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Mollepata - Salkantay - Sta Teresa - Machupicchu 5D/4N |
Tour Length: 05 days / 04 nights
Departures: Everyday throughout the year.
Activities: Cultural, Archaeological
Spots to visit: Cusco, Salcantay Glacier, Santa Teresa, Machu Picchu |
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The Mollepata Salcantay is a different trek to arrive at Machu Picchu, through Inca trails barely explored; the landscape and the natural beauty, with exotic flora and fauna are along all the adventure, crossing valleys and snow capped mountains. This trek, although is demanding, will lead you along the most beautiful sceneries of the Southern Andes Range. |
Day 01 CUSCO - SORAIPAMPA: At 0500 am the group left Cusco heading Northwest through a good paved highway and passing the towns of Izcuchaca and Limatambo arrives to Mollepata (0900 approximately) here we’ll have breakfast prior the beginning of the hike. |
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the hike will continue and lunch is served in the sector called Silca Cancha; then the hike continues for another three hours toward to the first campsite in Soraypampa, dinner and overnight. |
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Day 02 SORAIPAMPA - HUAYRAC: After a good and energetic breakfast we will be ready to start the longest and more difficult part of the trek; leaving at 0700 we’ll cross the spot called Pampa Salcantay, and then follow towards the left side of the snowed Umantay (5917 m), |
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which is next to the snowed Salcantay (6271 m), by 1200 pm you will be in one of the highest points, next to Salcantay and the Umantay, nearly 4500 m. In this spectacular spot you’ll have a sight of the glaciers of Salcantay and an incomparable view of the snow avalanches from the glacier; after one hour more or less you’ll have lunch at Ichupata, then the hike, after three demanding hours arrive to the communities of Huayrac and Arrayanniyuc; the campsite is set in Challhuay or Collpabamba, dinner and overnight. |
Day 03: HUAYRAC – LA PLAYA: This day will be unforgettable; throughout the trek you’ll see a great variety of flora and fauna, from Huayrac and passing through the Arrayanniyuc communities and continue descending towards the forest lowlands or “Ceja de Selva”. |
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where we will appreciate a hot spring source located in a small valley located in the confluence of the Totora and Salcantay Rivers; soon after we’ll follow the course of the Santa Teresa river, watching in this section diverse varieties of orchids and water falls of great magnitude; at aprox. 1300 you will arrive to the village of Wiñay Poko where lunch is served, thereafter four hours descending hike will lead you to your campsite at La Playa, dinner and overnight. |
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Day 04: LA PLAYA – SANTA TERESA: The departure is programmed at about 0730, this day is a long walk through a lust forest, you’ll appreciate a great variety of coffee crops, fruit trees, bananas, avocados trees and one of the most interesting crops are, no doubt, the Coca leaf crops, the Sacred leaf at the Incas which is harvested only in sub-tropical zones like this; the trek continue along a dusty trail, arriving to Santa Teresa and then follows the banks of the Vilcanota River until the spot call the bridge where in a typical transport of this area, the cable-car. |
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you cross the River then the hike continue until the lunch point. After 3 hours of trek we’ll have a sight to Machu Picchu from an unusual angle and we’ll stop for one hour; the trek continuous descending until Hydro-Electrical station (1900m) and from there towards to Puente Ruinas and finally to Aguas Calientes (2050m), the tourist-town beneath the ruins of Machu Picchu where we spend the night in a cozy inn; dinner and overnight. |
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Day 05: AGUAS CALIENTES - MACHUPICCHU - CUSCO: After breakfast the group will visit the ruins for a complete tour of the major sectors. The tour takes about 2 hours so by about 12:30 you'll have free time to explore the ruins alone. The returning train to Cusco departs from Aguas Calientes, which is the nearest village to the ruins of Machu Picchu. The train departs at approximately 16:30 (time can vary) and you'll be arriving in Cusco at about 21:00; is NOT included in our standard service the tourist bus from Machu Picchu down to Aguas Calientes; the train return to Cusco and a transfer from the station to you hotel. |
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| Sometimes however, which is most of the cases, we buy train tickets just return as far as Ollantaytambo and then bring you return to your hotel in Cusco by private bus. |
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Includes:
This trek is just a “little bit” more demanding than the regular Inca Trail, and horses can be used to carry food and equipment. But it is worth it! There are less tourist and better scenery and views!
Group Size: Typical group size 08 -12, Maximum 16 persons
Departures: Everyday throughout the year.
Recommended months to do the hike: From April to December.
Inclusions:
* Collection from your hotel in the morning
* Local Bus Cusco – Mollepata.
* Return Train Aguas Calientes – Cusco or Ollantaytambo and /or Bus Ollantaytambo Cusco
* Train Hydro electrical to Aguas Calientes.
* Machu Picchu admission fee.
* Horses and mules to carry the camp gear.
* Muleteer.
* English speaking professional guide (two guides for groups over 9 persons)
* Igloo tents - 2 persons in each 4-person capacity tent with plenty of space for your backpacks
* Double thickness foam mattress
* Cook and cooking equipment
* Meals (05B,04L,04D) - food includes pancakes, omelets, soups, fresh fruit, avocado, pasta, chicken, fish, meat, rice, all rich in carbohydrates and suitable for trekking, hot drinks including coca leaf tea which is excellent for the altitude.
* Porters (to carry the tents, food, and cooking equipment)
* Dining tent with camp tables and chairs
* Kitchen tent
* Accommodation for our porters and cooks
* First aid kit including emergency oxygen bottle
* Transfer from the train station to your hotel.
Not included:
* Bus from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes.
* Meal in restaurant in Aguas Calientes on day 5 of the trek.
* Entrance to the thermal springs in Aguas Calientes US$1.5.
* Sleeping bags can be hired in our office for US$8 for the 4 day trek.
* Tips for the guide, cook and porters
What you need to bring/carry:
* Backpack,
* Sleeping bag (can be hired from our office for US$2 per day)
* Sleeping mattress (we will provide you with this)
* Rain jacket or poncho (plastic ponchos can be purchased in Cusco for a few dollars)
* Strong, comfortable footwear, waterproof.
* One complete change of clothing (you can afford to carry more changes of clothing if you hire a personal porter, see options below)
* Sweater and jacket (something warm)
* Water bottle and purification tablets (Micropur are recommended and can be bought in local pharmacies in Cusco)
* Flashlight and batteries
* Hat or cap to protect you from the sun
* Sun block (sun protection cream)
* Insects repellent
* Toiletries, towel and toilet paper
* Selection of small snacks, chocolate, dried fruit, biscuits etc,
* Camera, plenty of film and spare batteries
* Swimsuit (if you plan on visiting the hot springs at Aguas Calientes after the trek)
* You also need to bring your original passport on the trail.
Options:
(1) Personal porters can be hired to help carry your personal items such as clothes, sleeping bag etc. They can be hired for $70 for all 4 days and will carry up to a maximum of 18kg (usually 1 porter between 2 persons is more than sufficient). You can hire the services of a half a porter to carry up to 9kg for US$35. However, even with a personal porter, you will still need to bring a day pack for essential items.
About 30% of the group usually has personal porters to help them. If you hire a porter we will provide you with a sack to put your items in to give to the porter. This extra porter will help you carry: duffle bag or sack (we will provide you with this), sleeping bag, mattress (we will provide you with this), clothing, sweater, jacket, wooly hat, scarf, gloves (something warm for at night), flashlight and batteries, toiletries. Your personal porter, however, will not walk at your side so you will still need to bring a day pack for essential items. You will meet up with your porter at lunch time and at the campsite late in the afternoon. Equipment to be carried by yourselves: small day pack, water bottle and sterilizing tablets, warm sweater, broad-brim or peaked cap, sun protection cream, insect repellent, toilet paper, selection of small snacks for the day etc, camera, lightweight plastic poncho just in case of rain (can be bought in Cusco for US$1) Important note: You must decide if you want to hire the services of a personal porter in advance when making your trek reservation since we need to purchase the porter's trekking permit. You cannot decide to hire an additional porter once you arrive in Cusco.
Vegetarian Food
We can provide vegetarian meals or cater for special diets with no extra cost. Just let us know at least 2 days prior to trek departure.
Sleeping bag hire. If you haven't got a sleeping bag or you don't want the hassle of bringing one with you then we have sleeping bags in our office for rent. The price is US$2 per person per day.
Other information:
(1) Luggage storage. When you go on the trek it is best to leave any luggage that you are not going to need behind in Cusco. Nearly all the hotels in Cusco provide a secure luggage deposit. Put any valuables in their safe. Very rarely do hotels charge for this service especially if you are returning to the same hotel after the trek. If there are any problems with your hotel we can arrange to store your luggage at our office.
(2) Time of arrival in Cusco. Unless you plan to stay an extra night in Aguas Calientes, you will return to your hotel in Cusco for approximately 9pm on the 5th day of the trek. |
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