Salkantay Trek Difficulty: An Honest Review

I recently did the 5-day Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu with my mom. Because I’m no stranger to multi-day hikes, I thought it would be a breeze!

My mom trained for it.

I did not!

By the final day of the hike, my body was wrecked. The high-altitude passes and steep downhill trails took their toll on me. That, and the long trekking days!

Now that I’m fully recovered, I’ve decided to share my honest thoughts on just how difficult the Salkantay Trek is. And what you need to know if you’re a beginner planning on hiking to Machu Picchu.

Salkantay trek difficulty

Two things make the Salkantay Trek so difficult.

Total walking distance | You’ll cover 74 km over 4 days (the 5th day is at Machu Picchu)

High Altitude | You’ll reach a height of 4,630m at the Salkantay Pass

But it’s not a technical hike and is doable with little training (depending on your physical condition).

Best time to do the Salkantay Trek

The best time to do the Salkantay trek is during the dry months from April to September. I did the trek in July and had perfect weather.

November to March is considered the wet season. While the trails are quieter during this time, you can expect daily rain showers (especially during January and February).

Also note that the weather can be unpredictable, even during the drier months. There was snowfall at the Salkantay Pass during May this year, and August is said to have different conditions every day.

If you’re planning your trip, check out my Peru itinerary, which includes the Salkantay Trek.

What makes the Salkantay Trek hard

Here are a few things to consider if you’re wondering how hard the Salkantay Trek is.

altitude of the Salkantay Pass

The most difficult part of the Salkantay trek is the Salkantay Pass, which you’ll reach on day 2.

This is because the Salkantay Pass sits at an altitude of 4,630 m.

The air is much thinner here, and as you ascend the Salkantay pass, you may experience headaches and even vomiting.

These are symptoms of AMS – Acute Mountain Sickness.

To avoid AMS, drink lots of water during the trek, walk slowly, and concentrate on your breathing.

Neither myself nor my mom (who is in her 60’s) had any symptoms of altitude sickness. However, our guide did share a few stories of people who had gotten sick during the Salkantay trek and needed to return to Cusco.

Tips for acclimatizing

The key to acclimatizing properly is to spend time at altitude before taking on a higher climb.

I recommend spending at least two nights in Cusco, which is at 3,399m. This will allow your body to adapt to the higher elevation.

Cusco is a fantastic city with some of the best restaurants in Peru. You can also visit Sacred Valley, one of my Peru highlights.

Here are some of the best places to stay in Cusco, which make for the perfect base before or after your trek.

total hiking distance

The standard Salkantay tour is five days (four days hiking, one day at Machu Picchu).

Over the four days, you’ll trek a total of 74 km. That’s just under 20km per day.

It’s not a flat trail, so the days are long and tough. We were hiking for 6 to 8 hours daily, and my legs took strain.

The cold weather

As the sun set on day 1 of our trek, the weather changed. Before we knew it, we were layering up with all our warmest gear.

This is because you’re at a higher altitude and closer to the Salkantay Pass on day 1.

You must be prepared for below-freezing temperatures and may struggle to sleep properly.

Luckily, this is only for the first night.

After that, you’ll descend from the Salkantay Pass to a lower elevation (and warmer weather) for the rest of the trek.

How fast you walk

The size of your group and how fast they walk will affect your experience of the Salkantay trek.

If you’re generally a fast hiker at altitude (which I am not), you will be fine.

But if you prefer to take your time and enjoy the hike (instead of struggling for every breath), you may want to book a small group tour.

This will allow you to walk at your own pace without being rushed.

Booking a Private Tour or not

My mom and I did a private tour with Inkayni Peru Tours, and I’m so happy with our decision.

We took our time getting to the Salkantay Pass and had many breaks to catch our breath and ensure we were acclimatizing responsibly.

We adjusted our schedule based on how we were feeling and didn’t feel pressured to race to the finish line.

Our guide, Percy, was incredible! He was patient when we were ascending the Salkantay Pass, took us to all the best vantage points, and was an encyclopedia when it came to the history of the Incas and Machu Picchu.

If you’re worried about whether the Salkantay trek will be too difficult, I recommend booking a private tour as we did.

training for the Salkantay trek

I didn’t do any special training for the Salkantay trek. But this is not to say you should skip training!

For context, I completed numerous hikes in South America, including a few high-altitude treks. My mom loves hiking and does a lot of walks back home, but nothing at altitude.

My mom’s one regret was that she didn’t do more steps, as the Salkantay route has a lot of uphill and downhill sections.

You don’t need to change your fitness program if you are in good physical condition and exercise regularly.

But if you don’t do any exercise, you will need to start walking or running a few months before taking on the trek.

The downhill on day 4

On day 4, you’ll visit the ancient ruins of Llactapata.

This archaeological site sits at 2,840m and overlooks Machu Picchu mountain.

To get to Llactapata, it’s a steep uphill climb from Lucmabamba (2,000m).

But this isn’t the worst part.

It’s getting back down!

After reaching Llactapata, you’ll walk down a steep hill on the other side of the mountain. This section starts at 2,840m, and you’ll get to Hidroelectrica (1,890m) in under 3 hours.

My knees were aching by the time we got to the bottom.

This trail is also rugged and slippery in some areas. My mom and a few other people wiped out a couple of times.

What you pack

What you pack for the Salkantay trek will affect your comfort levels and, as a result, how hard you find the trek.

Firstly, you need hiking poles. I don’t usually hike with these, but they were a lifesaver during this trek, especially on the downhill section on day 4.

You’ll also need a warm sleeping bag. Night 1 will be freezing cold, and you won’t get a good night’s rest unless you’re adequately prepared.

Food and accommodation: you get what you pay for

While we’re talking about comfort, let’s discuss the two other factors that significantly impact this.

It’s the food and accommodation. When it comes to both, you get what you pay for.

If you book a budget tour, you cannot expect to eat like kings. The same goes for accommodation and your sleeping arrangements.

My experience? I ate better during the Salkantay trek than I did at home. The food prepared by Inkayni was absolutely delicious, and our accommodation was really comfortable and warm – even though we were camping.

I met a traveler along the route who would not stop complaining about the food and accommodation provided by her tour operator. She booked a budget tour, and I was horrified to hear how little she paid.

The moral of the story, do your research.

If you want to get a good night’s sleep and be adequately fuelled up for the long trekking days, be prepared to pay a bit more for your tour.

Is the Salkantay trek harder than the Inca trail?

After chatting with my guides and a number of other people, the general consensus is that the Salkantay Trek is more difficult than the Inca Trail.

This is because the Salkantay trek is a total of 74 km, while the Inca Trail is only 43 km. It also reaches a higher altitude.

However, the Inca Trail has a lot more steps, and the landscape is totally different.

Here’s my post detailing the 12 main differences between the Inca Trail and Salkantay Trek.

My experience

These are all factors that contribute to the difficulty of the Salkantay trek.

But don’t let them deter you from doing it.

While I never did any training for the Salkantay trek, I did a lot of hiking during my seven-month backpacking trip, including a few altitude treks.

I found the hike easy, but the distance and constant uphill and downhill got to me.

My mom, in her 60s and with little high-altitude climbing experience, found it a bit more challenging. But she still made it by walking slowly and taking her time.

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Do you have any questions about the Salkantay trek difficulty? Drop me a message in the comments section below

Looking for more Peru travel inspiration? Check out my other posts!

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• How to Hike Laguna 69 in Huaraz
• Guide to Laguna Paron: The Bluest Lake in Peru
• All You Need to Know About Laguna Llaca