picchu. Photo: Jorge Láscar from Australia, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Quick answer Cost in one line
The Salkantay trek cost on this site runs from $300 to $1,265 per person for guided treks. What moves the price is whether the Machu Picchu ticket and the train back are included, if you sleep in domes, cabins or tents, whether the group is small or private, and whether the trek runs 2, 4 or 5 days.
Key takeaways
- See how the bands differ in what the price bands buy and the full comparison table.
- The extras to budget for cover the S/152 Machu Picchu ticket, trains and the Consettur bus.
- Walking it alone? Independent costs sit in one block, with the full route in Salkantay trek without a guide.
- For timing and trail conditions, read the best time to do the Salkantay trek.
What the Price Bands Buy
The bookable treks on this site split into four clear price bands. The cheapest listing is $300 and the most expensive is $1,265, and the difference is mostly tickets, trains and beds.
The Four Bands at a Glance
The table groups the listings by price and shows the two items that drive most of the gap: the Machu Picchu ticket and the return train. Under $500 the ticket and the way back are not always in the price. Between $500 and $700 the ticket usually appears in the price.
From $700 to $800 the listings add sky camps, a panoramic return train on the Classic, and groups capped at 8 to 12. The private listing at $1,265 is a different product altogether, booked as a private group with a Vistadome train back and a private transfer to Cusco. For the full line-by-line of every departure, see the comparison table on the homepage, and for what each listing counts as included, read what the price covers.
| Price band | Treks | Ticket and train | Sleeps in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $500 | Panoramic Domes 5-day $300, Humantay 2-day $335, Star Domes 5-day $462 | Ticket excluded on the $300 trek and included on the $462 trek, return by train or bus not included on the cheapest | Sky domes and huts, a 2-star hotel in Machu Picchu town, and a hotel or shared room in Aguas Calientes |
| $500 to $700 | 5-Day Hiking Trek $500, 5-Day Trek with Gear $650, Sky Lodge Domes 4-day $680, Glass Cabins 5-day $695 | Ticket included on all except the Sky Lodge Domes trek, where the ticket is USD 48 extra and the way back is USD 95 extra by train with the transfer or USD 30 by bus | Glass cabins, domes, sky huts, tents and a hotel night in Aguas Calientes |
| $700 to $800 | Sky Camp 4-day $720, Classic 5-day $760, Small Group 4-day $777 | Ticket included on the Sky Camp and Classic treks, the Small Group listing states only meals, so confirm tickets and transport | Sky Camp and Mountain Sky View camps, private campsites, and a hotel night |
| Private | Private 4-Day Trek $1,265 | Ticket included and the Vistadome train back with a private transfer to Cusco | Comfortable tents two people to a four-person tent with pillow and foam mattress, plus a private hotel room |
How to Read a from Price
A listing price is a floor, not a ceiling. The $680 Salkantay Sky Lodge Domes Trek is the clearest case: the Machu Picchu entrance is USD 48 per person on top, the train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo is USD 95 per person with the transfer, and even the bus from Hidroelectrica to Cusco is USD 30 per person after a walk of about 3 hours. The $300 Salkantay Panoramic Domes Trek also lists the ticket and the return as excluded, with the sleeping bag extra.
Before you compare two prices, open both listings and check three lines: is the Machu Picchu ticket in, is the train in, and what camp type is promised. Compare like with like, because a trek that excludes the ticket and the way back is not the same product as one that includes them.
What the Days and the Group Size do to the Price
Days matter less than you might expect. The 4-day Salkantay Sky Camp Trek at $720 costs more than the 5-day 5-Day Hiking Trek at $500, so the number of days does not set the price on its own. Group size does not follow price neatly either: the Sky Lodge Domes trek is limited to 8 participants at $680, while the Panoramic Domes trek takes up to 16 at $300.
The private listing at $1,265 is the only one booked as a private group. The 2-day Humantay and Salkantay Pass trek at $335 is the budget entry point if you want the pass without Machu Picchu.
The Extras to Budget For
Several costs sit outside the listing price depending on the trek you pick. Here they are by name, with the published figures.
Tickets, Buses, Trains and Small Fees
The Machu Picchu ticket is the big one. Tourism-site summaries list it at S/152 for foreign adults on the standard circuits, with later 2026 increases flagged, and one listing prices it at USD 48 per person. Mountain routes such as Huayna Picchu raise that to S/200.
The Consettur bus from Aguas Calientes up to the site costs US$12 one way or US$24 return, and walking up instead takes about 45 to 60 minutes uphill. The trail fee near Mollepata is published at S/20 by one source and 10 soles by another. Cocalmayo hot springs near Santa Teresa charges 10 soles for foreigners.
Train fares run from about US$35 one way for PeruRail backpacker class to US$60 to 90 for economy and US$95 to 135 for panoramic services on the 2026 aggregator summary. One operator sells the Hidroelectrica to Aguas Calientes train as an extra from US$41 per person.
| Extra | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Machu Picchu ticket, standard circuits | S/152 (listed as USD 48 on one tour) | Tourism-site ticket summaries |
| Machu Picchu ticket with a mountain hike | S/200 | Tourism-site ticket summaries |
| Consettur bus Aguas Calientes to the site | US$12 one way, US$24 return | Inca Rail blog and Along Dusty Roads |
| Trail fee near Mollepata | S/20 and 10 soles reported | Wikivoyage and Stingy Nomads |
| Cocalmayo hot springs entry | 10 soles for foreigners | Sam Travel Peru |
| Sleeping bag rental | US$20 to 25, or 45 soles, or US$25 on one operator page | Bookatrekking and Salkantay Trekking |
| Hotel single supplement | US$35 | Salkantay Trekking |
| Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain add-on | US$75 | Salkantay Trekking |
| Hidroelectrica to Aguas Calientes train | from US$41 per person as an extra | Salkantay Trekking |
| Train Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo economy | US$60 to 90 one way, panoramic US$95 to 135 | 2026 aggregator summary |
| Extra night in Aguas Calientes | US$60 to 100 | Salkantay Trekking |
Tipping in Soles
Tips are optional, and the published guidance comes in two shapes. One operator page puts it at 30 to 40 soles per trekker per day for the trekking staff, totalling 120 to 160 soles (US$35 to 45) for the trip, and 60 to 80 soles for the guide. Another operator guide gives amounts from the whole group instead: 40 to 60 soles for the guide, 30 to 40 for an assistant guide, 60 to 80 per horseman and 150 to 200 for the cook.
Mules carry the cooking and camping equipment and about 7 kg for each trekker. One operator collects tips as a group and hands them to the lead guide to share. Bring small notes in soles rather than dollars.
Independent Costs in One Block
Walking the route without a tour changes the maths completely. Stingy Nomads' independent budget lists 30 soles for the bus from Cusco to Mollepata, 60 soles for the Hidroelectrica to Cusco leg back and 152 soles for the Machu Picchu ticket. PeruRail quotes the road legs at about US$20 from Cusco to Santa Maria, US$8 to Santa Teresa and US$5 to Hidroelectrica.
Stingy Nomads puts camping at Soraypampa at about 10 soles per tent. The Hidroelectrica to Aguas Calientes train is reported at US$31 by Wikivoyage and at about 60 soles (US$19) by Stingy Nomads, and one operator sells it from US$41, so check the current fare locally. The full stage-by-stage route is in Salkantay trek without a guide, and the walking itself in how hard is the Salkantay trek.
Choosing an Operator
Review counts and ratings on the listing cards tell you which departures other trekkers have trusted with their money.
What the Review Counts Show
The most reviewed departure is the Classic 5-Day Salkantay Trek at $760 with 5,267 reviews at 5.0. The Salkantay Sky Camp 4-Day at $720 follows with 3,891 reviews at 5.0, and the Salkantay Glass Cabins Trek at $695 has 2,900 reviews at 5.0. The Salkantay Panoramic Domes Trek at $300 carries 1,158 reviews at 4.8.
Smaller samples include the Salkantay Trek with Vistadome Train at $698 with 988 reviews at 5.0, the Salkantay Small Group 4-Day at $777 with 454 reviews at 5.0 and the Humantay Lake 2-Day Trek at $335 with 402 reviews at 5.0. A few listings, including the $1,265 private trek and the $500 5-day holiday trek, show no reviews yet, so you are booking on the written inclusions alone.
What to Read in a Listing Before Paying
Three lines decide whether a price is honest. First, the cancellation line: several strong treks are non-refundable, while the Salkantay 5-Day Hiking Trek at $500 and the Salkantay Sky Lodge Domes Trek at $680 offer free cancellation up to 24 hours, and the Salkantay Small Group 4-Day at $777 gives a full refund up to 6 days. Second, the ticket circuit: the Classic 5-day names Circuit 2 with Circuit 3 then Circuit 1 as fallback, and one ticket guide lists about 2 to 3 hours inside the site on the classic circuits.
Third, the camp type: domes with private bathrooms, glass cabins or plain tents change what the same price delivers. For how the full bookable list stacks up, the homepage of Salkantay trek tours holds the comparison, and the Inca Trail contrast is in Salkantay trek vs Inca Trail.
A PeruRail train in the Sacred Valley on the line to Ollantaytambo. Photo: Kabelleger / David Gubler, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Salkantay Trek Cost: Questions
How much is the Salkantay trek per person?
Guided listings on this site run from $300 for the Panoramic Domes 5-day to $1,265 for the private 4-day trek, with most departures between $500 and $800. The ticket, the train and the camp type explain most of the spread, as set out in what the price bands buy.
Is the Machu Picchu ticket included in the trek price?
On most listings above $500 it is, including the Classic 5-Day Salkantay Trek at $760. The $680 Sky Lodge Domes listing excludes it and quotes USD 48 per person, the $300 Panoramic Domes listing excludes it too, and the $777 4-day listing does not state a ticket in its inclusions.
What extras should I budget on top of the trek price?
The Consettur bus at US$12 one way or US$24 return, sleeping bag rental at US$20 to 25, a US$35 hotel single supplement on one operator and tips of 60 to 80 soles for the guide. The full list sits in the extras to budget for.
How much does the Salkantay trek cost without a guide?
The published independent budget items are 30 soles for the bus to Mollepata, 10 soles per tent at Soraypampa, 152 soles for the Machu Picchu ticket and 60 soles for the ride back from Hidroelectrica. The full stage-by-stage route is in Salkantay trek without a guide.
Which companies run the most reviewed Salkantay treks?
The departure with 5,267 reviews at 5.0 is run by Salkantay Trekking, the same operator behind the 3,891-review Sky Camp 4-day and the 2-day Humantay trek. Alpaca Expeditions runs the 2,900-review Salkantay Glass Cabins Trek at $695. Compare them in the Choosing an Operator section.