Inka Trail Mollepata Salkantay

PM&ET:T/R. CUS/SALK/MOLLE.AVE.06-

Inka Trail
Mollepata – Salkantay - Machu Picchu
**Duración: 06 Dias / 05 Noches

Day 1: Cusco/Inka Trail.- Early in the morning we travel to Mollepata to begin our trek to Salkantay, to ascent to Chayabamba on the outskirts of Humantay mountain to camp in Cruspata or Nihuacancha.

Day 2: Inka Trail.- We hike past surrealistic scape mountain. We camp at Ichupata, at the foot of Apu Salkantay. Our campsite overlooks the vilcabamba range the last stronghold of the inkas.

Day 3: Inka Trail.- We go over the Inkachiriaska pass at 15,650 Feet. We descend into a lush valley and hike to Huyrak Machay the cave of the winds, to our camp at Huayllabamba.

Day 4: Inka Trail.- Today is the hardest part of the journey, there are three sections before reaching the crossing. The first goes through a small agricultural and cattle settlement with many brooks which refresh the warm valley . The second goes up to the wood along the Llulluchapata at an altitude 3,600 mts surrounded by steep mountains. We´ll take a breath on the water fountain of the mountain in the front the sight is recreated by the snow-giant La Veronica, here the last and most dangerous section of the ascent starts. So we reach the first and highest crossing of the Inca Trail at 4,200 mts. Altitude. The crossing is called Warmihuañusna which is a Huaca or Sanctuary.

With the magnificent landscape of the snowy peaks, the valleys open up below this crossing: to the east, below, the Wayllabamba, to the west below, the new regions. The precipitous descent which will seem to you to be longer than it really is follows immediately leading to the bottom of the Pacaymayo.

Day 5: Inka Trail.- This day we´ll arrive at the first Inca unit, half way over the crossing. It is RUNTURAKAY "Can Eggs Shaped", probably a station for the relaxation of travelers, a control post and entrance to the whole Machu Picchu complex.

After a short and rugged descent you will be over the well-stoned Inca trail. We´ll soon arrive at the second Inca urban complex SAYAQMARCA "lifted village" at a 3,750 mts. Altitude, built in a corner of the mountain over descending terraces.

Afterwards we´ll continue to CHAQUICOCHA where we´ll stop.

Next we´ll reach the third Inca urban occupation PHUYUPATAMARCA "Village over the Clouds" at an altitude 3,650 mts. encased on the slopes of a mountain. It is also built over descending terraces, looking at the mountains "From the Clouds" like wise a steep stairway descends towards it.

Across flowery fields and a small dried out pond we´ll enter the woods and go out a prairie with the discovery of a giant panorama: The snowy peaks of the Salkantay detach themselves over the mountains , The Urubamba is at the bottom of the chasms. At the end of this prairie is the mountain Machu Picchu; the next peak is the Wayna Picchu and you can already see a section of the citadel, the Inti Watana.

We´ll start to descend to Wiñay Huayna, "The Eternal Youth" at 2,600M. Altitude, built on steep canyon. Their two main complexes are linked by a stairway with ten fountains. The watchtower is built over a rocky protuberance which faces the bottom of the chasms vertically. Here is our last camp site.

Day 6: Inka Trail/Cusco.- Today we´ll cross INTIPUNKU. "Sun Gate" a kind of land mark on the road. Here you will deserve a rest to watch like the old inhabitants used to do. This is the original entrance to Machu Picchu. Among the lights of the sunset, you can see the sacred river, the deep valleys and the lost city of the Incas, like a jewel guarded by the mountains.