The 3 5-Day Experiences in Peru That Earn Their Price

1.Small Group 5 Days Salkantay and Machu Picchu by Llactapata Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 88 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $593Our pick

Trek from Cusco across the Salkantay Pass, past Humantay Lake, tropical farms, and Llactapata ruins before reaching Machu Picchu. Groups are limited to nine, with bilingual guides, meals, mules for up to 7 kilograms of gear, camping, a private room in Aguas Calientes, and train transport back to Ollantaytambo. Guides may include Jainor, Carlos, Dario, Henry, or Rolando.

“Jainor was a gem of a tour guide. He is clearly passionate about Incan history and culture, and he conveys this well to the group. He also transitioned extremely smoothly between Spanish and English when explaining things in amazing detail and depth. He was never rushed, always taking the time to answer everyone’s questions. Lastly, he dealt well with the varying physical conditions of the group, with age ranges from 21 to 67.”

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2.5-Day Salkantay Trek with Panoramic Train

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 79 reviews · 5 days · from $655

Trek from Cusco to Machu Picchu via Humantay Lake and Salkantay Pass, with glamping at 4,150 meters, cloud-forest huts, a Pachamanca feast, coffee tasting, and a night overlooking the citadel at Llactapata. Small groups of up to 16 travel with English or Spanish guides, cooks, muleteers, and a panoramic train back to Cusco.

“Fantastic trip! All of the staff were incredible. The food was delicious and better than the restaurant food we had in aquas calientes. Cesar was a brilliant guide and looked after us really well. Some highlights. Salkantay mountain standing over our campsite first night. The night sky first night. The very distant view of macchu picchu on the fourth night. Some tips - you need cash in Peru. Be prepared. Altitude was a problem on the first day of the trip and medication (acetazolamide) helped those who had it.”

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3.Ausangate Trek 5 Days

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 74 reviews · 5 days (approx.) · from $660

Spend five days circling Ausangate, Peru’s sacred 6,384-meter mountain, with a small group of up to 10. Guides such as Guillermo, Urbano, and Chino lead you across high passes, glacial lakes, and remote villages, while cooks prepare full meals and horse drivers carry camp gear. Expect thin air, cold nights, and some of the Andes’ finest scenery.

“Where to begin? A fabulous trek with an incredible team. There were two of us, and we were pampered by the Vidal Expedition team. Ansangate is a captivating mountain, and it must be experienced with people who reveal its spirituality to you. Every day we went from glacier to glacier, from color to color, from discovery to experience. The expedition was very comfortable with top-notch equipment transported by our horse driver Angel. We ate more than enough thanks to our cook Beni and our assistant cook Euden, and we were expertly guided by our guide Chino. Thank you all for your good humor and smiles, thank you for all these…”

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