Salkantay & Rainbow Mountain Trek
The impressive trek to Salkantay and the Rainbow Mountain
Salkantay & Rainbow Mountain Trek
After spending some time in Cusco, the capital of the Inca Empire, join us on a trek to Machu Picchu through the Salkantay Trail and then to Peru’s Rainbow Mountain, also known as Seven Colors Mountain and Vinicunca.
This is the best route to explore the magical Humantay Lake, the imposing Salkantay Mountain, the majestic Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, and the authentic Rainbow Mountain. This itinerary includes the best tourist attractions of Cusco, so you’ll have six impressive and challenging days in the company of the best landscapes in the region. In addition, you’ll receive explanations from experienced guides along the way to learn about the history and nature of the Andes.
Includes/Excludes
What Is Included?
- Salkantay & Rainbow Mountain Trek
- » Permits & Entrance Tickets
- • Day 1: Entry Ticket to Humantay Lake & the Salkantay Trek
- • Day 5: Entry Ticket to Machu Picchu Archaeological Site
- Machu Picchu Circuit 2 offers the most complete and popular route through the citadel, making it the most requested. Although included in this experience, availability is limited, so we strongly recommend booking at least three months in advance.
- If Circuit 2 is unavailable, we will arrange Circuit 3-B, which explores the lower area of the citadel, including the urban sector and key ceremonial sites. If this is also sold out, Circuit 1-B will be arranged, covering mainly the upper panoramic area with the iconic postcard viewpoint.
- • Day 6: Entry to the Rainbow Mountain
- » High Quality Service & Safety
- • Pre-departure Briefing
- The evening before each trip, you’ll have an orientation meeting with your guide. For multi-day tours, this meeting usually takes place at 5:00 p.m. at our main office in Cusco. For day tours, you’ll receive a detailed WhatsApp call with essential information about what to pack, your pick-up time, and to confirm your hotel address.
- • Day 0: Transfer from the airport to your hotel • Days 1 to 5: Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu
- • Day 6: Rainbow Mountain Hike
- • Day 7: Transfer from your hotel to the airport or bus terminal
- • Experienced Tour Guide
- Salkantay & Rainbow Mountain Trek Our official tour guides speak English and Spanish and are professionally trained and certified in safety and quality service. Chosen for their experience, responsibility, and passion for exploration, they take pride in sharing our culture and history. With their guidance, you’ll stay informed, safe, and comfortable, ensuring a worry-free adventure and an unforgettable experience of a lifetime.
- • One Duffel Bag for the Salkantay Trek For the trek, you’ll receive a duffel bag to pack your personal belongings, with a maximum weight limit of 5 kg (11 lb), which will be carried by our staff.
- • Sleeping Bag (for the Salkantay Trek)
- Our sleeping bags are durable and designed to keep you warm in temperatures as low as -18°C (0°F). They feature a mummy shape and include a sleeping liner for added warmth. Each bag is thoroughly cleaned and carefully maintained after every use.
- • Trekking Poles Trekking poles enhance stability on hard terrain while minimizing impact on joints.
- • Medical Kit or First AID Kit All Salkantay Trekking guides have specialized first aid training and attend mandatory training sessions every February. Your guide will always carry a first aid kit and oxygen to handle basic emergencies (altitude sickness, diarrhea, cuts, scrapes, etc.). If needed, we will evacuate you from the trail as quickly as possible and ensure you arrive at a clinic for treatment.
- • Backpack Cover Our attention to detail sets us apart. You’ll receive a cover to protect your backpack along the way. • Professional long-range walkie-talkies Walkie-talkies optimize communication, ensuring quick response and coordination in key situations and locations. »
- Salkantay & Rainbow Mountain Trek
- Accommodation
- • Accommodation in Private Campsites
- Like our ancestors, we’re very considerate of the Pachamama (Mother Earth). For this reason, our campsites and lodges are adapted to the environment to avoid generating negative impacts.
- • Campsite Facilities
- Our campsites are designed for your comfort and convenience:
- • Bathrooms: Shared bathrooms are available at our Sky Camp, while our Mountain Sky View and Super Jungle Domes Campsites offer private bathrooms.
- • Showers: Enjoy refreshing showers at both the Mountain Sky View and Super Jungle Domes Campsites.
- • Dining & Kitchen Areas: Each campsite features spacious dining areas and fully equipped kitchens, ensuring you can enjoy your meals comfortably and worryfree. Our mules transport all fresh cooking supplies.
- • Days 5 & 6: Hotel in Cusco
- • Day 4: Hotel in Aguas Calientes
- Enjoy your final night in a cozy hotel with a double, matrimonial, or triple room, private bathroom, hot shower, WiFi, breakfast, and luggage storage while you explore Machu Picchu.
- » Meals
- • Meals on the Salkantay Trek ( Firts 5 Days): 4 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches, and 4 Dinners Meals on the Rainbow Mountain (6 Day): Breakfast and Lunch at local restaurants
- Our chef prepares the best dishes in the middle of the mountain. Our passengers love our food! We respect all diets (vegetarian, vegan, or special menus are available at no extra cost), so let us know if you have any particular allergies or restrictions on your reservation form and remind your guide during the briefing. You’ll enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner, in addition to hot drinks and snacks.
- Salkantay & Rainbow Mountain Trek
- • Water on the trail
- We’ll provide boiled, warm water during your hike, from your lunch in Soraypampa to your breakfast in Lucmabamba. Make sure to bring an empty water bottle or camel bag for refilling—we recommend a 2-liter capacity.
- • Wake up tea Every morning at the campsites, you’ll wake up to a hot cup of coca tea, delivered straight to your bed—perfect for warming up before you start the day.
- • Tea Time or Happy Hour on the Salkantay Trail During the trek, every afternoon before dinner, our cooks will serve popcorn, cookies, coffee, hot chocolate, tea, and hot water. After a long day of hiking, you won’t have to wait until dinner to unwind, warm up, and enjoy a tasty treat!
- • Daily snacks on the trail Before starting your trekking, your tour guide will provide you a cloth bag with local fruits, cookies, chocolate, enjoy your snacks during the walk.caramels, etc.
- Every morning, we’ll refill it so that you can enjoy your snacks during the walk.
- • One cloth snack bag per person We’ll provide you with a cloth bag for your snacks—perfect for storing wrappers and keeping the environment clean. Feel free to use it throughout your trek!
- » Transportation
- • Day 0: Welcome to Cusco! Airport Pickup and Hotel Transfer.
- • Day N: Farewell, Cusco! – Hotel to Airport or Bus Terminal Transfer.
- • Transportation for Your Group on the Salkantay Trek: Door-to-Door, Hassle-Free Service
- • Day 1: You’ll be picked up from your hotel in the morning and travel by private transportation to Challacancha, the trek’s starting point.
- • Day 3: Private transportation from Zona Propiedad to Lucmabamba.
- • Day 5: Bus transportation from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu (one way). Private transportation from Ollantaytambo train station to your hotel in Cusco.
- Salkantay & Rainbow Mountain Trek
- • Transfers
- • Day 0: Private transfer from the Airport or Bus Station to the Hotel in Cusco
- • Day 1: You’ll be picked up from your hotel in the morning and travel in our transportation to Challacancha, the trek’s starting point.
- • Day 5: One Way Bus Ticket from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu
- • Day 5: Transport from Ollantaytambo train station to your hotel in Cusco.
- • Day 6: You’ll be picked up from your hotel and travel by private transportation to the trek’s starting point. Later, private transportation will be waiting to take you back to your hotel door in Cusco.
- • Day 7: Private transfer from your hotel in Cusco to the airport or bus station.
- • Day 5: One-Way Bus Ticket from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu
- • Day 5: Train Ticket from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo Expedition Machu Picchu by PeruRail or The Voyager to Machu Picchu by Inca Rail (train options and schedules subject to availability).
- • Personal Belongings Transportation
- • On days 1,2, and 3, cargo mules will carry all the camping equipment and your baggage allowance (5 kg / 11 lb). Muleteers will be responsible for your duffle bag and personal items, and they’ll hand them to you when you get to each camp.
- • On day 4, your duffle bag will be transported by van and then by train.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED?
- It is not included in Salkantay & Rainbow Mountain Trek
- » Huayna Picchu Mountain
- Up for a challenge? Climb Huayna Picchu, the iconic mountain behind Machu Picchu. This 45-minute uphill trek rewards you with breathtaking views and a profound sense of achievement. It’s not for the faint-hearted, but if you’re afraid of heights, push through—the reward is truly worth it!
- • Booking: Reserve 2–3 months in advance due to high demand.
- » Machu Picchu Mountain
- Machu Picchu Mountain is one of the breathtaking peaks that surround the archaeological site. Its trails are less steep, wider, and less intimidating than those of Huayna Picchu, making it an excellent option for those seeking a more relaxed climb. Reaching the summit takes approximately 1.5 hours and offers unforgettable panoramic views. This hike requires an entrance ticket, which we can secure for you in advance upon request.
- » Huchuy Picchu Mountain
- Huchuy Picchu is a small mountain just above the Machu Picchu citadel, offering a short, scenic, and less crowded alternative to the more demanding Huayna Picchu. Its gentle, well-maintained trail is perfect for travelers seeking a light yet rewarding hike, with sweeping views of the citadel and the surrounding Andes. While Huayna Picchu involves a steep and strenuous climb, Huchuy Picchu delivers a more relaxed and accessible experience—without giving up the stunning scenery.
- • Availability: High season, from May to September.
- » Meals not indicated
- • Lunch in Aguas Calientes and Dinner in Cusco (Day 5)
- • Dinner in Cusco (Day 6)
- » Optional Horseback Ride from Soraypampa to Humantay Lake (Day 1)
- » Optional Horseback Ride from Soraypampa to Salkantay Pass
- (Day 2)
- » Train from Hidroelectrica to Aguas Calientes (Day 4)
- In case you feel exhausted or in bad condition after the trek from Lucmabamba to Hidroelectrica, you can opt to take the train from Hidroelectrica to Aguas Calientes.
- • US$ 41.00 per person.
- » Personal Hiking Clothes and Gear » Travel Insurance
- » Tips for our staff
- While our team receives fair salaries, any additional gesture is always appreciated in recognition of their hard work and dedication. Participants often choose to pool their tips and present them directly to the hiking team or through their guide.
- » Additional costs or delays beyond our control
- Landslides, bad weather conditions, itinerary changes for safety reasons, illnesses, pandemics, changes in government policies, political instability, strikes, majeure events, etc.
- Salkantay & Rainbow Mountain Trek
