Machu Picchu Peru
Hike the Salcantay Route to Machu Picchu: The "other Inca Trail" through the magnificent Andes!
Trip Overview
- Moderate to Challenging Trekking
- 6 Nights in Tented Camp, 4 Nights Hotel
- 2 Days to and from Your Home
Machu Picchu has been named one of the SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD!
Our classic traverse through the Andes to the “lost city” is a wonder of its own: uncrowded, beautiful and exhilarating. The Salcantay trail is for mountain hikers who want to surround themselves with the beauty of the Andes as well as explore the history and traditions of Peru. Our journey through these magnificent mountains crosses over the Incahiriaska pass, between Salcantay and Humantay at 16,200 feet, through the Haynay range and down to the City in the Clouds, to join the Inca Trail.
Between the modern city of Cuzco and the ancient city of Machu Picchu stretches a spectacular terrain of steep valleys, lacy waterfalls, and gigantic peaks. Here the Incan rulers created a great empire, uniting the valleys with an intricate network of stone highways. Remains of their roads, temples, fortresses and dwellings are remarkable for their precise stonework. Ruins and restored sites are scattered all along our mountain route. During our two days in Cuzco, we will have a chance to visit archaeological jewels such as the Temple of Inti, the sun god, the Tambomachay, a favorite Incan watering hole, and the Ancient Citadel of the Sacred Valley. There’ll be plenty of time for enjoying the local color, too.
Once we set out from Cuzco, we will begin our trek to the sacred mountain Nevado Salcantay, which rises to an altitude of 20,600 feet. With our gear loaded onto horses, we’ll set out into the Andes, crossing high above the Apurimac River (the source of the Amazon), the Rio Blanco, and the Urubamba River. Each night we will camp in the open at altitudes over 10,000 feet, along the banks of a river, at the base of towering granite cliffs, or near a mountain hamlet. Quechua Indians will greet us along our route, as we pass through pasture lands where herds of alpacas and llamas graze. And, after all this mountain glory, you’ll have a full day to explore in Machu Picchu.
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13 days
2009 Dates
June 13-25
July 11-23
Aug. 15-27
2009 Fees
Land Costs
Group size 9-12: $3,690*
Group size 4-8: $3,790*
Single Supplement: $750
Internal flights
$320
*Price does not include international airfare or mandatory trip insurance. Prices are given in US Dollars.
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