8 Day Cusco and Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

Day 1: Arrival in Cusco. Upon your arrival at the airport in Cusco, a staff member will be there to greet you and take you to our partner hotel. Lodging: Stay at the 3-star Ayni Cusco Hotel or similar. Day 2: Chinchero to Maras Salt Mines and Moray. Be collected around 8:00 AM. You will arrive at the fascinating display of terraces in Moray. It boasts three amphitheater-like terraces made by the Incas. Later, you will head to Maras salt mines, which are about 2 miles away. The last place to visit will be Chinchero. Here, admire the well-preserved Inka walls of the main square as well as the many altars. Participate in a wonderful introduction and learning experience of the art of Andean textiles. Once you are done, you will head back to the city in time to enjoy some lunch on your own. Lodging: Stay at the 3-star Ayni Cusco Hotel or similar. Day 3: Cusco to Mollepata to Soraypampa Trek. Leave from Cusco between 4:30 AM and 5:00 AM. A bus will take you to the town of Mollepata at 2,900 m at approximately 8:00 AM. Continue to the trek starting point, Sayapata. Around 9:00 AM, begin the walk toward Soraypampa at 3,850 m. At about 1:00 PM, have a Peruvian lunch. Then, continue hiking toward Humantay Lake, which takes approximately 3 hours. Return to the camp, for dinner and rest.  Day 4: SorayPampa to Challway. Around 7:00 AM and hike to a place called Pampa Salkantay. At midday, you will reach the highest point at 4,600 m. At around 1:00 PM, have lunch in the area called Huayracmachay. After a trek of approximately 3 hours, arrive at your camp in Challway at 2,920 m. At around 7:00 PM, recuperate from the trek and eat dinner. Day 5: Challway to La Playa to Lucmabamba. At around 7:00 AM, begin your trek and enjoy the beautiful sunrise. Walk for about 5 hours toward Playa Sahuayaco. Once at Playa Sahuayaco have lunch then continue hiking for a couple of hours to get to Lucmabamba, which is your last campsite.  Day 6: Lucmabamba to Llaptapata to Hydro-Electrical Power Plant to Aguas Calientes. At around 8:00 AM, begin the gradual hike up for about 2 hours. Reach Llapta Pata, a beautiful archeological site. Then, start your descent to the hydro-electrical power plant, which takes about 1.5 hours. A pleasant 3-hour walk will take you to Aguas Calientes, where you will stay. Day 7: Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu to Cusco. We'll catch the first bus to Machu Picchu and enter the site as it opens. There will be a 2-hour guided tour of the site. After, if you have a permit to climb either Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu mountain, you can do it now. In the afternoon, your train will depart Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo then you will carry on by bus to Cusco. Lodging: Stay at the 3-star Ayni Cusco Hotel or similar. Day 8: Free day and fly to Lima. You have the morning to relax. In the afternoon, take the transfer to the airport for your departure flight to Lima.