2 nights before we had a pre-trek briefing, they gave us maps and lots of information about the itinerary, the route, gear to take, limit of weight, food, etc, etc, they also gave us a duffel bag to put in our belongings for the trek.
Day 1: Cusco – Soyrococha
We left at 5:30 in a van, and drove for 2:30 hrs until a small farmer’s village called mollepata, this is where you have to pay a new fee for the trek ($44), and you can also have breakfast and buy the last snacks.
The ride continued for about 45 minutes until the beginning of the trek. We had a gentle hiked from Sayllapata until Soraypampa for about 2 hrs, the scenery is just spectacular with nice valleys, canyons, and snow capped peaks. When we arrived to Soraypampa lunch was set up and everyday we had: soap, towels, buckets with warm water to wash our hands, a camping table and stools.
After a delicious lunch and a hot coca tea we started going uphill, it took us about 3 hours to arrive to Soyrococha, sometimes was difficult, it was steep and we had to use switchbacks, but we had great weather and had amazing views of the Apu Salkantay (20,600 ft)
When we arrived to the camp; everything was already set up!, during the trek we had very nice camping gear, the best I have seen and used, we had a great and warm mountain hardwear cooking/dining tent (stronghold), our bathroom was the Environmental PETT Toilet tent, it had a seat an biodegradable plastic bags with eco- friendly powder inside. The other companies made holes in the ground.
I slept in a nice and warm 2 person mountain hard wear four Season tent (Spire), and over a thermarest–ridgerest pad which insulated very well humidity and cold. This first camp (13780 ft) was the coldest, but the most beautiful because you have the Salkantay peak in front of you!, do not forget to take warm sleeping bags and clothes (gloves, wool hat, scarf, etc). We did great because of the nice gear we had but I felt sorry for the other trekkers, we saw the camps and gear other companies had and everything looked very simple; specially the client’s tents (cheap Doite tents I think), the next morning I saw their pads and they were very thin.
Favourite spots:
Day 2: Soyrococha – Collpapampa
Every morning we had a wake up call with Lucio (the cook) or the guide offering us coffee or coca tea, which felt great. We also had soap, towels, and buckets with warm water every day in the morning and in the afternoon.
After some panqueques and a hot chocolate we started the hike until the pass, it took us just 1 hour to get to the pass (15100 ft), we had a very nice day and took amazing pictures of the mountains around, glaciers, the summit of the Salkantay Peak
e head downhill for lunch, as we got lower we saw more vegetation; beautiful flowers (orchids, begonias), trees and also more colorful birds (tanagers, hummingbirds), it took us 4 hours to arrive to los Andenes, the lunch spot.
Do not forget to take walking poles and a strong bug’s repellent we had lot of small black flies.
We continued 2 hours downhill until the 2nd camp, a small village called Collpapampa, 15 minutes downhill from the camp they have 2 small poW
What's really great:
Day 3: Collpapampa – Playa Sahuayaco
After breakfast: fruit salad, cereal, yogurt and hot drinks, we started the hike, it was downhill again with beautiful views of lower green mountains we saw more birds, flowers, nice waterfalls and farming fields with coffee, passion fruits, bananas and other tropical crops. We also had more flies and got some bites, so I recommend using long pants and long sleeves.
After 5 hours we arrived to the last camp for lunch, a village called Playa – Sahuayaco. After a nice lunch we had the rest of the day to rest, have some cold beers and soak in the river.
During the trek you can buy mineral bottled water and snacks to help the local families, in this village there is electricity if you want to recharge batteries.
This day we said good bye and tipped our great and very helpful horseman, Cristobal.
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