If
you have decided to hike the Salkantay Trek,
please make sure you read this section. The
Salkantay is a beautiful trek covering Andean
valleys, snowy peaks, the Andean jungle, and
Machu Picchu. This amazing trek is considered a
moderate to difficult hike for which you need to
be prepared.
First,
the Salkantay Trek covers a total distance of
about 55.5 miles (89 kilometers) – the Short
version is about 10.5 miles (or 17 kilometers)
shorter - and reaches a maximum elevation of
about 14,760 f.a.s.l. (4,600 m.a.s.l.). The trek
starts at about 9,180 f.a.s.l. (2,850 m.a.s.l.)
which means that in one day and a half, you will
gain an elevation of about 5,580 f.a.s.l.
(1,750 m.a.s.l.) These are two good reasons to
be in good physical shape and used to the
altitude of a high altitude city such as Cusco
before starting the trek. It is recommended that
you stay in Cusco or another high altitude city
a couple of full days prior to starting the trek.
In addition, you might choose to take high
altitude sickness pills or chew coca leaves
during the trek. If you get the symptoms of
altitude sickness (strong headache, nausea,
stomachache, and sometimes nose bleeding), try
to drink a lot of liquid, and either have a very
light meal or eat nothing at all. You should
be feeling better the next day.
Second, since you
will be hiking through several ecological steps,
you will be encountering different climates and
will need to be ready for it. For instance, the
first day will be sunny in the beginning and
very cold at night (below freezing) with almost
no chance of rain. The second day will be below
freezing in the morning, windy at midday with a
low possibility of rain, and cool at night. The
third day will be warm during the day and cool
at night with a possibility of rain. The fourth
day will be cool at morning with a possibility
of rain and warm at midday. All these weather
changes require you to bring the necessary gear
to make this trek an enjoyable experience. Some
of the basic gear you should bring are an
impermeable or rain poncho, waterproof hiking
boots, sun screen, hiking hat, sun glasses,
light jacket, warm jacket, long and short
sleeves shirts, gloves, hat, wool socks, thermal
underwear and a good sleeping bag (good for 15
Fahrenheit degrees or less).
Third, campsites
are dark at night so make sure you have a good
flashlight. The sky at night is spectacular and
if you want to spend a while outside looking at
the stars, please make sure you have a good
supply of batteries.
Finally, remember
to bring insect repellent, a bathing suit, a
small backpack to be carried during the day, an
adventurous attitude and lots of energy.
In order to fully
enjoy this once in a time experience, we
recommend that you follow these instructions.
Travel Insurance is highly recommended for this
trip and a copy of it may be requested.
Please
keep in mind that our horses will carry up to
17.6 pounds or 8 kilograms of your personal
belongings. If you bring more weight, we
recommend that you to hire a personal horse.
