Tour to Salkantay and Manu National Park 9days/8nights

This Tour  in Peru combines the Salkantay Trek  for 5days  with the Jungle Expedition Tour to Manu National Park by bus in and out for 4days, making this tour in length 9 days

This Tour can change according the weather conditions, wishes of the group and according Machu Picchu and Huaynapicchu available rooms.

Tour Itinerary

Day 1: Cusco – Mollepata - Soraypampa.

We leave Cusco very early, passing villages like Izcuchaca and Limatambo and then after 3 hours we arrive in Mollepata. After a light breakfast we start our long but slow walk till the sector of Silca where the lunch is waiting for us. After a short break we continue our walk in beautiful landscapes till Soraypampa, where we spend our first night.

Day 2: Soraypampa – Collpapampa.

The sunrise is impressing, when the majestic snowy-peak of Salkantay is the first thing we see after getting up. At 7:00a.m. we have a breakfast and then we start our walk, which will take 7-8 hours today. Where we can contemplate clear different ecological levels,  and entering in kind of canyon which takes us till the foot of Salkantay. After three hours walk we have our Lunch, then we continue till the pass of Salkantay (4.600mas.) from where we descend and contemplate the beginning of the forest. This day we reach Collpapampa, where we spend the second night.

Day 3: Collpapampa - La Playa.

We start our walk with an exceptional view of the snow-peak Salkantay (6271masl). Then we descend till a riverbank where we have a delicious lunch and continue our walk through the cloud forest where we have the opportunity of seeing how the environment changes, passing from mild to hot. In the afternoon we arrive in La Playa where we camp.

Day 4: La  Playa -Hidroeléctrica –Machu Picchu.

This day we take an interesting way which takes us along the Inca trail till we reach hydroelectric where we take our lunch and in the afternoon we get in to a train which takes us to Aguas Calientes, where we accommodate ourselves in a beautiful hostal.

Day 5: Aguas Calientes -Machu Picchu-Cusco.

This day we go by bus or walking to Machu Picchu where our guide tells us in three hours about the times and history of Incas, when we have the opportunity to appreciate Machu Picchu in all its splendor. In the afternoon we return to Aguas Calientes to take a train. Then, in Ollantaytambo we change to a bus which takes us to Cusco. 

Day 6:-Cusco – Cloud forest – Pilcopata.

Departure from Cusco city very early in the morning in one of our trucks specially prepared for this road. We will pass through interesting Inter-Andean valleys and picturesque farmer communities. In the middle of the day we are going to visit the pre-Inca buried towers of Ninamarca, known as “chullpas”. After that we will arrive to Paucartambo city, which is a typical colonial town. It had a lot of importance and it still conserves it’s flavor.
Continuing our trip we drive up until the Abra of Accjanaco which is found at 3850 meters over the sea. From this point we start to go down passing through the cloud forest, which is an area rich in endemic species as the spectacular “Andean Bear” (Tremarctos Ornatus) and “The Cook of the Rock” (The Peruvian National Bird), “Orquis”, “Bromelias” and “Ferns” etc.
Then in San Pedro we will visit a lek of the “Cook of the Rock”, in which these birds every morning and afternoon made during a very interesting dance called “Displays”. After that we continue our tour until reaching Pilcopata, where we will stop and spend our first night.

Day7:- Pilcopata - Atalaya - Madre de dios River.

After eating our breakfast we continue the tour by bus going through the high forest arriving to Atalaya which is found next to Madre de Dios river ( 700 meters over the sea). From this point we start to go down river in a motorized boat (60 hp). At the riverside we will have the opportunity to see a lot of bird species such as “Herons”, “Vultures”, “Cormorants” etc. After 45 min. we will arrive to our lodge, where we accommodate and get new water resources to be able to take an one hour walk through the forest.
With luck in this walk we will have a possibility to see some Monkeys, Macaws, Toucans so en the way back we will have a night walking where we can see spiders, lizards, frogs and tarantulas. After this impressive experience we go back to the lodge where our delicious dinner is waiting.

Day 8 :- Soga de Oro Lodge - Machuhuasi Oxbow lake.

We walk through the jungle of Soga de oro . On the way we will see many different kinds of animals; such as tapir, collared peccaries, monkeys, coati, macaws eagles, parrots, toucans, medicinal plants, flowers, and the giant trees of the jungle. Before lunch we will have to go back to the lodge where we will have lunch. After Lunch we will sail up river for some minutes and walk to Machuhuasi Oxbow lake for 40min. at the lake we will do some bird watching and search for Caphybaras, in the dark before go back to the lodge we will search for Caimans.

Day 9:- Soga de Oro- Macaw Clay lick- Cusco.

We will get up early to visit A parrot clay lick where we can see three types of macaws, parrots and Parakeets so, after this we will return to Atalaya by boat where our private bus will be waiting to take us back to Cusco by the cloud forest and Paucartambo. We will arrive back in Cusco in the late afternoon.
 

Tour Includes in Salkantay:

• Collection from your hotel in the morning and transfer in private bus to Mollepata (starting point of the trail).
• Reliable, knowledgeable, and friendly guides (English and Spanish).
• Meals are full board.  Including:  3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, and 3 dinners served with drinks. 
• Entrance fee to Machu Picchu.
• Clean quality equipment, 4 people dome iglu tent only for 2 people, lots of space for your personal stuff.
• Tents, cooking gear, dinning utensils, food supplies.
• Thick, comfy sleeping mats provided for free.
• Cooking Tent
• Pack mules for the company equipment to carry the equipment of the agency.
• Mules to carry 5kg. of luggage per person.
• Mules for emergencies.
• Horsemen
• Accommodation and food for our guides, cook, and horsemen. 
• Others: hot water every morning and evening for washing purposes /boiled.
• Water to fill in your water bottle every morning, night, and at lunch time if requested with enough time ahead.
• First-aid kit including emergency oxygen bottle.
• Accommodation in Hotel/hostel in Double Basis Room.
• Train ticket from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo.
• Bus from Ollantaytambo to Cusco.
• One Bus Ticket from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes.
• Entrance ticket to Huaynapicchu (only if the tour is booked one month in advance).

What is not Includes in Salkantay:

• Breakfast on the first day
• Lunch and dinner on the last day: after the guided tour at Machu picchu, you can enjoy free time to further visit the ruins and choose to have lunch either in Machu picchu or in Aguas Calientes at your own expense. Arrival in Cusco is estimated after nightfall, dinner being at your own expense too.
• Visit to the hot springs in Aguas Calientes: a relaxing way to end-up the 5-day trek while you’re awaiting the return train to Cusco, only 10 minutes from the village center, entrance fee is US$ 1,50. Towels can be hired in Aguas Calientes.
• Tips: please beware that our agency staff is well paid so please feel free to tip or not according to your wish.
• Bus ticket from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu.

What we recommend that you bring in Salkantay:

• A backpack with a change of clothes for the whole period of the trek
• Rain gear (jacket and pants if available) or rain poncho (plastic ponchos can be purchased in Cusco)
• Strong footwear, waterproof trekking boots recommended
• Warm clothes, including jacket, fleeces. Thermal clothing is also recommended, especially for sleeping
• Sleeping bag (it can be hired at our agency for US$ 4.00 / day)
• Mattress: will be provided by the agency but is to be carried by you
• Flash light and batteries
• Camera, films and batteries (batteries consume more quickly under cold conditions)
• Hat or cap to protect you from the sun, rain and cold
• Sun block
• After-sun cream or hydrating cream for face and body
• Insect repellent – minimum recommended 20% DEET – no malaria risk has been reported
• Handkerchiefs
• Toilet paper
• Snacks: biscuits, energy bars, chocolate, raw fruits, muesli, etc. Please beware that we do provide a daily morning snack and our meal service is very complete and well supplied. This recommendation applies for all clients being used to a specific snack, as it may happen that it is not included in our selection.
• Non-disposable canteen (Nalgene type) and water for the first morning. Optionally: water sterilizing tablets in case you pick up water from streams or rivers along the route. Otherwise, we provide filtered boiled water, which is safe to drink and has not reported any health problem so far.
• Small towel
• Swimsuit (if you intend to go to the hot springs in Aguas Calientes)
• Cash in soles
• Original passport

Tour includes in Manu:

• Private bus and boat
• Rubber boots and rain poncho
• Binoculars (a pair for two people)
• All nights in Lodge
• Bilingual native guide
• Mineral water
• First aid kit
• 3 meals per day
• Cook
• Entrance fee to all Natural Reserve.

Tour No Included in Manu

• First day mineral water and breakfast.
• Soda and beer.

You will need to bring in Manu Trip:

• Repellent with a minimum of 15 % deet
• Binoculars (if you want your own)
• Camera with extra batteries
• Flash light with extra batteries
• Sun lotion
• Pocket Money
• Daypack
• Water bottle
• Sun hat
• Sandals