Hiking the Salkantay Trek has been one of my highlights from my travels so far. Peru is all about hiking and I showed up totally unprepared. I signed up to do the trek the night before and before I knew it I was leaving a few hours later. I packed my 5kg duffle bag and began my journey with a worn out, 4-year-old pair of running shoes.

There are many routes to Machu Picchu, with the Inca Trail being the most famous. Signing up to the Inca Trail last minute is virtually impossible. Nevertheless, I couldn't have been more happy with the Salkantay Trek and it suited my desire to see beautiful mountains, lakes and landscapes finishing at Machu Picchu.

Going 100% unprepared, there are a few things I wish I would have known before hiking the Salkantay Trek:

1. Tours vary in comfort levels

Many companies offer the trek with prices and comfort levels varying substantially. No surprises, the more you pay, the more comfort you're likely to have. Although that being said, the trekking route won't differ too much.

I went with Machu Picchu Reservations where the basic trek starts at $195, including 4 nights/5 days and the general admission ticket for Machu Picchu. You're able to buy add ons when you book the trek, such as the Machu Picchu mountain ticket where you hike 2670 steps to the top and extra night in Aguas Calientes.

The Salkantay Trekking agency is also a popular one, offering the trek starting at $450.

Camping in the mountains

2. Prepare for every climate

Out of the 32 climates in this world, Peru had 30 of them! Oh yes... be prepared!

The best part of hiking the Salkantay Trek is the diversity of landscapes and climates experienced over the 5 days. With 90 different microclimates, we climbed to altitudes of 4600m, descended to 1500m, felt hot and sweaty, cold and chilly, experienced thick fog, trekked through trails of mud and downpours, layered up on sunscreen through tropical jungles and camped out in freezing temperatures.

3. Speaking of altitude...

The first day is spent climbing to 4600m to Humantay Lake. The hike itself is not hard, but the altitude is a challenge.

Escaping altitude in Peru is a tricky one, the best you can do is to acclimatise beforehand. Spend a few days in Cusco and do a short hike or two, which will help you be better prepared and enjoy the experience a lot more.

It's not uncommon for people to pull out of the Salkantay Trek due to altitude sickness on the first day. If you're having difficulties, speak to your guide and most of all, listen to your body.

Humantay Lake

4. You may not love every minute...

I'll be honest, I hated the first day or two. I regretted my decision and wondered why on earth I was putting myself through this.

The thing I realised was 80% of hiking is mental. Not giving up. The other 20% is physical, getting through it one foot in front of the other, one step at a time when it gets hard.

This was my first multi-day hike and I lagged behind the group... ALOT. On my second day, I finished a whole hour behind the rest for the team.

But there's something amazing about getting to the top of that mountain, no matter how long it takes... you will get there... and in YOUR own time!

5. You'll have half a day at Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu isn't the cheapest tourist attraction and it would be ashame to get to the top at 6:30am and find it's covered in fog for the most part of the morning.

This is exactly what occurred for our group. Fortunately, I had bought the mountain ticket and the fog cleared in the afternoon and I got to spend most of the day there. You don't necessarily need to buy the mountain ticket but it's a good idea to either stay an extra night in Aguas Calientes or get transport back to Cusco later in the evening.

6. Three things I wish I had...

Hiking poles: Save your knees, especially when going downhill on the second day. Fortunately I was able to buy a stick for 5 soles which helped a great deal.

Hiking boots: I did the trek in a comfy pair of running shoes as I signed up to the trek very last minute. On the days where it rained non-stop, a waterproof pair of hiking boots would have been amazing. Especially as some parts can be pretty slippery.

Mosquito Repellent: On the third day, you'll head to the thermal spa where you will be eaten alive.

Totally look like a flying trash bag

7. You'll hike part of the Inca Trail

Get the best of both worlds. Part of the Salkantay Trail goes along the Inca Trail where you'll climb those famous Inca steps and head to Llacapata.

8. Get up EARLY for Machu Picchu

Depending on how you feel and how your legs are holding up, you may prefer to get the bus to Machu Picchu. Queues start as early as 4am for the first bus. Our tour guide advised us to start queuing up latest 4:30am.

If you're hiking up the stairs, you'll equally want an early start.

Machu Picchu

9. You'll see beautiful landscapes along the way

The best part of the Salkantay trek is the diversity of landscapes. From Lake Humantay, to the Salkantay mountain, tropical rainforests, Inca Ruins to Machu Picchu, the landsacpe is undeniably stunning!

Hiking to the Salkantay Mountain

10. You don't need a lot of prep

This was my first multi-day hike and I couldn't have been less prepared. It helps to be reasonably fit and acclimatised. If you're not, there are normally a two guides, one of which will accompany the slower troops (aka me!).

You'll also have horsemen to carry your duffle bag and a chef on the road, so all you need to worry about is your day bag. Keep this light! It's amazing how heavy a day bag can get after 9 hours of carrying it!

The Salkantay Trek is incredible. Whilst not the easiest, it's definitely worth it! Let me know if you need any more advice, I hope these tips help you to have a great few days exploring the unbelievable landscapes of Peru!

Enjoy!! :)

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