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- Salkantay Pass (Abra Salkantay) — The high-point and drama of the trek: a massive glacier-capped peak (Salkantay itself) towering over a wide, wind-blasted pass at roughly 4,600 m. The views here are raw and uncompromising — jagged ice, circling vultures, and that feeling of being above the clouds. It’s the moment that makes this route feel more like a proper mountain expedition than a dusty walk to Machu Picchu. (Personal favorite: the silence and scale up here never get old.)
- Humantay Lake (Laguna Humantay) — A small, surreal turquoise glacial lake tucked below snowfields near Soraypampa. Photogenic doesn’t cover it: the color, the reflections, and the sharp backdrop of glacial moraine make it one of the most Instagrammed — and deservedly so — stops on the route. It’s a short, steep side
- Salkantay Pass (Abra Salkantay) — The high-point and drama of the trek: a massive glacier-capped peak (Salkantay itself) towering over a wide, wind-blasted pass at roughly 4,600 m. The views here are raw and uncompromising — jagged ice, circling vultures, and that feeling of being above the clouds. It’s the moment that makes this route feel more like a proper mountain expedition than a dusty walk to Machu Picchu. (Personal favorite: the silence and scale up here never get old.)
- Humantay Lake (Laguna Humantay) — A small, surreal turquoise glacial lake tucked below snowfields near Soraypampa. Photogenic doesn’t cover it: the color, the reflections, and the sharp backdrop of glacial moraine make it one of the most Instagrammed — and deservedly so — stops on the route. It’s a short, steep side hike, but wildly worth the calf-burn.
- High-Andean puna landscapes and wildlife — Vast tussock grasslands, puna flowers, and grazing camelids (llamas, alpacas, sometimes vicuñas) give the trail a real sense of place. You’ll notice the air, the light, and those high-altitude plant communities you won’t see on lower trails. Encounters with local herders and their animals add a gentle cultural touch that’s missing on more commercial routes.
- Cloud-forest descent and biodiversity shift — The hike from cold highlands into humid cloud forest is cinematic: temperature drops, orchids and bromeliads pop up, and hummingbirds and toucanets can appear. That ecosystem swing — glacier to jungle in a couple of days — is a signature of Salkantay and gives the trail a lot of variety compared with straighter mountain treks.
- Llactapata ruins & the approach to Machu Picchu — Not as famous as the Inca Trail ruins, but Llactapata is an atmospheric Inca site on a ridgeline with a great distant view of Machu Picchu and the Urubamba valley. Combined with the final jungle-side approach (hydroelectric track or train into Aguas Calientes), it’s a lovely cultural payoff that balances the wild mountain sections with real history.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past decade, I’ve backpacked through 80+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.