4 Day Glamping Salkantay & Short Inca Trail in Sky Lodge Domes

Cusco, Perú

QE
Quechuas Expeditions Peru
  • Email address verified
5 reviews
Duration: 4 days
Group size: 2 - 16
4 Day Glamping Salkantay & Short Inca Trail in Sky Lodge Domes
Cusco, Perú

Quechuas Expeditions Peru
  • Email address verified
5 reviews

Duration: 4 days
Group size: 2 - 16

About this trip

4 Day Salkantay & Short Inca Trail to Machupicchu

(Exploring Humantay Lake and Hiking on Original Inca Trail to LLactapata Incan Site) Where you will see Machupicchu. A great Alternative Salkantay Trek to Machupicchu by Hiking and glamping in Eco Sky Dome National Geographic Adventure Magazine rated the Salkantay trek as one for the 25 Best Treks in the World. Mount Salkantay (or Nevado Salkantay / Salcantay) is one of the most iconic mountains in the Cusco region and the highest mountain on the Vilcabamba Mountain range.

Hikkers on the Salkantay trail spend a day approaching the mountain from the south and then another day in close proximity to the mountain as they scale the Salkantay Pass, which at 4,600m provides amazing views into the valley below. Salkantay trek of 4 days and 3 nights is a great adventure that will allow you to appreciate Andean and lush green mountains (Cloud forest), streams, rivers and hot springs that will help you relax your body after the physically taxing walk. You can also feel the temperature change along the hiking mountain paths of the tour of Salkantay. You can also enjoy some snow in one of the highest points of the road, 4,630 mts/15, 228 feet above sea level. Finally, the last day (the fifth day) you will enjoy the Grand tour of Machu Picchu City.

4 Day Salkantay Trek by Train (Overview)

STARTING POINT: Pick-up from Cusco & Sacred Valley Hotel/Airbnb. From 4:30 am to 5:00 am  
ENDING POINT: Drop-off in Cusco at Hotel/Airbnb 10:30 pm
DEPARTURE: Daily. If you are a group of 02 we depart (No matter if you have paid as large group service). We NEVER pass our people onto another operator as most agencies do here in cusco
HIKING DISTANCE: 35km
PHYSICAL LEVEL: Level 3. Salkantay Trek requires some physical preparation and we Also recommend to Aclimatize 2 days befor we begin the Salkantay Trek
MAXIMUM ALTITUDE: 4,630 m / 15,228 ft
TRANSPORTATION: Private Van/Bus to Challacancha (for our Passengers and staff) Tourist Expedition Train Round Trip from  Ollantaytambo to km 104 and Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo and Bus back to Cusco
ACCOMMODATIONS: 1 night in Green Eco Dome ( Private Campsite of Domes at Soraypampa), 1 Night in Cusco, 1 night in the hotel (Aguas Calientes)
MEALS: 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners, 2 tea times + wake-up teas
MACHUPICCHU & INCA TRAIL: Inca Trail Permits & Machupicchu entrance fee Included.

  • Day 1: Cusco – Mollepata – Challacancha – Soraypampa 
  • Day 2: Soraypampa – Salkantay Pampa – Salkantay Pass – Soraypampa – Cusco
  • Day 3: Cusco – Ollantaytambo – km 104 – Machupicchu – Aguas Calientes
  • Day 4: Aguas Calientes – Machupicchu – Cusco

Why Choose Quechuas Expeditions?

  • We are 100% Peruvian Company (The Best Local Tour Operator)
  • We have the best top GUIDES in the Region
  • We have the best Cheffs/ Cooks 
  • We have our own private campsites SKY LODGE DOMES (And we work with responsability protecting the natural area) Exclusive Salkantay Campsites for our passengers only
  • We are a reliable and certified company
  • Small Groups and Memorable Lifetime Experiences 100% Guarantee
  • We have special Itinerary to avoid the crowds and so many surprises to make your SALKANTAY trip memorable!!!

4 Day Salkantay & Inca Trail Highlight

  • Sleep in comfort under the stars in our Ecofriendly Sky Green Eco Domes located in private campsite at Soraypampa
  • Day 1: Private Soraypampa Campsite at our Green Eco DOME
  • Day 2: Aguas Calientes Hotel
  • Day 3 Short Inca Trail & Machupicchu
  • Visit Humantay Lake and Salkantay Lake
  • Enjoy the scenic views of Salkantay Snow Mountain
  • Make a small ritual for the Andean gods and learn about Incan religion
  • Enjoy our friendly customer service and experienced top guides
  • Eat delicious, freshly prepared Peruvian cuisine (Buffet Peruvian Style Food)
  • Hike through the different types of landscapes and Sceneries, such as cloud forests, highlands, grassy hills, and Andean valleys
  • Reach 4,600 meters (15,000 feet) in elevation along the Salkantay Pass
  • Explore Machu Picchu and the surrounding area with expert and knowledgeable tour top guides
  • Hike one of National Geographic’s 25 “World’s Best Treks”

Please, Note: We need at least 02 of you and Leave any day you suit. All Departures 100% Guaranteed If You’re Booked, You are Going !!! To Confirm and Secure the Inca Trail Permits. Send us the filled out booking form as well as a deposit of 30% and you are ready to go…

Please Note: For travellers who don’t have many days to hike, or for those who doesn’t feel fit enought to hike the Salkantay of 4 days. We have a great alternative salkantay trek and Humantay lake of 3 days conecting to machupicchu by train from ollantaytambo to aguas calientes. or salkantay and humantay lake 2 days sleeping in our domes.

INCLUDES

 

  • Private Tourist Transportation To Mollepata and Extra 1 hour minutes to get Challacancha better views and skip the dusty road. (We never share Bus service with other companies as most agencies do here to minimize costs)
  • Private Transportation back from Soraypampa to Cusco and then Ollantaytambo/where we take the train to Aguas Calientes
  • Expeditions Train From Ollantaytambo – km104(Short Inca Trail Trailhead) Aguas Calientes – Ollantaytambo (Round Trip)
  • Short Inca Trail Permits & Machupicchu Entrance fee and Visit of Machupicchu
  • Hotel Overnight in Cusco & Aguas Calientes
  • English – Spanish speaking guide for 4 days on Humantay Lake & Salkantay Trek.(All our Guides work for us only) All of them speak Fluent English Second Guide Over 16 people Group
  • 1 Night in Glamping Sky Dome at SORAYPAMPA CAMPSITE ( Twin bed room, Matrimonial bed room, 3 beds room, 4 beds room Accomodation)
  • Day 1: Soraypampa Campsite at our Geodesic dome
  • Cook and assistance of the Cook.(We have chosen the best cook/cheffs and all are trained by Quechuas Expeditions every month)
  • Daily tea service (Wake up Coca tea and afternoon tea time(Happy hour) with full of popcorn and special snacks made by our cooks)
  • Dining equipment including portable chairs and tables
  • Food service in the campsites & Local Restaurants (2 breakfast, 2 lunches, 2 dinners, 2 snacks) – nutritionally balanced menu: Buffet style Plenty of food you will never be hungry with us! 
  • Vegetarian and free Gluten menu at no extra cost (Please let us know at the time of booking)
  • Insurance policy of life for porters and cooks.
  • Private Transportation from Cusco to Ollantaytambo to Cusco(2 hours drive) and drop off at the hotel.(we only use our Private Transportation. so you will never wait at the train station till the bus of 30 ppl gets full)
  • First-aid kit (Our Guide will carry while on the salkantay trail) Please, note all our Guides are trained every year in first-aid)
  • Emergency oxygen bottle (Our guide will carry while on the Trail)
  • Rain waterproof cover for your day backpacks
  • Pre trek Orientation – briefing A day before we do the Trek. (Hotel or Office) Let us know once you are at the office or by email.
  • Free “I survived ” T-shirt and certificate (only for PEOPLE who successfully complete the trek!!!

IT DOESNT INCLUDE

  • Meals: Breakfast on Day 1 and Lunch on Day 4
  • Salkantay Entrance Fee (20 soles)

WHAT TO BRING

What you need to bring on Salkantay Trek:

Most people automatically assume that the weather is hot in South America, but because of the higher altitude in the Andes, the temperature can feel quite cold, especially at night. We recommend the use of a duffel bag or backpack, whichever is easiest for you to carry. A good size daypack is also essential.

List of things you must bring:

  • Original Passport (and some copies) If you have changed your passport Bring a couple of copies of the one that you have used to purchase the inca trail permit.
  • Travel insurance  is essential (and some copies)
  • Airline tickets (and some copies)
  • US$ cash and Credit or debit card (see personal spending money)
  • Any entry visas or vaccination certificates required
  • Camera and Memory cards
  • Rechargeable batteries and adapters
  • Reading/writing material
  • Binoculars
  • Cover for backpacks
  • Pocketknife.
  • Fleece top
  • Windproof/waterproof jacket
  • Small towel and swim wear
  • Shirts/t-shirts
  • Sun hat
  • 2 pairs of shorts
  • 2 pairs of long trousers *zipp off
  • 1 pair hiking pants/track pants
  • Hiking boots/ sturdy walking shoes (with ankle protectors)
  • Knee-length socks (to be used with rubber boots, if provided at the jungle lodge)
  • Sport hiking sandals
  • Sun block
  • Sunglasses
  • Toiletries (biodegradable)
  • Watch or alarm clock
  • Water bottle 
  • Purifying tablets or filter (Micropur recommeded)
  • Insect Repellent (for mosquitos)25 % of deet at least you can also by in cusco.
  • Flashlight (head light recommended)
  • Money belt
  • Sleeping silk liner (for sleeping bags)
  • Wool hat, mitts or gloves (preferably waterproof)
  • Rain poncho, plastic bags for your personal stuff to keep dry
  • Sleeping bag (it can be hired form us) we have goose down or syntetic sleeping bag 
  • Anti-inflammatory tablets (e.g. Ibuprofen)
  • Thermal underwear
  • Personal first-aid kit (should contain lip salve, Aspirin, Band Aids, anti-histamine, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhoea, re-hydration powder, extra prescription drugs you may be taking)

What’s not included

  • Salkantay Entry
    Salkantay entrance fee it costs 20 soles
  • Breakfast day 1
    Breakfast day 1 we stop at Mollepata at a local restaurant
  • Lunch day 4
  • Walking Poles
    it can be rented from us. let us know
  • Day Backpack
    it can be rented from us. let us know

Available Packages

Salkantay-Inca Trail Group Service
Available until 1 days before departure

(You will be joined into a formed group of people who come from different countries/Nationalities): From 04 Persons to 08 Persons (Maximum) 

$780
Deposit: $250
Salkantay-Inca Trail Private Service
Available until 1 days before departure

Recommended for Honeymooners, Families with children & Groups of Friends (02 Persons Minimum) 

$880
Deposit: $250

Available options



Itinerary

Day 1
Cusco – Mollepata – Challacancha – Humantay Lake – Soraypampa

We pick you up from your hotel Between 4:30 a.m to 5:00am to drive for about 2 hours to Mollepata  where we stop to have breakfast. Then we keep driving 1 hour to Challacancha where start our Salkantay trek. As soon as we are at Challacancha while you get ready to walk. 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 Soraypampa where we will have lunch with panoramic views of beautiful snow-capped mountains (Humantay; 4120m/13500ft and Salkantay; 6271m/20575ft) – just the start! After Lunch We will begin our Hike up to Humantay Lake, and hen back to 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.

1ST DAY: Total distance: 15 km (aprox.)
Estimated walking time: 7- 8 hours
Maximum altitude point: 3,800 m (aprox.)
Campsite altitude: 3,800 m (aprox.)

Your Organizer


QE
Quechuas Expeditions Peru
5 reviews
Quechuas Expeditions is a travel agency in cusco which its first objective is the conservation the Inca Culture and the ecological preservation of the planet. Our tours are extremely flexible according to what the client wishes to get out of his/her trip. They range regular between 4 to 8 days in length, but it can be extended for more days. Quechuas expeditions have professional multilingual guides (including the manager), local guides working as tour assistants who also participate in the expeditions, professional cooks

Reviews

Expérience incroyable avec une entreprise professionnelle Queschas expeditions est la seule entreprise qui , à ma connaissance, organise le Inca trek en trois jours au lieu de quatre. Même circuit, même distance facilement faisable pour des personnes un peu entrainées. Nous étions seulement deux personnes dans le groupe, ma femme et moi. Une organisation rodées et parfaite du début à la fin. Nous avions avec nous 3 porteurs, un super cuisinier ( Armando ) avec ses repas délicieux et copieux, et aussi et surtout un jeune guide de 28 ans FERNANDO avec déjà une grosse expérience. Une mention spéciale à notre guide FERNANDO : une connaissance incroyable de la culture Inca, toujours au petit soin et très professionnel. Encore un grand merci à FERNANDO pour ces bons moments passés ensemble dans cette environnement exceptionnel. Un trek vraiment incontournable pour un séjour au Pérou avec une arrivée au Machu Picchu majestueuse. Je recommande vivement de choisir Quescha Expéditions pour organiser ce trek André et Corinne
By ANDRE S for 3 Day Inca Trail to Machupicchu KM 82 Challenge on Oct 25, 2023
Fernando was an incredible guide - perfect mix of informative and hilarious. Nico catered to our vegan diet with authentic Peruvian cuisine. Awesome trip, just the 2 of us and the guide!
By Owen R for 5-Day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu Camping (Low Cost) on Jul 17, 2023
First of all the Trek was really nice, we had a good time and good food for the activities! But we had a problem with visiting machu picchu. As you cant read anywhere on the homepage of quechua that there are 4 areas for visiting we thought that we are going to the THE viewpoint. But after all of the walking days we could only see it from the other, lower side. It wasn´t what we expected we booked. Furthermore everywhere you can read you must book your ticket to Machu Picchu very early. We booked the trip like 10 weeks before going, but the organisation booked our entrance tickets only two weeks before the visit. So everyone can imagine that there are only tickets for the last category left....
By Jana O for 5 Day Glamping Salkantay Trek with Sky View Dome on Dec 05, 2022
I would not recommend booking with this company. The Quechuas Expeditions website explicitly says "we NEVER pass our people onto another operator as most agencies do here". However, that is the very first thing that happened. I was passed off to two different operators during my 4 day trip. We did not follow the itinerary at all. On the 2nd night, my guide from the first operator informed me that I would be changing lodges the following morning, a journey that took 5 hours and was not on the itinerary. Because I joined a different group, they were on a different schedule of activities, so I did some activities from my itinerary twice and others not at all. Finally, I learned that I paid 2-3x as much as others on my tour. I understand that booking in advance online costs more, but not that much more, especially because we did not even follow the itinerary that I paid for. It seems that for what I was charged, I could have stayed in a much nicer lodge and had a way better experience. The individual guides were qualified and nice, and I did go to the Chuncho clay lick which is what I was most looking forward to, so at least there is that.
By Sheridan W for 4 Day Upper Tambopata Chuncho Macaw Clay Lick and Sandoval Lake on Nov 24, 2022
I like the scenery of this tour, but not with this company. The hike looks great to the campsite and also to the lake. Our guide was a very nice person and knowledgeable. On the other hand he was quiet and the tour didn't have a good structure. We didn't know what we were doing, or schedule, from start to finish. The stay was cool at first, nice view from the dome towards the mountain looks great, the dome was very warm inside during the day because of the sun. The internet is 10 soles extra per person. We hiked to the lake and it was amazing. Once back to the dome, it was cold and over night it got extremely cold. There was no hot water either at night or morning. No wonder the shower looks new. The power was in and out since the generator wasn't working properly. Then at a certain time the power was just out, overnight there was no light at all. The next day we just wanted to go back home since it was a bad night the day before. I wouldn't recommend this company. Please see if any other company has not water, heated domes, good guides. I don't recommend and I just want my money back. I usually give 4 stars for most businesses on google, yelp and other sites, but this one did not earn any.
By MIGUEL M for 2 Day Humantay & Salkantay with Glamping Sky Lodge Dome on Oct 15, 2022