About this experience
3 Day Salkantay Mountain, Humantay Lake & Train From Ollantaytambo to Machupicchu in Sky domes
Highlights of the Salkantay Trek to Machupicchu
• Explore the Humantay Lake
• Climb up to Salkantay Pass 4600 meters high and see the Sacred Salkantay Snow capped mountain
• Walk on an Ancient Inca Salkantay Trail
• Explore the Machupicchu Sacred city
Departure Point: Cusco - We pick you up from your hotel.
Departure Time: Between 4:00am - 05:00am
Briefing Point: Our guide will visit your hotel 2 or 1 day before the trek between 6:00 to 6:30pm
Return Point: Cusco - Our driver will drop-off in your hotel or Airbnb apartment
Physical Rating: 3 - Demanding - Some high-altitude hikes or more strenuous activities, but accessible to most healthy travellers
At a glance
- Duration: 13 hr–15 hr
Plan your experience
Set aside 13 hr–15 hr for the experience itself, with additional time to reach your meeting or pickup point.
Before you go
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Foot & hand wear
- 1 sleeping bag (rated to -11 C / 12 F)
Local guides to help you plan
Choosing the Right Train to Machu Picchu
PeruRail or IncaRail, Vistadome or Expedition, Ollantaytambo or Poroy. The trade-offs nobody explains until you're already at the station.
Machu Picchu Day Trip From Cusco
A Machu Picchu day trip from Cusco is possible, but it requires advance entry tickets, carefully matched transport, and a very early start. Use this practical guide to choose a circuit, build a realistic schedule, compar
Machu Picchu Tickets and Circuits Guide
Choose the right Machu Picchu circuit, understand the 2026 ticket system, and avoid common booking mistakes with this practical guide to routes, identification, seasonal access, and last-minute entry.
What is included
- Pick up from Hotel & Transfer Cusco to Challancha (Trailhead)
- 01 Night Sky Dome 2 Beds, 3 Beds or 4 Beds Room (Private Shower and Bathroom)
- 01 night in Hotel in aguas calientes
- Meals: 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners Vegetarian option with no extra cost.
- Machupicchu Entrance fee
- Train Expedition from Ollantaytambo - Aguas Calientes - Ollantaytambo & Bus back to cusco
- Professional Tour Guide
Not included
- Breakfast day 1 and lunch day 3
Itinerary and highlights
We pick you up from your hotel at 4:30 a.m. to drive for about 3 hours to Mollepata where we start our Salkantay trek . As soon as we are at mollepata while you have breakfast the cook and the horseman will pack all the camping equipment and cooking stuff and we start hiking the first 3 hours will be a little bit uphill to get Cruzpata where we will have lunch with panoramic views of beautiful snow-capped mountains (Humantay; 4120m/13500ft and Salkantay; 6271m/20575ft) – just the start! We will begin our Salkantay trek towards Soraypampa, our first Salkantay Trek camping spot (3800 m/11750ft; the highest and coldest campsite of the trip) we will be very close to the second highest Salkantay snow capped -mountain of Cusco.
After having our Salkantay Trek breakfast we start walking about 6:30 am ,because this day will take us 4 hours is uphill to get the highest point of the Salkantay Trek (4650m/15200ft) located halfway between 2 huge mountains; Salkantay on the right and Tucarhuay on the left. From the pass, the views of the 2 snow-capped mountains are incredible. There is a possibility of snow here. After a rest and get a group picture, we will be back on the same path to Soraypampa where have lunch and relax then after we will take the bus back to Cusco and the to Ollantaytambo to take the train to aguas calientes and do overnight in Aguas Calientes.
Day 3: Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Ollantaytambo – Cusco
We wake up early morning about 4 am to then to 4:30 to have the breakfast and leave to walk up to Machupicchu which takes one and half hours up to machupicchu but there is another option to catch the first bus which leaves 5:30 to Machupicchu (25-minutes long) in order to appreciate the magnificent city as the sun is rising. A walking tour (approximately 2 hours) is given by your Guide and after this you can explore the mysterious city by yourselves. If you still have energy you can also climb Huaynapicchu (2720m/8890ft)!!! It takes 45 minutes to reach the top.and after enjoying machupicchu you have to go down to aguas calientes to take the train back to ollantaytambo and then bus back cusco
Meals: Breakfast
Total distance: 4 km (aprox.)
Estimated walking time: 1- 2 hours
Maximum altitude point: 2,700 m (aprox.)
Meeting and pickup information
- There will be a flag where our passenger can find us
Languages and tickets
- English — Guide
- Spanish — Guide
- Mobile Only
Tour operator
- Quechuas Expeditions
Accessibility and practical details
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- 1 poly/fleece (wind stopper) jacket
- 1 poly/fleece light weight sweater
- 1 lightweight long sleeved shirt (optional)
- 2-3 T-shirts
- 1 rain poncho (preferable) or rain jacket
- 1 pair wind/rain pants (Gore-tex or similar)
- 1 pair lightweight cotton pants (loose jeans/khakis)
- 1 lightweight fleece pants
- Foot & hand wear
- 4 pairs wool or synthetic socks
- 1 pair of (used) trekking boots
- 1 pair of wool or fleece gloves
- 1 wool or fleece hat
- 1 sunhat
- 1 pair sun glasses that provide good UV protection
- Miscellaneous
- 1 sleeping bag (rated to -11 C / 12 F)
- 1 good (day) backpack
- 2 walking poles
- 1 headlamp (preferable) or torch
- 1 pocket knife
- 1 water bottle
- Water sterilizing tablets (Micropur)
- Sun block
- 1 lip balm (spf 16)
- Insect repellent
- Towel and soap
- Toiletry kit
- Toilet paper
- Personal medicines
- Camera and extra memory cards
- Spare battery for your camera
- Binoculars
Cancellation policy
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
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