Salkantay Trek: Day 1 & 2

Day 1 – 12 miles hiked, 11 hours

On Sunday afternoon, I said goodbye to Riley because I signed up for a five-day / five-night hiking trip through Salkantay pass to reach Machu Picchu! I wanted to try something adventurous, and after researching many travel blogs, I booked this hike with Alpaca Expeditions. This trek is like the Inca Trail because it is multi-day and ends at Machu Picchu, but the Salkantay trek includes more days of hiking, a greater variety of landscapes, and is a bit cheaper.

This was my first extended hiking trip before, and I talked to our family friends, Nick and Monica, to prepare my packing list. They were kind enough to loan me their backpacking and camping gear and everything came in handy!

The trek began with a hotel pickup and transfer to the cabins where we spent the first night. I should mention from the start, I was by no means “roughing it” during this trek. With Alpaca Expeditions, there were porters to carry our seven-kilogram duffle bags, a professional chef to prepare our meals, and an experienced tour guide. Alpaca Expeditions is known for being an excellent, Peruvian operated company that provides opportunities and good work for porters. I felt safe and comfortable during this trek, and I would recommend Alpaca Expeditions to anyone interested in hiking Peru!

After dinner, our tour guide, Jaime, briefed us for what to expect on our first day of the trek. (Jaime has hiked the Salkantay trek 97 times, so we were in good hands!) We spent the night in glass-ceilinged cabins. It would have been a great place to see the stars had it not hailed all night. I think the hail cracked my ceiling, because I woke up to water dripping on my shoulder. It didn’t bother me after I moved my bed out of the way. The water also helped me wake up at 4:30 AM for breakfast.

By 5:45 AM, the sun was shining, and we were on our way! Day 1 of Salkantay is the most difficult because of the elevation gained. We ascended 2780 ft (850 m) to reach the Salkantay pass at 15,255 ft (4650 m). This is higher than any ski resort summit in the United States! My high intense interval training at home paid off and I wasn’t hindered by the altitude during the hike.

Our first stopping point was Humantay Lagoon (see above right). The hour and a half of a steep incline climb to the lagoon was challenging and the view was rewarding! Because we left the campsite so early in the morning, we had the entire area to ourselves with no other visitors. The weather was perfect as well; the sunshine and the blue sky highlighted the teal hue of the lake. As we departed from the lake, the weather turned a bit chilly as clouds covered the sun. The lake didn’t look quite as magnificent when it was cloudy, but the cooler weather was pleasant after the intense sun.

After another two hours of gradual incline and one hour of steep incline, we came to our lunch spot. I was too out of breath to chat with my group members, so I spent most of my mental energy praying a rosary during the climb. The porters and chef hiked ahead of us to have everything prepared for our arrival. At each major stopping point, they pitched the dining and sleeping tents, set up a chemical toilet, and boiled water for our bottles.

After lunch, we hiked another 30 minutes of incline to the Salkantay pass. I was the first to make it to the top, and I had fun cheering on my group as they made the final ascent! I felt so accomplished, proud, and grateful at the top – I researched and trained well for this hike and the feeling at the top was electric. Everyone’s mood became lighter and more joyful at the top. We completed the hardest part of the week on Day 1!

From the Salkantay pass, we walked downhill to our campsite. Walking downhill was much harder for me, and I relied on hiking poles to take the pressure off my knees. On our descent, we saw llamas, horses, and chinchillas! The scenery and weather changed quickly as we left the mountains.

During this trek, we spent two nights in cabins, two nights in tents, and one in a hotel in Aguas Calientas, the town at the base of Machu Picchu. I was lucky to have my own accommodation each night. It was a blessing to have the physical and mental space to prayerfully reflect each evening. Tonight, we slept in tents, and I was fast asleep by 9:00 PM.

Day 2 – 13 miles hiked, 8.5 hours

Wake up call for Day 2 was 5:30 AM. Jaime woke us up with hot water and soap for washing and a cup of coca tea. It is common for Peruvians to drink coca tea every morning, and it is recommended that tourists drink it to acclimate to the altitude. I’m not sure if coca tea is scientifically proven to help with hypoxia, but I drank it daily and didn’t struggle with the elevation after my first day in Cusco. (For context, Cusco’s elevation is 11,100 ft (3400 m), which is higher than any town in the US!)

Chef Alex prepared a delicious breakfast, and we were back on the road by 6:45 AM. Day 1 was the most difficult day of the trek and Day 2 had the longest distance of hiking. Most of the day we walked downhill, and we kept a good pace throughout the day. Hiking downhill made it easier to have conversations with each other. Everyone in my group was a solo traveler and we quickly bonded over the places we’ve been and the trips on our bucket list.

Peru’s rainy season was just starting when I visited in December, and after lunch, a steady drizzle fell the rest of the afternoon. Throughout this trek, I experienced ten different microclimates, and the changes in environment were most prominent in Day 2. We began the day with chilly glacier views and ended the day in warm jungle surroundings. We were surrounded by exotic flora, gentle waterfalls, and even tiny wild strawberries! The frequent weather changes made it challenging to pack light, but seeing the diversity in nature is one of my favorite memories of the trek.

We arrived at our campsite in the late afternoon. Tonight, we slept in cabins that looked like the Hobbit-holes of JR Tolkien’s novel. There was even a hot tub that we relaxed in before dinner! Chef Alex presented another fantastic meal, and I am so grateful I chose to hike this trek while glamping. Kudos to the travelers who hike Salkantay without a professional chef or porters; maybe one day I’ll be that adventurous!