When the opportunity came along to travel to Peru and spend a week in the backcountry of the Andean Mountains hiking the Salkantay Trek to one of the 7 New Wonders of the World: Machu Picchu, there was no hesitation to accept this long-time bucket list adventure.
I’ll recount the unforgettable experience that was independently navigating the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu without a guide and carrying our own gear.
Starting in Cusco
A direct flight landed me in Lima, Peru and after a short layover I boarded my hour and a half flight to Cusco. The two weeks prior to traveling to Peru I was visiting family in Bogota, Colombia and had been acclimated to the high altitudes. I meet my partner Kevin for this adventure at a great hostel (Blacky Hostel & AirBnB) and rested for the night before be began our trek early the next day.
Day 1: Cusco to Soraypampa
To begin the trek from Cusco we had to board un collectivo (mini-bus) to Mollepata followed by a 1 hour taxi to the hike trailhead where we would embark toward the first stop of our 4-day adventure: Soraypampa. To our surprise we met another couple on the collectivo visiting from France who would be trekking the Salkantay Trek, Malo and Sara became our hiking buddies for this 4-day extravaganza.
Soraypampa is the first stop for those venturing the Salkantay Trail journey but also a popular one-day destination hotspot from Cusco for individuals visiting the reflective Lake Humantay. The hike to Lake Humantay offers a diversion to a picturesque blue water lake surrounded by white peak mountains in the backdrop. The hike also tested our conditioning for the next few days as the peak elevation at Lake Humantay is 13,845 ft. Definitely a “warm up” for what to expect at the Salkantay Pass.
Malo and Sara stayed in the local Soraypampa hostel while Kevin and I continued to an open area to pitch up our tent for the night. The towering presence of Salkantay peak bid us goodnight and greeted us in the early hours of the morning.
Day 2: Soraypampa to Salkantay Pass and Challhuay
By 5am we were packed up and enroute for the most challenging day of the hike. On this second day we climbed switchbacks and more switchbacks to Salkantay Pass, the highest point at 15,090ft. We reached the pass at 10am and we were oblivious to the true challenge of the day: the descent.
We found ourselves having lunch in a wonderful outpost offering pollo con arroz to passing travelers and we did not hesitate to take a respite from the pouring rain to have a home cooked meal.
After 8 hours of being rained on and eaten by mosquitos we reached our next stop at Challhuay. The grueling descent was truly that, grueling and endless. However the sights of waterfalls, coursing rivers, forests of trees was well worth it. The real reward was reaching the wonderful hostel in Challhuay with hot water for a shower, a bed, and hot meals.
Day 3: Challhuay to Llactapata
Refreshed and rested from a night in a real bed, we began another long day towards the village of Lucabamba for our lunch stop. The trail was on a dirt road alongside the river and I was so excited to see harvests of granadillas. My favorite fruit of all time that I can normally only enjoy in Colombia. Unfortunately they were still green on the vine and not ready to pick so will have to try again in another season.
At 3pm we arrived for lunch at Lucabamba Hostel and refueled for the rest of the hike to our final destination for the night, Llactapata. We had a challenging uphill trek as we battled exhaustion and the oncoming darkness of the night. During sunset we were surrounded by singing green parrots moving along the trees of the forest. Truly an unforgettable and special experience.
It was dark when we finally reached the Llactapata campground. Without previous reservations, we were really hoping to find accommodations. Luckily the wonderful tenants allowed us to set up our tent and served us a warm dinner for a total of 70 soles. The best part was reuniting with our buddies Malo and Sara who also had camping accommodations.
Day 4: Llactapata to Aguas Calientes
We did not expect the views we woke up to from our tent at 5am. A panoramic collection of peaks including Machu Picchu itself could be seen from even inside our tent. The darkness on our arrival had masked the vast ridges and river that make up the spectacular landscape. As if the views weren’t enough, we had a delicious breakfast served by our great hosts including some banana granola pancakes, eggs, and toast.
There were volunteers at the campground who we met and learned that they help the tenants with property maintenance, cooking, and even trips with the donkeys to the nearest village for supplies in return for accommodations and meals during their time as volunteers.
It was the final stride until reaching Aguas Calientes and stepping into Machu Picchu the next day, we’d made it this far, what’s another 13 miles :). From Llactapata we first had to reach Hidroelectrica, it was all downhill, great, except for our knees and blistered feet. Almost to the finish line….
We were truly lucky with the sunny and occasionally cloudy weather for the majority of our trek, since we did travel in January, the rainy season. Hidroelectrica is the host of the train station into Aguas Calientes and had food and refreshment options before the 7 mile hike along the train tracks. The track was challenging as exhaustion was pulling on us and it was covered with rocks, requiring a lot of concentration to not roll any ankles.
Near evening time we finally reached Aguas Calientes for a hot shower and our version of a “New Year’s Celebration”. We grabbed some pizza and beers with the friends we had made along the way and reached the final destination. We also were fast asleep by 9:30pm, surely it was New Year’s somewhere but for us it was rest and recovery time.
Day 5: Machu Picchu & Huayna Picchu (Waynapicchu)
The day has finally come to explore the ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu. We had pre-purchased our tickets and an hour and a half before our entry time we hiked up to the entrance from Aguas Calientes (instead of taking the $12 bus… what’s 3 more miles?).
At the entrance there are certified guides offering their services and we found one to take us on a private guided tour of our circuit. Highly recommend navigating the historical site with a knowledgeable guide to talk you through the various monument’s significance and Incan beliefs.
As part of our circuit through Machu Picchu, (it is separated into 4 circuits to regulate traffic through the historical site) we included an entry into Huayna Picchu. It is a neighboring mountain overlooking Machu Picchu and with its own Incan ruins. The step hike took us up to 8,800ft with a rewarding panoramic view of Machu Picchu.
Our guide instructed us to be extra observant to see if we could shape out the silhouette of a Condor when looking at Machu Picchu. The Incan civilization honored the Condor, they believed it was the messenger of the skies and communicated to their Sun God “Inti”. Historians hypothesize that the Condor shape of Machu Picchu is orientated to face the east, symbolizing rebirth and the rising sun.
Our time in Machu Picchu was so special, we wanted to do it again the next day! This time we had to get tickets* at the tourist ticket office in Aguas Calientes. We got to the ticket office at the time of our “return ticket” and selected the circuit we wanted to do.
*Having your student ID (with an expiration date) and/or being a Citizen of Colombia, Peru, Ecuador or Bolivia will get you a discount on the full price admission ticket.
Day 6: Machu Picchu Day 2 🙂
Knowing we wanted to come back for a second day at Machu Picchu, we coordinated with our guide from the day before and met up at the entrance of Machu Picchu. We did Circuit 2, the more popular circuit with the typical picture opportunities to capture Machu Picchu (if the weather is clear). We visited the Sun Temple, Temple of the Condor, and the Puente Inka.
Three hours later we were making our way back to Aguas Calientes to pick up our packs and catch a collectivo with our good friend Malo and Sara to Cusco. We arrived close to 10pm to our hostel for a much needed night of sleep and recovery.
Final Thoughts
There is no doubt I highly recommend the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu, it will make the experience at the historical wonder all the more rewarding. To do the trek with a guide or without is truly up to the hiker but the flexibility of going at our own pace and coordinating our own accommodations fit perfectly with our plans and budget.
We believed we needed to bring our own full gear setup for camping, this we wish we had done differently. All of the villages along the way that are main stops for travelers on the trail had accommodations for reasonable prices. The extra weight was not worth the few soles it cost to find a last minute hostel or even a tent spot. Pack smart and pack light for a more comfortable journey across these 46+ miles in the Andes Mountains.
The unforgettable experience to journey through the diverse landscapes of lush cloud forest and high Andean plateaus was remarkable. Meeting travelers and villagers along the way makes the experience all the more memorable. Learning about the Incan civilization and their deep connection with the natural world and their deities allowed me to appreciate the beauty and wonder of the trek through the Peruvian Andes.
