42 Mile Solo Reverse Salkantay Trek - Day 1 "The River" - Peru

The 42 mile long Salkantay Trek is an adventurous alternative to the more popular, and thus more crowded, Inca Trail which many hikers use as a gateway to the renowned UNESCO archeological site of Machu Picchu in Peru.

The standard protocol is to begin this trip in the foothills of Salkantay Mountain at approximately 15,000 ft (4,600m) and work your way down over the course of several days to approx. 8,000 ft (2,400m) with the trek culminating in the ruins of Machu Picchu.

I do this trek solo and in reverse, starting in Machu Picchu Village and walking to Soraypampa gaining altitude the entire way while carrying a 25kg pack.

As an added challenge I take the jungle route between the villages of Playa Sahuayaco and Collpapampa. Most trekking guides will avoid this route and ferry their group via bus along a dirt road as the trail is remote, narrow, and potentially non-existent due to mudslides. ***This route is dangerous proceed with caution or with a guide.

On Day 1 I travel from Machu Picchu Village to Llaqtapata Lodge gaining about 2,200 ft (670m) in elevation over the course of 8 miles (13k)

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Music
Moon Chasm by Looking Glass
Air by SaReGaMa