Salkantay Trek - Day 1

5am pickup and drive 3-4 bumpy hours to Challacancha village to start the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu.

Have 4 others in our group: a Swiss couple, a Romanian woman, and an American guy. Everyone is nice, maybe a little quiet but friendly. We will stay mostly together but hike independently so just at our own speeds.

First 2 hours beautiful hike along a valley, following a canal made by the Incas to bring water down the mountain. Cool hummingbirds! Purple flowers (lupins like in the Yukon). Amazing views of Humantay Mountain and Salkantay Mountain looming ahead.

Arrived at the Refugio in Soraypampa village. It’s a funny mix of very nice and very basic. For example: Flowers everywhere, comfy bed, fancy shower, amazing view, super nice family; But: no toilet seat, no door or wall at all between the bed and the toilet 😂

For lunch they showed us an Inca traditional cooking method of making a fire and a dome of heating rocks over it, throwing the potatoes and pots of chicken inside and then collapsing the rocks onto the it all, covering with herbs, grass, plastic tarps and then dirt and leaving this big mound to cook for half an hour. Delicious lunch of chicken, potatoes, veggies.

Then tiny nap and started the afternoon hike to Humantay Lake. About 500m elevation gain straight up the slope to a beautiful blue lake at the foot of Humantay mountain. Felt the altitude for sure but really good hike. Then back down to the lodge for dinner and early bed.Read more