Ultimate Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5 Days

I had an amazing experience. The trek itself was beautiful, discovering amazing nature : lake, glacier, rainforest, and ending with the breathtaking Machu Picchu. But the experience was even better thanks to our friendly guides (Gilbert and Balvin) and the brave and amazing staff (Leandro, Valeria, Ivan and Elvis) who worked hard in the shadows, preparing delicious food, carrying the equipment, setting up the tents, taking care of us down to the smallest detail. Thank you to all of you for these incredible 5 days !

The 5-day Salkantay Trek with TreXperience was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s not always comfortable, but I’m very glad we did it. Highlights: Machu Picchu was amazing, though the crowds and theme-park feel of the entry took some of the shine off. The real surprises came earlier. Reaching the top of the Salkantay Pass felt like a genuine achievement, and later that day we went from snowy tundra at around 2°C to lush green jungle in the mid-20s, in what felt like a few hours. The views often felt like VR, except the world really can be that spectacular. And after four days of trekking, the first proper shower in comfortable accommodation was a well-earned treat. Disconnecting: One of the best parts is switching off from modern life. Mobile signal and WiFi are extremely limited. You can buy WiFi at the second night’s accommodation for 10 soles, though it isn’t fast. The fourth night is in a three-star hotel in Aguas Calientes, with readily available signal and WiFi, and after four days on the trail the hotel feels like a five-star reward. Know what you’re signing up for: The Salkantay is more comfortable than the Inca Trail, with only one night of proper camping. Even so, expect limited, basic facilities. You’ll come to appreciate a toilet with a seat, electricity and real privacy once you’re back. The people: Our guides, Filio and Evans, were knowledgeable, took safety very seriously and put the group’s experience first. We were lucky to have them. The group was great too, with time together and space to ourselves. The team behind the scenes deserves equal credit. Our belongings always arrived, and the hearty, delicious meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) were a highlight. Altitude: Take it seriously. We spent 72 hours in Cusco beforehand, as advised. Some in our group really struggled. For us it felt like a mild hangover, with a headache and not feeling 100%, but we could power through. The difficulty: We were mostly worried about the hygiene facilities, and that was justified, but we should have thought harder about how tough the walking is. I’m very fit and train daily, my partner is less so, and we both struggled at points. Descents may sound like a chance to catch your breath, but they’re hard on knees and feet, which is a different kind of challenge. You need real hiking experience or a high level of fitness, plus a plan for the altitude. Tips: Tipping is described as never expected but always appreciated. In practice it leans towards being expected, so budget for it. TreXperience’s guidance was broadly accurate. Verdict: If you’ve always wanted to do this, do it. You might not want to do it again, but you’ll be glad you did.

I did the Salkantay Trek with Alex, Alberto, and Ramon. I’d like to thank them and highlight how hard they worked to make sure everything went perfectly, which it absolutely did. I was also impressed by their skills, professionalism, and friendliness. They are fantastic and have taken the company’s reputation to the highest level.

Really awesome tour! We did the 5-Day Salkantay Trek. Our tour guide, Fernando, was a really kind, funny guy and knew everything we asked him. He told us a lot about nature, Inka culture and history. The whole group with him felt more like a friends trip, which we all enjoyed. He also always informed us with the important details about our next steps, reminded us when necessary and made sure, we got the best experience possible. We never worried about our safety during the tour. We slept in Tipis, little huts and tents which were all comfortable and in good shape. The first night is very cold and we all got hot water bottles to put in our sleeping bag which at that point was the best to keep us warm and cozy. Every day, we got something different for breakfast, lunch and dinner, which was always top quality, very diverse and kept us full for the next hike. It's a mix of local, classic Peruvian good, with fresh ingredients and they also respected any dietary restrictions. It really felt like comfort food. Food was always ready when we arrived at the lunch spot or campsite. Big respect for the chef Fredy and his cooking staff. The Salkantay Trek is a great combination between nature, glacier views, jungle, Inka history, some challenging hikes and fun along the way. I really think we got the best guide and staff possible! The stay in Aguas Calientes was nice and comfortable, though the room in the hotel was next to the train tracks and quite loud. Machu Picchu was incredible to see. We got a 3 pm ticket for circuit 2, which is great because it is less busy then. Our guide, Roberto, knew a lot about the Inkas and also was happy to be our personal photographer. The only unfortunate thing was that our train was booked for 6:20 pm which meant we had ~2 hours for Machu Picchu itself, which is honestly quite short. Roberto made sure, we make it in time, but that meant we couldn't walk around the site by ourselves anymore. It would've been better to book a later train ticket, or recommend us to stay another night in Aguas Calientes, which would've been more enjoyable for us. We would have liked a more transparent communication from the office about the last day and the return to Cusco since we only got the details at the last day. If we had known more, we would've e.g. booked another night in Aguas Calientes or asked for a later train. Overall, the experience was much more and better than we expected. It felt very complete and like we got the best of everything. I would recommend the Salkantay Trek over the Inka trail for everone who enjoys the nature + Inka history combination and likes being physically active. The main tour guide Fernando, the chef Fredy and his cooking staff, as well as our guide in Machu Picchu Roberto are 11/10.

The overall experience was excellent. Starting with the conversation from the beginning until the very end the service and support was great. We booked the 5D/4N Salkantay Trek and expected a hike from A-B with campsites and simple food in between. What we got was way beyond our expectations. The briefing the day before was very detailed and a good point to get to know the group, which in our case was composed of 8 people, excluding the Guide. The tour itself was challenging but for an average sporty person doable. Even though the hike starts very high (acclimatization is absolutely necessary beforehand), our Tour guide, Fernando, did an outstanding job in keeping us safe and motivated. He always made sure that no one is left behind, all kinds of uncertainties, regarding the hike, the altitude or whatsoever were enlightened and answered and didn’t matter what kind of question you had, he answered them professionally and always with a story behind. Doesn’t matter if it’s a question regarding inka history, the mountains or the nature and wildlife itself. Fernando made sure we had the experience of our lives, from the briefing until the very end. During the hike we slept in Tipi-tents, Andean huts, a normal tent and a hotel. All three accommodations were above what we expected and in a good shape. The amenities on the campsites were always satisfactory and matched the humans needs. Regarding the food that was provided, the chef, Fredy, and his assistants made sure our expectations were blown away. Everyday we got breakfast, lunch and dinner. Those meals were some of the best local and classic Peruvian food we had during our whole trip in Peru. The amount, quality and diversity of the meals provided were above what you’re known from a hotel buffet. They also made sure that all kinds of allergies or dietary preferences were matched and still no one is left hungry. Even though during the briefing they tell you to bring snack with you, that’s Not necessary at all in our opinion, since the food provided is more that you can eat. Arriving in aguas calientes and knowing machu pichu is right in front of you was still one of the best moments. The Hotel provided is a 3-star average hotel. It’s nice and you can sleep very comfortably, even though the train tracks just infront can keep you up during the night. Normally the machu pichu entry is in the morning with the whole group, but due to availability of tickets we had an afternoon entry with a private tour guide, which was an extra fee. Nevertheless the guide, Roberto, was very proficient, with a lot of inka knowledge and knew his way around so we were exactly on time. But I would recommend everybody who has an afternoon ticket, to either get a late train (after 1900) or stay another night in aguas calientes, so you have enough time in machu pichu to enjoy. Out time frame left us with only 1:45 to make it back in time wich was enough but felt a little shortened, especially at the end. Overall experience and review: Tour Guide: 11/10 (Fernando) Cooking staff: 11/10 (Fredy) Support from the office: 9/10 (I would’ve wished for a more transparent overview of the last day; we were left a little in the dark until the briefing day) Tour guide Machu Pichu: 11/10 (Roberto)