Salkantay Trek Glamping Sky Lodge 5-Day Tour
5-day Salkantay Trek with premium campsite accommodation and small group
🚨 Machu Picchu tickets sell out fast! 🚨 Book in advance.
Briefing
The Salkantay Trek in Sky Domes 5 days is the preferred alternative for travelers who have more time and want to make the classic Salkantay route in 5 days sleeping in camps with Eco Domes of greater comfort and walking in a small group of maximum 8 travelers.
A guided tour of 5 days with which you will travel a total of 46 miles (75 km) divided into 4 stages, until you reach the citadel of Machu Picchu. Get ready to get lost on a steep and remote path that will take you to the impressive Humantay Lake, in front of the Salkantay mountain, through cloud forests and on the edge of the lushest Peruvian jungle.
Tour details
Included
- Entrance to Machu Picchu (according to selected option)
- All transportation during the tour
- Bilingual English/Spanish guide
- 3 nights of lodging at Sky Dome Camp
- 1 night of lodging in a 3-star hotel in Aguas Calientes.
- Transport of your luggage between accommodations (maximum 7kg including sleeping bag).
- All meals* (4 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners, 4 snacks)
- Daily tea service
- Water
- Return by tourist train
Not included
- Breakfast day 1
- Lunch and dinner day 5
- Entrance to the Humantay Lagoon
- Entrance to the Colcamayo hot springs (Santa Teresa)
- Bus Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu
- Sleeping bag (available as EXTRA)
- Walking poles (available as EXTRA)
Important information
🎟️ The tour is offered with or without entrance to Machu Picchu, depending on the selected option. If you have selected the option with entrance you will be assigned the best available time and type of entrance.
🚶🏻 If you book the tour without entrance the guided visit to Machu Picchu will be included only if there is a group available in your schedule and tour. Otherwise, you will be offered a guide in private service at an additional cost.
🏩 Accommodations:
- Nights 1 and 3: 6-meter domes with a shared room of 2, 3 or 4 single beds with blankets. Includes private bathroom with hot water and terrace with views. The camp has a common dining room.
- Night 2: Shared 3-meter dome with 2, 3 or 4 single beds without blankets (sleeping bag required). The camp has shared bathrooms without shower and a common dining room.
- Night 4 - Private room with bathroom in a 3 star hotel in Aguas Calientes.
⛰️ If you want to include an entrance to an additional area (Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain), book private accommodation or customize the tour please contact us.
Cancellation policy
If you cancel at least 72 hours in advance, you will be refunded the amount paid except 210 USD per person. After that time or in case of no show, no refunds will be made.
Tour itinerary
DAY 1 Cusco - Mollepata - Challacancha - Lake Humantay - Soraypampa
Walking distance: 9.3 miles (15 km.)
Estimated walking time: 7-8 hours.
Starting altitude: 12,467 ft (3,800 m.)
Maximum altitude: 13,780 ft (4,200 m.)
Campsite altitude: 12,467 ft (3,800 m.)
Difficulty: Moderate.
Lodging: Sky Domes Soraypampa Camp.
*Tour briefing (tour briefing)
The day before the tour starts you will have a meeting with the guide and the rest of the group to prepare the trek and clarify any doubts, during the briefing you will be given the exact pick up time according to your accommodation.
Transfer from Cusco
The tour starts early, with pick up from your hotel between 04:30 and 05:00. After a two-hour drive, you will arrive at Mollepata, located at 9,196 ft (2,803 meters) for breakfast and advice from your guide. Then, you will continue to Challacancha, where you will join the support team to start the 5-day Salkantay Trek in Sky Domes.
Soraypampa - Lunch
After checking your gear, you will begin a hike to Soraypampa 12,795 ft (3,900 m), where you will spend the night in the exclusive Sky Domes. The trail from Challacancha overlooks Andean glaciers and a restored Inca canal.
Upon arrival, the team will greet you with freshly brewed coffee and tea. After settling into your Sky Dome, you will enjoy lunch with fresh local ingredients in the camp dining room. Remember that accommodations are shared, if you prefer private accommodations please contact us.
Hike to Humantay Lake
After lunch, you will embark on a 3 km hike to the Humantay glacier lake, located at 13,780 ft (4,200 m). The round trip takes about three hours, allowing you to walk at your own pace and admire the impressive Andean landscape.
Upon arrival, you will be able to contemplate the views while the guide shares the relevance of the lake in Andean mythology.
Soraypampa Camp
After descending to the camp, you will enjoy a sunset dinner in the dining dome. To close the day, you will settle into your Sky Dome and rest under the spectacular starry sky of the Andes.
DAY 2 Soraypampa - Salkantay Pass - Huaracmachay - Chaullay
Walking distance: 11.8 miles (19 km.)
Estimated walking time: 8-9 hours.
Starting altitude: 12,467 ft (3,800 m.)
Maximum altitude: 15,256 ft (4,650 m.)
Campsite altitude: 9,022 ft (2,750 m.)
Difficulty: moderate-high.
Lodging: Sky Dome Chaullay Camp.
Breakfast at Camp
Start an epic day on the Salkantay Trek waking up with the first rays of sunlight over your Sky Dome and the imposing Salkantay peak as a backdrop. You will enjoy coffee or tea accompanied by a protein-packed Andean breakfast, ideal to prepare you for the trek to the Salkantay Pass at 15,190 ft (4,630 m.)
Abra Salkantay Pass
You will hike the famous "Path of the Seven Serpents," named for the seven switchbacks that lead to the Salkantay Pass at 15,256 ft (4,650m.) Although the altitude makes this section more demanding, you will advance calmly following the guide's indications, allowing you to catch your breath and admire the imposing Andean peaks.
The Salkantay, the second highest mountain in Cusco, is an Apu or sacred spirit in Andean mythology. Locals perform rituals such as the K'intu, where locals make offerings in search of blessings.
Goal reached! From the top, you will enjoy spectacular views of the Humantay, Taucarhuay and Pumasillo mountains.
Huacarmachay Camp
After enjoying the views, you will begin a 4.5 miles (7 km) descent to the campsite at Huacarmachay, located at 12,631 ft (3,850 m), in a valley surrounded by majestic snow-capped mountains.
Upon arrival, the support team will be waiting for you with a delicious, freshly prepared Andean meal, and with a full stomach, you will continue the trek with renewed energy!
Cloud forest
After lunch, you will leave the Andes behind and enter the upper Amazon rainforest. You will walk 5 miles (8 km) in about three hours at a leisurely pace, while experiencing a noticeable change in the landscape as you descend. The temperature will be warmer on this part of the trek.
Along the way, your guide will talk to you about the various species of plants, animals and birds, many of which are native to the region.
Chaullay Camp
End of the day's trek! Upon arrival at the camp in Chaullay 9,514 ft (2,900 m), the team will assist you to settle into your Sky Dome, where you will spend the second night. Afterwards, you will join the group to enjoy dinner in the dining room. After a day full of adventures, a well-deserved rest awaits you.
DAY 3 Chaullay - LLuscamayo - Loreta La Playa Sahuayaco
Walking distance: 10 miles (16 km.)
Estimated walking time: 6-7 hours.
Starting altitude: 9,022 ft (2,750 m.)
Maximum altitude: 9,022 ft (2,750 m.)
Campsite altitude: 5,250 ft (1,600 m.)
Difficulty: Moderate
Lodging: Sky Dome Loreta La Playa Sahuayaco Camp.
Breakfast at Camp
The team will wake you up at 06:00 a.m. After enjoying a cup of coffee, you will be served breakfast in the common dining room.
The third day of the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu is relatively more relaxed. You will hike through the Santa Teresa Valley, home to several farms. The trek will begin by crossing the Lluscamayo River to La Playa, walking for about six hours. The area is also known for its avocado, banana and coffee plantations. If you are lucky, you may spot the emblematic Cock of the Rock, Peru's national bird.
Camp Loreta La Playa Sahuayaco
After lunch, you will visit some farms in the area in the company of your guide. Optionally, if you have time, you can spend the afternoon relaxing in the natural hot springs of Colcamayo. The guide will give you all the necessary indications to enjoy this activity.
Later, you will return to the camp where you will be served dinner and finally settle into your Sky Dome to enjoy a refreshing rest.
DAY 4 Loreta - Lucmabamba - Llactapata - Hidroelectrica - Aguas Calientes
Walking distance: 7,5 miles (12 km.)
Estimated walking time: 5-6 hours.
Starting altitude: 5,250 ft (1,600 m.)
Maximum altitude: 5,250 ft (1,600 m.)
Difficulty: Moderate
Lodging: Hotel in Aguas Calientes
Breakfast at the camp
At 08:00 AM, you will have breakfast and then begin the hike following a section of the Inca Trail. You will climb up the hill to admire the Llactapata Inca complex, at 8,858 ft (2,700 m), where you will have a closer view of Machu Picchu.
This will be the first Inca archaeological site you will visit on the 5-day trek. The guide will explain the site and its importance, immersing you in Andean history and culture.
Hydroelectric
You will hike downhill for an hour and a half with a distant view of the peak of Machu Picchu. You will stop for lunch at Hidroeléctrica at 5,905 ft (1,800 m), a place named after the artificial waterfall used to generate electricity.
Hot Springs
After lunch, you will have two options:
- Walk along the train tracks, following in the footsteps of Hiram Bingham III, who rediscovered Machu Picchu. The hike lasts three hours and takes you through the rainforest, with breathtaking views at every turn.
- Take a 45-minute train to Aguas Calientes, for an additional cost.
If you choose to hike, which we recommend, you will have the opportunity to see the Intihuatana, a sundial-shaped rock that the Incas used to read the winter solstice, and which is linked to the stone of the Machu Picchu citadel, which you will visit the next day.
Upon arrival in Aguas Calientes, you will stay in a hotel with private bathroom. After a well-deserved rest, you will meet with the group for dinner and coordinate the next day's visit to Machu Picchu.
DAY 5 Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Aguas Calientes - Ollantaytambo - Cuzco
Walking distance: 2,5 miles (4 km.)
Estimated walking time: 1-2 hours.
Maximum altitude: 8,858 ft (2,700 m.)
Difficulty: easy-medium
Breakfast in Aguas Calientes
After breakfast at the hotel and at the agreed time (according to the schedule of your entrance to Machu Picchu) the guide will pick you up to start the way to Machu Picchu. The route between Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu takes approximately 2 hours with a drop of 1,312 ft (400 m) and if you prefer you can buy tickets and go up by minibus.
Visit to Machu Picchu
The most awaited moment has arrived!
- If you have booked the tour with entrance ticket, you will take the guided tour corresponding to the itinerary of your ticket.
- In case of booking the tour without entrance, the guided tour is included only if there is a shared group available, otherwise you will be offered to make the visit with a private guide, for an additional cost.
Aguas Calientes
After the visit to Machu Picchu you will return to Aguas Calientes, where you will have free time to have lunch and explore the town.
Return to Cusco
The exact time of your train will depend on the time of your entrance to Machu Picchu and availability. You will board the iconic Machu Picchu tourist train, and in an hour and a half you will arrive in Ollantaytambo. When you arrive at the station, they will be waiting to take you back to your accommodation in Cusco.
What to bring to Salkantay Trek Glamping Sky Lodge 5-Day tour
During this tour you will hike at different altitudes, so you can expect the temperature to change quickly, especially at high altitude. From Howlanders we recommend the 3 layer system, so you can quickly adapt to the weather conditions.
This is the recommended packing list, please note if you need to bring anything else. Remember that the tour offers a luggage transfer service, a duffel bag is provided in which you can leave up to 5 kg, so you can walk lighter.
- Daypack (20L approximately)
- Reusable water bottle
- Cash in Peruvian soles
- Winter sleeping bag (available for rent)
- Trekking poles (available for rent)
- Goretex jacket or rain poncho
- Warm jacket
- Hiking boots (waterproof if possible)
- Flashlight or headlamp and batteries
- Tren long-sleeved hiking shirts
- Tren short-sleeved T-shirts
- Tights or trekking pants
- Shorts
- Underwear for 5 days
- Pajamas
- Four pairs of hiking socks
- Gloves
- Hat
- Cap or hat
- Swimming suit and small towel (for the hot springs)
- Sandals or shoes for resting
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellent
- Additional snacks
- Passport (required to enter Machu Picchu)
Where does the tour Salkantay Trek Glamping Sky Lodge 5-Day start
The tour includes pick up from your accommodation in Cusco at the beginning of the tour. Remember to tell us in the booking form or by email the name of your accommodation so we can coordinate the pick up with the guide.
Questions & Answers
Will the guide carry an oxygen tank and first aid kit?
Yes, the guides are prepared for any unforeseen event, so they always carry what is known as a "spray" to mitigate altitude sickness in case it is necessary, as well as a first aid kit to make small cures.
Is there a vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, etc. food option?
Yes, we offer menus adapted to special diets, such as vegetarian, vegan, for food intolerances, among others. If you wish to request a special diet, simply leave a note in the corresponding space during the reservation process.
Is it possible to do the Salkantay Trek in Sky Domes 5 days during the month of February?
For safety reasons we do not hike the Salkantay route during the month of February, coinciding with the rainy season in the Andes. Heavy rain causes dangerous roads, landslides, swollen rivers and unsafe walking conditions. In addition, some routes are closed to avoid accidents.
Are there showers at Sky Dome campsites?
During the Salkantay Trek Sky Domes you will have access to hot water showers on days 1, 3 and 4 of the tour. The Sky Domes Soraypampa and Playa Loreta campsites have private bathrooms with solar hot water showers. On the fourth and last night of the tour, you will sleep in a three star hotel in Aguas Calientes in a private room with hot water shower.
Is it necessary to carry a sleeping bag for the 5-day Salkantay Trek Sky Domes?
A sleeping bag is required for at least the second night of the tour. Sky Dome Chaullay Camp does not have warm clothes or bedding. If you are not traveling with your sleeping bag, you can rent one as an extra.
How is the sleeping bag available for rent?
The sleeping bag available as an extra is a mummy style goose down sleeping bag suitable for the low temperatures reached during the tour.
Is water included in the Salkantay Trek in Sky Domes 5 day tour?
The tour includes filtered and boiled water suitable for drinking and your bottles will be refilled at each meal. You should bring a refillable water bottle and enough water for the first day of the trek.
What is the group size for the Salkantay Trek in Sky Domes 5 days?
In order to better enjoy this route, groups are reduced to a maximum of 8 travelers.
How does this tour differ from the classic Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu in 5 days?
The Salkantay Trek in Sky Domes 5 Days and Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5 Days are two versions that we offer in Howlanders to walk the classic Salkantay route. These two versions differ from each other mainly in the type of accommodation included during the trek and in the size of the group.
On nights 1, 2 and 3 of the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu you will sleep in more basic campsites without showers. The trek will be done in groups of maximum 16 travelers plus the guide.
On the other hand, during nights 1, 2 and 3 of the Salkantay Trek in Sky Domes 5 Days you will sleep in more comfortable Eco Domes. The domes of the first and third night have private bathrooms with hot water shower. The trek will be done in small groups of maximum 8 travelers plus the guide.
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