Why Book the 5.5 Day Salkantay Trek with Alpaca Expeditions…?

Salkantay has grown in popularity and is now easily the second most travelled route to Machu Picchu after the Inca Trail. This hike is one of the most beautiful, experiencing different ecosystems each day – from mountain peaks to the jungle. And when you hike the Salkantay Trek with Alpaca Expeditions, you experience a very unique, one of a kind trip. Our route is different than any other company, allowing each trekker to feel at one with the mountains. And throughout the journey, you will experience some of our most special campsites staying in glass cabanas, our hobbit inspired houses and even a campsite overlooking Machu Picchu. Join us for this 5.5 day hike to Machu Picchu and experience what makes a trip with Alpaca so special.

UNIQUE, COMPREHENSIVE ITINERARY

Our itinerary is completely unique to Alpaca Expeditions. From glacier peaks to the jungle, hikers will head through different micro-climates drastically changing the scenery from day to day.
Because our itinerary is different from any other, our hikers enjoy the quiet magic of the mountains. We head to our first campsite the afternoon before our trek begins, giving our groups a head start on their journey. You will get a great night sleep starting at the Andean sky from your bed in our glass igloos, getting you set to begin your trek feeling great.
Enjoy sunrise over the blue lagoon, Humantay Lake, and take loads of photos of this special location without any crowds. We arrive before any other group at this beautiful spot, allowing your photos to be perfect and serene.
For our coffee lovers, enjoy a real life coffee farm where you will help them grind some beans by hand before they prepare the best cup of café to keep you awake in the mountains.

PRIVATE, DISTINCTIVE CAMPSITES & LODGES

Alpaca Expeditions has the most unique private campsites with the best location in the mountains. Every night is something different, but they are always private, majestic and picturesque – just you and the mountains.

Glass Cabanas – On your first night you will enjoy our glass cabanas, staring up into the nights sky. These lodges have privacy and real beds with oversized windows staring up to the sky. This is a great way to get ready for your first day of hiking the next day.
Camping above the clouds – Your second night will be spent in a spacious tent, 3800 meters above sea level. You will have amazing views of our snow capped peaks, but bundle up as it will be cold this night.
Salkantayshire – Our hobbit inspired houses créate the perfect shire to unwind in. Plus they include hot jacuzzis to relax your muscles. This campsite also has phone charging areas, beautiful views and a hot shower.
Camping at Llactapata – Head back inside a tent at this campsite with the most spectacular views…overlooking Machu Picchu. Hopefully the weather will cooperate, allowing you to see sun set and sun rise over the ruins.
A night at a Hotel – finally you will get the chance to have real life plumbing and another hot shower when you spend the night in a hotel in the town of Aguas Calientes below Machu Picchu.

DEDICATED TO OUR CLIENTS NEEDS

Alpaca Expeditions prides ourselves on our level of dedication to our clients. We will take care of it all from door to door. We will pick you up from your hotel, handle all the logistics for the trip and when you are done with the hike, we will drop you back to your hotel for a good night sleep.
Our Trekking chefs will blow you away with the amount of variety they créate, including amazing meals for all those with food restrictions. You will never leave the table hungry.
Safety is a top concern for us, making sure all our team is trained in first aid every year. While every guide is very knowledgable because of this training, they always carry satellite pone in case of any emergency. And we have a medical doctor on staff to help advise us and a partnership with a clinic for an emergency.

DEVOTED TO OUR COMMUNITY

The owner of Alpaca Expeditions has worked almost every job related to Peruvian tourism: office worker, porter and guide. He has an appreciation for how difficult each job is and created Alpaca to make a difference. Our commitment to our team is unfortunately very unique in Cusco, but something we have the most pride in.

Proper salaries – Everyone on our team receive livable wages above what most companies pay. We take the job of making sure our team has a better life very seriously and this is the most fundamental step in doing so.
Healthcare – Not only does everyone on our team receive healthcare, we also have a medical doctor on staff dedicated to our porters.
Free uniforms – We supply everything our guides, chefs and porters need including warm jackets, hiking boots, tents, sleeping bags and all the food they can eat.
Equality – We believe that all our Jobs should be available to the most passionate and dedicated workers available no matter if they are men or women. We have been lucky enough to have women as guides for many years, but it wasn’t until 2017 that we had our first female porters work our treks. They have taught us more than we ever imagined. Not just how strong women can be, but their ability to work as a team and multi task has been inspiring to our male porters as well, making them all better. You will never see an Alpaca Expeditions porter without a smile on their face – which means the world to us. We hope we can continue hiring more women and our company is 50/50 one day.
Families count – We are dedicated to our teams entire Family, trying to do social projects every month that truly impact their life. From providing teachers at the local school, bringing doctors and dentists to visit the entire village, planting trees and treating them like our VIP clients on the best Inca and Machu Picchu tour.

We hope to inspire passion for Travel, for Peru, for the Incas and for our culture on every trip we do. Our home is your adventure and we really hope this is your best one yet.