This blog post is by AWR collaborator Sarah Martens. Sarah and her husband Ted are currently traveling around the world in search of adventure and, along the way, sampling some of AWR’s great trips and looking for new destinations.
If you are considering a trekking trip to Machu Picchu and you like the idea of a little luxury at the end of a long day on the trail, then you are in luck. AWR’s Salkantay Trek with the Mountain Lodges of Peru (MLP), which culminates with a day at Machu Picchu, is honestly THE best trip my husband and I have ever been on.
Many people hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, but there are actually dozens of different treks (and Inca Trails for that matter!) that you can do that will get you to Machu Picchu. In addition most variations are a lot less crowded and can even be more scenic than the most commonly used trail. The MLP trip travels the Salkantay Trail, and not only were there days that we didn’t see another hiking group, but the impressiveness of the glaciers and the mountain ranges that we saw along the way were absolutely spectacular.
Whether it be the Inca Trail, the Salkantay Trail or another, most trekking companies take 3-4 days to do their trips and these involve rather long days of hiking and then camping each night. The MLP trip is different because they spread out the 24 miles of hiking over 6 days (one of these being an acclimatization day) and you get to spend each night in unique, incredible lodges (with hot tubs!) eating beautifully-presented, wonderfully-delicious meals. In addition, MLP staff and guides provide over-the-top customer service and think of every last detail to spoil you rotten (why yes, I would love a cool towel and a glass of fresh fruit juice after my long day of hiking!).
I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves with a few of the many highlights included:
Our first view of the Humantay Glacier. There we were walking along on our first day of the trek and then we rounded the corner to see the most beautiful glacier-covered mountain peak.
The view from the hot tub at the first lodge (with the Salkantay Glacier and Humantay Glacier in the distance).
The highest we’ve ever been! The pass on our third day of hiking took us over 15,000 feet! We have done a few 14ers (14,000 foot peaks) in Colorado, but this was certainly our first 15er.
Wayra Lodge – the second lodge we stayed in on our trek. It has to be situated in one of the most beautiful places in the world.
The food. Peruvian food was impressive nationwide, but the food we had on this trip was truly gourmet. We’ve never taken so many pictures of food in our lives. They were absolutely works of art.
And of course, Machu Picchu. We were having such a fantastic time on our trek that we nearly forgot that we got to go to Machu Picchu at the end of it! Our MLP guide was our guide at Machu Picchu and did an incredible job explaining the fascinating history.
More pictures from the trek >>
So, if you can’t tell, we absolutely loved the trip and would do it again tomorrow. A huge thank you to Adventures Within Reach for putting this trip together for us – it more than exceeded our expectations. It was the first thing we did upon arriving in Peru and it certainly set the stage for the amazing time we were going to have in this country.
Check out Sarah and Ted’s blog to learn more about their ongoing adventure: http://tedandsarah.com/
Looks and sounds great!…
Any recommendations to prepare for the high altitudes?
I live in Washington, DC, so not very high… But I am healthy and in shape..
Insights/advice?
Thank you!
Molly from DC
Good question! There isn’t much you can do to prepare for high altitudes. The best solution is to give yourself time to acclimatize your body — don’t rush the trip, spend a few extra days. Once at the higher altitudes, drink lots of water and get lots of rest. In Peru, they will also serve you Coca tea for the altitude.