Salkantay Trek

This is a *theoretically* comprehensive list of towns/villages/points along the Salkantay Trek:

The list above has been combined from various tour itinerary descriptions and maps available online. The travel times are consistent with our experience; however do keep in mind - everyone walks at a different pace.
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The one single thing I wish I had during our travels is a GPS, so I will have to resort to records of others for a true visual of the Salkantay Trek to accompany our blog.

Thanks to "jwheidmeijer" of gpsies.com for his record of the Salkantay Trek:



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According to other sources this map for $25 includes the full Salkantay Trail GPS trek:
http://gpstravelmaps.com/sacredvalley.php

Some best free maps I found online:

One of the few (if not the only) accurate and mostly comprehensive treks laid out on a scaled, almost topo map. (Follow the left most trek - this is the "Alternative Salkantay"; Inka Trail is on the right):


A minimal representation of the trek on an accurate scaled map:


This map is one of the first results in Google and is pretty good, however note that you should NOT rely on the scale to judge distances, ie: Lucmabamba is actually only ~30 min walk from La Playa while the distance on the map is huge:


 This is a typical map you will find at tour agencies, mostly useless other than examining distances between indicated overnight camping locations:

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Bus/Taxi:    From Santa Teresa to Hydro Electrica      
Start:           12:00 - Hydro Electrica (2,050m / 6,700ft)
End:             15:00 - Aguas Callientes (2,050m / 6,700ft) 
Hike:            A flat 2-3hr hike along the train tracks to Aguas Callientes.
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Santa Teresa (1,600m / 5,200ft)
Collectivos to Hydro Electrica run every hour on the hour starting at 8AM for 5 Soles per person. However, we didn't seem to find one and took a taxi, picking up other passengers we paid 7 Soles per person.

12:00   Hydro Electrica (2,050m / 6,700ft)
As you are dropped off at "Hydro Electrica" you see a long market along the train tracks. You can have a tasty breakfast here.
We heard that there is a "sun clock" worth looking at, but didn't look for it ourselves.

As you start heading down along the tracks you will see stairs on your right with a sign "Salida". Take these stairs up through the forest and as you emerge on the other side you will the the actual - active - track and a train platform.


Follow this track for about 2.5 hours to Aguas Callientes.


Soon you will reach a train station, with piles of bags on the other side of the tracks. Head past the station to the right of the tracks and take the trail down toward random shacks and Machu Picchu signs.


You will see two bridges - auto and pedestrian, with an attendant - this is the road to Machu Picchu. You will need take the road to the left for another 30 minutes to get the Aguas Callientes.

15:00   Aguas Callientes (2,050m / 6,700ft)
If you've been to Peru for at least a few days you will immediately realize that Aguas Callientes is surely another country. Groomed walkways surround beautiful hotels with (showered) couples strolling by - it almost looks like Europe.


Of course, you will soon rediscover Peru if you are a budget traveler looking for less extravagant accommodations. If you are a light sleeper - avoid getting a room facing the train tracks - the night trains are very disturbing.
We stayed at Kcuychi Hostal (facing the train tracks) for 45 Soles for the night and another 20 Soles for a 7PM checkout next day, after Machu Picchu.

We spent the afternoon doing laundry, going to the thermal springs (which are not that exciting and kind of dirty - locals say it's better to go in the morning, while the water is clean), and pampering ourselves with a massage after 4 long days of hiking.


We also ran the necessary errands - buying bus and entrance tickets to Machu Picchu for the last day of our adventure.

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We did NOT do this part of the trek as we were advised against it by tour guides, but mostly we were short on time. The information below was gathered from accounts of others:

The trail from La Playa past Llactapata to Hydro Electrica is easy to find. We were cautioned that this part of the trek is difficult with many uphills and downhills. Llactapata is an ancient ruins site that can be visited on the way, although I am not sure whether you would pass through it or would need to make a side trip off the Salkantay trek.

     La Playa (2,100m / 6,900ft) to Lucmabamba (2,000m / 6,600ft) = 0.5hr
     Lucmabamba (2,000m / 6,600ft) to Llactapata (2,600m / 8,700ft) = 3hrs (?); uphill
    Llactapata (2,600m / 8,700ft) to Hydro Electrica (2,050m / 6,700ft) = 2hrs; downhill
    Hydro Electrica (2,050m / 6,700ft) to Aguas Callientes (2,050m / 6,700ft) = 2.5hrs; flat

Hydro Electrica is an end train station. Trains to Aguas Callientes depart twice daily: at 4AM and 4PM. Therefore, if you make it to Hydro Electrica on time you can take the $8 (?) train ride to the town.

For the description of the hike from Hydro Electrica to Aguas Callientes go here.

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