Upon arrival at the Alejandro Velasco Astete Airport in Cusco, you’ll be warmly welcomed by a member of the Inkayni Peru Tours team. We’ll escort you to your accommodation, a charming lodge located in Cusco 3,400 meters (11,000 feet). This day is set aside for rest and acclimatization. Enjoy a relaxed afternoon and get to know your surroundings. In the afternoon, meet your expedition group for a briefing about the incredible adventures ahead.
Our adventure begins as we ascend to the high plains, stopping first at Chinchero (3,762 m / 12,343 ft), a sacred Inca site known as the birthplace of the rainbow. Here, we’ll visit its colonial church, built upon ancient Inca foundations, and explore its archaeological remains. We’ll then head to a local textile center, where Andean artisans will share the ancestral art of weaving, using minerals, plants, and seeds to create stunning natural dyes. Continuing through rolling hills, we’ll reach Moray (3,500 m / 11,482 ft), a fascinating complex of circular terraces once used as an agricultural laboratory by the Incas. Nearby, we’ll visit the Maras salt mines (3,380 m / 11,089 ft), a breathtaking landscape of thousands of salt pools that have been harvested by local families for centuries. In the afternoon, we will board our private transport back to Cusco, enjoying the scenic landscapes of the Sacred Valley at sunset
Your trekking adventure begins early in the morning as we leave Cusco around very early, heading to Mollepata (9,514 feet / 2,900 meters). After a quick stop for last-minute supplies, we’ll continue to the trailhead at Sayapata, where our support team will prepare the horses and mules to carry equipment. Around 9:00 a.m., the trek officially starts, taking us through lush valleys and offering stunning views of Salkantay Mountain (20,574 feet / 6,271 meters). As you ascend, feel the crisp Andean air and immerse yourself in the raw beauty of this remote region. Enjoy a traditional Peruvian lunch at a scenic spot along the trail before continuing toward Humantay Lake, a dazzling turquoise gem surrounded by snow-capped peaks. Return to your camp at Soraypampa, where your tents and a hearty dinner await. As the stars illuminate the sky, take a moment to reflect on the incredible day you’ve just had.
After an energizing breakfast, prepare for the most challenging but rewarding day of the trek. Departing around 7:00 a.m., we’ll ascend to the Salkantay Pass (15,092 feet / 4,600 meters), the highest point of the journey. Feel the exhilaration of reaching this majestic spot, surrounded by towering peaks like Humantay and the snow-covered Apu Salkantay, revered by locals as a sacred protector. After taking in the breathtaking views, we’ll descend to Huayracmachay (12,140 feet / 3,700 meters) for lunch, where the landscape begins to shift dramatically. From icy peaks to lush cloud forests, the trail offers a kaleidoscope of ecosystems. By late afternoon, we’ll arrive at Challway, a tranquil campsite nestled in the Andes. Enjoy dinner and rest up for another unforgettable day.
Wake up to the soft glow of sunrise and begin your trek through the cloud forest, a region alive with cascading waterfalls, exotic birds, and fruit-bearing trees. Along the way, pass through Collpabamba, often called the “Cloud Forest Edge,” where you might spot the vibrant Cock of the Rock, Peru’s national bird. After lunch at Playa Sahuayaco, continue to Lucmabamba, your final campsite and the starting point of the Inca Trail to Llactapata. Spend the evening relaxing at camp, surrounded by the sounds of nature.
Your morning begins with a two-hour ascent to Llactapata (8,858 feet / 2,700 meters), an archaeological site offering a rare vantage point of Machu Picchu from afar. Take time to explore this hidden gem and reflect on the Inca civilization’s ingenuity before descending to Hidroelectrica, where you’ll stop for lunch. The final leg of the day is a scenic three-hour walk along the train tracks to Aguas Calientes, the gateway to Machu Picchu. After checking into your hotel, enjoy dinner with your group and rest up for tomorrow’s visit to the iconic citadel.
The day begins early with breakfast before boarding one of the morning buses to Machu Picchu (2,430 meters or 7,972 feet). Upon entering the Inca citadel, your guide will lead you on an in-depth tour, sharing the captivating history of this iconic site and explaining its most remarkable features, such as temples, ceremonial areas, terraces, and storage structures. If you’ve secured an additional ticket in advance, you’ll also have the opportunity to explore either Huayna Picchu (2,720 meters or 8,924 feet) or Machu Picchu Mountain (3,082 meters or 10,111 feet) for a breathtaking perspective of the surroundings. After the guided tour, the group will return to Aguas Calientes for a brief rest and lunch. In the afternoon, you’ll board a train back to Ollantaytambo, where a private van will be waiting to take you to Cusco.
Free morning to relax. In the morning or afternoon, we’ll transfer you to the Alejandro Velasco Astete Airport for your departure to Lima, marking the end of your unforgettable journey.
Had a great time with Freddy, our guide, and the crew. We were well taken care of and I felt relaxed knowing that everything was handled. Freddy was informative and I learned a lot and we had so much fun.
Excellent trip; communication with Inkayni from booking to the day the tour began was excellent; exceptional value for the money; we had THE BEST GUIDE (Edwin-10/10 recommend) and THE BEST COOK (Sabino) ever. Our guide was kind, funny, helpful, and such an excellent fit for our group of 3 girlfriends traveling together. The food tasted like gourmet restaurant meals, not like camp food. Hotels exceeded expectations; service was top-notch. I cannot recommend this trip, and specifically Edwin and Sabino, enough. The trek itself is difficult, as advertised, but Inkayni will do everything they can to ensure you a successful tour. I recommend this trip and this operator wholeheartedly based on our experience!
We did the Salkantay Trek! Edwin was our tour guide and we hit the jackpot with him! He is extremely kind, fun, and friendly! VERY knowledgeable, and put up with us crazy girls for a week! The cook and horseman were wonderful as well! Couldn't have asked for a better crew! Experience of a lifetime! Highly recommend!!!
100/10. Highly highly recommend. First off, prior to arriving, Inkanyi Tours was always prompt with communication and accommodation, and provided numbers in case we had any issues so we could reach them once we were international. Then the trip. The day exploring Cusco, Inca Ruins and the Salt Mines was a great acclimation day and provided so much interesting history I didn't know. Then the hike. Stunning. It is definitely hard, so please know your fitness level prior to going. But our whole team was encouraging and let us go our pace safely. However, the absolute best part of the trip were the people. Our guide Edwin was simply incredible. We were a bunch of slightly off kilter friends and he quickly joined in with the jokes and laughter, while providing amazing history and insight into the flora and history we were experiencing. He was kind and checked in to make sure we had what we needed and were feeling okay. He encouraged us when we were flagging from the exertion, helped be our expert photographer, and honestly made this trip one of the best! I also can't forget to mention our cook Sabino. The food was incredible. I thought we'd get a packed lunch bag and a warm dinner. Oh no, be prepared to feast on the trail. We had 4 courses for every meal (yes, lunch too), more fresh fruit and vegetables than I normally eat in a month and everything cooked to perfection. Our horseman and driver were also wonderful delights. Literally everything from this trip was amazing and I highly recommend it. I also read somewhere they are an ethical company too, so I always like to support a company that treats their employees well! Our group also opted for Huayna Picchu (please Google before you sign up for it. It's a kicker for climbing and sheer drops), got to visit the Hot Springs, and to try delicious fruit along the way. We were kept apprised on what to expect every day and had ample water, bathroom breaks, etc along the trail. Our tent accommodations were spacious and often in nice little offbeat spots. At a couple sites we had access to showers but did not take advantage. Most had some kind of rudimentary toilet. Be sure to pack your own toilet paper and some sols though! Oh- and I can't forget the hotels! Wonderful accommodations too. They had everything we were looking for on this trip. Hope you enjoy it like we did!!
Guide was fantastic with everything involved. Knowledge of all history of country and hiking was well told in many stories! Wonderful experience was well had. Chef and Porters were absolutely amazing and nothing was ever a trouble!
This trip was amazing! We had some hiccups with transports, but the Inkayni was very responsive. Our group was small, three people and our guide, Freddy Torres, and chef and horseman, Nesario and Manuel. They were all wonderful; the trail was long and tough, but they worked hard and made sure we were fed and comfortable. I would travel again with these three in a heartbeat! We also had a medical concern that took us out of the last day of trekking (no one got hurt, it was a blood pressure issue), and Freddy did a wonderful job coordinating to get appropriate medical care, and got us back on track for Machu Picchu once that was taken care of. The company was quick to rearrange transports. Of note, we had to return to Cusco for medical care, and the process was efficient and professional from start to end. Very impressed! Freddy made our whole trip a truly special experience with his knowledge and experience, and we gained another family member! Of course the Salkantay Pass, Machu Picchu, and Huayna Picchu were breathtaking and I recommend everyone take the time to visit, but Freddy, Nesario and Manuel made it extra special. I have had mediocre tour guides before and that can completely change an experience, so I am grateful for the team we had! I would book through Inkayni again, and would recommend the company for tours in Peru.
Our guide Freddie was amazing! He did an awesome job leading us on the hikes and teaching us about the Inca culture and beliefs. Nasario cooked amazing healthy meals to sustain us on our journey and Manuel did a fantastic job setting up camp and taking care of the horses/mules.
I had a wonderful experience using Inkayni Perú Tours. Yiyo was the guide for three women who on varied occasions struggled with altitude sickness, stomach bugs, and a sinus infection. He was very patient and caring. Yiyo made sure we all were having a good time, and allowed us to take as many breaks as our hearts desired. He helped pass the time with fun stories as well as informative tidbits of the areas we were traversing. His easy going and playful personality helped bring some lightheartedness to the long days of trekking. Zacarías, the master chef, prepared incredible 3 course meals breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It blew my mind how creative he was with every meal, ensuring each meal was different from the last yet equally delicious and nutritious. He even baked us a beautiful cake for breakfast to celebrate finishing the most difficult part of the trek. His cooking abilities, and incredible work ethic is inspiring (he carried a 15 kg pack up and down the mountains daily) I could barely carry my 5 kg pack at 31, and he’s 53! Lastly Victor, the brilliant cowboy who carried our overpacked heavy ass bags by horse each day was amazing! Three princesses who required a certain level of comfort were able to sleep in clean clothes with all our bedtime beauty rituals could not have done the 4 day trek without his horses and his cowboy skills. Thank you for everything Yiyo, Zacarías, Victor. You’re amazing!
Great weather and a nice varied experience. The guide Percival Callas and crew were great with meals and knowledge of Inca customs Andean people and the quechuan language with a flair for drama
This tour was very well organized and engaging. Ernesto, our guide, was enthusiastic about the Inkas, being one half Inca himself, and shared his history and culture in a very inviting way. He was also accommodating to our needs and altered the schedule to suit us, we visited a hot springs for some much needed soaking! Mario and Victor, our cook and porter, were extremely nice and helpful. Victor let me rent a horse for one challenging pass. At almost 70 years old there were some tough paths to follow, but well worth it. Every day was well planned but not at all rushed. Every road we traveled was breathtaking. And Machu Picchu is stunning. Everyone I met in Peru was friendly and kind. Even with my high school Spanish and Google translate, I had no problem communicating with the nice people I met, most of whom spoke English. And there were lots of nice people there. I recommend a Cusco and Machu Picchu expedition as a must for every traveler. Buenos Dias!
Amazing, beautiful, informative and challenging. Machu Picchu is even more beautiful than can be pictured. Inkayni is a first class tour company with everything well organised with no hitches. Inkayni is a socially responsible company with a good outreach program among the indigenous communities the walk encompasses. Jamie our tour leader is knowledgeable, passionate with excellent English and Mario the cook and the porter Victor were also excellent. The walk through Salkantay pass is challenging getting upto 4600m, but as we had spent 5 days in Cusco beforehand, it wasn't too difficult. The walk from glaciers through cloud forest to rain forest is magnificent, more scenic than the classic Inca trail but you miss out on entering Machu Picchu through the sun gate. The last day's walk is a bit of a slog being 27k with a fairly steep rise at the start.
We had a wonderful trip celebrating our 25th anniversary! Ernesto was great and a very informative guide. Victor the horseman and Mario the chef were great! We really enjoyed our experience.
We started our trip in Cusco and stayed in the amazing Ayni Cusco Hotel for two nights, the transfer from the airport was seamless and the drivers gave us a great welcome to Cusco! The hotel is brand new and the service was 100% from start to finish! It is the perfect place to settle in comfortably after a long flight and a great location to get to and from Cusco main square. There we met our guide for the trip Ernesto, he is a veteran of the Cusco trekking game and made my wife and I feel at ease throughout every part of the trek. We trekked with Ernesto and our horseman Victor and chef Hermino travelled ahead of us. Their efforts were extraordinary throughout. Victor worked tirelessly to make us comfortable and ensure the trip ran smoothly. Hermino is an excellent and talented chief, he gave us a varied range of courses and paid attention to what he liked the best! As a parting gift he made us a cake with the outline of the Salkantay trek on it! The scenery was magnificent, some sights near the glaciers were unbelievable. Ernesto always added to that experience with his in-depth knowledge of all the areas we visited and always spoke with a great passion for his Inca ancestors. My wife and I would recommend this trip to all and it was a really special experience made all the better by the great people who operated the trip! A++++
The Salkantay and Machu Picchu trek with Freddy Torres as our guide in March 2022 was phenomenal! The entire team put together a high quality experience with good equipment and excellent food. Freddy added an extra dimension with his incredible knowledge of nature and culture, his very warm and fun personality and superb customer service - often well beyond the call of duty! His English is impeccable and he really wants to know his customers - turning them into friends instantly. We would love to come back to the region and do another trip with Freddy!
Freddie was a great guide, and the kids and I had a wonderful time exploring Peru. Would highly recommend.
Thanks Mr. Jonathan! My tour guide for couple days in Cusco. I was with Mr. Jonathan during my Peru trip, he was very knowledgeable and passionate about what he doing. I was so lucky and glad that I’ve got him as my tour guide. Not only the details about all places you visit that he knows, but also feel free to ask him about good local restaurants, trips to rainbow mountain to avoid extra charge for horses riding! I really appreciated that he tell the truth about the actual price so you don’t have to pay extra! On top of the Machu Picchu while he stopped and gave the details about Machu Picchu history, he stopped at the nice spot that you can take pictures, VDO or records your memories. He has done his best for what he’s doing. Thank you so much Mr. Jonathan! I can feel that you have good intentions of what you do.
This trip was absolutely amazing!! Paul Cano (our tour guide) was exceptional and taught us so much along the way. Mario and Felix fed us with delicious hot meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Would come back to do another adventure with Paul and this amazing team.
This was the most amazing and challenging hike I've ever done! Beautiful views. Great staff support! Our guide, Paul Cano, was so helpful, great attitude, encouraging, a walking encyclopedia of Inca history, culture, and mystery. Chef Mr. Mario kept us well fed with the best Peruvian mountain dishes. Understand, this hike will challenge you physically, mentally, and spiritually, but the result is growth, a better self understanding, and some of the best that the Andes has to offer.
This trek experience was one of the best times of my life. We hiked around 82 kilometers total as I choose go a little farther after camp to see some temples. This is the best way to see camino Inka - the Andes mountains are truly beautiful and so are the people along the way. My guide Freddie did everything he could to make sure I was ok at all times. Freddie is educated from the university on Inka history and Machu Picchu and can answer any questions along the hike. Our chef Felix was amazing and made better food than some restaurants! Keep in mind that you are camping- real camping. But the horsemen and porters will carry most of your things. You’ll have a small pack but they can carry the rest of your clothes. If you’re up for an adventure and ready to hike is all conditions than this is your trek!
Everything about the trip was amazing. It by far exceeded expectations. Ronald our tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, kind and attentive to make our experience the best it can be. Our horseman and Chef were also amazing. We loved them. All was taken care for us and perfectly planned. The food was delicious, the trek was fantastic, challenging, fun and we were left in awe of the beautiful views, the people we met and the experiences we had.
Travelled with my son on the joint Salkantay and Inca trail tour with our guide MAru and cook Mario. WOW WOW!! It was just awesome, the whole experience, the care and attention that were given to us as a party of 2 for the whole week from our guide, chef and porters.. The wild Salkantay was the BEST part for us as it was so remote and wildly beautiful, by the time we got to the Inca trail we were already sold on the Andes and the trekking experience. the food was great and always good variety and food types. Maru our guide was ultra knowledgable on the Incas, the trails, the flora and fauna and the Quechua language which was fascinating and interesting. We really did feel like we made new friends and our guide treated us with the right amount of push when needed and care and attention when we struggled. I cant say enough about how good this tour was and how lifechanging it was for me and my son. Thankyou Inkayni.
Our 8 Day Trek was amazing. Our guide Herlin and his crew were great and took good care of us all the way through. The food was amazing and the crew did a great job of having our camp and hot meals ready for us after our sometimes long and wet days of trekking. Inkanyi were very organized. They met us at the airport and all of our accommodations and transportation were on time and comfortable. The hotels were very nice and exceeded our expectations . Herlin was awesome. He is very knowledgeable, a good leader, and was fun and enjoyable to spend time with. He shared with us a wealth of knowledge and experience about Inca culture and history and instantly became a welcomed part of our family vacation. Hiking over Salkantay was spectacular and challenging. My wife and I are in our mid 40s and our kids are 12 and 13. There is plenty of time to move at our own slow pace so the summit is totally doable. On the 3rd and 4th Days we opted to visit the Hot Springs and do a zip lining tour which I highly recommend. Amazing, memorable, and educational experience all round. I highly recommend it.
An unforgettable experience, they are kingpins ,Paul was our main guide and always explained everything we should know and hooked us with his stories about history or interesting facts and dear brother ,the chef, was our favorite person preparing delicious food ,I can not imagine our 7 day trip without all that organized team and striving for everything to be ready at the right time, we were one team during the 7 days .I loved him! Thank you for the experience!!!
Wilbert was a fantastic guide in all aspects: knowledgeable, patient, vigilant and attentive. He made sure our group had an amazing, enjoyable and safe trip to Machu Picchu on the Salkantay trail. I recommend it without hesitation.
My guide Wilbert was amazing. He treated my friends and I like family. He was very knowledgeable, but most importantly he cared about our safety and enjoyment. Very genuine and a great experience.
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