Chat on WhatsAppSince deciding to take the Salkantay Trek and booking through Salkantay.Org , we had been looking forward to the 4 days trekking through the heart of Inka territory. Salkantay.Org were a very efficient company, ensuring we had all the information we needed, well in advance of the trip. They provided us with a list of things we needed, including copies of our train tickets, accommodation vouchers etc. They were always very prompt and thorough in responding to our questions and the orientation presentation two nights before the trek gave us all the information we needed to get fully prepared. To put it simply, the build up to the trip was highly organised, simple and informative.
The trek itself is definitely the best I’ve done to date. The landscapes we passed through were stunning and made taking a nice looking photo very easy! The first day was a good warm-up and helped us to acclimatise, although we were affected by the altitude, the guide and cooks gave us everything we needed to be as comfortable as possible. The ‘big day’ the hike up to the Salkantay Pass was challenging, but rewarding once we hit the peak of the climb. Words can’t quite explain the views and feelings up in that part of the world, even photos can’t do it justice.
After hitting 4,600m, we made our way down over the next few days through varied terrain – rocky trails, bush covered trails, alongside rivers, up an Inka Trail and of course to the site of Machu Picchu. The number of different types of terrain we passed through was outstanding, there was always something new each day we trekked. It was a bonus to get to sit in natural thermal pools for two hours on the third day and let our bodies recover.
The guide, David, really was a dude who knew the area, the history and the environment. We always felt like we were getting to see the best of the trails (more so than other groups) and David always managed to keep the mood relaxed with his joking remarks about how far we had to go or where we were going. The cooking team of “The Charlies†as David called them did an amazing job given how little space, equipment and time they had to work with. The food was always different, filling and tasty. I have no idea how they can make a different soup every lunch and dinner each day but they had no problems coming up with ideas. We even got a cake on our last day. Going hungry was never a problem with the Charlie’s around!
Tents and accommodation were just right for the terrain we were staying in. It’s camping so you can’t expect 5-star treatment, but so long as you had enough clothes and a sleeping bag you were set. Coca tea served to your tent door each morning was a highlight.
All in all, a great trip, with a great bunch of people and an outstanding group of professionals guiding, cooking and carting our gear around. I’d never hesitate to recommend the trek to anyone and it seems like Salkantay.Org really know what they’re doing when it comes to organising your once in a lifetime experience
