Dragonfly Cancer Trust Machu Picchu Trek

You will be accompanied throughout the trek by English-speaking local guides who have an excellent knowledge of the local culture and hiking in the region. The guides are first aid trained and will support you throughout your journey. You will also be supported by a team of professional cooks and muleteers from local communities and a Different Travel UK tour manager. You will be in very safe hands!

The steep terrain and high altitude will make the going tough at times, but anyone with good fitness and the right attitude will love it. The first day is generally flat with a gradual incline as you gain altitude, there may also be some small streams to cross. The second day will be tough with a steep zigzagging ascent on rocky ground to the high pass, followed by an undulating descent through the rainforest where the terrain may be muddy and slippery. The next two days of trekking are undulating and will be a mixture of jungle and alpine trails, which can be muddy underfoot. There are a number of hills to climb, including a steep climb through the coffee plantations on the final day. You must ensure your training includes plenty of hills!

The only one thing you can say about the weather in Peru is that it is difficult to accurately predict. You can have beautifully clear hot days in the middle of the wet season and hail storms in the dry season – it’s one of the beauties of Peru.

In the Andes, there are two main seasons – wet and dry. The wet season runs from November to April and the dry season from May to October. June is one of the drier months and you are likely to experience average day time temperatures of around 20°C and night time average lows around -10°C during the trek.

Chefs will be on-hand to make hearty meals during the trek. Breakfast is eaten as a group in the mess tent (hot drinks, bread, butter and jam, pancakes, scrambled eggs or oatmeal etc.) and the cooks will prepare delicious traditional Andean food for lunch and dinner. This will include dishes such as soup, chicken, beef or lamb, fish with potatoes, quinoa, rice or pasta. Snacks include fruit, chocolate, sandwiches, hot drinks and popcorn. You will eat at local restaurants and/or your hotel while in the Cusco and Sacred Valley area before and after the trek. Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions.

You will spend the first three nights in hotels in Lima (1 night) and Cusco (2 nights), on a twin-share basis. During the trek you will spend three nights camping in three-man tents (two people per tent) and on the last night of the trek, you’ll stay one night at a guesthouse in Aguas Calientes for a good night’s sleep before heading up to Machu Picchu the following day. After the trek you will spend one further night at the hotel in Cusco. Tents are provided for camping but you should bring your own sleeping bag and mat.

The minimum age is 18 (or 16-17 if accompanied by a parent/guardian). There is no upper age limit.

An ideal candidate is someone who is open minded, positive, flexible and enjoys the challenges of the great outdoors. Adventure travel involves elements of the unexpected so do not expect the standards to be the same as you are used to at home. Remote areas are sometimes unpredictable (be it because of group pace, weather conditions etc.) and itineraries may be altered to allow for this. You must also be willing to train hard for this challenge!

The hotels and the guesthouse have en-suite facilities with flushing toilets and showers. During the trek you will be provided with a bowl of hot water and soap each morning to freshen up for the day ahead so you are recommended to bring a small pack of baby wipes and hand sanitiser for your general hygiene. There may be the opportunity to visit some hot springs during the trek and at Aguas Calientes, so bring a non-cotton trek towel e.g. large travel towel and some basic bio-degradable toiletries should you wish to take this opportunity.

Toilet facilities at camp will either be a hole dug into the ground within a privacy tent, or a basic pit latrine toilet block. Toilet paper is not provided so you will need to bring your own. If you use the toilet during the day whilst on the trail, you must carry out any toilet paper you use in a sanitary/nappy sack, to dispose of properly at camp. You must NEVER leave toilet paper, fruit peel, nut shells or other litter on the trail.

If you do not already regularly exercise you should aim to start training (including plenty of hills) as early as possible. The best training is hill walking, which will prepare you for the type of terrain you will experience trekking to Machu Picchu. Other activities which can complement hill walking include running, cycling, gym workouts, boot camps etc.

Building up your core and leg muscle strength is important so exercises such as squats, lunges, push-ups, planks and crunches will really enhance your training. These exercises can be done at home – no gym needed. You can download a number of free apps, which will help you train and track your progress, e.g. MapMyWalk, C25K (couch to 5k run), MyFitnessPal (for a variety of sports).

You must take your training seriously and arrive as fit as you can be, so you get the most out of this challenge.

This trek is graded ‘challenging’ as you will be trekking over varying terrain, exposed to high altitudes (up to 4,630m) and sleeping in campsites with basic facilities. You should be prepared for all weather conditions and variable temperatures. Each day’s trek is between 5-8 hours and there are some big hills to climb! This is an endurance challenge so you are strongly advised to build up a good level of fitness – the fitter you are the more you will enjoy the challenge.

The maximum altitude on this trek is 4,630m (Abra Salkantay high pass); however your exposure to high altitude will start from your arrival in Cusco (3,400m), and continue on your sightseeing day in the Sacred Valley. Altitudes of approximately 3,000m and above are considered high altitude. Upon arriving in Cusco, it quickly becomes evident to un-acclimatised people that they are at a higher altitude than they are used to, as simple activities such as walking upstairs feels more laboured than expected. The first three days in Peru while in Cusco and at the community project are partly intended as acclimatisation days to give your body a chance to adjust to the altitude before commencing the trek.

The Inca Trail has all the fame, but we have chosen the Salkantay trek as it’s a more scenic and less crowded trek. It passes through more breath-taking and varied landscapes, past Inca Ruins and still ends at Machu Picchu and you’ll have more time and energy to explore Machu Picchu itself.
Filled with challenging passes and high altitudes, it’s not for the faint-hearted. However, if you’re up for the challenge, we promise you’ll be really glad you did the Salkantay Trek, over the busy and over-crowded Inca Trail.

The kit list for this trip can be downloaded here.