5D/4N Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu
Tour company: Quechuas Expeditions
Tour guide: Jorge
Chef: Joelle
When you’re booking a hike to Machu Picchu, the most popular route is the Inca Trail, and it books out months in advance. This was the case for me, as it was a last minute trip. Though I really wanted to do the Inca Trail, with lots of research, I couldn’t have been happier with the next best option, the Salkantay trek.
After a few days acclimatising in Cusco, I met with my tour guide the day before the trek started. I was surprised to find out that I was the only person in my tour – apparently there were 8 others booked in, but due to altitude sickness, missed flight connections and whatever other reasons, they all had to cancel or postpone. I had the option to join a larger group if I didn’t feel comfortable being on my own, or I could continue on for a more personalised tour being the only one. It didn’t bother me being on my own and to be honest, I’m glad I was.
Day 1 kicked off at 4:30am when I was picked up from my hotel to make the 3-hour journey to Mollepata. We hiked for 8 hours that day, and for 7 of those hours, it bucketed down rain. That didn’t ruin my mood though, it just added to the experience. Once we got to the campsite of Soraypampa, we set up camp, had a quick rest, then made the tough incline hike to Humantay Lake, 4,120m above sea level. It was challenging and the altitude was hard, but I got there. It was snowing, full of fog and no lake to be seen. But after an hour of patience, the fog lifted, there was a little bit of blue sky, and it was amazing. Well worth the intense hike.
That night at the campsite was magical. It was the most crisp, clear night full of millions and millions of stars and the milky way. I’ve never seen anything like it, and to this day, it is still (so far) the most beautiful night sky I have ever seen. If only I knew how to do astro photography then. Watch this space for the astro!
Day 2 was another early start as it was the longest and challenging day on the tour. A good 20km hike, the first 4 hours being uphill to get to the highest point of the Salkantay, 4,650m above sea level. The climb was intense, but I was rewarded with so much beauty once I made it to the top. It was definitely one of the highlights of the trip. We continued the rest of the day hiking downhill, and it was actually harder going downhill than up. Our lunch spot was great. The chef set up right next to the river where he served guinea pig. My first time trying it, and it was nice, but I’m not in a hurry to have it again. Once we reached the campsite, I was exhausted so had an early night. The 2 hardest days were done.
Day 3 was an easier walk deep into the jungle. It was also one of the hotter days of the tour, but as we passed through the valleys and waterfalls, it was nice to cool down. We hiked for about 16km that day surrounded by lots of tropical fruit and plants, local villages and schools. We passed lots of other tour groups along the way, and I was invited to join one of the groups to do zip lining, instead of hiking for another 3 hours. I got out of my comfort zone and zip lined for 6km in the jungle, and it was awesome!! Also, it was a nice treat to rest my feet.
Day 4 was a great day. The Salkantay track meets up with the original Inca Trail, and it was my first sighting of Machu Picchu from below. It was such a nice feeling to finally catch a glimpse of Machu Picchu after a few long but incredible days hiking to get there. I had goose bumps knowing that tomorrow was the day. The big day! We hiked for a few more hours to Aguas Calientes, hiking along train tracks and passing people just as excited as me. Aguas Calientes was a neat town, with a river running through it. Full of restaurants and cafes, backpackers, hotels and people on the same mission as me. Machu Picchu! It was a nice treat to sleep in a bed for the first time on the tour and have a shower and a good scrub.
Day 5 is here! The day I had been waiting years for. In true Heidi fashion, I was one of the first in line for the first bus to Machu Picchu to watch the sunrise, something I will never forget. Seeing Machu Picchu took my breath away. It was so surreal and even more beautiful in person. I sat on a rock with my tour guide for a good hour, in silence, in happy tears and full of gratitude. Machu Picchu was stunning. I couldn’t have asked for better weather, nothing but blue skies as my guide took me on a 2-hour tour of the site before we said our farewells to each other. I had booked in to climb Huaynapicchu at 10am, 2,720m above sea level. The view was outstanding. I sat there looking down on Machu Picchu, watching the world go by and just taking it all in. Dreams do come true. In the distance was Sungate, where the people doing the Inca Trail hike down to reach Machu Picchu. Also, in the distance was Machu Picchu Mountain, an even higher mountain to climb than Huaynapicchu. Note: From Aguas Calientes you can walk 1.5hrs to Machu Picchu or catch the 25min bus ride at 5:30am.
I spent the entire day exploring every last inch of Machu Picchu, including walking up to Sungate and admiring the views from there. I left the site at closing time completely satisfied with my day. The following day I had booked to see Machu Picchu again, on my own, and this is something I recommend for you to do also. Though you can see everything in one day, you can never be too sure of the weather.
My second day to Machu Picchu was completely different to the day before. It was covered in fog and rained most of the 5 hours that I was there, and I didn’t get to see anything. I sat in the rain, amongst hundreds of others, waiting for the weather to clear, but it didn’t. The rain and fog made it all still beautiful though, and it was so nice to see the Machu Picchu site in a different way. You can get a Machu Picchu stamp in your passport, so I lined up for that. That night, I caught the train back to Cusco, taking so many memories with me.
Though the Inca Trail is the first choice and most popular of treks to Machu Picchu, Salkantay was absolutely amazing. There are other trails you can do, longer and shorter, and options to stay in hotels with wifi, showers, beds, etc. My tip, skip the hotel and sleep amongst the stars. Another tip, when you are walking in to see Machu Picchu, don’t be in a hurry to get your camera out and get that token shot. Take it all in, appreciate your surroundings and live in the moment, just for a little. After all, you are visiting one of the 7 natural wonders of the world. Don’t get me wrong, I took a million and one photos and videos, but not after first reflecting on what an incredible week I just had.
For those of you who are interested, I would recommend Quechuas Expeditions in Cusco. The guide and chef I had were knowledgeable, friendly, and engaging. As I was by myself, I felt that they went out of their way to ensure I was comfortable and respected my privacy. It was a great week!
