Mountain Lodges of Peru offers “Adventure at its finest”: the opportunity to experience the essence of adventure within the realm of creature comforts. But for Mountain Lodges of Peru, a great adventure does not end there: for it to be a life-changing experience for our guests, we believe that the experience has to be an adventure on many levels.

Day 1: Arrival in Cusco and Evening Briefing:

Arrival in Cusco and a night in a well-located 4* hotel. In the evening we will have a briefing of the adventure that awaits over the next few days.

Day 2: Cusco to Salkantay Lodge & Adventure Resort At Soraypampa (3,800 M/12,500 Ft): All meals

After an early breakfast, guests will be picked up starting at 7:00 am at their hotel in Cusco by an MLP guide and vehicle in direction to the Salkantay Lodge & Adventure Resort (SLAR) in Soraypampa. En route we will take a short break to visit the Inca ruins of Tarawasi near the town of Limatambo (approx. 1.5 hrs from Cusco).

After leaving Limatambo,  we will begin our trek to Soraypampa, on an old route called the “Camino Real” (Royal Path). This is a good opportunity for guests to acclimate and enjoy a mild & beautiful 4 hour trek on their first day. Overnight at Salkantay Lodge.

Day 3: Soraypampa: All Meals

This day is spent at leisure for rest or activities, depending upon guests’ level of acclimatization. The most popular activity at Soraypampa is a half-day hike (3-4 hours. Hiking level: moderate to challenging) to a glacial lake where the more adventurous might take a very short swim!

Day 4: Soraypampa to Wayra Lodge at Huayraccmachay (3,850m/12,600 Ft): All meals

This is the big day: the start of the four-day trek to Machu Picchu. After an early start we will hike up the Rio Blanco valley, circling Humantay Peak across from the Salkantay. The highest point on the trek is a pass at 4,600 m (15,000 ft). At the pass we stop to take in views of snow-capped peaks of the Vilcabamba Range in every direction, the south face of Salkantay towering above us. We will keep our eyes out for Andean condors, often visible in this area.

From the pass we continue our descent toward the Wayra Lodge (“Wayra”: wind; ‘the place where the wind lives’) our destination for the evening.

Day 5: Huayraccmachay To Colpa Lodge At Collpapampa (2,800m/9,200 ft): All meals

Following the long first day we enjoy a leisurely breakfast at Wayra Lodge. We then begin our trek by hiking downhill above the Salkantay River, through increasingly verdant scenery. Our arrival at the next lodge (the Colpa) encounters a “Pachamanca”-style lunch. The outdoor hot tub in this lodge has prominent views of lush green mountains and a small, far-away, local town. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

Day 6: Collpapampa to Lucma Lodge at Lucmabamba (2,100m/6,900 ft): All meals

After an early breakfast we head down the Santa Teresa River Valley, through more populated rural areas with coffee plantations (said to be one of the best organic coffees in the world!), bananas, ‘granadillas’, and orchards.

After lunch we reach the head of the trail it is a short climb (30 min.) to the Lucma Lodge, set in an avocado orchard. We arrive in time to allow for exploration of the small village of Lucmabamba and possible meeting with members of the local community.

Day 7: Lucmabamba To Aguas Calientes (1,900 m/6,200 ft): All meals

After an early start and a hearty breakfast, we tackle the last day of our trek. We head uphill for 2-3 hours towards Llactapata pass (2,700 m/8,900ft), where we come upon a distant but quite special view of Machu Picchu from the southwest, a view few tourists ever glimpse.

We then begin our final descent to the Aobamba River through lush bamboo forests and more orchards and coffee plantations (2-3 hour descent). Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu are a short, scenic train ride away. (Total hiking time: 4-6 hours. Hiking level: moderate to challenging).

Day 8: Machu Picchu (2,450m/8,000 ft) to Cusco: Breakfast and Lunch

 We wake up early to have breakfast at the hotel and then make our way to the bus station for the ride up to Machu Picchu (30 min). A complete guided tour of Machu Picchu will be provided (2 hours). Guests will have about 4 additional hours to explore the site on their own. Afterwards, we will return by bus to Aguas Calientes for lunch and to go to the train station for the afternoon departure.  On return to Cusco, we will drop you at the hotel of your choice after a truly unforgettable adventure.

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