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Inca Trail vs Salkantay
The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru is considered overcrowded, and hiking permits are limited. Due to its popularity, the Peruvian government, together with UNESCO, has limited the number of permitted hikers on the Inca Trail to 500 people per day in order to protect this heritage of humanity. But fortunately, there are other ways to the famous ruined city in the Andes.
Next to the Inca Trail, the Salkantay Trek is the most popular Inca trail in the Sacred Valley. Just like the Inca Trail, the Salkantay Trek leads past massive, snow-capped mountain peaks to tropical mountain cloud forest. The hike is in no way inferior to the Inca Trail, is -so far- much less well-known and hardly deserves to come second among the top trekking routes in Peru. On the way you circle the impressive mountain Salkantay (6271m), which is called "wild mountain" in Quechua. Especially on the first and second day, the strenuous stages are high. After passing the Humantay Lagoon on the first day, the following day the Salkantay Pass is crossed, from then on a long descent follows. If you want, you can choose an alternative route on the third day from Chaullay, which means you'll be on the road for a total of five days instead of four. On the Peru active trip, you can even combine the Salkantay Trek through the Andes with trekking in the Colca Canyon and a multi-day jungle adventure!
Alternatives to the Inca Trail: Since the Inca Trail is usually fully booked six months in advance, there are two more multi-day treks in the program that eventually reach Machu Picchu: The Salkantay Trek and Lares trek.
Read More: Salkantay vs Inca Trail
Inca Trail vs Salkantay
The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru is considered overcrowded, and hiking permits are limited. Due to its popularity, the Peruvian government, together with UNESCO, has limited the number of permitted hikers on the Inca Trail to 500 people per day in order to protect this heritage of humanity. But fortunately, there are other ways to the famous ruined city in the Andes.
Next to the Inca Trail, the Salkantay Trek is the most popular Inca trail in the Sacred Valley. Just like the Inca Trail, the Salkantay Trek leads past massive, snow-capped mountain peaks to tropical mountain cloud forest. The hike is in no way inferior to the Inca Trail, is -so far- much less well-known and hardly deserves to come second among the top trekking routes in Peru. On the way you circle the impressive mountain Salkantay (6271m), which is called "wild mountain" in Quechua. Especially on the first and second day, the strenuous stages are high. After passing the Humantay Lagoon on the first day, the following day the Salkantay Pass is crossed, from then on a long descent follows. If you want, you can choose an alternative route on the third day from Chaullay, which means you'll be on the road for a total of five days instead of four. On the Peru active trip, you can even combine the Salkantay Trek through the Andes with trekking in the Colca Canyon and a multi-day jungle adventure!
Alternatives to the Inca Trail: Since the Inca Trail is usually fully booked six months in advance, there are two more multi-day treks in the program that eventually reach Machu Picchu: The Salkantay Trek and Lares trek.
Read More: Salkantay vs Inca Trail