If you’re searching for an adventure filled alternative to the traditional Inca Trail, the Premium Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu offers something even more compelling: fewer crowds, wildly diverse landscapes, and most importantly…elevated, lodge-style accommodations that redefine what trekking in Peru can feel like. (Spoiler alert – there’s NO tents here, just premium glamping with hot showers and plumbing on this trek!)
Operated by Salkantay Trekking, this 5-day experience blends high-altitude adventure with comfort, taking you from glacial peaks to lush jungle before arriving at one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu.
In this blog post we are going talking about our experience on the Premium Salkantay Trek, including an exclusive look at the new domes for 2026.
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How Many Days Is the Premium Salkantay Trek?
The Premium Salkantay Trek is a 5-day, 4-night journey through the Peruvian Andes.
This is considered the ideal duration for the route, allowing for:
- Proper acclimatization to altitude (we recommend at least 2-3 days in Cusco before the hike as well)
- A balanced pace to hike the ~70 km (43 miles)
- Time to fully experience each ecosystem, from alpine mountains to the cloud forest and jungle.
Best Time of Year to Do the Salkantay Trek
The best time to hike the Salkantay Trek is during Peru’s dry season: May to October.
What to Expect by Season:
- April (Shoulder Season): Lush landscapes, fewer crowds, possibility of some rain
- May –August (Peak Season): Clear skies, colder nights, most popular
- September–October: Great weather + fewer trekkers
- November–March (Rainy Season): Muddy trails, limited visibility
Want more info on how to prepare for the Salkantay Trek – read more here!
Premium vs. Classic Salkantay Trek: Which Should You Choose?
This is the question we get most often – while the 5 day itinerary itself is identical there are a few key differences to note which we have listed below.
| Feature | Premium Salkantay Trek | Classic Salkantay Trek |
|---|---|---|
| Price (5 Days) | ~$1,095 USD | ~$695 USD |
| Overall Experience | Elevated, comfort-focused adventure | More rugged, traditional trekking experience |
| Accommodation Style | Exclusive domes & lodges (Sky Camp, Mountain Sky View – larger dome, brand new Sacred Jungle Domes) Upgraded hotel in Aguas Calientes | Exclusive Basic Domes (Sky Camp, Mountain Sky View – smaller dome, Basic Jungle Domes) Regular hotel in Aguas Calientes |
| Comfort Level | High-end glamping with added amenities like towels. | Basic comfort with no additional amenities |
| Group Size | Groups of up to 12 people | Groups of up to 12 people |
| Included Gear | Sleeping bag and trekking poles included | No gear included (can be added at an additional cost) |
| Duffle Bag Allowance | Included Duffle Bag with up to 10 kg carried by porters/mules | Included Duffle Bag with up to 5 kg carried by porters/mules |
| Emergency Support | Emergency horse included (key safety upgrade) | Not included. (Additional cost) |
| Food Experience | Elevated meals, more premium dining experience | Standard trekking meals |
| Unique Experiences | – Hot spring entrance and round trip transportation included. – Train from Hydroelectrica to Aguas Calientes – Upgraded Panoramic Train with bar and music back from Machu Picchu. – Round trip bus to and from Machu Picchu – Additional lunch in Aguas Calientes after Machu Picchu | – Hot spring entrance and transportation additional. – VistaDome Train ticket included from Machu Picchu. – Bus up to Machu Picchu only |
| Accommodation Highlights | Larger rooms, brand new Sacred Jungle Domes for 2026. | Domes that include hot showers. |
| Overall Vibe | Adventure + comfort + experience-driven | Adventure-first, budget-conscious |
Our 5-Day Premium Salkantay Trek Itinerary
This section is dedicated to walking you through what our day to day looked like during our Salkantay Trek!
Day 1: Hike to Base camp, Humantay Lake & Sleeping Under the Stars
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Afternoon Tea and Dinner Included
- Distance: ~10 km
- Hiking Time: 5–6 hours
Wake Up Call in Cusco + Breakfast
Our day starts with a 4:30 AM wakeup call and hotel pickup. We leave Cusco with our group before sunrise, winding through the Andes on a bus until the mountains suddenly open up around us. After 2 hours of driving we stop at Mollepata for breakfast with our group. This is a small buffet style breakfast with meats, cheeses, eggs, soup, coffee and tea!
After breakfast there is a short drive to where the trailhead is. We had the opportunity to organize our day packs and repack anything into our provided duffel bag that will be carried by the porters to our base camp. The chef also provides some snacks for the initial part of the hike here.
First Hike of the Day
The first section of this hike is 3 hours to Soraypampa (our base camp for the night) with a moderate climb for roughly 45 minutes and then flat the rest of the way. Our base camp for our first night is Sky Camp – a set of glass-domed structures set directly beneath the mountains and exclusive to Salkantay Trekking. There are only sinks and toilets here, no showers!
Reaching Base Camp
Once we reach base camp, we are reunited with our duffel bags and shown to our dome for the night. We have an incredible multi-course lunch prepared by our dedicated chef. The premium trekking group gets the panoramic window table. Then we have a short siesta time.
Humantay Lake + First Evening
Then it was time to hike to Humantay Lake in the afternoon. This was our first taste of true incline and altitude, and this hike really makes you earn the view. Once you reach the top, the view of the water is an unreal shade of turquoise, and framed by jagged peaks.
Once we hike back down, we have afternoon tea and some more rest time before we end our night with dinner! It is COLD here – and the team prepared hot water bottles for us to sleep with.
Day 2: Salkantay Pass → Cloud Forest → Mountain Sky View
This is the hardest day, and easily the most rewarding!
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Afternoon Tea and Dinner included
- Distance: 23.5km (14.6 Miles)
- Hiking Time: 10-11 hours
Wake Up Call + Breakfast
We start our morning with a wake up call at 4:30 AM and delivery of Coca Tea to our room from our guide. Our chef prepares breakfast for our group, we say goodbye to our dome as well as our duffel bag for the rest of the day and then we begin our hike as the sunrises.
Hiking Up To The Salkantay Pass
Our day starts with a steady 7km climb toward Salkantay Pass (4,630 m / 15,190 ft) over 3 hours. Every step feels slower at altitude but the vibes were high! Our guide had Coca Leaves as well to help with combating altitude sickness. Snow-covered peaks surround us in every direction. Once we reach the top our chef was waiting for us with hot tea and a snack. We had time to celebrate our accomplishment, take some photos and enjoy the views. We even saw a Condor!
Hiking Into the Cloud Forest to our Base Camp
As we descend, almost immediately, the landscape begins to change. By the time we reach our lunch spot, we’re surrounded by the jungle and it warms up quite a bit. This is the perfect time to shed a layer and put it in your day pack, and apply sunscreen and bug spray. After our lunch we continue our hike to base camp. There are a few little stores along the way if you need extra water, or want some snacks – just make sure you have local currency (Soles).
Reaching Base Camp
Our base camp tonight is Mountain Sky View Camp – which for the premium group is larger domes near the top (where the restaurant is) and amenities like towels for your well earned hot shower. This camp has a beautiful platform over looking the mountains and the restaurant has a bar (which takes cash or credit cards). Quite a few people celebrated our day with Pisco Sours and local beer!
Day 3 – Jungle Trek → Fruit and Coffee → Hot Springs
This day had such a wide variety of activities and was the perfect recovery day after the long hike yesterday.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Afternoon Tea and Dinner included
- Distance: ~10.3 km or 6.4 miles
- Hiking Time: 4 hours
- Extra Inclusions: Coffee Experience, Entrance to Cocalmayo hot spring (plus round trip transportation)
Wake Up Call + Breakfast
We start our day with a 5:30AM wake up call and 6AM breakfast. We say goodbye to the gorgeous view from our dome, as well as our duffels until we reach our next base camp.
Morning Hike + Fruit Stand + Coffee Plantation
We head out on our morning hike with views of waterfalls, local flowers and rivers. Along the way our group stops at a fruit stand to try the passionfruit which this area is famous for. Highly recommend trying the homemade passionfruit popsicles they make as well. We hike to our bus pick up spot which takes us to a coffee plantation to learn about the local coffee, roast and grind it ourselves and try it as espresso! They have the option to purchase bags of the coffee (ground or whole beans) as well as try some specialty coffees like a latte.
Arrival at Base Camp + Lunch
From the coffee plantation we take our bus to the brand new Sacred Jungle Domes (new for the 2026 season). This is a separate camp from where the classic trekkers stay, and it has a dedicated restaurant and bar here for the premium group. These domes are absolutely gorgeous and the bathrooms are so spacious. There are amenities like towels, shampoo, conditioner and soap. You won’t need your sleeping bag anymore, this spot is much warmer than your first two nights and they provide blankets here. We have lunch on our arrival.
Cocalmayo Hot Springs
In the early afternoon we get in our bus to go to the hot springs, our guide recommends this earlier time to beat the crowds (and he was right, as we were leaving, big groups were starting to come in). The entrance and round trip transportation is included in the premium trek. We rent towels at the hot spring entrance for 5 soles each! This spot is so relaxing, has mountain views and each pool is a different temperature. We stay here for 1.5 hours and then head back to base camp.
Dinner + Last Evening Glamping
We get back to base camp as the sun is setting. Our chef gives us the option for later afternoon tea but our group didn’t want to waste the food and we have dinner instead. There is a bar here with drinks for purchase with credit cards and local currency (soles). This camp also has a fire pit to have a small bonfire however our group played card games (highly recommend bringing a deck of cards with you) and head to bed!
Day 4: Llactapata Ruins → Aguas Calientes
The Llactapata trail is part of the original Inca trail, where you will be able to see ancient ruins and get a first peak at Machu Picchu in the distance! Then you head to the gateway city to Machu Picchu.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included
- Distance: ~14km or 8.7 Miles
- Hiking Time: 8-9 hours
Sad News + Itinerary Change for Our Group
We visited during the tail end of rain season (in April) and unfortunately there was a massive landslide which destroyed a bridge on the Llactapata trail and made other portions of the trail too dangerous to hike. What typical happens is an early breakfast and head out onto the trail to reach Hydroelectrica where the premium group boards the afternoon tourist train to Aguas Calientes.
Because of the trail being too dangerous to hike our group took a bus to Hydroelectrica and decided to for-go our train tickets and walk the train tracks to Aguas Calientes instead.
Hiking The Train Tracks to Aguas Calientes
After breakfast (and saying our official goodbye to our chef) we have a brief drive from our base camp to Hydroelectrica, where we start our hike towards Aguas Calientes. It is important to note that other than a few small sections where walking in the tracks is the only option, there is a trail the runs alongside it and you are not supposed to walk on the tracks themselves. Trains come by at various times during the day and they approach quickly. The hike has a few shops along the way, we highly recommend trying an empanada if you can! Then before we knew it, we arrived in Aguas Calientes
Hotel Check In + Exploring Aguas Calientes
The premium group stays at a superior 3 star hotel (in contrast to a 2 star for classic trekkers). We checked into our hotel, and then headed out to explore Aguas Calientes. We highly recommend a visit to the massive market for souvenirs! If you are looking for a fun place to have a cocktail or afternoon snack then we recommend visiting Chullos Restaurant, they have an amazing view and some really fun and interesting cups.
Buying Tickets for Machu Picchu The Day Before
Tickets for Machu Picchu are included with the Salkantay Trek. The company strives to get you Circuit 2 tickets (this is the most complete circuit) however, if they are not available they will book you Circuit 3 or 1.
We had Circuit 1 7AM tickets – however we went to MINCUL Cultural Centre (Dirección Desconcentrada de Cultura de Cusco), located near the Main Square where they have 1000 tickets for the next day available to purchase. We were lucky to get Circuit 2 tickets at 9AM!
Dinner
We joined our entire group for dinner at a local restaurant where there was a set menu to choose from. Then we received instructions on our next day’s events as our group had different timed tickets. When we got back to our hotel, our duffel bag had arrived and we enjoyed an evening of rest in our hotel room!
Day 5 – Machu Picchu Day → Back to Cusco
This is the day to look forward to – seeing one of the 7 New World Wonders in person!
Wake Up + Breakfast + Meeting Our Guide
We wake up at 5:00AM, pack our bags and head to breakfast included at the hotel then check out of the hotel. The hotel holds the bags for us for the day. For our 7AM ticket, we meet our guide in the hotel lobby at 6AM and head directly to the bus station.
Machu Picchu – Circuit 1
From the bus station it is roughly 25 minutes by bus to the entrance of Machu Picchu. It is important to account for time waiting in line for the bus, which is why we got there so early. A new bus comes every few minutes, but during peak season the wait times can be quite long and there is only a 30 minute grace period for your ticket and then your entry will be denied – so be early.
The gates open for each timed ticket only – so we waited in line for a few minutes before we were let in according to our 7AM ticket. This ticket was included in our Premium Salkantay Trek package so we had a guide for this circuit. Circuit 1 is the panoramic upper terrace (famous postcard view) and offers an incredible aerial of Machu Picchu. It also comes with access to hike Machu Picchu mountain which is not guided and takes an additional 2-3 hours. We did not do this because we had our Circuit 2 entrance at 9AM – so keep this in mind if you plan to buy more than one circuit.
Machu Picchu – Circuit 2
This is the ticket we purchased on our own so we did this without a guide, however there were plenty of guides at the entrance that you can hire should you want one.
Circuit 2 is the most complete circuit and gives access to the Lower Terrace (the Instagram famous photo spot) as well takes you through inside of the ruins. If you can only get one circuit ticket, we recommend this one. We took our time taking in the ruins and the amazing views.
Bus back to Aguas Calientes + Lunch
The bus tickets back to Aguas Calientes are included for the premium group. There is a hiking trail that is free to use, which is what the Classic Trek offers. We waited in a short line to board the bus and we were back in town before we knew it. Lunch is included for the premium group at a restaurant in town. This lunch was buffet style, had a large variety of options, had alcoholic drinks for purchase and there was live music!
Train to Ollantaytambo + Bus To Cusco
The Premium Salkantay Trek group has PeruRail Vistadome Train Service – which is the panoramic train that has a bar and entertainment onboard. A snack box as well as drinks such as water, tea and coffee are included – but you can purchase other drinks like beer and wine, and premium snacks. We highly recommend visiting the bar car when it is your carriages turn (they call each carriage one at a time so it isn’t crowded) for some live music and dancing!
Once you reach Ollantaytambo, your guide will be waiting for you to bring you to the bus to bring you and your group back to Cusco!
Finals Thoughts
The Premium Salkantay Trek is a multi-day journey through Peru’s most dramatic landscapes, paired with some of the most unique glamping accommodations in South America.
For travellers looking for something truly different and elevated on the way to Machu Picchu, this trek delivers on every level.
Want more info on what to pack, best time of year to hike the Salkantay Trek and more? Get all that info here!
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