From May 21st to May 31st I will be in Peru hiking the Salkantay Trek with friends – the “Savage Mountail Trail” to Machu Picchu.
I have never backpacked that long nor hiked at that elevation before.
We booked The Classic Salkantay Trek Package for 5 days and 4 Nights with Salkantay Trekking.
Background
Medieval-Modern History
Cusco is the historical capital city of the Inca Empire until the 16th century Spanish Conquest. The Incan empire was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America.
On Hiking
Inclusions / Exclusions
For $650, the price includes:
- Permit and entrance tickets to Salkantay Trek, Humantay Lake, and Machu Picchu Archaeological Site
- Experienced bilingual tour guide
- Private camping setups for all 4 nights including dining, meal preparations, and tents with raised cots.
- Duffel bag to carry 7kg / 15.4 lbs of personal belongings including the weight
of a sleeping bag (provided as a rental for $25). Horses will carry these
duffel bags as well as all equipment required for private camping
- If rented, sleeping bag rated for zero degrees fahrenheit. Include a sleeping liner.
- Waterproof backpack cover + rain poncho
- Satellite phone in case of emergencies
- Hotel in Agua Calientes for the last night of the trek with luggage storage included, while we hike to Machu Picchu Archaeological Site on Day 5. By default, shared room with double twin beds.
- 5 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners.
- Snacks for the trail (“cloth bag”)
- Boiled, filtered, cooled water
- Transportation from airport to hotel of choice in Cusco
- Train ticket from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo on Day 5 PeruRail Expedition Service
Not Included:
- One-way bus ticket from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu
- Day 5 lunch in Agua Calientes and Cusco dinner
- Hiking sticks ($25 rental)
- Train from Hidroelectrica to Aguas Calientes (Day 4) as a contingency ($40)
Accomodation
- Night 1: Sky Camp
- Night 2: Mountain Sky View
- Night 3: Jungle Domes
These three camp sites will be where we rest for the first 3 nights of the tour.
4th night will be spent in a hotel provided by the tour in Agua Calientes, double twin beds in a bedroom.
Excursions
Cusco City Tour - Half Day
Ausangate 7 Lakes - Full Day
Pallay Punchu Trek - Full Day
🏔️ Salkantay Trek Packing List ✅
👕 Clothing
- 4 long sleeve comfort shirts (hiking shirt, it will be cold)
- 2 short sleeve comfort shirts (for warmer weather towards end of Day 4)
- 4 pairs of pants (climbing or sweats) (for hiking in cold weather)
- 1 pair of shorts (to sleep or if it’s warmer)
- 4 pairs of regular socks (for 3 non-trek days)
- 5 pairs of hiking and thermal socks (for 5 days trekking)
- 1x Merino wool from REI
- [ ]
- 10-12 pairs of underwear (total for trek and day trips)
- 8 so far
- 10-12 pairs of undershirts (total for trek and day trips)
- 7 so far
- Rain shell (rainy season, handy to have, likely to rain during hike)
- Belt (if you wear one)
- Heavy coat or sweatshirt (to stay warm in cold weather)
- Sun hoodie (for sun protection when warmer; high UV at elevation)
- Flip flops/slides (to let feet breathe at campsite)
- 1 pair of sleep clothes (jammies = slumber party vibes!)
- 4 pairs of normal clothes for excursions (comfort clothes – adulting optional)
- 1 airport fit (for the flight in/out)
🥾 Footwear
- Hiking shoes (trail runners or boots) (for trekking days)
- Regular tennis shoes (For city days)
- Wool hat / beanie (optional but good if you get cold easily)
- Gloves (optional but useful if you’re sensitive to cold)
🧢 Accessories
- Boonie Hat + Net (sun protection, a cap is good)
- Day pack (for snacks, water, and daily essentials)
- Water bladder or water bottle
- Water filter (optional, fun to filter mountain water)
- Sunglasses (eye protection – high elevation UV)
💊 Health & Medications
- Advil (pain relief)
- Melatonin (to help with sleep)
- Super Calm (to relax the mind)
- Tums (for stomach issues)
- Pepto Bismol (for stomach issues)
- Gas-X (for stomach issues)
- Diamox (for altitude sickness)
🧼 Toiletries
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrush
- Deodorant
- Face wash
- Soap
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Razor
- Daily sunscreen & active sunscreen (for strong UV protection)
- Face sunscreen (for your beautiful face)
- Contact solution (if you wear contacts)
- Eye drops (dry eyes prevention)
- Sunscreen lip balm (UV protection for lips)
- Regular lip balm (post-hike care)
- Anti-chafing cream (if needed – long hikes can cause this)
🩹 Foot & First Aid
- Blister care
- Hand warmers
- Moleskin
- First aid kit
- Tender tape
- Travel-size napkins (for runny nose/weather shifts)
- Mini towel (for runny nose/weather shifts)
🔧 Misc Gear
- Multitool (because you never know)
- Bug spray (Amazon jungle = bug party)
- Headlamp (it gets dark, you’ll need it)
🔌 Electronics
- Phone charger
- Watch charger
- Power bank (for photos and staying charged)
- Cameras (GoPro and/or regular)
- Camera charger
- Tripod (for phones or cameras)
- Extra camera batteries
- Drone (if you have one)
- Drone batteries
- Drone charger
- Headphones (also helps Har sleep 😄)
🔐 Travel & Security
- Checked Baggage
- 1x Carry On Suitcase
- 1x Duraflex Waist Bag for trekking
- Mini lock for suitcase (suitcase will stay with the trekking group)
- Apple Watch or equivalent (optional)
🩱 Optional Fun
- Swimsuit (for hot springs at Ausangate)
Documents
- Wallet (insurance card, US drivers license)
- Cash
- $600 for balance of (salktantay trek, cuzco tour, pallay punchu, rainbow mountain)
- Passport
TO-do list
- Pay 50% deposit for the 3x additional tours. Asked him why he is charging me $20 extra.