Salkantay Trek & Cusco Tour 8 Days

It's a complete 8-day Salkantay trek package, not eight days of hiking: two days in Cusco with the Inca Museum, Qoricancha and a free day to acclimatize, four days on the Salkantay Trek with Humantay Lake, Salkantay Pass and Llactapata, a guided Machu Picchu tour on Day 7 and a walking tour of Cusco on Day 8. In short, a Cusco and Machu Picchu trek with airport transfers, hotels, camping and meals on the trail arranged for you.

Yes. We'll meet you at Cusco airport on Day 1 and take you to your hotel, and on Day 8 we'll take you back to the airport at the time that suits your flight. Flights aren't included, so share your arrival and departure times when you book.

On Day 1, a guided visit with entrance to the Inca Museum and Qoricancha, the Inca Temple of the Sun. On Day 8, a guided walking tour through the Plaza de Armas, San Blas, the Twelve-Angled Stone and San Pedro Market. You'll stay three nights in a 3-star hotel in Cusco, with breakfast.

Rest and explore at your own pace, or add a tour: a half-day Cusco City Tour for US$25 to Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Pukapukara and Tambomachay, or a full-day Sacred Valley Tour for US$50 to Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Chinchero. We'll confirm what each supplement covers when you book.

The trek section is challenging: steep climbs, a high pass and long descents, with the hardest day on Day 4. The highest point is Salkantay Pass, at 15,190 ft (4,630 m); on Day 3 you'll also reach Humantay Lake at 13,780 ft (4,200 m). The two days in Cusco before the trek help you acclimatize, and some training on hills or stairs beforehand makes a big difference.

You'll hike about 42.9 mi (69 km) over four days:

• Day 3: 7.5 mi (12 km), about 6 hours, including Humantay Lake.
• Day 4: 13.7 mi (22 km), about 9 hours, over Salkantay Pass.
• Day 5: 11.2 mi (18 km), about 6 hours, through the cloud forest.
• Day 6: 10.6 mi (17 km), about 7 hours, via Llactapata to Aguas Calientes.

You'll spend three nights in a 3-star hotel in Cusco, three nights camping at Soraypampa, Chaullay and Lucmabamba, and one night at Golden Sunrise Machu Picchu, a 3-star hotel in Aguas Calientes, before your Machu Picchu tour. On the trek, each four-person tent is shared by just two trekkers, so there's room for you and your bags.

Mules carry the camping gear and up to 15.4 lb (7 kg) of personal luggage per traveler; you carry a daypack with water, snacks, rain gear, a warm layer and your passport. Since you return to your Cusco hotel on Day 7, you can leave your suitcase there during the trek.

You can bring your own or rent them from us (see Extra Services). We provide the tents and an inflatable mattress. Choose a warm sleeping bag, since nights near Salkantay Pass can drop below freezing; poles help a lot on the long descents.

On the trek, your cooks prepare four breakfasts, four lunches and four dinners, from lunch on Day 3 to breakfast on Day 7, plus an afternoon "happy hour": tea time at camp, with hot drinks such as coca tea, coffee or hot chocolate and snacks like popcorn or biscuits. In Cusco, breakfast is included at your hotel. Drinking water is provided on the trekking days; bring a reusable bottle.

Yes, tell us before booking about vegetarian, vegan or other dietary needs, and about any allergies, how severe they are and any emergency medication you carry, so our cooks can plan your meals. For your safety, we can't take travelers with life-threatening food allergies on this trek, because a remote camp kitchen can't guarantee an allergen-free environment.

Your package includes the Machu Picchu ticket and a guided tour on Day 7. Machu Picchu is visited on set circuits, each with its own route through the citadel. We try to book Circuit 2 whenever it's available for your date, and we'll confirm your circuit before the trip.

Yes, with a separate ticket at US$85 per person for either mountain. Tickets are limited and come with a set entry time, which has to fit around your guided tour and train, so ask us to check before you book.

Keep it light: a small daypack with water, a rain layer, sun protection and your passport is all you need. Large backpacks go in the storage area at the entrance, food isn't eaten inside the citadel, and trekking poles are allowed only when you really need them, with rubber tips. Each ticket allows one entry, so use the restrooms at the entrance before you go in.

We include your airport transfers, the drive to the start of the trek, the Machu Picchu buses both ways, the return train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo and the transfer back to your Cusco hotel. On Day 6 you walk from Hidroeléctrica to Aguas Calientes along the railway, one of the classic stretches of the route. You can take the Vistadome on your train back for US$50 per person, subject to availability.

The trek is the same route as our 5-day Salkantay Trek, with Humantay Lake, Salkantay Pass and Llactapata. This package adds airport transfers, two days in Cusco before the trek with the Inca Museum and Qoricancha, a hotel night in Cusco after Machu Picchu and a walking tour on Day 8.

No Inca Trail permit is needed: the Salkantay Trek follows its own route through the mountains and the cloud forest and reaches Machu Picchu via Aguas Calientes. That makes it easier to book at shorter notice than the Classic Inca Trail, which uses limited permits and arrives through the Sun Gate.

April to October is usually the driest period, with June to August the busiest. Rain and mist are possible in the cloud forest at any time, and Salkantay Pass can be cold and windy all year, so pack warm and waterproof layers.

This package builds two days in Cusco into the plan: Days 1 and 2 are spent in the city, at 11,155 ft (3,400 m), before the trek climbs higher. Take the first day easy, drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol; if you choose an optional tour on Day 2, the Sacred Valley sits lower and is a gentle way to stay active. Talk to your doctor if you have health concerns about altitude.

Phone signal and charging points are limited on the Salkantay Trek, so bring a charged power bank and download what you need before you leave. Your hotels in Aguas Calientes and Cusco are the best places to recharge.

Yes. Like all our Salkantay trek tours, groups have up to 10 travelers, and departures need a minimum of two. We'll confirm your group and schedule before you pay.

Your safety comes first. If heavy rain or landslides affect the route, our guides follow the official instructions and adjust the plan, and we'll explain any change and how it affects your services. Pack rain gear, especially from November to March.

We will send the current deposit amount, payment schedule, cancellation conditions and any transaction fees with your reservation proposal or checkout. Please review the terms issued for your eight-day booking before making a payment.