Alternative Inca Trail: Salkantay to Machu Picchu Trek

Hiking the Inca Trail has become number one in what Adventure Tourism in Peru concerns.
Due the high demand, local authorities decided some years ago to restrict the number of visitors per day which is 500 including tourists, guides, porters and other members of the staff which means permits are sold out really quickly, especially during March to August when it’s recommendable to make bookings at least 3 or 4 months in advance to secure your place on the trek according to your travel dates.

 

Salkantay Pass at 4600 masl (15,000 ft)

Because many visitors are not aware of this and they cannot get a permit for the Inca Trail on the desire date, some alternative routes became more popular and perhaps the route Mollepata - Salkantay – Machu Picchu is the most popular one.

Although some people may feel disappointed because they end up booking this alternative route instead of the original Inca Trail, here you have some advantages compared with a classic one:

1.-AVAILABILITY: Even if you also need a permit (bought through an authorized travel agency), you don’t really need to book it with so much time in advance as the Inca Trail.
If you are a last minute planner, it’s most likely that the trek will be confirmed on your itinerary as the demand is lower compared with the other one. 

No availability issues with the permits at the Salkantay Trek

  
2.-NO CROWDS: Hiking this route reminds the old times of the Inka Trail when Peru didn’t received so many tourist and you didn’t encounter crowds of tourist on the trek like nowadays (remember, they are 500 per day). Specially during high season when campsites are so crowded that authorities needs to open more capmsites around the main ones.  

Crowds are not a problem on the Salkantay route

  
3.-LANSCAPES: You may not find so many tourist on your way, neither archeological remains but landscapes  are absolutely breathtaking, with a range of altitudes and climates that allow you to see from colorful Andean valleys, to the dry and high mountains passing by the Salkantay snow peak and going down to the tropical rain forest where  Machu Picchu is located.

Awesome landscapes on the way. Salkantay snowcap mountain at the back of this valley

4.-FLEXIBILITY: It’s possible to book it for any time of the year. Even though the rainy season is not the best time, it’s possible to hike during February for example while the Inca Trail is closed during that full month due the heavy rains and because of the maintenance works. 

5.-HORSES: Also, for people who are not eager to hike all the time, it’s possible to rent horses for the trek while on the Inca Trail, these are not allowed on the route so trekkers must hike all the time. 

Horses carrying trekker's luggage

Trekkers can take a break during the hike and go horseback riding instead

6.-LUXURY ALTERNATIVES: for people who is not eager to sleep in a tend but loves hiking, there is a net of small-luxury lodges where you stay overnight with all the necesary facilities. 

A luxury alternative where hikers stay in a comfortable lodge instead of a tend

7.-LENGHT : you can choose to hike during 4, 5 or 8 days while the Inca Trail is limited to a 4 days trek or short version. 

Unlike the Inca Trail, we can stand out that there are no ruins along the route (for ones looking for history and adventure)  and that the altitude is more of a consideration as the Salkantay climbs as high as 15,420 feet (4,700 m), nearly 2000 feet (600 m) higher than the Inca Trail. But those who choose the Salkantay trek several advantages with a similar payoff.

If you are planning a trip to Peru, contact us!

PERU TRIP ADVISORS
E-mail: info@peru-tripadvisors.com
Website: www.peru-tripadvisors.com
Address: La Paz Av. 676 Office 4, Miraflores, Lima – PERU
Phone number: 51-1 241-7429

Toll Free from USA & Canada: 1-888-228-2221

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TAMBO DEL INKA, A LUXURY COLLECTION RESORT & SPA

Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa is a luxury hotel surrounded by incredible natural landscape in the heart of the Sacred Valley of the Incas in Cusco. Located in the heart of the Urubamba Valley, just 50 minutes from the city of Cusco, Tambo del Inka is revealed as the best place for travelers who want to relax and indulge your senses.

Tambo del Inka Luxury Collection Resort & Spa

The hotel is located on the way to Machu Picchu, which makes it the perfect place to relax and unwind after or before visiting the ruins. It is also the only hotel in the Sacred Valley that has its own rail station for the trips to Machu Picchu. Moreover, because of its proximity, is the ideal starting point to visit the archaeological site of Moray, especially its concentric terraces. To get passed through the town of Maras, where instead of one of the salts extracted with designation of origin world's finest. A big plus is being able to walk off the resort into town to have dinner at the excellent El Huacatay restaurant or have a drink in one of Urubamba’s understated bars and cafes.

Machu Picchu Citadel

Designed by architect Bernardo Fort Brescia, the trapezoidal property runs parallel to the Rio Urubamba and rooms face either it or the opposing gardens backed by town, the cordillera, and Chicón glacier. The hotel has been built on an area of ​​118.306 m2, has a luxury spa, gym, two heated pools, a game room and conference facilities for 300 people.

Tambo del Inka Luxury Collection Resort & Spa

ROOMS
The 126 rooms are elegant and spacious; the luxurious rooms feature design that strikes a balance between the modern and traditional. Walk-in closets, flat panel televisions and furnished balconies with panoramic views of the valley come standard, and some rooms have optional butler service and bathrooms with separate jetted tubs.

There are 4 types of rooms: Superior, Deluxe, Suite & Senior Suite. Rates are from US$410 per night (double room).

Superior Room & Deluxe Suite

The 5,500 square foot bi-level wood-paneled space with 12 treatment rooms incorporates native ingredients in its Incan-inspired treatment menu. In addition to the Misti Mud Therapy, there’s also a facial using quinoa, an Andean grain rich in Vitamin E and B complex, an exfoliating scrub made from cocoa leaves and a hydrating wrap/massage incorporating passion fruit and honey. The signature treatment, Gold from the Gods, is a 150-minute therapy that pays homage to the precious metal so revered by the Incas—legend says that Inca princesses used gold as a secredt ingredient o keep their skin smooth and supple. Therapists at Tambo use a gold dust cream combined with rosehip, jojoba, and green tea oils in a cleansing wrap, followed by a soothing massage, meant to give skin that, ahem, golden glow. And paying tribute to the Urubamba, which is in fact, a headwater of the Amazon, is a hydrotherapy circuit complete with hot and cold cobalt blue-tiled plunge pools, an aromatherapy hamman with color therapy, a Vichy shower, and an outdoor deck facing the fast-flowing river.

Inka Spa

FITNESS CENTER & POOL    

The gym is available for guests from 6 am to 10 pm. During his daily exercise will be entertained with TVs that are built into every machine. Private lessons are also offered previously coordinated. They also have two heated swimming pools that are great to unwind after a day of excursions where views of the Vilcanota River will enhance your experience

Indoor Pool & Gym

LOBBY

The lobby has a fireplace creating a cozy ambiance where you can sit and read the newspapers, a book or your Peru Guide. 

Lobby

HAWA RESTAURANT & KIRI BAR

The on-site Hawa restaurant features authentic Peruvian cuisine prepared from organic, locally farmed ingredients in a dining room with a cozy fireplace, floor-to-ceiling windows and décor that highlights indigenous textiles.

You also have Kiri Bar, one of the hot spots of the hotel with an indoor and a terrace ambiance. Guests can enjoy light meals and a selection of cocktails.

Kiri Bar & Hawa Restaurant

OTHER SERVICES

The hotel also offers to all their guests a business center, rail station, hair salon, gift shops, newsstands, dry cleaning, laundry services, air conditioning in public areas and currency exchange house.

The hotel began operations in May 2010 and since then has received numerous awards for its quality of service and facilities. In January last year, the hotel won the Travellers choice as the best resorts & spas in South America. That same year joined Virtuoso luxurious accommodation from its finest hotels and subsequently received LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, becoming the first hotel to receive this prestigious Peruvian organic certification.

Outdoor Terrace

Visit the Sacred Valley with your family, husband, wife or friends and spend an unforgettable night or day at this hotel! You won’t regret it!

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