--- title: 4-Day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu lang: en type: tour city: Cusco country: Peru price: 738 currency: EUR price_unit: per_person availability: bookable rating: 4.72 reviews: 36 duration_minutes: 5760 languages: [en, es] rank_in_category: 29 of 33 (Salkantay Treks) schedule_checked: 2026-11-08 data_updated: 2026-11-08 canonical: https://guidekin.com/peru/cusco/tours/4-day-salkantay-trek-to-machu-picchu/ --- # 4-Day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu **Guidekin's take:** Follow the Salkantay route past Soraypampa and Santa Teresa to Machu Picchu, with views of Salkantay and Humantay from a high pass. Mules carry camping gear and some personal luggage; a high level of fitness is required. 4.72 from 36 reviews at €738 per person for 4 days. In our comparison: #29 of 33 in Salkantay Treks, by rating weighted by review volume (table below). ## Overview Forget the Inca Trail and hike to Machu Picchu along the higher and more beautiful Salkantay Trail! Embark on a challenging 4-day trek along the alternative Salkantay route, crossing over a 4,650 meters high pass where you can marvel at the Salkantay and Humantay peaks standing over 6,000 meters high. Hike along this unspoiled trail, passing through the villages of Soraypampa and Santa Teresa, to discover indigenous mountain communities. See the 'Lost City of the Incas' in the early morning light after having spent time in the town of Aguas Calientes. Highlights: -Hike among 6,000m Andean peaks -Cross snowy high passes with incredible views -Reach the comfort of Aguas Calientes town -See the Machu Picchu site as it opens with a guide ## Before you book - Hotel pickup: no car needed - Starts 05:30: one departure a day - Food included: Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast - Age rule: Minimum age is 7 years - Non-refundable: no free cancellation **Pickup:** Hotel pickup included ## Key facts - Price: from €738 per person - Duration: 4 days - Rating: 4.72/5 from 36 reviews (collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor) - Operator: Bamba Travel - Group: Shared tour - Guide languages: English, Spanish - Start times: 05:30 - Booking: mobile ticket - Price checked on Viator: 2026-11-08 ## Reviews 4.72 from 36 ratings on Guidekin & Tripadvisor. 94% of ratings with a star breakdown are 4 or 5 stars: 34 of 36. - 5 stars: 31 (86%) - 4 stars: 3 (8%) - 3 stars: 0 (0%) - 2 stars: 1 (3%) - 1 star: 1 (3%) ### What reviewers say Reviewers praise the guides, meals and mountain scenery; steep climbs at altitude make this a demanding trek. **Praised:** - Guides explain Inca history, local plants and culture - Patient encouragement and walking pace adapted to the group - Generous portions of well prepared Peruvian food - Mountain scenery and views along the Salkantay trail **Complaints:** - Steep climbs and high altitude make the trek physically demanding Written by Guidekin from the 31 most recent English reviews on Tripadvisor (2018-04-15 to 2024-11-08); last checked 2026-11-08. ## What's included - Pre-departure briefing - Round Trip Tourist Bus Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Bus Ollantaytambo to Cuzco - Lunch - Horseman and mules to carry cooking and camping equipment plus a total of 7 kilos for each trekker. (This includes 3 kilos for your sleeping bag & mattress plus 4 kilos of personal items. - Car Transfer La Playa to Santa Teresa to Hydroelectric Station - Dinner - Breakfast - Van Cuzco to Mollepata to Challacancha (starting point of trek) - Meals: 3B/3L/3D/2 snacks with typical menus ## Not included - Day 1 Breakfast, Day 4 Lunch and Dinner, Bottled Water - Guide for bus and train transfers (these portions are on your own) - Optional Services - Accommodation in Cuzco - Tips (Please remember that tipping is 100% optional and depends entirely on the service you received. It is customary to give tips in Latin America, however it is NOT mandatory. If you do wish to give a tip, these are our recommended guidelines. - Guide: 40-60 soles per trekker - Assistant Guide: 30-40 soles per trekker - Horsemen: 60-80 soles for each horseman from the whole group ## Schedule - Runs: Tue, Sat - Departures: 05:30 - Schedule last checked: 2026-11-08 - These are published departures, not a live seat count; availability is confirmed at checkout. ## Cancellation All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations. ## Good to know - Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries - Not recommended for pregnant travelers - Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health - Travelers should have a high level of physical fitness - Minimum age is 7 years - Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required - Accommodation Options: Single travelers will share a tent/room with another traveler and couples will have a tent/room to themselves. - Physical Requirements: This hike is demanding, it is important to be in good physical condition. There are important temperature changes associated with altitude changes (from 4000 meters to 2000 meters). - Important: You must provide the following information upon booking: Full name (exactly as it appears on the passport), date of birth, nationality, passport number, date of passport expiration. - As of June 11, 2022, all travelers over 18 years old must have three doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. That means two regular doses plus a booster. Passengers from 12 to 17 years old must prove they are vaccinated with two doses. If they do not have a complete scheme, they must present the negative result of an RT-PCR test taken no more than 48 hours before boarding in their country of origin. ## Compared with other Salkantay Treks | Tour | Price | Duration | Rating | Group | |---|---|---|---|---| | **This tour · #29 of 33** | €738 | 4 days | 4.72 (36) | shared | | [Salkantay Trek 5D/4N with Glass Cabins, Sky Domes & Hobbit House](/peru/cusco/tours/salkantay-trek-5d-4n-with-glass-cabins-sky-domes-hobbit-house/?format=md) | €633 | 5 days | 4.99 (2916) | shared | | [Classic 5-Day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu: Small Group Hike](/peru/cusco/tours/classic-5-day-salkantay-trek-to-machu-picchu-small-group-hike/?format=md) | €692 | 5 days | 4.98 (5396) | shared | | [Salkantay Premium Trek 5 Days: Glamping Adventure to Machu Picchu](/peru/cusco/tours/salkantay-premium-trek-5-days-glamping-adventure-to-machu-picchu/?format=md) | €1157 | 5 days | 4.98 (1491) | shared | Ranked #29 of 33 in Salkantay Treks by Guidekin score (rating weighted by review volume). Prices here run from €246 to €1749, median €633; typical length 5 days. 2 of 33 are private. Figures are live from the tour cards; the rubric is our handpicked set, not the whole market. Full list: https://guidekin.com/peru/cusco/salkantay-trek/?format=md ## More in Cusco - All Cusco tours: https://guidekin.com/peru/cusco/?format=md - This page as HTML: https://guidekin.com/peru/cusco/tours/4-day-salkantay-trek-to-machu-picchu/ Filters, the full catalogue and the URL contract for this city: https://guidekin.com/peru/cusco/?format=md