Your Travel Experience with Galapagos PRO
Day 1
Day 1: CUSCO – CRUZPATA – SORAYPAMPA
Pickup from your hotel at 5:00 a.m. Our transportation will take us to Cruzpata (2,800 m). After a three-hour drive, we’ll arrive in Cruzpata, where we’ll meet our muleteers and the horses. From here, we’ll begin our hike, which takes about six hours and takes us through traditional Andean villages like Cruzpata and Challacancha, which have preserved their natural beauty. Our destination is Soraypampa, where our first camp is located. In the afternoon, we’ll visit the impressive Laguna Humantay at an elevation of 4,600 m, a true natural paradise. Return to camp and overnight stay.
Meals included: Lunch and dinner. Hiking distance: 11 km Hiking time: approx. 6 hours Camp elevation: 3,940 m
Day 2
Day 2: SORAYPAMPA – CHAULLAY
After breakfast, we’ll begin our approximately four-hour hike with the ascent to the highest pass (4,650 m), from where we can enjoy a breathtaking view of the snow-capped Salkantay (6,272 m). We’ll then continue hiking through the spectacular mountain landscape, admiring the Humantay and the Huayanay. We’ll also see the small lakes. After a long descent, we’ll reach our campsite in Chaullay (2,950 m).
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Hiking distance: 13 km Hiking time: approx. 6–7 hours Elevation of campsite: 2,950 m
Day 3
Day 3: CHAULLAY – LA PLAYA
After breakfast, we’ll hike toward La Playa. Along the way, we’ll enjoy the sight of a beautiful rainforest and admire coffee, banana, and other fruit plantations, as well as stunning orchids. We’ll take a short break for lunch along the way. Afterward, we’ll continue our hike and reach our overnight camp in La Playa.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Hiking distance: 9 km Hiking time: approx. 4 hours Elevation of campsite: 2,064 m
Day 4
Day 4: LA PLAYA - AGUAS CALIENTES
Early in the morning after breakfast, we’ll take a local bus to Santa Teresa and continue on foot to the hydroelectric power plant. From there, we have two options: either take the local train or walk another two hours to reach Aguas Calientes, where we’ll spend the night at a hotel.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Hiking distance: 11 km Hiking time: approx. 3–4 hours
Day 5
Day 5: AGUAS CALIENTES - MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO
After breakfast at your hotel, we’ll take one of the first buses up to Machu Picchu. At the checkpoint, we’ll present our original ID and our admission ticket for Machu Picchu. The guided tour of Machu Picchu usually lasts about 2 1/2 hours, during which you can explore the ancient Inca citadel and enjoy the breathtaking views. Afterward, we’ll take the bus down to Aguas Calientes to catch our train back to Ollantaytambo, and from there, continue on to Cusco.