The Salkantay route is one of the oldest and most traveled paths in the Andes. Long before it became one of the most popular trekking routes in South America, it was a working trail used by Inca communities to move between the highlands of Cusco and the lowland jungle regions to the east. The mountain that gives the route its name, Apu Salkantay, was considered one of the most powerful deities in the Andean world. Walking beneath it still feels like something.
The route runs approximately 70 kilometers from the village of Mollepata to Aguas Calientes, covering an extraordinary range of terrain and altitude in a relatively short distance. You begin above 3,000 meters, climb to 4,630 meters at the Salkantay Pass, and finish just above 2,000 meters in the subtropical valley below Machu Picchu. That descent of more than 2,500 meters over four days passes through virtually every ecosystem the Andes has to offer.
Day | Section | Start Altitude | Max Altitude | End Altitude |
Day 1 | Mollepata to Soraypampa | 2,800m | 3,900m | 3,900m |
Day 2 | Soraypampa to Chaullay | 3,900m | 4,630m | 2,900m |
Day 3 | Chaullay to Santa Teresa | 2,900m | 2,900m | 1,700m |
Day 4 | Santa Teresa to Aguas Calientes | 1,700m | 1,700m | 2,040m |
Day 5 | Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu | 2,040m | 2,430m | 2,040m |
Mollepata — 2,800m The starting point. A small agricultural village two hours by road from Cusco, sitting in a valley between the Sacred Valley and the high Andean plateau. Most trekkers pass through quickly, but the town has a market and a handful of local restaurants worth stopping at before the trail begins.
Soraypampa — 3,900m The first camp and one of the most dramatic spots on the entire route. Soraypampa is a wide flat valley at the foot of the Salkantay glacier, completely open to the mountain above it. On a clear night the peak is visible by moonlight. The Humantay Lake sits a 45-minute walk above camp and is one of the most visited optional detours on the route.
Humantay Lake — 4,200m A glacial lake sitting in a cirque directly below the Humantay peak, colored a deep turquoise from the glacial sediment that feeds it. The lake is considered sacred by local Quechua communities and small offerings are still left at its shores. It can be visited as a day trip from Cusco or as an add-on at the end of Day 1. Either way it is worth the climb.
Salkantay Pass — 4,630m The highest point of the trek and the moment that defines it. The pass sits between the Salkantay and Humantay peaks and marks the division between two entirely different worlds. On the western side, glacial terrain and high altitude. On the eastern side, the cloud forest begins almost immediately. Most trekkers reach the pass at sunrise after a predawn climb from camp. The views in every direction are unlike anything most people have experienced.
Chaullay — 2,900m A small settlement at the convergence of two rivers marking the end of Day 2. By the time you arrive the temperature has risen by at least fifteen degrees from the pass and the vegetation has transformed completely. Chaullay sits at the edge of the cloud forest zone and the sounds of the surrounding jungle are already audible from camp.
Santa Teresa — 1,700m A small town known primarily for its natural hot spring pools, which sit in a rocky riverbed above the main settlement. After two days of high altitude and cold temperatures, Santa Teresa feels like a different planet. The surrounding area produces coffee, cacao, and tropical fruit, and the local market reflects all of it.
Aguas Calientes — 2,040m The last stop before Machu Picchu. Aguas Calientes is a town built entirely around the citadel above it, with no road access and no reason to exist other than the train and the mountain. It is crowded, noisy, and oddly charming. The main street runs alongside a fast-moving river and the restaurants serve the kind of food that tastes extraordinary after four days on the trail.
Machu Picchu — 2,430m The destination. Built in the fifteenth century at the height of the Inca empire and abandoned less than a hundred years later, Machu Picchu sits on a ridge between two mountain peaks with a near-vertical drop on three sides. Nobody knows exactly why it was built or why it was left. It was unknown to the outside world until 1911. Arriving here after walking from Mollepata, through the pass and the jungle and the river valleys, feels completely different from arriving by train.
| Salkantay Trek | Inca Trail | Lares Trek |
Distance | 70 km | 43 km | 35 km |
Duration | 5 days | 4 days | 4 days |
Max. Altitude | 4,630m | 4,215m | 4,700m |
Difficulty | Challenging | Moderate to Challenging | Moderate |
Permits Required | No | Yes (limited) | No |
Crowds on Trail | Low to Moderate | High | Low |
Scenery Type | Alpine, cloud forest, jungle | Cloud forest, Inca ruins | Highland villages, lakes |
Finish Point | Sun Gate or Aguas Calientes | Sun Gate | Aguas Calientes by train |
Best For | Landscape variety, flexibility | Classic experience, Inca ruins | Cultural immersion |
The Salkantay trek begins in Mollepata, approximately 90 kilometers west of Cusco by road. The drive takes around two hours depending on conditions. All our treks include private transportation from your hotel in Cusco to the trailhead. There is no public transport option that works reliably with early morning departure times, so we handle all logistics from pickup to drop-off.
The return journey from Aguas Calientes to Cusco is by train through the Sacred Valley, arriving at Poroy or Ollantaytambo station depending on the service. Transfer back to Cusco is included in all our trek packages.
