​Salkantay Stargazing Trek to Machu Picchu: 6-Day Adventure Under the Andean Sky

Embark on an unforgettable adventure through the breathtaking landscapes of Peru’s Andes Mountains on our Salkantay Stargazing Trek to Machu Picchu. This exclusive 6-day expedition will take you on a journey of discovery, weaving through ancient trails, majestic glaciers, lush valleys, and finally culminating in the awe-inspiring ruins of Machu Picchu. As the sun sets, get ready to be mesmerized by the celestial wonders above as we indulge in a magical stargazing experience like no other.The much-anticipated day has arrived! Before the sun rises, we make our way to Machu Picchu to witness the ancient citadel emerge from the mist. Our expert guide will unveil the secrets and history of this remarkable UNESCO World Heritage Site, taking you on a journey back in time. After the guided tour, you’ll have time to explore the ruins at your own pace.As night falls, we return to Cusco by train, allowing you to reflect on the incredible experiences of the past few days. Remember the stars that lit up the Andean sky and the profound sense of wonder you felt during our stargazing session

Information

Group Size 
1 – 8 Guests
Experience | Difficulty
Beginner, amateur, enthusiast and semi-pro photographers
DSLR, mirrorless, compact or iPhone cameras
Moderate schedule
Travel by car or minibus
Moderate elevation changes and lots of walking and hiking (none of our adventures have difficult hikes)
(non-photographers also welcome)
Includes
6 days
Travel, landscape, nature, wildlife and people photography
Professional photographer | guide
Photo walks & discussions
Small group size (1-8 guests)
3 or 4-star hotels
Breakfasts
All Meals
National Park Permits
Local transportation
Accommodations
Hotels,Camping.

Difficulty
Very difficult: Long hikes and camping at                                               high altitude

​Our Peru photo trek will mainly focus on hiking and capturing the most iconic landscapes in the Salkantay Trek, the world’s highest tropical mountain ranges. This time of year is perfect for hiking, as it coincides with the dry season, and ideal for astro, as it’s the peak of Milky Way season in the Southern Hemisphere, with 10+ hours of Milky Way visibility at night.

ITINERARY
​

Day 1.-Cusco-Mollepata-Humantay lake -Soraypampa.-
Our team will pick you up from your hotel to head towards Mollepata, where we will stop for breakfast, we will continue towards Markoqasa, where we will begin the trek. The climb has beautiful scenery as we go up through the area where we can see many birds, maybe even the Andean condor. We will continue with the ascent to the viewpoint of the Turcarpay mountain where we will wait for a delicious lunch. After lunch we will continue to Soraypampa where every moment the view will change its beauty. Once we arrive to soraypampa we will have the most incredible views because Salkantay will be in front of us, we will transport the most beautiful mountains in this area and tonight we will accompany these 2 great mountains . .

Day 2.-Soraypampa- Humantay Lake-Japanese Pampa.
Depending on the clients, this morning we will get up very early, have a coffee and go up to the Humantay lagoon to take the sunrise photograph.
Then we will return to the camp for breakfast.
After recharging our energies, we will begin the ascent towards Salkantaypampa.
Once we arrive, the majestic Salkantay will be in front of us. After a rest, we will continue the ascent to the Japanese pampa.
Tonight we will have more options to take landscape pictures and at night we will be in the hotel with millions of stars and we will be able to photograph the Milky Way.
we will be there to help you compose the best pictures of the milky way, panorama of everything you want to photograph the milky way or the river of the incas.
We will rest in the Japanese pampa.

Day 3.-Japanese Pampa-Soyroqocha.-
Depending on the type of Milky Way photography you want to take, we will get up early because we will climb the highest pass of our trip at 4900 meters above sea level. The idea is to be there for sunrise because it has an incredible view.
from the snowy salkantay or the wild mountain of the Incas, then we will return to the camp to have a good breakfast.
Then we will begin to descend towards salkantaypampa from there we will begin the ascent towards suyroqocha our camp
As soon as we arrive we will be served a delicious lunch.
Then we will have a little time to rest because then we will go up to the Salkantay Pass for the sunset, which is wonderful because we will be closer to the Apu Salkantay.
After sunset we return to camp for a hot dinner and prepare for another starry night. Tonight we will see the animals that the Andean astronomers saw on the milky way. It will be another magical night

Day 4.-Soyroqocha- Wayracmachay.-
This morning, those who want, we will wash the tempras again to have another opportunity to photograph the sunrise and then have breakfast and we will return to the salkantay pass once we arrive we will do our ceremony of respect to the apu salkantay or the wild mountain.
from there we will begin with the descent, it is recommended to look everywhere because we could see condors, perhaps the chinchilla, a rodent from the Andes.
and many high altitude birds until we reach our next camp for tonight.
Another opportunity to photograph the sunset and the Milky Way, and perhaps with those who wish, we can do a light walk.
Day 5.-Wayrac – Qolpapampa- Hydroelectric -Aguas Calientes.
Those who wish will get up early for dawn because our landscape will be very different. We will have breakfast there and then we will start descending to Qolpapampa as we go further down the road there will be more vegetation and it will also be warmer. Lunch will be in Qolapampa. Once we arrive we will have lunch and then we will take a vehicle that will take us to Hydroelectric and then we will take the train to Aguas Calientes.
Once we arrive we will go to the hotel to take a fresh shower.

Day 6.-Aguas Calientes – Machupicchu – Cusco.-
Early in the morning we take the bus from the town of Aguas Calientes to the archaeological site of Machu Picchu. We have the opportunity to climb the difficult path to the top of the Huayna Picchu mountain, which offers spectacular and different views, it is even possible to see the Apu Salkantay.
The tour of Machu Picchu allows us to appreciate the high level of development reached by the Andean civilization through the Incas. A supremely religious site, Machu Picchu demonstrates the superior knowledge achieved in astronomy and astrology. This knowledge of measuring the rainy and dry seasons through the solstices is essential for the development of agriculture: the source of life in the Andes. We will try to spend as much time as possible in the archaeological complex, depending on what time our train leaves back to the city of Cusco.

Price Based Per Person:2025

1 person :  US$1750.00 per person
2 people :  US$1400.00 per person
3 people:   US$1350.00 per person
4 people :  US$1300.00 per person
5 people :  US$1250.00 per person
6 people :  US$1150.00 per person
7+ people : US$1100.00 per person