Salkantay Trek: 4 Days or 5 Days? How to Choose, From Our Guides
The 4-day and the 5-day Salkantay Trek follow the same route to the same place: Humantay Lake on the first afternoon, the Salkantay Pass at 4,600 m on the second day, Llactapata's distant view of Machu Picchu, and a guided visit of the citadel on the last morning. The 5-day version adds one day in the high jungle, with an organic coffee farm and a night in a jungle dome, which splits the long walk after the pass into two easier days. Choose 4 days if you are fit and short of time; choose 5 days if you want a gentler pace, more time in the cloud forest and a little more margin for the altitude.
Salkantay 4 days vs 5 days at a glance
| 4 days, 3 nights | 5 days, 4 nights | |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Cusco – Soraypampa – Humantay Lake | Cusco – Soraypampa – Humantay Lake (about 7 km) |
| Day 2 | Salkantay Pass (4,600 m) – Chaullay | Salkantay Pass (4,600 m) – Chaullay (about 22 km) |
| Day 3 | Chaullay – Llactapata – Aguas Calientes | Collpapampa – organic coffee farm – Lucmabamba (about 16 km) |
| Day 4 | Machu Picchu and return to Cusco | Llactapata – Aguas Calientes |
| Day 5 | — | Machu Picchu and return to Cusco |
| Nights | Sky Camp, Andean Huts, hotel | Sky Camp, Andean Huts, jungle dome, hotel |
| Pace after the pass | One long day to Aguas Calientes | Split over two calmer days |
| Price per person | From US$620 | From US$570 |
Both treks are rated challenging, run in groups of 2 to 16 hikers and include the Machu Picchu entrance ticket, the Consettur bus and the train back to Ollantaytambo with a transfer to Cusco. Always check the inclusions on each tour page before you book, because small items such as the Humantay Lake entrance fee or sleeping bag rental are listed separately. If you are still deciding between Salkantay and the Inca Trail itself, start with our comparison of the Salkantay Trek vs the Inca Trail.
What is exactly the same in both
Day 1 is identical: an early drive from Cusco to Soraypampa, lunch, and an afternoon climb to Humantay Lake (about 4,200 m (13,780 ft)), the turquoise glacial lake below the Humantay glacier. You sleep in the Sky Camp at Soraypampa, glass-roofed domes under one of the darkest skies in the Andes.
Day 2 is also the same, and it is the hardest day of either version: the climb to the Salkantay Pass at 4,600 m, face to face with the glaciers of Salkantay, followed by a long descent from the cold puna into the first cloud forest. You sleep in the Andean Huts at Chaullay.
And both end the same way: a morning at Machu Picchu with a professional guide, then the train to Ollantaytambo and private transport back to Cusco. In other words, the effort at altitude is identical. What changes is what happens after the pass.
The real difference: days 3 and 4
On the 4-day trek, Day 3 goes from Chaullay through the subtropical valleys to Llactapata, where you see Machu Picchu for the first time from across the valley, and continues all the way to Aguas Calientes. It is a full day of walking the day after the hardest climb, so your legs need to recover quickly.
On the 5-day trek, that same stretch is split in two. Day 3 is a calmer walk from Collpapampa into the high jungle, with a visit to an organic coffee farm in Lucmabamba, where you see coffee go from the plant to the roast, and a night in a jungle dome. Day 4 then takes you to Llactapata and down to Aguas Calientes with fresh legs.
Our guides notice the difference most in the faces of the group on the morning of Machu Picchu: after five days, people usually arrive more rested and with more energy for the citadel.
Where you sleep on each version
Both versions use the same special camps: the Sky Camp in Soraypampa on the first night and the Andean Huts in Chaullay on the second. The last night before Machu Picchu is always in a hotel in Aguas Calientes, with a hot shower and a real bed before the early bus to the citadel.
The 5-day version adds a night in a jungle dome in Lucmabamba, surrounded by the sounds of the forest. It is warmer than the high camps, and for many hikers it is the most relaxing night of the trek.
Which one is harder?
The 4-day trek is harder, not because it is higher, but because it is more compressed. The altitude, the pass and the distances on the first two days are the same. On the shorter version, though, you walk from Chaullay to Aguas Calientes in one day, right after crossing 4,600 m.
Neither version needs you to be an athlete, but both need good fitness and proper acclimatization. Spend at least one or two days in Cusco (3,400 m (11,150 ft)) before you start. Our guide to altitude sickness in Cusco explains how to do it, and our Salkantay Trek packing list covers the gear for both glacier and jungle.
Choose the 4-day trek if…
- You are a regular hiker, already acclimatized, and comfortable with long days.
- Your time in Peru is tight and one more day matters for the rest of your itinerary.
- You mostly want the big moments: Humantay Lake, the pass and Machu Picchu.
- Price matters: the 4-day trek starts at US$620 per person.
Choose the 5-day trek if…
- You want a more relaxed pace after the pass and more energy for Machu Picchu.
- You are curious about the cloud forest, coffee and the life of the valley, not only the summit.
- This is your first multi-day trek, or you are not sure how the altitude will treat you.
- You like the idea of a night in a jungle dome: the 5-day trek starts at US$570 per person.
When to go, and how far ahead to book
The Salkantay Trek runs all year and needs no trekking permit, which is one reason it is the classic alternative when the Inca Trail is sold out or closed in February. The dry season, May to September, brings the clearest views of the glacier and cold nights at the high camps. In the rainy months, expect mud on the descent and, sometimes, snow at the pass. Our guide to the best time to visit Machu Picchu has the month-by-month picture.
Even without a permit, the trek depends on Machu Picchu tickets and the camps, which are limited. We recommend booking at least 1 to 2 months ahead, and earlier for June to August.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the 4-day and 5-day Salkantay Trek?
The route, the pass and Machu Picchu are the same. The 5-day version splits the walk after the pass into two days, adds an organic coffee farm and a night in a jungle dome in Lucmabamba, and reaches Machu Picchu more rested.
Is the 4-day Salkantay Trek much harder?
It is more compressed, not higher. The first two days are identical; on Day 3 of the 4-day version you walk from Chaullay to Aguas Calientes in one go, the day after crossing the 4,600 m pass.
Do both versions include Machu Picchu?
Yes. Both include a guided visit of Machu Picchu, the entrance ticket, the Consettur bus, the train to Ollantaytambo and transport back to Cusco.
Do both treks visit Humantay Lake?
Yes, on the afternoon of Day 1, before the first night at the Sky Camp in Soraypampa.
Do I need a permit for the Salkantay Trek?
No trekking permit is needed, unlike the Inca Trail. You still need a Machu Picchu ticket, which is included, so book 1 to 2 months ahead.
Which version do you recommend for a first trek?
The 5-day version. The altitude is the same, but the slower pace after the pass gives your body more time to recover.
Can I do the Salkantay Trek in February?
Yes, it runs all year and is the usual alternative when the Inca Trail is closed in February. Expect rain, mud on the descent and possible snow at the pass.
Official sources: Ministry of Culture of Peru: official Machu Picchu and Inca Trail tickets · PeruRail: official train timetables between Cusco, Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu · Inca Rail: official train services between Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu · CDC Yellow Book: High Altitude Travel and Altitude Illness
