- Cusco City
- Machu Picchu
- Ausangate Trek
- Rainbow Mountain
Discover the personality of the Andes
This package is the most fantastic adventure in the Andes; it combines Cusco's most amazing places (Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Ausangate and, Rainbow Mountain). Discover the personality of the Andes on a long-winded trek. Recharge yourself near the most powerful energy points in the Cusco region. Immense sacred glaciers such as the imposing Apu Ausangate, turquoise lakes, wild animals, and the captivating Rainbow Mountain will be the perfect prelude to the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu.
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Overview
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Itinerary
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Inclusions
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Before You Go
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Pricing
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Enquire Now
Discover together with Salkantay Trekking the best that Cusco has to offer. In 6 days you'll have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the fascinating culture and history of this part of the world. Feel the call of the Incas as you tour the city of Cusco. Get to know the monumental agricultural laboratory of Moray with its circular terraces and the thousands of small salt pools of Maras. See fertile cornfields in the middle of huge mountains during your visit to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Be amazed by the genius of the ancient Peruvian builders in the citadel of Machu Picchu, considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. As a finishing touch, you can walk to the Vinicunca mountain, also known as Rainbow Mountain, Mountain of 7 Colors or simply Mountain of Colors due to the stripes of colors that its surface exhibits as a result of its complex mineral composition.
Itinerary at a Glance
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Day 0
Pre-Departure Briefing
Cusco
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Day 1
We welcome you to Cusco – City Tour Cusco Half Day
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Day 2
Cusco | Chinchero - Maras-Moray - Ollantaytambo - Aguas Calientes
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Day 3
Aguas Calientes | Machu Picchu - Ollantaytambo - Cusco
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Day 4
Cusco | Tinque - Upis - Abra Arapa - Yanacocha - Pucacocha Lake
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Day 5
Pucaccocha | El Abra Puca - Anantapata - Warmisaya - Yanacocha (Sunset Hike to the Rainbow Mountain)
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Day 6
Yanacocha | Rainbow Mountain (sunrise walk) - Cusipata - Cusco
Why Take the trip?
- The Ausangate Trek is the second-highest mountain in Peru. It takes you through some of the country’s wildest scenery and is the perfect opportunity for travelers to get off the beaten track.
- Enjoy the pleasant climate of the Sacred Valley while observing fertile corn fields and the peaceful lifestyle that exists in the area.
- Relax during the enchanting train ride to the cloud forest, in the company of the immense Vilcanota River.
- Walk the ancient stone streets of one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, the archaeological sanctuary of Machu Picchu, at dawn. You'll have the best light for the best photographs!
- Join us on this breathtaking trek through the Andes Mountains as you traverse epic landscapes and summit gorgeous mountain paths.
- Experience the best trek of the Andes, with fabulous views of the Apu Ausangate, red, turquoise, and green lakes.
A representative of Salkantay Trekking will be waiting for you at the Cusco Airport to take you directly to your hotel. Cusco is located at an altitude of 3,399 masl / 11,151 fasl so you may need some time to acclimatize.
After Lunch, we pick you up from your hotel to explore the city on an afternoon city tour.
Our tour begins in the fascinating Qorikancha or Temple of the Sun, probably the most important Inca place within the city of Cusco. While you marvel at the exquisite architecture of the place, our guide will share with you a bit of the history of the Incas. We’ll continue heading to the Plaza de Armas to visit the Cathedral that holds approximately 300 paintings from the famous Cusqueña School (the tour includes the entrance to the Cathedral). The Plaza de Armas itself is a wonderful place to sit and immerse yourself in the local atmosphere.
Later we’ll visit the impressive Inca fortress of Sacsayhuamán, located on top of a mountain above Cusco. It’s characterized by having been built with rocks of colossal sizes that weigh hundreds of tons. Ancient Inca architects cut and polished these giant rocks to build zig-zag walls that span hundreds of meters. Despite the fact that only a small portion of the original site remains, the cyclopean dimensions of Sacsayhuamán continue to inspire and surprise its visitors. We’ll continue with the Qenqo temple, carved from a single stone block. This temple has artificial tunnels, one of which forms an amphitheater. The original purpose of the amphitheater has been lost over time, but most agree that the area was used to worship the Sun, Moon, and Stars! We will also visit Puca Pucara, a site that the Incas used as a military control center.
Our tour ends in Tambomachay, an Inca archaeological site that shows a series of aqueducts, channels, and waterfalls that run spectacularly through rock terraces. The cost of admission to the site is included in the tour.
At the end of the day, we’ll take you to the door of your hotel to enjoy a relaxing night.
- Accommodation: Hotel
We'll pick you up from your hotel in the city of Cusco at 07:30 am. We'll go to our first stop in Chinchero, a beautiful place known not only for its impressive landscapes but also for the quality of its textile art. We'll visit the home of a local family where we'll learn some of the main textile techniques inherited from generation to generation. The low prices and the very high quality of Chinchero fabrics make this an ideal opportunity to do the best shopping.
As we continue our journey we'll observe endless fields of cultivation, small traditional communities, and huge snow-capped peaks. After a short while we'll arrive at Moray and will visit its spectacular concentric terraces. Scholars have verified that Moray functioned as a true agricultural laboratory where food from other altitude and climatic regions could be produced. Next we'll go to the Maras salt mines that have been in operation since pre-Inca times. Be amazed by the more than 5000 salt pools that are flooded, day after day, by water that comes from inside the earth.
At noon, we'll be heading to Urubamba to recharge our energies with a well-deserved lunch. We'll continue our tour of the Sacred Valley and arrive at Ollantaytambo, considered by many to be the only living Inca city to this day. Its streets preserve the original layout made by the ancient Peruvians and the water still runs through the canals that are found next to the main roads. In addition, you'll visit its impressive archaeological site in the company of our guide who'll show you the most extraordinary details.
When we've finished touring this dazzling place, we'll go to the Ollantaytambo train station and enter the Amazon jungle. It'll be an unforgettable 3 hours of travel on the rails next to the furious Vilcanota River. We'll arrive at Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Town), an intense miniature metropolis where you'll spend the night in a hotel.
The dream day starts very early. At 05:30 am, after enjoying breakfast at your hotel, we'll board a bus that'll take us to the archaeological site of Machu Picchu. This journey takes about 25 minutes.
As soon as you enter Machu Picchu you'll be invaded by an intense energy. This pre-Hispanic marvel of architecture and engineering is built on the top of a mountain in complete harmony with nature. We'll be one of the first groups to enter, so you'll be able to contemplate - without the distraction of a multitude of tourists - how the orange light of the dawn sun is covering these ancient corners.
Learn about the true history of Machu Picchu on a 2-hour guided tour. You'll discover the main sectors of this citadel and then have free time to rediscover this enigmatic archaeological site on your own.
If you have managed to obtain an entrance to the Huayna Picchu mountain, our guide will accompany you to the starting point of the trek. It will take approximately 2 hours to ascend and descend.
At the end of this unforgettable tour you can choose one of the countless restaurants in Aguas Calientes for lunch (price not included in the tour). Then, according to the departure time of your train, you'll return to the Ollantaytambo station where our mobility will be waiting for you to transport you to the door of your hotel in the city of Cusco.
We'll start our adventure very early. We'll pick you up from your hotel at 5:00 am and we'll go in a private vehicle to the city of Urcos, capital of the province of Quispicanchi. On the way we'll be able to observe picturesque towns and beautiful lagoons along the Vilcanota Valley. We'll continue to the town of Ocongate and then towards Tinque where you can make your last minute purchases before we reach the community of Upis (3,799 masl / 12,464 fasl), the starting point of our walk. After breakfast, our first day begins on a plain that looks directly at the immense Ausangate glacier (6,300 masl / 20,900 fasl). You can concentrate and feel the emotion that this great mass of snow provokes in your heart. As we move forward, we'll meet local people wearing their beautiful and colorful traditional clothes. Herds of llamas and alpacas will also accompany our steps. We'll arrive at the thermal baths of Upis (4,198 masl / 13,776 fasl) to enjoy our lunch.
After a delicious Lunch in the middle of the cold of the high mountains and then begin our walk in a beautiful high Andean valley towards the Arapa pass, always accompanied by the spectacular Ausangate mountain. From the top of the pass (4,798 masl / 15,744 fasl) the beauty of the landscape multiplies. You'll be able to observe the size of the mountain range and, if you're lucky, the solemn flight of the condor. Our guide will explain a little more about the impressive local flora and fauna. Then we'll begin to descend and will run into the beauty of the crystalline multi-colored lagoons of Yanacocha (black lagoon) and Pukacocha (red lagoon), as well as several waterfalls. Later, we'll arrive at our camp where you'll have time to take a reenergizing nap. In the afternoon, we can explore the vicinity of the lakes and drink a delicious tea. Obviously, before you go to sleep, a nutritious dinner awaits you.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Accommodation: Camp
- Difficulty: Challenging
- Walking Distance: 14 km / 6.21 miles
- Minimum Elevation: 4599 m / 15088 ft
- Highest Elevation: 4850 m / 15912 ft
Pucaccocha | El Abra Puca - Anantapata - Warmisaya - Yanacocha (Sunset Hike to the Rainbow Mountain)
There’s nothing better for your body than waking up to a hot herbal tea of coca leaves. Get up early to start one of the most beautiful days of the entire excursion. Be amazed by the stunning views of the snow-capped mountains and deep green valleys. After a hearty breakfast, we will go up to Abra Puca. Feel the impressive presence of the Apu Ausangate and take photos of its beautiful turquoise lagoons. Once you reach the top, you’ll feel that you have the giant face of the Apu Ausangate right in front of you. In addition, you’ll be able to observe the extended beauty of the Chilca Valley where llamas and alpacas will be passing quietly. From this open you can already see the beginning of the Rainbow Mountain range with its striking stripes of colors.
After taking some photos we continue with a gradual descent for 2 hours to our lunch point located in Anantapata (4,400 masl / 14,435 fasl). Once we have filled our stomachs, we’ll take the opportunity to rest and relax before continuing with an ascent to the Warmisaya or Pitumarca pass (5,050 masl / 16,568 fasl). From there you’ll feel like you are a bird and you’ll observe the vastness of the horizon. We only have to descend for 20 minutes to the Yanacocha lagoon where the camp will be waiting for you. Before stopping, we’ll continue our 1 hour walk to the Rainbow Mountain pass to see the majestic sunset show over the Rainbow Valley. Once we have rejoiced in the sunset, we’ll return to the camp in 45 minutes to enjoy happy hour (drinks and snacks) and then a dinner that will surprise you.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Accommodation: Camp
- Difficulty: Challenging
- Walking Distance: 17 km / 11 miles
- Minimum Elevation: 4400 m / 14435 ft
- Highest Elevation: 5050 m / 16568 ft
After a tasty breakfast at 5:00 am, we will return to the Rainbow Mountain to contemplate this colorful valley lit by dawn. You'll have time to enjoy this paradise for 1 hour before the tourist crowd begins to arrive. Our expert guide will take you directly to the key places to get the best pictures.
Your guide will explain in detail why this mountain has such unique colors. It's one of the most amazing places in South America and one of Peru's main natural attractions. The only other colored mountains can be found in China.
Once we get to the Rainbow Mountain viewpoint, you'll have enough time to take pictures of this prestigious geological phenomenon.
We'll begin the return descent for 1.5 hours to the base camp of Phulawasipata, where the transport will be waiting for us to take us back to Cusipata. There we'll satisfy our appetite with a delicious lunch.
You can enjoy the beautiful Andean landscape at sunset from the car while we return to the city. We'll arrive in Cusco at approximately 6:00 pm to drop you at the door of your hotel.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Walking Distance: 9 km / 5.6 miles
- Minimum Elevation: 4250 m / 13943 ft
- Highest Elevation: 5050 m / 16568 ft
What Is Included?
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High Quality Service & Safety
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Pre-departure briefing
You will meet your tour guide and group in our office for an orientation before your tour. The meeting will be at 5:00 PM the evening before the trip begins.
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Experienced Guide
All our guides are graduates of the professional career of Tourism of the National University San Antonio Abad of Cusco. Our guides are chosen for their professionalism, experience, responsibility, seriousness, unbridled passion for exploring, and a desire to share in the experience. They’ll make sure you are safe and happy.
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Camping Equipment
Salkantay Trekking uses the best equipment to ensure your safety and comfort. Every two people will share Eureka Timberline tents or Mountain Hard Wear Tents with capacity for four people. Also, you’ll have a spacious dining tent where you can enjoy your food without problems.
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Medical Kit
All Salkantay Trekking guides have received specialized training in first aid. We hold mandatory training sessions with our guides every February. Your guide will always carry a first aid kit to face basic emergency situations (altitude sickness, traveller’s diarrhoea, cuts, scrapes, etc.) as well as oxygen. If necessary, we’ll evacuate you from the path as quickly as possible and ensure that you arrive at a clinic for treatment.
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Customer Service 24/7
We have telephone service available 24 hours/day for ease of communication and preparation with the agency leading up to your trek.
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Meals
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Day 2: Breakfast in the Hotel, Buffet Lunch in the Sacred Valley and Dinner in Aguas Calientes
Vegetarian, vegan, or special menus are available at no extra cost.
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Day 3: Breakfast in the Hostel(Aguas Calientes).
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Day 4, 5, and 6: Ausangate and Rainbow Mountain Trek
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Meals: 3 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 2 Dinners
Our chef prepares the best dishes in the middle of the mountain. Our passengers love our food! We respect all diets(Vegetarian, vegan, or special menus are available at no extra cost ), so let us know if you have any particular restrictions on your reservation form and remind your guide during the briefing. You’ll enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner, in addition to hot drinks and snacks.
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Water
From the first lunch to the last breakfast, Salkantay Trekking will provide you with all the water you need. We will provide boiled water, filtered, and cooled. You need to bring a camel bag or an empty bottle. We recommend a capacity of 2 liters. You’ll be able to fill your bottles during each meal.
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Wake up tea
Every morning at the campsite, you will be woken up with a cup of coca tea! Our staff will provide you the tea in your tent so that you will be warm from inside out before you start your day.
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Tea time or Happy Hour
Every afternoon before dinner, the cooks will provide popcorn, biscuits, coffee, hot chocolate, teas, hot water, etc. After a long day of hiking, you will not have to wait until dinner to relax, warm-up, and enjoy a bite to eat!
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Snacks on the trail daily
Before starting your trekking, our tour leader will provide you a Cloth bag with local fruits, biscuits, chocolate, caramels, etc. We will give this snack to you at the beginning of each day in your cloth bag.
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One cloth snack bag per person
To avoid the usage of plastic bags that contaminate our environment, we will give you a cloth bag for your snacks.
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Products for hygiene
You will be provided with a small towel before each meal to clean your hands.
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Accommodation
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Hotel in Cusco
Day 1, 2 and 6: 3 Nights Hotel in Cusco
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Hostel in Aguas Calientes
Day 3: Spent in a hostel in Aguas Calientes with a double or Matrimonial, private bathroom, hot shower, wifi, breakfast, and luggage storage while you visit Machu Picchu.
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2 nights Accomodation in Tents - Ausangate Trek
Day 4, and 5: Salkantay Trekking uses the best equipment to ensure your safety and comfort. Every two people will share Eureka Timberline tents or Mountain Hard Wear Tents with capacity for four people..
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Transportation & Tickets
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Transport
Day 1: A representative of Salkantay Trekking will be waiting for you at the Cusco Airport to take you directly to your hotel. After lunch, we pick you up from your hotel to explore the city on the afternoon city tour.
Day 2: You will be picked up from your hotel to enjoy the Sacred Valley(Chinchero, Maras Moray and Salt Mines).
Day 3: Transfer from the train station to your hotel in Cusco.
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Bus Ticket - Consetur
Day 3: Bus ticket from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu(Round Trip).
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Train Ticket
Day 2: Train from Ollantaytambo Train Station to Aguas Calientes(Expedition Service).
Day 3: Train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo (Vistadome Service).
Vistadome train offers a unique and different way to travel to Machu Picchu. Each of the cars features panoramic windows, enabling you to feel part of your surroundings. PeruRail Vistadome approaches you to the amazing landscapes and nature on-route to the Inca Citadel, creating a real connection.
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Permits & Entrance Tickets
Entrance ticket to Machu Picchu Archeological Site.
Entrance for the Ausangate Trek
Entrance for the Rainbow Mountain
What Is Not Included?
Huayna Picchu
You can climb the famous mountain that’s always seen in the photos, behind the archaeological site of Machu Picchu. It’s 45 minutes uphill. Going down can be scary if you fear heights. You can take this excursion once your guided tour to Machu Picchu ends. The additional cost is US $ 30.00. The permit must be issued at least 1 month in advance due to high demand. To protect your integrity, there may be changes due to weather conditions.
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Entrance for the City Tour
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Entrance for the Sacred Valley
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Day 3: Lunch and Dinner
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Travel Insurance
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Tips for our staff
Tips are usual on any excursion to Machu Picchu. Although we pay good salaries to our entire team, something extra is always welcome, especially considering the hard work they do. Typically, group participants collect their tips to hand out to the porters and chefs together.
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Additional costs or delays out of control of the management
Landscape, bad weather condition, itinerary modification due to a safety concern, illness, change of government policy, political instability/strike, etc.
We want to make your trip to Peru as memorable and as easy as possible. In this section, you will find speedy answers to all those questions you had about trekking Salkantay in one place. Please read the following information carefully – it will help you with any questions about our services.
Has another question that we haven’t answered here? Drop us a line, and we will get back to you asap!
Briefing or informative meeting
All information meetings are held in your hotel at 6:00 p.m., one night before the tour begins. If you cannot attend, you must coordinate another time at the Salkantay Trekking offices. These meetings last approximately 30 to 45 minutes and there you will be given a small duffel bag, in which you’ll put all the belongings you intend to bring on the trek that won’t be in your day pack.
Duffel bag or canvas case:
ou’ll receive a canvas case or duffel bag during your briefing. The porters will take them on the way and will deliver them to you when you get to each camp. They measure 66 cm / 2 ft. Long x 36 cm / 1 ft. Wide.
A maximum of 5 kg is allowed for each duffel bag that includes the weight of your sleeping bag, mat, clothes and other personal items.
Payment of Trek Balance (in Cusco)
The trek has to be paid for in full by at least 7.30 pm two days before departure. For example, if your tour departs on a Wednesday, then you must come to our office before 7.30 pm on Monday.
It would be much appreciated if you pay the trek balance in cash US dollars or local currency. You can withdraw some money from several ATMs along Avenida Sol (either in US dollars or local Peruvian Soles). You can pay by credit card or PAYPAL online, but you will have to pay an 8% service charge, charged by VISA and PAYPAL. We do not accept bank checks or payment of the balance by traveler’s checks.
Storing your luggage at our Office.
Of course! During the travel, your main luggage can be stored at our office(you can organize briefing day or by email) or at your hotel, both free of charge.
Any equipment that you are not going to need on the trek can be stored safely in your hotel. Nearly every hotel will provide this service. Don’t leave items of value with your bags, put them in the hotel safe and obtain an itemized receipt (In the unlikely case of theft many insurance companies require that you have a copy of the receipt itemizing all the items). Best put items such as credit cards inside a sealed, signed envelope for extra peace of mind.
Pickups:
Salkantay Trekking can pick you up from your hotel, as long as it’s in the Historic Center of Cusco. The pickup time will be coordinated with your guide in the briefing. The pickup time may vary between 30 and 45 minutes due to traffic. Cusco is a very old city, therefore, it has many narrow cobbled streets. Some hotels and Airbnbs may be located on streets without access to cars or on long, steep slopes, making it difficult to transport luggage. We strongly recommend that you book accommodation with good access.
Group tours:
Group tours are made up of different types of people. Physical conditions and ages can vary. By agreeing to be part of a group tour, you also accept that some people may be faster or slower than you. Therefore, each person can go at their own pace on the route. It may be the case that a group wishes to modify the tour; however, it will be the guide who decides, after consulting with all the participants, if said modifications can be made.
Strikes and demonstrations:
Strikes and demonstrations are usually frequent in Peru and this may interrupt some of our tours. Roads can be blocked and train tracks can be taken over. However, we will try to keep your excursion as planned, even if it means leaving the night before the scheduled date. Under these circumstances, tours may also be cancelled. In case of changes or cancellations, all situations will be coordinated with you by our operations department. Your safety is our highest priority and our decisions will be made to protect it.
Lost objects:
You’re responsible for your objects during the tour. Please pay attention to where you leave your things and remember to take everything once you leave our trucks, tents, or restaurants.
Talk to a Destination Expertito
Your dedicated specialist will take the time to understand your preferences and build them into an itinerary to match, working to your budget. He or she will keep perfecting it until you’re completely happy and ready to book.
The trip can leave any day of the week, from March through January. We do not run this trek in February because rainy season & maintenance.
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Group Price
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2020 Land Cost
US$800per person
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Pre-payment
US$200(Required)
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Balance
US$600
- This small-group journey is guaranteed to operate with just two guests.
Online Payment Machu Picchu, Ausangate & Rainbow Mountain 6 Days
Price Guarantee
Once your booking has been confirmed we guarantee the price will not increase, whatever the circumstances. Before booking please ensure you have read our important tour pricing information
Thank you for your interest in having an adventure travel experience in Peru curated by Salkantay Trekking. Please take a moment to complete our short form, so one our friendly Adventure Consultants could provide you all the information for your trip of a lifetime in Peru.
Our Pledge | Your privacy is respected and protected. The Salkantay Trekking Company will never share, sell, or make public any of your personal contact information to third parties.
We give advice and recommendations that are right for you
Feel free to reach us via email at sales@salkantaytrekking.com or by calling us directly at +51 958 191 179
Triunfo Street 392, office 212, 2nd floor - Main Square of Cusco, Peru
Monday - Friday
9:00 am to 8:00 pm
Saturday
10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Due to the rainy season and trail maintenance, we don't offer this trek during the whole month of february. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you, we are working to provide you a better service!
