Cusco Region
Salkantay Trek
5-Day Inca Trail Alternative
Days needed
5days
Late March
Workable in late March
Cost / person
$350–700
Salkantay Trek is the kind of stop that earns 5 day on a Peru itinerary — and late March is workable, with some compromises.
What to do
The list,
in no fixed order.
Higher.
More dramatic alternative to Inca Trail. Salkantay Pass at 4.
630m.
Humantay Lake.
Arrive Machu Picchu via Aguas Calientes.
Logistics
Getting in, getting out.
How to get there
No permit needed — book 1–2 months out. More physically demanding than Inca Trail. Realistic alternative for this group (no multi-day trek planned): train to Aguas Calientes — see Machu Picchu. Humantay Lake can also be done as a long day trip from Cusco (~$40, 14-hour day) without the multi-day commitment.
What the budget covers
All-inclusive trek + Machu Picchu entry + train back
Late March, here
“Even wetter than Inca Trail. Sky lodges with glass domes are spectacular but pricey.”
