What to Bring

• Our horses carry up to 6kg of your belongings. This should include your Sleeping Bag and mats or floor insulation (if you bring or rent one). Here these two objects weigh 3 kg.
• 2-3 hiking pants
• 4 sets of underwear.
• 4 pairs of hiking socks
• 1 warm jacket – it is very cold at night
• 1 raincoat and pants
• 1 wool hat
• Flashlight: essential
• Waterproof gloves (even if they are ski gloves, the better)
• Comfortable shoes for camping.
• comfortable walking shoes
• Waterproof jacket / rain poncho
• Quick drying towel. We offer small things, you can enjoy something bigger.
• Soap bottle: we provide warm water for daily cleaning; You may feel cold when you take the soap.
• Charger: Don’t plug it in anywhere while walking!
• Large plastic bags: to keep things neat, messy and clean.

PERSONAL TOILET ITEMS:

• sunscreen
• moisturizing face cream
• Insect repellent
• hand sanitizer
• Towels
• toothbrush and paste
• toilet paper
• personal medicine
• First aid kit: bandages, moleskin, etc.

What to pack:

• Backpacks can be of any size for hiking, but we always recommend that the smaller the better. Backpacks of more than 25 liters are not allowed in Machu Picchu. If it is larger, you will need to store it outside the citadel gates. For water you need to bring Camel Back or Canteen
• rain poncho
• wool hat
• camera
• Music on any device
• hand sanitizer gel
• Toilet paper and a plastic garbage bag.
• Extra money for souvenirs, drinks and tips
• ear protectors

Travel Guide

The best time for the Salkantay Trail.

The Cusco region has two well-differentiated climatic zones, the rainy season and the dry season, so the months of May to October are considered the best dates to do this trek since the rains have stopped and the trail is closed. However, this route is practicable all year round, with the exception of the month considered the rainiest of the year (February), so we advise you to think about it carefully.

What does the Salkantay route offer?

The road to Salkantay offers a privileged view of the snow-capped mountains of Humantay and Salkantay, since with the melting of these two lakes these formations are the most important and the most visited by travelers. Currently, the Humantay Lagoon is visited by tourists from all over the world to enjoy its beauty and make offerings to Pachamama, a deity that represents Mother Earth in the Inca culture.

In addition to the snow-capped mountains, the route reveals diverse flora and fauna, such as that of the Ceja de Selva region, since you will be surrounded by a warm, green landscape that will allow you to breathe clean air, which is good for our bodies. . . Discover the vestiges and constructions that our ancestors left us. Enjoy magical nights with starry skies that will make you think and say that it was worth it.

Difficulty level of the walk

The difficulty of a hike largely depends on your physical condition, your experience on a similar route, and your state of health. This route is considered strenuous by many travelers due to its “high” difficulty and is therefore a great challenge for those who master it.

Physical exercise to prepare for the walk

The preparation for the Salkantay trek begins taking into account the physical condition, so the specialists consider a preventive preparation before starting the aforementioned excursion, since this strengthens the muscles and generates resistance to movement.

So much so that your physical condition improves as all your muscles prepare to walk, which helps our heart pump more blood and oxygenate our body better.

altitude sickness problems

Also known as altitude sickness, soroche or altitude sickness itself, it is in itself a physical discomfort caused by the difficulty of adapting to low atmospheric pressure, headache, nausea and difficulty breathing due to lack of oxygen in the air. . a little blood.

Usually, this symptom occurs in travelers who live in countries or places with low altitudes, as those who live in lowlands or countries with similar altitudes are more affected.

How to prevent altitude sickness:

It is recommended to rest better the day before arrival, eat lightly and avoid alcoholic beverages. To avoid this or make it more bearable, it is advisable to acclimatize upon arrival, rest or avoid any physical effort that could harm you. This is recommended for the first days after arriving in the city of Cusco.

As the first natural remedy, it is recommended to drink coca tea on the day of arrival.

Consider getting fresh air, rock climbing, staying hydrated, avoiding tobacco, choosing foods that are easy to digest, wrapping up warm, and avoiding sedatives.

How to dress for the walk

Before starting our excursion, never forget our travel companion “the backpack” (30 liters or more are recommended).

It is always good to be prepared for all kinds of weather changes, that is why it is very important to bring a super warm jacket because during the walk the temperature usually drops and it can rain.

Considering the amount of walking you have to do each day, it’s important to have an extra change of clothes in case you need to change.

To protect our lower extremities it is good to have removable mountain pants because they can be used twice, day shorts and night pants; This reduces weight and space in our backpack.

The most important piece of clothing is hiking shoes, which have good grip, are suitable for difficult terrain and are waterproof.

Our agency provides you with additional implements for the walk, but in addition you must bring: a bottle of water, gloves, trekking poles, a flashlight and binoculars in case we have the privilege of spotting fauna, if you do not have any of these implements, we will you can rent in our offices.

Please bring personal hygiene items such as: toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, and other necessary items.

Take extra batteries and an extra memory card to avoid shooting problems because there are different landscapes to shoot.

It is very important to carry your passport and/or original identity document with you to identify yourself at the control points.

If necessary, bring hygiene items such as B. Personal medications in case of treatment, insect repellent, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, disposable tissues and everything else you consider necessary.

You must have money for additional expenses.