Salkantay Trek

The Salkantay Trek is the permit-free alternative to the Inca Trail — a 72 km, 5-day route from the village of Mollepata around the 6,271 m glaciated peak of Mt. Salkantay, descending through cloud forest to Aguas Calientes and finishing with the same Machu Picchu visit as every other Peruvian trek. Because it doesn't follow Inca paths, it doesn't fall under the 500-permit-a-day Inca Trail quota, and operators can run it year-round without the 6-month booking lead times.

The trek is mostly tour-operated but technically walkable independently — water, food, and basic lodging are available at the major campsites. Day 1 is a gentle 13 km walk up to Soraypampa (3,900 m), where most groups bunk in glass-roofed "sky lodge" cabins for the first night. Day 2 is the trek's defining day: a 22 km crossing of the 4,630 m Salkantay Pass — almost 1,000 m higher than the Inca Trail's Dead Woman's Pass — with Salkantay's south face filling the view, then a long descent to subtropical Collpapampa. Day 3 walks through cloud forest with hummingbirds and avocado trees to Lucmabamba, day 4 climbs to the Llactapata Inca ruins for a first side-on view of Machu Picchu before dropping to Aguas Calientes, and day 5 is the early-morning train or shuttle bus up to the citadel itself.

The standard season is May–September (dry, cold nights, busy) and the shoulder months April and October are quieter. Avoid December–February when the cloud-forest section gets sustained rain. Most trekkers go with an operator from Cusco ($300–600 for the 5-day all-inclusive); independent trekking is possible but you'll carry tent and food, and the entrance to Machu Picchu (independent of the Inca Trail) still requires a separate permit. Altitude is the main concern — acclimatise in Cusco (3,400 m) for two or three days before starting. The pass is in cloud most afternoons, so most groups push to the top in the morning.