Salkantay Trekking

I had both the 1 day Sacred Valley tour and the 5 day classic Salkantay Trek at the Salkantay Trekking company. Both were amazing experience all the way through, however the Salkantay Trek was like nothing I’ve ever experienced! From trekking and views, to overnight stays in domes, top the challenge level. Our guide, Edwin, was amazing and made the trip magnificent!
Furthermore, huge shout out to the rest of the personnel, the chefs and our "horse driver" who served a lot of various great tasting foods while also doing the trek themselves. Simply incredible!

We recently joined the 4D3N Salkantay Trek and had a truly great experience with our guide Edgar. Although this organization is surely (much) more expensive than basically all other tour operators in town it is definitely worth the extra money. As always the devil is in the details. For example, since we got back by train on the 4th day there was much more time for visiting Machu Picchu compared to other tour operators (whose groups were going back by bus and had to leave much earlier). On the 2nd day we were also able to enjoy a hot shower and had access to WiFi whereas other groups were again spending the night under far less ideal circumstances.

As for the trip itself everything was extremely well arranged. The food that was served was healthy, diverse and with eye for detail. We never felt rushed during the hikes and the views that we experienced along the way were often simply spectacular.

Apparently, some people complained before about a lack of support. I do not recognize this. The hike can easily be completed with an average condition. Given the high altitude one should, however, be acclimatized for at least 2 days prior to undertaking this trip. Furthermore, one should take breaks and drink enough water while hiking. These things should be common sense and an organization cannot be blamed for a lack of personal preparation/responsibility.

Our 5-day private premium hiking tour in Peru was an absolute adventure of a lifetime! Despite unforeseen challenges like landslides that led to some adjustments in our itinerary, the experience was nothing short of extraordinary. From majestic mountain vistas to lush rainforest trails, every moment was filled with wonder and awe.

First and foremost, let me sing praises for our exceptional guide, Ricardo. Without a doubt, he was the highlight of our entire journey. Ricardo's expertise, patience, and adaptability were unmatched. Despite the need to adjust our plans, he seamlessly guided us through each leg of the journey with grace and professionalism. His deep knowledge of the terrain and local culture added immeasurable depth to our experience, making every step of the way truly unforgettable.

The highlights of our tour were many. Humantay Lake, with its shimmering turquoise waters set against the backdrop of towering peaks, took our breath away. Salkantay Pass tested our limits but rewarded us with panoramic views that stretched as far as the eye could see. Mountain Sky View offered moments of tranquility and reflection as we gazed out over the pristine landscape. And exploring the Cusco rainforest was like stepping into a magical realm, where every tree seemed to whisper secrets of ancient civilizations.

Of course, no journey through Peru would be complete without a visit to the crown jewel of the Andes: Machu Picchu. Despite the challenges we faced along the way, Ricardo ensured that our visit to this iconic site was nothing short of magical. His insights into the history and significance of Machu Picchu added layers of meaning to our experience, leaving us in awe of the ingenuity and resilience of the ancient Incas.

In summary, our 5-day private hiking tour in Peru was an adventure beyond compare. From the stunning landscapes to the rich cultural heritage, every moment was a testament to the beauty and majesty of this remarkable country. And it was all made possible by the exceptional guidance and care of Ricardo, who truly went above and beyond to ensure that our experience was nothing short of extraordinary. Muchas gracias, Ricardo, for an unforgettable journey!

My husband and I had the most amazing adventure with our WONDERFUL guide Porfirio and Salkantay trekking! We HIGHLY recommend them for any adventure and especially the Salkantay trek! We did the 5 day Salkantay trek and Porfirio made sure that it all went smoothly and we had a wonderful time! Salkantay trekking is extremely organized from the moment we booked to the end, they have every detail taken care of so you can just enjoy the spectacular views, delicious food and stunning accommodations without worrying about anything else.
Porfirio was the BEST guide we could have ever asked for. We were so blessed to be accompanied by such a kind, caring, organized, professional and dedicated guide! He was extremely knowledgeable about the trek, history, and even all the plants and nature we encountered along the trail. He was always enthusiastic and encouraging and constantly teaching us new things and telling fun and interesting stories. Despite the second day being very hard, he stayed with us, gave us encouragement and taught us techniques for getting to the top. He helped us with anything we needed and always gave us options to spend the time how we wished. On our last day at Machu Picchu the clouds were heavy when we got there and he patiently waited with us for the fog to pass and reorganized our day so we made up the time (and still made it to Huayna Picchu which he also came with us to). He also is a FANTASTIC photographer and took so many beautiful photos for us along the route.
The food was also fabulous! Our wonderful chef Abel prepared us a beautiful spread for breakfast, lunch, tea time and dinner every day! We were blown away by the variety and quality of the meals- they were 5 star every day! He also took a lot of time to make a beautiful presentations. The food had wonderful flavors and incorporated the local vegetables and fruits. As a vegetarian they also made me a special dish for every meal and there were always so many options! The company does an incredible job accommodating all dietary needs and making sure you never go hungry. They also gave us snacks every morning and our guide woke us up with Coca Tea to start our day. Besides the amazing views the food was also one of our favorite parts and we thank Abel for doing such a great job!
Next were the spectacular accommodations- they were beyond amazing! From the first night at the sky camp where you stay in an igloo in the beautiful valley overlooking the mountains, to the stunning views in the Mountain View cabin which had a private bathroom and shower (and WiFi!) overlooking the mountains to the incredible wooden dome cabins in the jungle which also had a private bathroom with a shower (and WiFi!), you can come back after a long day of trekking to a comfortable bed, shower and room which allowed you to enjoy the next day better. We loved every place we stayed and they were all well cared for and clean.
Overall I HIGHLY recommend Salkantay Trekking and Porfirio for the Salkantay trek or any adventure you want to go on. If you want a high quality and stress free tour look no further and book with them and you will be so thankful you did :)

Amazing experience! Everything was well organized and ran smoothly, including preparation, food, accommodations and more. Ricardo and Wilfredo were great guides. Very knowledgeable and positive. Ricardo definitely helped motivate me through the hardest parts. Highly recommend Salkantay Trekking!! Also I loved the night views from the Sky Camp when I got up to stargaze.

This was the perfect company to guide and accommodate us through our Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu.

We booked the 5 day option during January about a month in advance and didn't have any issues with availability. My group of two was paired up with 4 other groups of international travelers - amounting to 10 of us in total in our group.

Our guide, Kenneth, was incredible and made our trip memorable. He was full of knowledge regarding the environment, local history, modern culture, and greatly emphasized the importance of conservation. He was a wealth of knowledge and answered every question that came about. He had a great sense of humor and treated everyone as a friend - he took his job seriously and went above and beyond to ensure the safety of everyone in our group. Even to the point of carrying the packs of some members who became ill.

The itinerary itself had manageable distances between sites, the accommodations were comfortable and scenic, and the side trips were well worth it. We had the opportunity to visit Humantay Lake, a hot spring, a coffee plantation, a chocolate plantation, and various restaurants along the way.

We had two cooks accompany us on our journey and they did a fantastic job. They took great pride in their art and created a variety of Peruvian dishes. Every meal was in abundance and everyone left full and satisfied after each sitting. Snacks were also provided - usually a piece of fruit, crackers/cookies, and candy. If you snack a lot, you might want to consider packing a few extra things. However, the provided meals offered plenty to keep you full and energized.

A normal day typically looked like this: 5am wake up with tea, a 6am breakfast, hiking by 7am, lunch around 12pm, arrival at camp by 2pm, tea time at 4pm, and dinner at 6pm.

I'd highly recommend booking through them, and if given the opportunity, ask for Kenneth!

Had an amazing private tour with Franz! We really appreciated the flexibility having a private tour offered, and all the different options during the trek. Herbert made outstanding food along the way, and the accommodations were so unique - especially the new sky view camp. We felt safe and well taken care of the whole time. It’s a hard trek but the guides are ready to go your pace and make adjustments where needed. Salkantay Trekking is well organized, communicative, and locally owned, definitely recommend this group!

This Trial was incredible! Every moment was an adventure to remember for a life time. Not only the 5 days of breath taking views (literally at some of the altitudes)

But the entire trip and team were fantastic! Our crew made this journey even more incredible. Our 2 leaders Eder and Juan Carlos (aka, muchachooo) (aka, Tank) did the best job to inspire us, look after our safety at every step, share their wealth of knowledge, their culture and great energy! I already miss Juan  Carlos waking us up at 5am with coca tea and “muchachooooos”

The team worked tirelessly. The horse man insured all our things were transported clean and dry over the very difficult terrains.

The chef and chef assistant blow all our expectations! These guys are super hero’s! The food they delivered was un believable! We was spoilt every meal time with restaurant style 3 course meals, beautifully presented, and tasted delicious! There was always an abundance of food.  They also provided all the snacks we needed during hikes. And the chefs made me feel so special as they always provided me extra gluten free options. These guys deserve medals as they then run the hikes past us to prepare hot meals waiting at the next stop. Incredible!

The accommodations are magical! Glass top igloos over looking the mountains! Was a very welcome sights after some very wet days.

This trip had even more, with chocolate and coffee cultural stops. And much needed hot springs in the afternoon after the 27k hike day.

There was train and bus strikes in Machu Pichu. The leaders went out of their ways to make sure we got replacement transport back to our accommodations in Cusco! A far from easy 7 hour mountain road. We are extremely grateful.

Thank you so much to all our team on Salkantay Trekking! This trip will stay in our hearts for life! Mucho gracias Muchachooos.

I have been travelling for six months in South America and this trek (4 day Salkantay) was definetely one of my highlights. The scenery and the trek are amazing, the accomodations and the beds so comfy and our guide (Ricardo) was really the best guide ever. So passionate, professional and patient. I wish I had signed up for the 5 day trek, really didn’t want it to come to an end.

All I have to say WOW. When I booked this trip, I thought it was going to be about visiting Machu Picchu. But it was so much more. I cannot say enough positive things about the experience my guide, Sergio, created for us. Because it was the rainy season, there were landslides. I was lucky I was in Sergio’s group because he was the most knowledgeable on how to handle the situation. He’s SO funny too! And of course, I loved my group mates. Yes, some companies are a little cheaper but they are sleeping in subpar accommodations with less experienced guides. I’m grateful I booked with this company. I was skeptical after reading some negative reviews but I realized they are just complaining about this no company can control.

My partner and I did the 8 day Imperial Salkantay Trek and added on the rainbow mountain day trip at the end. We both couldn't recommend this trip more! The two types before the week helped us with acclimatization and each day of the trek was special. While it was one of the hardest things I've ever done (Altitude kicked my butt) it is probably my favorite trip I've been on to date!

For the city tour, Sacred Valley and Rainbow Mountain trip, we were lucky to have the same guide Hermo, for all three. Hermo was awesome and very knowledgable about the Incan culture, we learned a lot!

Our guide Edwin was great and very encouraging when I was struggling with the Altitude. Constantly made sure everyone was okay and would let's us go at our own pace with no pressure to keep up. His knowledge on the staff and the Incan culture was a bonus.

We had a great group and I would highly recommend this trip to anyone looking for a bit of an adventure in Peru!

Tips for those considering going:

Make sure you plan time to acclimatize. The altitude affects everyone differently. My husband felt fine after two days, I needed more time. Talk to your doctor's about medications you may need for trip (altitude sickness, travellers diahrea etc).

Bring a good amount of toilet paper. They will provide you with some, but you are in the wilderness and many places you stop for breaks will not have any.

Bring loose change. The rest stops tend to charge 1-2 soles to use the bathrooms.

Make sure you read the trip information provided, so you have a clear idea of what your are signing up for!

I've done many hikes throughout the world, however this trek was truly the most special. Firstly, it was totally safe, and felt safe the entire 5 days. I saw the money I spent support local Peruvians and small local communities. Secondly, our guide, Franz was the best guide I've had anywhere in the world. His passion for nature, his country and his love for the entire group was truly amazing and I felt so supported the entire 5 days. I asked many questions about the land, history, culture and he could answer everything, he was incredibly knowledgeable. Thank you Franz, you made my time in Peru forever memorable.
The other staff- the chef, horsemen and local members were all incredible. I never went hungry and always had enough water. I slept so well each night, with comfortable beds in the beautiful Peruvian jungle.
If you want to support local Peruvians, and challenge yourself to 5 days in nature, this hike is for you. You will not regret it, this hike really changed my life and I'm forever grateful for this opportunity.
Thank you Franz and Salkantay Trekking.

My wife and I went for our honeymoon and we had a blast with Franz, Uriel, and Donato as our crew. It was a challenging route for us both and we were commonly in the back of the pack, but Franz & Uriel made sure we made it to our camps safely. Donato made sure we never felt hungry. The food was as good as advertised! Every logistic was taken care of and there were backup plans in place if needed. We made memories of a lifetime and felt lucky to have this crew and our pack of hikers. Don't wait, book your trip now!

We loved the Salkantay trek with Franz! It was an incredible experience. The sky camps were the best accommodation we have had in South America! I was very nervous about how hard the second day would be but Franz was so patient and encouraging! The trek was beautiful, amazing food with our chefs and great experience seeing the coffee plantation and hot springs!! Franz was very informative about the nature, Incas and local area. Could not have asked for a better experience.

So glad we chose this company for our 5 day trek. Sergio was the best, the team and amenities were excellent. So so so many little details were thought through for us!

Highly recommend salkantay for any trekking or city tours around Cusco. The team was extremely well organised, informative and checked in on you to ensure you were feeling ok and able to continue.

Our guide Alex in particular was excellent, we went on a 5 day salkantay hike to machu picchu, he was extremely knowledgable on the area and history of Inca, local vegetation, village traditions and culture. It was like being immersed in a history book with the enthusiasm and excitement you would hope for.

Just finished their 4 day Inca trail and it was a fantastic experience. Once in a lifetime, and our guide Henry was incredibly knowledgeable. The entire Salkantay trekking team made the trip so special, I would absolutely do another trek or tour with them

Amazing energy the entire time! Our guides Carlos aka The Mountain King and Juan Carlos aka Quadrado had me dying laughing the entire trip. Absolute beauties. The hike was super challenging but with their guidance it was a piece of cake . They were sure to take care of everyone no matter what pace and athletic ability. We had three chefs for our group and every meal was gourmet, fresh, organic foods . The views were nothing short of spectacular and the hikes beyond epic. Within hours of meeting everyone the guides had us all feeling like family . Their positive energy and easy going attitudes were contagious and everyone left with hearts full I can’t say enough about the guides and the trek. Ask for these two guys if you can, you won’t regret it!

What an amazing trek! Henry, our guide, was super informative and nice, taught us about the history of the Inca Trail as well as his personal experiences. Best trip in a long time!

Review:
We had an incredible experience and absolutely recommend taking a trip with this company. Every piece of the trip was well planned, interesting, safe, and fun! The Andes are truly incredible and the Salkantay pass is absolutely gorgeous. Machu Picchu is also great, but that goes without saying. (You should ask one of the guides why it should be pronounced Ma-chu Peak-chu instead of Ma-chu Pee-chu).

Most importantly, the Peruvian guides were absolutely incredible. As native Quechua speakers (descendants of the Incas), they have vast knowledge of the history and culture of the area as well as a connection to the local people that helps the trip run smoothly. They spoke excellent English and were very polite in allowing me (a self-proclaimed gringo Spanish speaker) to practice my Spanish and teaching me new words and phrases. The food was also both incredible and plentiful. I eat a ridiculous amount of food and I found that I always had enough and then some, and that it was of the highest quality. I cannot emphasize enough how much this guide team makes the difference on this trip. Without them, it would be just another hike. With them, it is truly a journey into the history and culture of Peru, as well as the breathtaking natural beauty along the trail.

Tips:
We love the outdoors, so the five day trek was perfect for us. That said, if you don’t have much experience, it might be better to take a shorter trek because some people struggled with the altitude. Also, the trek will take you through a lot of different climates and you will be exposed to the elements throughout the trek. You’ll be inside each night, but if rain, dirt, and mud bother you, you should definitely do one of Salkantay’s shorter treks or even a day hike with them. Bring the best bug spray you can buy, the mosquitoes definitely come out in the afternoon. I also recommend bringing cash to tip the guide team - they work quite hard to make it a good experience and deserve appreciation for that.

Our guide team was as follows: (you should request them if you can!!):
Lead Guide: Jorge Quejia,
Assistant Guide: Rogelio Araña Porras
Cooks: Jesus Chaman (x2, father and son team)
Horseman: Cesar