The 5-day trek combines the tour through the Sun Gate "Inti Punku" at Cachicata with the iconic Short Inca Trail. It's the ideal alternative when classic Inca Trail permits are sold out. You'll discover authentic Inca paths, archaeological sites, local communities, and make the legendary arrival to Machu Picchu through another Sun Gate "Inti Punku" - all with fewer travelers and more adventure.
Your expedition begins early in the morning from your hotel in Cusco. We'll transport you to an Andean village (Huarocondo). The first day is a cultural odyssey, starting with a visit to a colonial church that showcases the region's rich history. Hikers will discover ancient petroglyphs telling stories of pre-Columbian civilizations, followed by an exploration of the Inca site of Perolniyoc.
The day's hike will take you through vibrant potato and quinoa fields, offering an intimate look at traditional Andean agricultural practices. An impressive waterfall provides the perfect midday break, while a unique Quechua lesson will deeply connect you with local culture. At the end of the day, you'll camp in Rayan, at 3,650 meters (11,975 feet), surrounded by stunning Andean views.
The second day presents a more challenging hike that will push your limits and reward you with extraordinary landscapes. You'll ascend to an impressive 4,440 meters (14,567 feet) via the Charkahuaylla pass. At the summit, we'll take a well-deserved break and enjoy beautiful views of the snow-capped peaks and mountains of the Urubamba Mountain Range and the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
After a ceremony and offering by your tour guide to the Apus (mountain spirits), we'll continue hiking to Lake Marcacocha (4,000 m / 13,100 feet), the perfect spot for a delicious lunch.
Later, we'll cross the final mountain, Apu Buena Negra (4,370 m / 14,300 feet). After enjoying its incredible views, we'll descend to the anticipated Sun Gate or "Inti Punku", a beautiful Inca architecture that still prevails over the mountains. From here, you can observe one of the most impressive snow-capped mountains, Veronica (5,893 m / 19,334 feet). We'll then walk a few more minutes to our campsite in Choquetacarpo (3,600 m / 11,811 feet).
After enjoying a cup of tea, a perfect sunrise over the mountains, and a delicious breakfast, we'll hike for 3 hours to the Cachiccata Quarry (3,829 m / 12,719 feet), the largest quarry of the Inca Empire. These quarries tell a fascinating story of how the Incas transported enormous stone blocks across challenging mountainous terrain, allowing us to understand their extraordinary engineering capabilities.
We'll descend via the original Inca stone transport route used by Inca workers, discovering unfinished stones, ancient chullpas (funeral towers), and a mysterious Inca mummy cave. This day combines historical exploration with a panoramic journey to Ollantaytambo, where we'll have dinner and spend the night.
On Day 4, your adventure begins in Ollantaytambo with breakfast at the hotel before boarding the morning train to kilometer 104, the starting point of your Inca Trail experience.
From here, you'll embark on a spectacular 12-kilometer hike through lush cloud forests to the fascinating ruins of Chachabamba. Then, you'll ascend via ancient stone stairs of the original Inca route to the impressive Wiñay Wayna complex. Your journey will culminate with a magical sunset arrival at Machu Picchu through the iconic Sun Gate (Inti Punku), where you'll enjoy your first unforgettable panoramic view of the Lost City of the Incas from Machu Picchu's upper platform or Circuit 1.
After immersing yourself in this wonder, you'll descend by bus to Aguas Calientes (included), where you'll spend the night in a comfortable hotel, ready for the full exploration of Machu Picchu the next day.
On our final day, we must wake up very early for the highlight of our trip. After breakfast at the hotel, we'll board one of the buses that will take us back to the Inca City of Machu Picchu. This will be followed by a comprehensive 2-hour guided tour that will reveal the most significant architectural and historical features of the site.
After exploring the citadel, and for the more adventurous, we'll also have time to enjoy some optional activities (not included in the price):
Return to Cusco: You'll descend to Aguas Calientes by bus (included), then board the train to Ollantaytambo, where our transportation will meet you and transfer you to your hotel in Cusco.
Book your spot for this extraordinary journey in advance, keeping in mind that the Short Inca Trail has a daily limit of 255 passengers.
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Juan C
April 15, 2025
Nuestro trek de 3 días fue increible, por el recorrido y paisajes, que son únicos, pero también por el equipo de guía, cocinero y arriero (Elio, Benigno y Mitchel). Elio fue nuestro guía y fue una gran fortuna contar con él. Elio mejoró la experiencia al máximo, combinando capacidad y conocimiento del lugar y la naturaleza, con cultura e historia incaica que supo transmitir con total pasión. Además, una calidad humana absoluta Si hacen este recorrido con esta empresa, consulten por su disponibilidad. La compañía es confiable en comparación con otras opciones, pero no quedamos muy conformes con los manejos.
NorthStar46491105498
April 14, 2025
Our Salkantay Trek with ITEP Expeditions Peru was more than we could ever have imagined and it surpassed all expectations From the beginning with Flor in the office at ITEP in Cusco .Her communication was clear and she was very patient with us .Exceptional service muchos Gracias Flor. I can't begin to describe the beauty of the Salkantay Track itself , it is a challenging yet immersive experience especially for our group of 4 age range between 59 to 71 years !! We were outliers in age on the track and a would advise that you should not take this Trek on with no multi day hiking experience especially if you are a bit older. We were led by our guide Santiago. This beautiful man was present with us every step of the 70 kilometres , both physically and emotionally through the rain, mud , steep ascents and descents to and from altitude, and the heat and cold of this incredible journey through this amazing part of Peru He understood the needs of everyone of the 4 of us in his group and was able to engage us all at our own level , encouraging, educating and advising in a humble and quiet way . His love of what he does, his country and his heritage was a humbling experience to be in his presence for these 5 days Santiago mi Amigo we can never express enough our thanks to you... you are what made our experience so humbling and non forgettable !!! We also had the privilege of travelling in the company of Julio our chef and Jenaro our Horseman These 2 beautiful men also made our trek memorable not only for their skill at providing amazing meals but transporting everything for us so we could be immersed in the splendour of this experience . It was humbling to share this time with these 2 amazing patient and humble men of the mountains , muchos Gracias amigos!! We can't recommend this hike through ITEP enough especially if you are a bit older The groups are smaller than the bigger groups full of younger hikers and the care and attention given to us can't be faulted Thankyou so much to everyone
Toñi C
April 13, 2025
Henrry es genial y muy amable. Nos contó muchas historias interesantes. La experiencia ha sido muy bonita. El camino precioso
Tamara C
April 12, 2025
Hicimos el camino inca acompañadas de Henrry, la experiencia fue inolvidable y el la hizo mucho más amena y divertida. Nos hizo un regalo al final del viaje que nos encantó, muchísimas gracias por todo.
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