The Salkantay Trek is an old and remote alternative path to the 4 day Inca Trail Tour, it has much more spectacular views and with various ecological floors we will walk between lagoons, impressive snow-capped mountains such as Salkantay and Humantay, crossing rivers and subtropical areas with abundant vegetation and fauna.
Challacancha to Soraypampa is a 16.9 kilometer point-to-point trail located near Mollepata, Cusco, Peru. It has beautiful wildflowers and is rated as moderate. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from May through September.
Challacancha is a hamlet in Perú. Challacancha Perú is situated northwest of Sayllapata.
Challacancha 's location
- Location: Peru, South America
- District: Mollepata
- Province: Anta
- Region: Cusco
- South Latitude: 13 ° 25 '18.1 "S (-13.42170140000)
- West Longitude: 72 ° 34 '17.8 "W (-72.57160814000)
- Altitude: 4092 masl
- Time zone: UTC-5
Localities near Challacancha Perú
- Sayllapata Hamlet: 3 km southeast
- Cruzpata Hamlet: 5 km southeast
- Soraypampa Hamlet: 5 km north
- Chiribamba Hamlet: 6 km southwest
- Tablabamba Hamlet: 9 km southwest
- Mollepata Village: 9 km south
Educational Service
Challacancha does not have educational centers
How to get to Challacancha Perú?
You will leave the city of Cusco in the direction of the Mollepata community, located at 2,803 meters above sea level. The journey will continue through a floatable trail until you reach Challacancha Perú, where the muleteers and horses await you, who will carry the cargo of your expedition. From here we begin our ascent to Salcantaypampa, until we first reach Soroycocha at 4,491 meters above sea level, where the camp will be installed. From there, you will have the first views of the imposing Apu Salcantay.
- Distance: 12km
- Elevation gain: 670m
- Highest elevation: Humantay Lagoon (4,200m)
- Trail hours: 4.5hrs
- Highlights: Stunning views of Humantay and Salkantay glaciers throughout the walk; hike up to beautiful Laguna Humantay; sleeping under the Milky Way in the Sky Domes
- Campsite: Sky Camp at Soraypampa (3,920m)
Salkantay trek
The famous Salkantay Machu Picchu trek (or Salcantay Trek), named among the 25 best excursions in the world, by National Geographic Adventure magazine, is a trek open to everyone, without limitation of spaces or permits (at least for now ). Connecting the city of Mollepata, Cusco with Machu Picchu, the Salkantay Trek is an ancient and remote trail that is located in the same region as the Inca Trail, where huge snow-capped mountains collide with lush tropical forests. Located less than fifty kilometers northwest of the city of Cusco in south central Peru by the Vilcabamba mountain range and rising 6,271 meters above sea level (20,574 ft) Mt. Salkantay is an excellent summit ice cap adored for thousands of years by local Indians. The name Salkantay is a Quechua word that means "Wild Mountain". Our classic Salkantay trail is a custom designed alternative to the traditional 4 day Inca Trail Tour. Out of the ordinary, this is a cutting edge experience for adventure travelers looking for a little more privacy and authenticity. With more spectacular views, the Salkantay to Machu Picchu Trek offers solitude and silent contemplation as a sacred path deserves.
One of the best excursions in the world: Salkantay tour to Machu Picchu
Are you looking to explore Peru and Machu Picchu? There are many tours to choose from, therefore it is important to choose an experienced and enthusiastic team to direct your trip. Discover one of our best packages: our recently redesigned Salkantay trek and Humantay Laguna tour. Explore with a qualified and passionate alpaca expedition guide and you are sure to leave with an amazing experience.
Where is Salkantay located?
Located in the Vilcabamba mountain range in the department of Cusco, the snowy Salkantay rises to 6,271 meters above sea level. Its name comes from Quechua and is a contraction of Salqa which means "wild" and Antay which means "to produce avalanches". It is a mountain that occupies an important place in the Andean worldview and is recognized as Apu, which means "lord (a)" and is associated with a divinity.
Salkantay and Laguna Humantay highlights
First, this adventure trip is better for people in a moderate or better way. The trip to Salkantay Trek & Humantay Laguna consists of 5.5 exciting days and 5 incredible nights. Start the trip from your hotel in Cusco and meet the Andean Peru Treks trekking team. From there you will be transferred to the camp in Soraypampa. That night, you will enjoy one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world. At the camp, your guides settle comfortably in their tents. Next, enjoy a delicious dinner prepared by our top-notch chefs. Later that night, gaze at the incredible night sky adorned by countless stars. After a full night's rest, you'll get up early for a hearty breakfast before the first hike. The first day of walking begins with a visit to the Humantay lagoon. Enjoy the crystal clear waters of this famous site. Some believe that touching the icy waters ensures that you will stay young forever! At this point, walk towards Salkantay Pass, the highest point of your trek. From here you descend to your camp.
Experience cool mountains and lush rain forests
Your second day of hiking begins in the cold mountains, but ends at a lower, warmer altitude. Explore the impressive waterfalls and lush flora and fauna native to Peru. Every day of the trip brings you closer to the beautiful land and the people of the area. Day 3 offers your first look at Machu Picchu. Enjoy the sunset over this Inca masterpiece in our private camp. After that, the highlight of the fourth day is seeing an incredible waterfall that currently generates electricity for the Cusco region. Following the same path as the man who rediscovered Machu Picchu in 1911, he will marvel at the natural beauty. Your hotel awaits you at the end of a long day of walking. Rest well, the next day you explore Machu Picchu! Your last day is what you were waiting for. Visiting Machu Picchu with our expert guides is an experience like no other. There is also time to visit the site on your own. Or make arrangements to walk Huayna Picchu. Either way, your time at Machu Picchu will be incredible.
Salkantay route to Machu Picchu
At about 4,000 masl we started the walk at a slow but safe pace, on a path that follows a glacial stream and accompanied by huallatas, some Andean birds. After a brief stop for lunch, we deviate from the classic route to make way for our own adventure. It took us five hours to reach the first camp, a pampa known as lchupata that extends under the custody of the imposing snowy Salkantay.
I have never been so moved by a mountain. I don't know how much time I spent in absolute silence and admiration, but I understood from our first meeting why it is sacred in the local culture.
On the second day, we set out to make the first step over 5,000 meters above sea level and a condor surprised us halfway up the climb with a slow and majestic flight. Later the route revealed the Salkantaycocha lagoon, a natural reservoir of turquoise water that rests on the slopes of the snow-capped mountain.
We reached the highest point of the trek and life seemed like a dream among the height, the snow and the hiking trails that once paid tribute to these mountains. Every breathless step was worth it as we recognized the luxury of being completely isolated in natural landscapes that only got better as we went along.
We toured some intact sections of the Inca trail and we got to spend a starry night in Tocto in front of a new view of the Salkantay, the east face of the snow-capped mountain that is completely visible only to those who venture into the mountains on this trek.
As a gift from heaven, one of the four steps we took, on the third day, we had snowing and we had the privilege of seeing the Andes quickly painted white. It is very satisfying to cross the mountain range and conquer the highest points of the trek as they allow you to discover new valleys and proudly dismiss long stretches. Halfway through our trip I began to get a taste for walking for hours and being in a kind of constant meditative state.
The landscape changed a lot in the last days, as the route begins to descend until we reach Chilca in the Sacred Valley, the end point of our trek. We walked along a zigzag path to the beautiful Ancashcocha lagoon, before getting lost inside a canyon where we crossed the river numerous times on small wooden bridges with dense vegetation and an unbeatable view of the snowy Veronica.
It is necessary to emphasize the importance of choosing a good operator to make an excursion of this magnitude. In our case, the agency professionally took care of all the complex logistics that this type of trek requires in remote places with a team of expert porters, cooks, waiters and guides.
Some of the details that we appreciated the most were the hot water bottles that we found in our tents every night to sleep warm, as well as the room service with local coffee passed in the morning, the dining rooms with heating system and the small lunch boxes that they gave us the extra touch of energy on the go.
This experience gives us the opportunity to momentarily leave our comfort zone to discover Peru in a privileged way. All of us who recognize the pleasure and importance of traveling should take the time to take the alternative route to Salkantay.
