Pre-Trek Briefing at 7 PM, Machu Picchu Office in Cusco
One evening before you set out on your Salkantay Trek 5 days, you’ll join a 7:00 PM orientation session at our Cusco office. This is your first chance to meet your guide and the fellow travelers joining your group. Your guide will walk you through everything relevant to the journey ahead — technical trail details, precise pick-up windows, and your printed train and Machu Picchu entry passes. You’ll also be handed your duffel bag (holding up to 7 kg of gear, carried by horse) and shown how to leave any extra belongings with us for safekeeping if needed. There’s nothing required for this meeting besides your passport for identification. It’s also the moment to clear any remaining balance on your booking or arrange a sleeping bag or trekking pole rental if you haven’t already done so.
Certified Guide for the Salkantay Trek and Machu Picchu Visit
Leading your Salkantay Trek 5 days is a team of licensed, seasoned mountain guides with deep familiarity with the Salkantay route. They stay with you for the entire journey and also conduct your guided walk through Machu Picchu, matching the circuit and time window on your ticket. Each guide travels with a first-aid kit and supplemental oxygen for emergencies, and speaks both English and Spanish fluently, so communication stays clear and your safety is covered at every stage.
Hotel Pick-Up Between 4:30 and 5:00 AM
The adventure kicks off with hotel pick-up included in your package. Collection happens somewhere between 4:30 and 5:00 AM, with the precise time confirmed at your briefing the evening before, depending on where you’re staying. If your accommodation sits close to our office, you’re welcome to simply join us there at 5:00 AM instead. Your guide will finalize all logistics with you directly.
Private Vehicle from Cusco to Soraypampa
A comfortable, private tourist vehicle carries you from Cusco all the way to Soraypampa, where the walking portion of the trek begins. The drive lasts roughly 3 hours, giving you an easy, unhurried start before you connect with the support crew and hit the trail.
Duffel Bag Transport, 7 Kilograms
At the briefing, you’ll be issued a duffel bag with a 7 kg capacity for personal items. Horses carry these bags the entire way, so they’re already waiting for you at each camp — freeing you to hike with only a light daypack holding your daily necessities. Once the trek wraps up, you can leave the duffel at our Cusco office for storage.
Meals: 5 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches, 4 Dinners
Over the course of the Salkantay Trek 5 days, our culinary team travels alongside the group, turning out fresh, well-balanced, energy-packed meals — 5 breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 4 dinners in all, plus snacks each day. Vegetarian, vegan, and other dietary needs are handled at no additional charge.
Vegetarian and Vegan Options
A complete lineup of vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and other special dietary choices is available free of charge — just flag your preference when you book.
Kitchen Crew Throughout the Trek
A committed team of cooks accompanies the group daily, handling breakfast, lunch, and dinner from start to finish. They’re equipped to prepare for vegetarian, vegan, lactose-free, and other dietary restrictions, so every hiker stays properly fueled for the days ahead.
Cooking Gear and Utensils
All the cookware and utensils needed are supplied and hauled to each campsite by our support crew, so every meal comes together and is served under the best possible conditions.
Two Nights in the Sky Star Crystal Domes
Your Salkantay Trek 5 days package includes two nights inside our signature Sky Star Crystal Domes, with see-through walls and ceilings that open up sweeping views of the mountains, wilderness, and star-filled sky. Each dome comes furnished with cozy mattresses and pillows. All you need to bring is your own sleeping bag, or rent one from us at the pre-trek briefing. Domes are typically set up for two people but can comfortably fit groups of three or four traveling together.
One Night in the Panoramic Cabins
You’ll also overnight in our panoramic cabins, built to keep you comfortable while staying close to nature. These come with mattresses and pillows and open onto gorgeous surrounding scenery. A sleeping bag is necessary here too — bring your own or rent one from our office beforehand.
One Night at a Hotel in Aguas Calientes
Your last night is spent at a cozy hotel in Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo), letting you recharge before heading to the citadel the next morning. Rooms come with a private bathroom, hot water, Wi-Fi, towels, and basic toiletries. Standard rooms fit two guests, with triple or family rooms available on request for those wanting to stay together, subject to availability.
Muleteers and Pack Horses
A crew of muleteers and horses travels with the group, hauling all camping gear, food supplies, and duffel bags (up to 7 kg per traveler, sleeping bags included). This support team is what makes the experience work — you carry just a small daypack while everything else moves ahead to the next camp on your behalf.
Machu Picchu Entrance Ticket Included
Your Machu Picchu ticket comes bundled into the trek price. Our first priority is always Circuit 2 – Route 2-A (Classic), which grants access to the well-known panoramic viewpoint and roughly 70% of the site. When that’s not available, we fall back to Circuit 2-B (Lower Terrace), still offering the classic viewpoint and around 60% site coverage. Booking your Salkantay Trek 5 days 3 to 4 months ahead gives you the best shot at landing one of these circuits. If neither is open, we’ll lock in the strongest alternative circuit so you can still experience the highlights of Machu Picchu.
Guided Tour of Machu Picchu
Included in your package is a roughly 2.5-hour guided walk through Machu Picchu, led by one of our expert guides and timed to match your ticket’s entry slot and assigned circuit. Once the tour concludes, you’ll have an extra 30 minutes of unstructured time to enjoy the views at your own pace. This guiding service applies to every traveler — even those who bought their own Machu Picchu ticket separately or picked one up in Aguas Calientes — no matter which circuit or entry time is on it.
Return Transport from Machu Picchu
Getting back to Cusco after your Machu Picchu visit is built into your tour package. Which mode of transport you get depends on what you chose when booking. Whether it’s the train option or the car route via Hidroeléctrica, your return journey to Cusco is fully covered in the tour price.
- By train: Departures are usually scheduled for 2:30 PM, 2:55 PM, or 3:20 PM, depending on space available. Before boarding, you’ll have time to wander Aguas Calientes, grab a bite, and unwind — just make sure to reach the station at least 30 minutes ahead of departure (a 1-hour walk or a $12 USD bus ride). The train ride to Ollantaytambo runs about 1.5 hours, where a Machu Picchu Team vehicle will meet you for the drive back to Cusco (roughly 2 hours), arriving around 6:30 PM at Plaza Regocijo.
- By car (via Hidroeléctrica): This route begins with a 3-hour walk from Machu Picchu down to the hydroelectric station, departing no later than 11:00 AM. The walk includes a 30–40 minute downhill section followed by 1.5 to 2 hours along flat terrain beside the railway. You’ll need to reach the station by 2:30 PM to catch the 3:00 PM car back to Cusco, a 6- to 7-hour drive, arriving around 10:00 PM at Plaza Regocijo.
Complimentary Luggage Storage
Travelers on the Salkantay Trek with Machu Picchu Team can take advantage of free storage at our main office, just one block from Plaza de Armas, for any bags not coming along on the trek. Drop them off the day before or the morning the trek starts, since the vehicle heading to the trailhead swings by the office to pick up stored items.
Emergency Supplies
For your peace of mind, every guide carries an oxygen tank and a well-equipped first-aid kit, ready to respond immediately if needed.
Tour Conclusion: Drop-Off at the Machu Picchu Team Office
Your luggage pickup happens right at our office, since that’s where the tour officially wraps up in Cusco. Our storage area is open daily from 4:00 AM to 10:00 PM for drop-off or pickup. The space is secure, and your belongings are well looked after. At the close of your Salkantay Trek 5 days, you’ll be dropped off at the Machu Picchu Team office, where you can collect anything you left in storage. Travelers returning by car typically arrive in Cusco between 9:00 and 10:00 PM; those returning by train arrive around 7:00 PM.
