Salkantay Trek - Day 2

Awake at 4:40am 🤪 but they brought a mug of Coca tea to wake up and help with altitude. Little breakfast (always the same in Peru and Bolivia: dry thin bread bun thing with butter and jam and an egg). Then leave before 6am to hike the Salkantay Pass, the longest and toughest part of the trek. About 7km with 700m elevation gain to 4600m at the top of the pass. Incredible views hiking between two huge snow capped mountains: Salkantay and Humantay. Felt the altitude a bit but not too bad. Then 2 hours down to lunch spot. Our “family” Richard and Alberto hiked with us and brought a mule to carry our big bags (feel a bit guilty), and cooked a good hot lunch for us. Always amazing soup!

Then continue down down down (1600m all together) the other side of the pass to Chalway village. Cool to see the landscape change from high altitude mountainous, no trees, into thick hot jungle. Here we got a ride (also feel a bit guilty not to be trekking, but the trail was closed for this section) down to our next home stay in Lucmabamba. Super nice family that have a coffee farm and cute home stay. Relaxed a bit, then another deliscious dinner of soup, rice, fish, guacamole (they have insane huge avocados everywhere!), and early bed! Over 23km today!Read more