What the Salkantay Trek costs

The Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu is sold as five packages, and the price depends on how many days you trek and how much Cusco time and accommodation you add on. Published rates run from USD $639.00 for the 4-day Salkantay Express to USD $1,375.00 for the full 10-day Lima & Cusco package. This article is part of our complete Salkantay Trek guide.

The price range

Across the five packages the Salkantay Trek costs between USD $639.00 and USD $1,375.00 per person. The 4 and 5-day treks are the most popular and the best value if what you want is the mountain crossing and Machu Picchu. The 7, 8 and 10-day packages add Cusco acclimatization days, hotel nights and guided city and Sacred Valley tours — that is why they cost more, not a different trek.

Whatever the duration, the price covers the whole organized expedition: professional guides, a mountain cook, horses and mules to carry the camping gear, four-season Marmot tents, all trail meals, transport from Cusco to the trailhead, the train and bus connections, and the Machu Picchu entrance ticket with a guided visit.

Price by package

Each package builds on the last. The 4-day is the fastest route to the citadel; every step up adds Cusco time, hotel nights and guided sightseeing.

Prices are per person on a group departure. Promotional and group discounts are applied at checkout; booking ahead secures the best availability.

What's included in every package

Every Salkantay Trek package includes the core trek service. At a minimum, your price covers:

• English/Spanish-speaking professional guide and an expert support team
• Mountain cook and all cooking equipment
• Horses and authorized mules to carry the tents, food and cooking gear
• Four-season Marmot tents, dining tent and a double-foam sleeping pad per person
• All trail meals (breakfasts, lunches, dinners) plus tea time — vegetarian or vegan at no extra charge
• Transport from Cusco to the Challacancha trailhead and to the Santa Teresa hot springs
• Consettur bus ticket up and down between Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu
• Train ticket Aguas Calientes / Ollantaytambo and the bimodal transfer to Cusco
• One hotel night in Machu Picchu Town (Aguas Calientes), double or triple rooms
• Machu Picchu entrance ticket and a guided visit to the citadel
• Salkantay Trail ticket, Santa Teresa Hot Springs ticket, first-aid kit and emergency oxygen bottle

The 7, 8 and 10-day packages add hotel nights in Cusco, a group guided visit to the Sacred Valley, a Cusco city tour of Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay, and the full Boleto Turistico pass to 16 archaeological sites. The 10-day package also adds a domestic Lima/Cusco/Lima flight and a hotel night in Lima.

Not included & optional add-ons

A few items are kept out of the base price so you only pay for what you need:

• International or domestic air flights (except the domestic flight bundled in the 10-day package)
• The special Huayna Picchu ticket
• Accommodation in Cusco on the shorter packages
• Sleeping bag, personal trekking gear and travel insurance
• Tips and gratuities for the trail crew

You can add these optional services when you book:

• Sleeping bag rental — USD $25.00. All bags are laundered between treks; request the rental in advance.
• Additional duffel service (up to 10 kg) — USD $70.00. The horses already carry the heavy gear; this hands off a personal load so you hike free. Recommended if you have never hiked above 10,000 feet — see the altitude & acclimatization guide.
• Train upgrade to a higher class on the Aguas Calientes / Ollantaytambo leg, on request.
• Single supplement for a private room on hotel nights, from USD $25.00 on the 4 and 5-day packages up to USD $219.00 on the 10-day package.

Deciding what to bring versus what to rent? The Salkantay packing list covers both, zone by zone.

Where cheap treks cut corners

The inclusions list above doubles as a checklist for judging any cheaper quote. A far lower price rarely means a lower margin — it usually means items have quietly dropped out. Before you book elsewhere, ask the operator to confirm, line by line:

• Is the Machu Picchu entrance ticket and guided visit in the price, or sold separately at the end?
• Are the train to Ollantaytambo and the Consettur bus up to the citadel included, or do you buy them on the day?
• Is there a hotel night in Aguas Calientes, or does the itinerary skip the town?
• Are you sleeping in four-season tents with a dining tent, and who carries them — mules, or you?
• Does the crew carry a first-aid kit and emergency oxygen bottle?
• Are vegetarian or vegan meals genuinely no extra charge?

Every one of those items is inside our published price. If a quote can't answer the list, the saving is coming out of your trek.

Why book in advance

Salkantay departures, the train tickets and the Machu Picchu entrance ticket are all capacity-limited, and they sell out in the April–October high season. Booking ahead is the only way to guarantee your preferred start date, secure the train and bus connections, and lock in the package rate. Sleeping-bag and duffel rentals also need to be requested in advance so the gear is laundered and ready for your departure.

For the full step-by-step on dates, deposits and what to prepare, see the Salkantay Trek booking information.

Which package to choose

For the best balance of price and the complete experience, the 5-Day Classic Salkantay Trek is the most-booked package at USD $649.00 — Humantay Lake, the 4,630 m / 15,190 ft Salkantay Pass, the Cocalmayo Hot Springs and a night in Machu Picchu Town.

Price is only one axis of the decision. If you are still weighing routes, the Salkantay vs Inca Trail comparison puts permits, crowds and altitude side by side.