Trek the Salkantay Route to Machu Picchu

This was the best trip I have ever been on and I'm not that young! We started as 13 people, all of whom I'd never met and left as great friends. The group was always well supported by the guides and support staff, allowing us to focus on enjoying each other and the amazing places we went to. It's not an adventure if some things, totally out of our control, went wrong. When we were faced with a need to adapt, the group, which had coalesced by that point, took the challenge on and we all worked together to find the best solution possible. Leaders, formal and informal, stepped up to ensure we were able to each achieve our own understanding of success and goal achievement. Yes the scenery was beautiful, the type twoness was everything we expected and so on. What truly blew me away was being led by two guides who know this place, are rooted to the land and local communities, permitting us to join their culture, if only for a short time. This led to my favorite part of the trip. The laying of a ceremonial cairn at Humantay Lake with Papa Lino and Eddicito leading us in a local coca leaf experience at the top of the pass literally brought tears to my eyes. It grounded all of us in the spiritual significance of how important these places are to the Quechua people. It was a truly transformative, life changing experience. Thank you for this amazing service you offer and provide. This will not be my last trip with MBA!

Fantastic trek with an excellent itinerary and great food throughout (make sure you try guinea pigs!). We had to take a slightly different route due to landslides, but Lino and Edy adapted everything really well and made the whole experience smooth and enjoyable. The weather can be intense — when it rains, it really pours — so come prepared. I’d also highly recommend arriving in Cusco a day or two early to help acclimatise to the altitude before the trek starts (even if you are fit!).

We enjoyed our time with Lino and Edson as they guided us through the Salkantay Trek and to Machu Picchu. Started in the Andes and ended in the Amazon. Highly recommend!

Day to day schedules didn't necessarily match up with what the website stated. Miles were longer, and timing was considerably longer- almost always, whether it be in the van, or on the trail. I needed food, more than once. Bring your snacks, because all the meals you're expecting don't always happen. The group farewell dinner on the last night DID NOT HAPPEN at all. That was a shame.

This trek was perfect from start to finish, very well organized and with 2 incredibly kind local guides, who took care of everything for the group. Food was delicious, people was friendly and open minded. I highly recommend this trek!

What an amazing adventure. Lino and Etson (apologies I am not sure I have the correct spelling) were our incredible guides so kind, thoughtful and helpful. Always just there when you needed a helping hand. Incredibly passionate and knowledgeable about everywhere we went. The food was delicious and with our early starts coca tea delivered to our tent to wake us up was such a welcome treat but more local coffee at breakfast would have helped! The beauty of the landscape at every turn truly took my breath away. Lino was also so cognisant of ensuring we had space away from the many other people/groups on this popular route. Overall an incredible experience.

Thank you much better adventures! I had the best time, the staff on the trail were great, there was always plenty of food and I felt super safe and looked after in the trail. The food was amazing for camp kitchens. I even got a birthday cake! I booked a trip for my birthday and much better adventures team truly made it special. Thank you Leno and Eddie for getting me to Machu Pichu!! Thank you again Rebecca

The trip was in general well organised. The local host was informative and helpful. Our guide Lino and Eddie worked tirelessly to make sure we were all looked after. I had a small accident on the last hiking day (my own fault), Lino walked slowly with me all the way downhill to guarantee that I finished the trek safely and not being left behind — very very grateful for his help! Also big thanks to the chef team: the quality and variety of the meals at the camping sites were well above and beyond our expectation. The hiking itself had some challenging moments, but the scenery on the way was definitely worth all the effort. So, do it, you won’t disappoint.

I joined the trip in September and had an amazing experience. Our guides Christian and Eddi took good care of our group. Both were very knowledgeable and shared information about history, culture and their own experiences. The Salkantay trek is very doable with a good level of fitness, be aware that altitudes sickness might be an issue (Arriving a few days earlier may help. I personally travelled through Peru the weeks before arriving in Cusco via bus and had no issues. ). In general the trail is well maintained and there are no sketchy sections. Our cooking team made plenty of tasty food every single day, so nobody will go hungry. Accommodation before/after the trip and the tents were good. I rented a sleeping bag from the company and it was plenty warm. It´s a bit disappointing that you won´t hike up to Machu Picchu as well, however it makes total sense that with the tight schedule you take the bus up to the sight early in the morning. We were super lucky and had no clouds the day we visited Machu Picchu. Some people my stress about what route the trip takes during the visit. We had Route 3 and we all were very happy with that, the views were amazing. All in all I recommend booking this trip.

The trip was amazing. Our main guide, Christian, may be a literal saint, and our assistant guide Eddie was the coolest guy on the planet. Both were human encyclopedias regarding the history and terrain, and took care of our group's needs with amazing care. The hike itself was spectacular and unforgettable.

The ONLY complaints/recommendations I have are that the tour-supplied lodgings left a bit to be desired (may have just been a result of high volume of tourists in the area at that time) and to make sure you check in with your guides about the exact plan for the trek. There were a few sections that some folks in the group ended up driving through, which took away from the "we're doing this all on foot" feeling. A few of us opted for an extra-early AM wake-up to handle the last section on foot, but if we hadn't been squeaky wheels about it we might have ended up in the van as well.

A fantastic trek which combined a bit of everything - physical challenge, cultural and historical insight, amazing landscape and a great group of people. As a first time organised travel experience, it was so much better than I imagined it would be!

I loved this trek on many levels. S Physically, emotionally and socially. . it challenged them all. ⁹

I had a wonderful week on the Salkantay Trek with MBA. The trek itself was the right amount of challenging, with awe-inspiring and varied landscapes every day. The group was expertly guided by Christian who combined clarity as a trek leader, expertise on the landscape, flora sna fauna and Inka history, and a sense of fun and humour throughout. The rest of the crew - porters chefs and our second guide Naida - all did a fantastic job. The quality of food was amazing, and we enjoyed a range of Peruvian dishes somehow rustled up by the chef team in campsite kitchens. The itinerary was well balanced with some shorter days of hiking alongside the longer arduous days. I loved the day in the Sacred Valley and some time on a coffee plantation and hot springs as well as the trekking. Our day at Macchu Picchu started with fog but Christian encouraged us to be patient and after 80 or 90 minutes of waiting, the weather cleared and MP was stunning! Everyone in the group was friendly, supportive and fun and we have stayed in touch in real life after the trek. The only negative for me was that some parts of the trail were very busy - I had expected it to be a little quieter. But. . . it is hard to complain about tourists when you are a tourist and it was nevertheless a 5 star week for me.

Splendid hike along the Salkantay rout! I experienced some altitude sickness the first few days despite having medicine to prevent it, but all worked out in the end. Local guides helped to arrange passage by horse for me through one of the more difficult sections. Christian and Edison are fantastic guides!

My husband and I were part of a group of ten guided by Christian and Nyda and supported by two exceptional cooks throughout the trek part. I don’t know how Christian found the energy to not only get us all through the walking but also to continue to look after us all and to make sure everything was set in each camp. He was exceptional. Nyda brought lots of smiles and energy and helped me to feel safe and secure whilst hiking. Our camps were all great, our sleeping bags warm and mats comfortable. The camps were basic but all had a large dining area where we could have communal meals - and what fantastic meals they were. We had varied, colourful, filling food, all based on Peruvian produce and cuisine. Our chefs even made us a delicious cake for the final morning, complete with icing to wish us well. Our hotel at the start and end was centrally located in Cusco and based around open courtyards, and both rooms we stayed in were comfortable with high ceilings, Our hotel in Machu Picchu Pueblo was more basic but the town itself was fun and given we were tired post-trek and needing to get up at 430, it didn’t really matter! They also made breakfast for us super-early which was very kind. We had great communication with Roxner who was the coordinator for Peru Action Treks. Christian managed all the logistics of the Machu Picchu day (which were extensive) flawlessly and gave us a very detailed, informative and personally meaningful tour of Machu Picchu. We had a wonderful experience overall and there isn’t anything I can think of that needed improving. We had a couple of days affected by rain but that’s just a reality of doing trekking and we worked out ways to work with the weather and conditions. There were also fun and funny moments every day; the hilarious coffee roasting and dancing on day three, singing along to bad 80s music on the way to the hot springs, learning about the fate of Claudio the Rooster… so many moments that made this more than just a trek. I can’t recommend it highly enough!

My very first tracking holiday and it went exceptionally well from the beginning to the end🥰. Peru is an amazing country with so much diversity and vibrant culture. Definitely worth a visit and wrestle with the altitude 🤭.

The food provided was diverse and delicious; the chefs absolutely did their best to provide tasty dishes so we can explore the peruvian cuisine. Same goes for the porters who ensured our bags and sleeping gear will get to the next stop on time and ready to use!

I'd like to say special thanks to our guides Christian and Naira for being so friendly, helpful and caring of the whole group throughout the journey. Their professionalism and presence made the trip a whole lot more than I expected ☺️!! Planty has been shared on the Inka culture and the current customs of the people.

Everything was well planned and the group atmosphere was excellent 👌. I highly recommend MBA to anyone wishing for an adventure as they will surely get much more than that 😉.

Can't say enough how much I enjoyed the hole journey and the people I got to spend the time with so I am going to close with an "I will be back" 😁.

A totally brilliant experience! Hiking which was challenging at times, supported with comfortable camping, great food and the best guides in Christian and Edison: their knowledge, passion and pride in Peru shone through. I had the best week on the Salkantay Trail.

It is hard to truly express the experience. Christian and Eddy are patient and present through every footstep. The young men who prepared our food are outstanding. To deliver such a healthy variety of meals in remote, sometimes rainy, sometimes cool conditions is a feat itself. They are unsung heroes who made sure we were all well energized for the trekking.

Christian Peña and Eddie were the absolute BEST guides anyone could ask for. Patient, knowledgeable, and passionate are the best adjectives to describe both of them, and i recommend them to any and all prospective travelers.

I can highly recommend this trip! I’d never been on a MuchBetter trip before, and will definitely be going on one again. It was very well organised, including tickets, communication, accommodation, food and transport (via Action Peru). The views throughout were stunning, with our hike up to the glaciers of Salktany Pass before descending through the jungle being a highlight.

Our guide was Lino and he was so lovely - always encouraging us on, keeping us safe, passionate about the local history, and a champion at Sappo! The rest of the team was also incredible, with a shout-out to our chef Albert and his banana cakes and three course meals regardless of conditions. Our group was also fantastic - we were 8 in total ranging from 20s to 60s and we really bonded over the trip.

Some tips for anyone considering this trip

• Expect to get rained on a lot! Good waterproof gear and boots is a must, and get the poncho as well in Cusco. We were lucky in that the rain would always clear in time for the key photos!
• We were all affected differently by the altitude, consider getting there a couple days early (MuchBetter organised my transport and accommodation) and Diamox. Personally I struggled with nausea and fatigue in the first days.
• Trekking poles were very helpful
• I travelled on my own as a 26yo female and felt safe, both on my own in Cusco and on the trek.

I booked this trek with Much Better Adventures thinking that they would be involved in all aspects of the tour. However, they subcontract the trip out to a local provider which means they don't have much control on how the trek runs. There were quite a lot of changes to the itinerary during the trek due to strikes and landslides - this meant completing a large section of the trek via minibus which was disappointing.

This was my second MBA adventure and it certainly did not disappoint, if you're interested in the trip then don't hesitate to book it. As with my previous trip, we had a lovely group of people, which always makes things more enjoyable, particularly as I travel solo.

Christian and Eddie, our guides, were fabulous from start to finish. Christian is truly a font of knowledge and it was a privilege to learn from him throughout the trip. All the camps were perfectly comfortable and facilities were better than I expected throughout. A mention must also go to the cooks, who did the most fantastic job of serving up vast quantities of delicious food at every meal in basic kitchens.

I was very nervous ahead of time, particularly having read reviews, about the difficulty level of the hike and the altitude. I was fortunate enough not to find the altitude a struggle beyond getting out of breath much more quickly than I usually would when hiking uphill. In terms of the hike itself, I found it quite straightforward and I'm by no means a super-fit athlete.

We had one longer day at the start which was tough going on the knees by the end of day as we did roughly 12k of continuous downhill, but none of the trail itself is difficult in hiking terms. If you have a reasonable level of hiking fitness and previous experience of hiking holidays in varied terrain then, assuming you manage with the altitude, you will be fine with the actual hiking.

The wonderful: the scenery is truly spectacular and it is a privilege to camp in the shadow of the beautiful Salkantay mountain for a night. Machu Picchu is incredible and a mind-boggling feat of engineering. Peruvian food is delicious and everywhere I went in the country - including a week travelling on my own prior to the group trip - felt incredibly safe and welcoming.

The less wonderful: I was prepared for Cusco and Machu Picchu to be busy, but I expected the hiking part of this trip to be a little more "off the beaten path" than it turned out to be. Maybe we just hit a busy patch, but there were a number of other (larger) groups on roughly the same itinerary and schedule as us, which made the trek feel quite busy. In the interests of honesty, I prefer my hikes with zero people so may not be the best measure to go by, but it definitely wasn't a deserted trail.

Other advice: if you're interested in the history and culture of the area, I'd highly recommend some extra time in Cusco. I managed to fill 3. 5 days without any trouble and had to pick and choose my activities a bit, so don't be afraid to take a chance on that front. I had a few really good meals there too, so you won't go hungry!

The packing list was pretty spot on, I followed it and used most of what I had brought. Layers for the first night camping at altitude are an absolute must. I had 3 thin but good quality layers on top and bottom, a hat and a good sleeping bag. I ended up removing the hat sometime during the night, but I'd much rather have it that way round than be cold!

I think that concludes my essay, hopefully some of this information will be useful if you are reading it and considering signing up. As I said at the start - just book and go, you won't regret it!

Has been just over a week now since I returned from two fabulous weeks in Peru.

Much Better Adventures have been excellent from helping with the booking to arranging accommodation and assistance with which flights to book.

The trek itself was just brilliant. The guides, Christian and Edison, were with us from the first Saturday in Cusco to our return a week later. Their knowledge and passion, throughout the trek, made it an adventure I will never forget.

From a guided tour into the sacred valley to riding up the Salkantay Pass and descending through the rainforests, you find yourself totally immersed in Peruvian culture and history. Other highlights included the first sight of Machu Picchu from the top of a nearby mountain to a visit to a hot springs and a tour of a coffee plantation.

And then you get to Machu Picchu - what an incredible place to visit.

The accommodation (tents) were absolutely fine with upgrade options (i. e. a bed!) at every camp site. Far from being what I had envisaged as being an off-grid experience, there were toilets, wi-fi and showers at every camp.

The trip was all the better for sharing it with like minded adventurers. And once again, the guides were amazing - I felt incredibly looked after and their talks on all things Inca & Peruvian were so interesting.

Such a brilliant trip.

Tupananchikkama, Peru.

Just got back from 15 days in Peru and doing the Salkantay route. It’s was a lovely, diverse and challenging adventure. The mountains are breathtaking, the food, the coffee and hot springs wonderful. But what really made it truly special were our two guides Christian and Edison. Their knowledge and good humour was staggering, nothing was too much trouble. An unforgettable trip.

I just completed to Machu Picchu. Going solo was a fantastic decision, and I have to say, it was a dream come true.

The scenery was absolutely breathtaking, from mountains and glaciers to rainforests. Each day was a new adventure, and the weather and terrain added to the challenge and excitement of the journey.

I cannot say enough about our guides, Christian and Eddie. They were with us every step of the way, offering insightful explanations about the history and culture of the regions we traversed. Their humor made the days even more enjoyable, and the camaraderie among the group was fantastic.

Machu Picchu itself was nothing short of magical. I thoroughly enjoyed our tour there and feel grateful to have been part of such an amazing adventure. Thank you all, and I look forward to meeting you again. (Any questions?? Maybe later. . . . )

Tupananchiskama!

This was an amazing trip. It was our dream to see the Machu Picchu and I couldn't wish a much better adventure than this one. Amazing views on the way, rich history and culture and chance to experience different types of weather and terrain. We have been through Mountains, glaciers and the amazon forests. The trip was very well designed. I have to say that our guides Christian and Eddie made this trip into a great one. They were with us all the way through the trip and explained the history and the culture. Their sense of humor makes this trip more enjoyable. Machu Picchu was magical too. I really enjoyed our tour over there. I am really glad to be part of this adventure. Thanks again and see you later. Tupananchiskama!

As expected

Changing seasons in one day, steep ascents and descents, incredible views of the Andes mountains and Amazon Rain Forests, hot springs. . . Our guides were Christian Pena and Edison. They correctly understood our needs and informed us throughout the hike. The food team, the organisation of the campsite was sufficient for our needs. The information and experiences of our guides about local life helped us a lot to interpret both nature and culture. Since there is no goodbye in Quechua, let's say "Tupananchiskama" meaning see you soon!

We booked the Salkantay Trek with Much Better Adventures and had an amazing time. The trek was incredible, the guides were super lovely and knowledgeable, but the group were what made this an unforgettable trip - loads of laughter and fun for the whole 6 days! One word of caution, we booked thinking we were trekking the whole of the Salkantay route, but there were a couple of times when the guide/tour suggested taking a minibus. One of these was along a road, which would have been a bit boring to walk along, but another day was to avoid ~12k of amazing mountain trekking. We were so glad we pushed to walk that section and not take the bus!!

Awesome trip with a great bunch of people. Christian and Eddie were both great guides with good humour and knowledge. Highly recommend for anyone wanting to see Machu Picchu with some incredible scenery and challenging sections at altitude along the way.