4 day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

This lovely and varied salkantay trek sky dome to machu picchu (about 50 km) is the “soft option” from Challacancha, as the pass is lower (although it is still a hard 4,750m (15,580ft) and then a bit more difficult). is mostly downhill through forested valleys, above deep ravines, which end at 1,500m. The trek on the second day from Soray goes steeply uphill for half an hour, then comes to a series of zigzags (Siete Culebras is the local name of this strech). At the top of the seventh switchback the terrain levels out under Salkantay´s lateral moraine, and drops gently down to the small laguna Soirococha. The pass you see above is, alas, a false one; the main pass is a little further on, but the view of Salkantay looming above you more than compensates for the effort. The real pass at 4,750m is reached after 3-4 hours from the moraine, and is marked by a pile of stones , “well know as Apacheta by the locals”, which grows daily as each traveller adds his pebble to thank the APUS for a safe trip. Then the trail descends to the left –hand side of the valley, becoming indistinct in swampy areas. And then comes a place named Huayracmachay “eye of the wind”, from here we will have a great chance to see the beautiful Pyramid-shape of Humantay behind as you drop below the tree line, know as LA CEJA DE SELVA (“Eyebrown of the Jungle”), and walk through groves of bamboo with many orchids and other flowers and lots of hummingbirds, spectacular waterfalls, a small hot spring at Collpapampa the right place to lock out for the parakeets that abound in this area as well. and the we go to take a local bus in order to get santa teresa where we will enjoy the hot springs which is 45 minutes from this town .and then will see Machu Pichu and waynapichu mountains and then the last day will see finally the inkan city of Machu Picchu.