Women’s Salkantay Trek & Machu Picchu
October 2-9, 2027
Journey through the Andean Majesty
This adventure is rated 4 out of 5 difficulty level. This means that adventurers should be comfortable hiking 10+ miles with elevation gain/loss of 3k+ feet. This trip requires that you carry only a day pack and accommodations are in lodges, mountain huts and/or hotels. Highest elevation on the trail exceeds 15k feet. Training for this adventure should be taken seriously.
Cross this magical place off your bucket list and join us for an incredible adventure to one of the New 7 Wonders of the World - Machu Picchu!!
Our trip begins with two days exploring America's oldest living city, Cusco, allowing you to acclimate to the altitude before our trek begins. Spend time exploring the city's history, indulging in delicious local dishes, meander through shops, local markets and more. After a couple days exploring this beautiful city, we'll set out on our 5 day journey along the Salkantay Trek ending at magnificent Machu Picchu.
The Salkantay Trek is a fully supported 40 mile journey less traveled than its counterpart the Inca Trail. Not only will you encounter rampant beauty along the way, but because it is more rugged and remote, the Salkantay Trek is significantly less populated than the Inca Trail. Day by day you will travel through changing ecosystems and scenery: from sweeping, magical landscapes and snowy mountains to a tropical jungle paradise. Along the way, you will see a wide variety of wildlife, medicinal plants, and flower varieties. Witness, with your own eyes, a living and ancient culture in remote villages hardly ever visited by foreigners!
After an incredible journey to Machu Picchu, your final evening will be spent in a Cusco hotel to relax before you depart!
Due to her high altude and steep slopes, you will need a reasonable level of fitness to complete the Salkantay Trek. But that should not be a barrier! The most important thing is to be well-acclimated to the altitude. The highest point you will reach on the trek is 15255 ft /4650 m. We will spend the recommended two days in Cusco to acclimate before the journey. This is a women's only trip.
Stick around after the trek for an 3 days/2 nights of adventure where you’ll dive into a local cooking class to learn all about Peruvian cuisine and then head out for an all day ATV tour to explore the iconic Rainbow Mountain.
Trek Highlights
Humantay Lake: Discover a brilliant turquoise alpine lake nestled beneath towering Andean peaks, surrounded by some of Peru’s most breathtaking mountain scenery.
Salkantay Pass: Journey to 15,255 feet above sea level, crossing a legendary mountain pass with spectacular views of snow-capped peaks and dramatic valleys.
Cloud Forest & Coffee Culture: Descend into lush jungle landscapes and experience local Peruvian culture with a visit to an organic farm.
Ancient Inca Ruins: Explore the Llactapata archaeological site and take in incredible views of Machu Picchu from a unique vantage point along the trail.
Machu Picchu: Stand in awe of the iconic Inca citadel on a guided visit to one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Essential Fast Facts:
Difficulty: Rated 4 out of 5. This is a challenging high-altitude trek requiring physical training and time to acclimatize.
Distance: 40+ miles of trekking over 5 days on the Salkantay Trail followed by a visit to Machu Picchu.
Daily Verticals: This is a high elevation trek reaching 15,525 feet. Expect steep climbs, significant elevation changes, and thinner air.
Accommodations: A mix of 4-star hotels in Cusco and Aguas Clients, mountain sky domes, jungle domes and traditional Andean huts.
Luggage: Daily luggage transfers are included. You only carry a day pack with your essentials.
ITINERARY
-
Arrive at the Alejandro Velasco Astute International Airport in Cusco, Peru (CUZ). Upon arrival your driver will be waiting for you outside of baggage claim, holding a sign with your name on it.
If you are transferring through Lima, we recommend that you have a connection time of 3 hours to ensure you clear customs, re-check your luggage and go through the domestic airport security.
All the airport transfers are on arrival the day our trip starts so don't worry about arriving at a specific time. We do suggest arriving by early afternoon in order to settle in and join a group welcome dinner in the evening (optional).
Meet the group in the lobby around 6:30 p.m. to walk to the restaurant. Enjoy dinner with your fellow travelers.
Meals: Dinner
-
Start the day with a cafecito and Peruvian style breakfast at the hotel. We will meet in the lobby a little after 8 a.m. for a tour of Cusco.
A local female guide will be taking us around some of the highlights including the main square, Cathedral, Koricancha temple and finish at the Incan ruins, Sacasayhuman, for a light hike and views of Cusco.
After the tour is over, the rest of the day is yours to spend relaxing and acclimatizing.
Later this evening, there will be a pre-trek briefing to make sure you feel fully prepared. You will also be given your duffle bag for items/gear to be used on the trek. You will need to have this packed and ready to start early for tomorrow’s trek!
Meals: Breakfast
-
Cusco - Mollepata - Challacancha - Humantay Lake - Soraypampa
Today we hit the Salkantay Trail. Our guide will pick us up at 4:00 a.m. at our hotel. After two hours of driving, we will stop in a small town called Mollepata for those who would like to grab a quick optional breakfast.
We will continue for another hour to Challacancha, the starting point of our trek. Here we will meet our support staff for the trek. Your support staff consists of a head chef, a sous chef, and horseback riders. Day to day, they will strap all the luggage and equipment to mules and ride ahead of us to set up camp and prepare the food.
At around 09:30 AM, we will begin trekking to Soraypampa, the first campsite on our journey located at the base of the Humantay and Salkantay Mountain.
After three hours of trekking, we will travel 4.35 miles (7 km) and arrive at the base of camp where we will have lunch. After lunch and a short rest, we will climb up to the stunning and unforgettable Humantay Lake. This is a 3.1 mile (5 km) round-trip hike that leads you to a picturesque lake.
Afterwards we will enjoy dinner back at camp
Tonight’s accommodation: Sky Camp at an elevation of 12861 ft / 3920 m
Walking Distance: 7.45 miles / 11.98 km
Difficulty: Moderate
Highest Elevation: 15091 ft / 4600 mMeals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
-
Soraypampa - Salkantaypampa - Salkantay Pass - Huayracmachay - Chaullay
Wake up with the first daylight at 5:30 a.m. and enjoy a warm cup of coca tea and an energizing breakfast. Today we will begin trekking up to the highest point of the trial: the Salkantay Pass. It is a challenging 4.34 mile ascent traveling through the rocky valley base and the magnificent Salkantay Mountain towering over you at 20,574 ft (6271 m).
Salkantay Mountain is the second highest mountain in the Cusco region and one of the Inca gods called “Apu.” From here we will continue down to Huayracmachay lunch campsite.
In the afternoon, we will enter the upper part of the Amazon jungle, which is also called “the cloud forest.” This portion of the hike takes you through a thick and magical tropical forest. At the end of this outstanding hike, we arrive at Chaullay Village.
Tonight’s accommodation: Andean Huts at an elevation of 9022 ft / 2750 m
Walking Distance: 13.7 miles / 22 km
Difficulty: Challenging
Highest Elevation: 15255 ft / 4650 mMeals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
-
Chaullay - Collpapampa - La Playa - Lucmabamba
Today we will continue on our journey towards Machu Picchu at 6:00 a.m. making our way towards the small town of La Playa through the Santa Teresa valley.
After a hearty lunch at La Playa, we will hike for approximately 1 hour to our base camp called Lucmabamba.
We will explore the tropical forest for a little while and visit an organic coffee farm. If you are a coffee lover, this will be especially heavenly for you – you can taste coffee freshly prepared by the local people!
Dinner will be prepared and enjoyed at camp tonight.
Tonight’s accommodation: Jungle Domes at an elevation of 7874 ft / 2400 m
Walking Distance: 11.8 miles / 19 km
Difficulty: Challenging
Highest Elevation: 9022 ft / 2750 mMeals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
-
Lucmabamba - Llactapata - Hidroelectrica - Aguas Calientes
Like previous mornings, the chef will wake you up early with a hot cup of coca tea served in your bed.
Today we will begin the hike early, and you will have the opportunity to enjoy a small part of the famous and highly-acclaimed Inca trail! After a 2 hour climb with amazing views of the Santa Teresa valley, we will arrive at the Llactapata Inca site right in front of Machu Picchu.
We will spend time exploring this Inca site with our guide, who will continue sharing the history of the Incas who lived, worked, and worshiped this land.
After the Llactapata ruins, we will continue our trek with a 2-hour downhill hike. There are magnificent views of Machu Picchu along this part of the hike.
After lunch, we will arrive at Inwatana, a famous ancient rock used as a sundial in the Incan era.
After passing through this interesting Inca site, we will reach the train tracks which lead to the town of Aguas Calientes. Here you will have two options: 1) If you are exhausted, you may take the train to Aguas Calientes (~$40.00 extra) or 2) If you are still eager to hike, you may walk from Hidroelectrica to Aguas Calientes for about 3 hours along the train track.
Tonight’s accommodation: Comfortable hotel in Aguas Calientes at an elevation of 6561 ft / 2000 m
Walking Distance: 13.7 miles / 22 km
Difficulty: Challenging
Highest Elevation: 8858 ft / 2700 mPlease note: During the rainy season, the hike up the Llactapata Trail is not 100% guaranteed due to safety concerns. When heavy rains are frequent, this trail becomes very dangerous.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
-
Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu
Today is the long-awaited finale of our incredible 5 day trek, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site - Machu Picchu!
We will wake up early after a refreshing night at our hostel to beat the crowds to the top of Machu Picchu.
After our tour, the rest of the morning and afternoon is yours to explore on your own. If you are feeling up for an additional hike, you can book a permit to climb up to Huchuy Picchu or Huayna Picchu. Be sure to book in advance as permits are limited. Please note you are required to have a separate reserved permit to access either of these hikes. Each hike takes approximately 3-4 hours to complete which includes additional time exploring parts of Machu Picchu on your own. Please note that purchasing a separate permit to hike one of the mountains surrounding the site is the only way you will be allowed to reenter the site after your guided tour to explore some of the areas of Machu Picchu on your own. Permits for these additional hikes are subject to availability.
After your morning of taking in the magic of the lost Incan city, you will be able to hike back down to Aguas Calientes or take the bus.
Later in the afternoon, we will be taking a train ride between 01:37 PM and 06:20 PM (subject to availability) to Ollantaytambo. From here a private bus will pick up our group and drop you off at your hotel in Cusco around 8 p.m.
Tonight we will enjoy a farewell group dinner at 8:30 p.m. at a nearby local restaurant.
Touring Level: Easy
Hike Level: Strenuous (if not taking the bus)
Machu Picchu Elevation: 7972 ft / 2430 mMeals: Breakfast and dinner
-
If you are not joining us on the extension, then sadly today we must say adiós to this beautiful country.
After enjoying a leisurely morning breakfast, you’ll have time to pack up your bags and check out. A driver will be available to pick you up at a pre-arranged time at your hotel and will drop you off at the airport in time for your departure flight.
Meals: Breakfast
Optional 3 days/2 nights Extension
October 9-11, 2027
Join us for this 3 day/2 night extension where you will learn about peruvian cuisine in a hands on cooking class and visit the iconic rainbow mountains on an atv tour!
ITINERARY
-
Enjoy breakfast at your leisure today as you soak in your accomplishments of completing the Salkantay Trek!
Today’s activity includes a local market tour followed by a hands-on cooking class led by a Peruvian local. At the market we will learn about typical local ingredients that we will use to make popular local dishes. After our hard work, it’s time to dig in and enjoy a delicious meal together.
The rest of the day is yours to explore Cusco - pick up last minute souvenirs, enjoy a local cafecito or Pisco Sour, visit the San Pedro market and more!
Dinner is at your leisure tonight.
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
-
Today is an early wake up call. We’ll grab our packed breakfast and adventure bags before meeting our guide in the lobby.
After a 3 hour drive, we’ll arrive to our destination where today’s adventure begins.
We’ll hop onto ATVs and enjoy an 8 kilometer ride along dirt paths and alpine terrain, and with luck we’ll encounter llamas, alpacas, and stunning mountain views!
Once we arrive at the ATV drop point, it’s a short hike (~.06 miles) up to the main viewpoint where we will reach an elevation of 5,200 meters (17,060 feet). Here we’ll take some time to soak in the views and take all the photos before returning back to the ATVs.
After the tour, we’ll enjoy lunch and make our way back to Cusco where the rest of the afternoon and evening are yours to explore as you’d like.
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
-
After enjoying breakfast, you’ll have time to pack up your bags and check out.
A driver will be available to pick you up at a pre-arranged time at your hotel and will drop you off at the airport in time for your departure flight.
Meals: Breakfast
*Please note the Rainbow Mountain Extension can only be booked by guests registered for our Salkantay Trekking Trip. A minimum of 5 guests must register in order for the extension to be confirmed.
Ready to Book?
Ready to Book?
-
$3,595 USD per person for double occupancy.
Rainbow Mountain Trip Extension: $995 per person for double occupancy.
Single occupancy is available at booking. It is only available for the nights the group stays in hotels in Cusco.
The on-trail accommodations are very limited and solo accommodations are not allowed by the tour operator on the trail. If there is an extenuating circumstance, we may be able to make special arrangements but there are no guarantees. If you would like to inquire about solo arrangements during the trek, please reach out to info@womenwhoexplore.com prior to booking. There will be an additional cost (TBD) if the request is granted by our operator.
-
Private 5-day Salkantay Trek ending at Machu Picchu with superior trail accommodations in sky domes, Andean huts, jungle domes, etc. Double occupancy only
3 nights' hotel stay in Cusco in a historic 4-star accommodation in a desirable neighborhood with in walking distance to Plaza De Armas. Double occupancy. Single occupancy for the hotel portion is available
Fully supported 40-mile trek with the highest paid local guides. Support staff includes a head chef, a sous chef, and horseback riders
Luggage transport between accommodations throughout the 5 day trek, only carry your day essentials.
Private airport transfers from Cusco to your hotel and vice versa on the trip start and end date(s)
All local transportation to and from the Trek and hotel
Bus transportation to and from Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu
Open ceiling train ride from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
Guided tour of Machu Picchu
Private briefing with your guide team before the Trek at the hotel
Local city tour featuring the highlights of Cusco, Peru; the oldest city on the entire American continent with a local female guide
Welcome dinner and farewell dinner in Cusco and all other meals as noted in the itinerary; in total this includes 7 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 5 dinners
Pre-Trip Q&A via Zoom with a Peru travel expert who has hiked the trek before
Trip checklists, trip packing list and pre-travel support
WWE Swag to show off on the trail!
Small group; maximum of up of 15 women plus your trip host(s) and local guide team
-
International Flights: arrive and depart from Cusco International Airport (CUZ). You may want to look at options for Lima (LIM) as there are typically more options from your home city. From Lima you can book a domestic flight to Cusco.
Tips and gratuity for guides and porters (at the discretion of the guest)
Airport transfers outside of designated times
Alcohol, additional beverages, snacks and meals as noted above
Sleeping bags and trekking poles (available in Cusco for rent for $25 each; rentals will be coordinated ahead of time)
Any other additional excursions and activities not included above
Transportation during the trek if needed/desired (take a train (~$40) or horse (~$35), paid locally in cash as needed)
Peru visa if needed (dependent on residency)
Travel Insurance (required)
Medical expenses, immunizations, vaccines, and any required Covid-19 testing
Personal expenses including additional accommodations, meals, souvenirs, transportation, etc.
-
COST:
$ per person double occupancy
$ per person single occupancy
INCLUSIONS:
2 nights double occupancy room in a historic 4-star accommodation in a desirable neighborhood with in walking distance to Plaza De Armas in Cusco
Visit a local market and enjoy an hands-on cooking class making popular Peruvian dishes
Guided Rainbow Mountain ATV Tour (safety equipment included)
Time to explore Cusco’s museums, shops, and cafes
Private transportation to/from Rainbow Mountain and your hotel in Cusco
Airport transfer on departure day
Meals included: 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches
EXCULSIONS:
Tips and gratuity for guides and drivers (at the discretion of the guest)
Airport transfers outside of departure day
Alcohol, additional beverages, snacks, and meals as noted
Any other additional excursions and activities not included above.
All items listed as excluded for the duration of the Salkantay Trekking Trip - i.e. visas, vaccines, personal expenses, etc.
-
All meals will be provided as noted in the itinerary. Please reach out to the trip host after booking if you have any food allergies/sensitivities. We always do our best to accommodate dietary restrictions but cannot make any guarantees.
-
This trip requires a minimum number of women to register in order for it to be confirmed. Once the trip reaches the minimum participant number, you will receive a trip confirmation email and a link to be added a private Facebook group just for trip guests. In this group further trip details will be provided along with pre-travel support. Please let us know if you do not have or use Facebook (see contact information below).
-
Please see our Terms of Service.
All deposits are non-refundable at the time of booking, but may be transferable if done so within the timeframe outlined in the Terms of Service.
Once a trip has been confirmed (no matter the booking or trip timeline), the deposit is both non-refundable and non-transferable. Please make sure you are purchasing adequate travel insurance at the time of booking to ensure you are covered in case you need to cancel.Please note: some of our trips have a non-refundable fee that will be stated in the trip description. Please make sure to refer to the full Terms of Service to make sure you understand fully the Cancellation Policy of each trip.
-
Travel (and medical) insurance is required for anyone traveling on a Women Who Explore adventure. Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure. Your insurance policy should also include specific Covid-19 cover, including cancellation and curtailment cover if you or a close relative are diagnosed with Covid-19.
For recommended travel insurance providers click here.
-
Please note that the itinerary provided for your adventure is subject to change. While we strive to adhere to the proposed plan, unforeseen circumstances such as weather conditions, safety concerns, or other factors beyond our control may necessitate adjustments to the itinerary. We prioritize your safety and enjoyment throughout the adventure, and any modifications made will be done with careful consideration. We will make every effort to inform you in advance of any changes and provide suitable alternatives to ensure a fulfilling experience.