The Salkantay Trek and the Inca Trail are both amazing hikes to Machu Picchu, but they offer very different experiences. The Inca Trail is famous for ancient stone paths and historic ruins, the Salkantay Trek focuses on wild mountain nature and high-altitude lakes, and the Inca Jungle Trek adds biking and rafting adventures
Quick answer: Choose the Inca Trail if walking through Inca ruins and arriving at Machu Picchu on foot through the Sun Gate matters more to you than anything else, and you can book 5 to 6 months ahead. Choose the Salkantay Trek if you want bigger mountain scenery, more last-minute availability, and a lower price. Want the best of both? You can hike both treks back to back, more on that below.
Overview of the hikes
Inca Trail
The classic Inca Trail is a 4-day, 26-mile (42 km) trek along the original stone route built by the Inca, passing three mountain passes and a string of ruins before arriving at Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate at sunrise. It is the only route that ends with this walking arrival, and it is capped by a strict daily permit system.
Salkantay Trek
The Salkantay Trek is a 5-day, roughly 46 to 50-mile (74 to 80 km) route around the base of Salkantay mountain (20,574 ft), reaching a high point over 1,300 feet above the Inca Trail's. No permit is required for the trekking route itself, it runs year-round, and it finishes by bus and train rather than on foot.
Combined Salkantay and Inca Trail
Because Salkantay does not require a permit and the short Inca Trail (2 days) does, some hikers combine the two: several days on Salkantay for the mountain scenery, followed by the short Inca Trail for the ruins and the Sun Gate arrival. We cover how that works later in this article.
Salkantay Trek vs Inca Trail: overview table
| Featured | Inca Trail | Salkantay Trek |
|---|---|---|
| Distance | About 26 miles (42 km) | About 46 to 50 miles (74 to 80 km) |
| Typical Length | 4 days, 3 nights | 5 days, 4 nights (4-day option available) |
| Highest point | Dead Woman's Pass, 13,828 ft (4,215 m) | Salkantay Pass, about 15,213 ft (4,638 m) |
| Terrain | Original Inca stone paving, cloud forest, ruins along the route | High mountain trail, glacier views, cloud forest, no ruins en route |
| Arrival at Machu Picchu | On foot, through the Sun Gate | By bus from Aguas Calientes, after arriving by train or on foot along the rail line |
| Permit requiered | Yes, government-regulated and limited | No permit needed for the trekking route itself |
| Booking lead time | 5 to 6 months ahead for peak season (June to August) | Often bookable weeks ahead, even in high season |
| Typical price | From $830 | From $700 |
| Closed for maintenance | All of February | Open year-round |
Salkantay or Inca Trail?
Neither trek wins on every count. Here is the honest verdict, category by category.
Best scenery
Salkantay for raw mountain scale: glaciers, the turquoise Humantay Lake, and a wider range of ecosystems in one trek. Inca Trail for history woven into the landscape: ruins like Runkurakay and Wiñay Wayna appear right on the path, something Salkantay does not offer.
Fewer crowds
Salkantay, especially in its early stages. The Inca Trail is a narrow, single-file stone path shared by every permitted group that day, so you pass and get passed constantly near the passes. Salkantay's trail is wider and historically less trafficked, though it has grown busier as more hikers choose it as the Inca Trail alternative.
Best for last-minute planning
Salkantay, clearly. It has no government permit cap, so it stays bookable close to your travel dates and rarely sells out. The Inca Trail's permits are limited and sell out months ahead in June through August, so it is a poor fit if your dates are not locked in early.
The cheapest
Salkantay, generally, starting around $700 versus about $830 for the Inca Trail. Most of that gap comes from the Inca Trail's mandatory, limited permit fee rather than any difference in the trekking experience itself.
5 days through high mountain scenery and Humantay Lake, finishing at Machu Picchu.
The 'easiest'
Neither trek is easy, but they are hard in different ways. Inca Trail is shorter and better maintained, though its stone stairways are steep underfoot and Dead Woman's Pass is a brutal single push. Salkantay is physically tougher overall: its high pass sits over 1,300 feet above the Inca Trail's, meaning a longer, colder climb and a higher risk of altitude sickness. If you had to pick the gentler option, the Inca Trail edges it, mainly on distance.
Better for history
Inca Trail, without question. It is the only route with Inca ruins along the path and the only one that ends by walking through the Sun Gate. Salkantay is a mountain trek first; its connection to Inca history is limited to the final approach into Machu Picchu itself.
4 days, small groups capped at 8, permits and Machu Picchu entrance included.
Better facilities and accommodation
On the Inca Trail, camping is the only option: porters carry the gear and set up tents at designated campsites each night. Salkantay generally offers more choice, with many itineraries including nights in mountain lodges or geodesic "sky domes" with glass ceilings for stargazing, especially near Humantay Lake and Salkantay Pass. If you would rather not camp every night, Salkantay is the more comfortable option.
Most magical moments
Inca Trail for a single unforgettable moment: reaching the Sun Gate at sunrise and seeing Machu Picchu appear below for the first time on foot. Salkantay for a string of smaller ones spread across five days: the turquoise water at Humantay Lake, the glacier looming over Salkantay Pass, and a wider variety of landscapes than the Inca Trail covers in its shorter route.
How to hike both the Inca Trail and Salkantay Trek
About the combined hike
Because Salkantay does not require a permit, it is possible to trek Salkantay first, then finish on the short 2-day Inca Trail, which does require a permit but a much easier one to secure than the classic 4-day route since fewer people book it. This gives you the mountain scenery of Salkantay and the ruins-and-Sun Gate arrival of the Inca Trail in a single trip.
How to combine the two hikes
A typical combined itinerary runs 6 to 7 days: 4 to 5 days on the Salkantay route as far as the town of Santa Teresa or Hidroeléctrica, then a transfer to the short Inca Trail starting point near Km 104, followed by 2 days on the short Inca Trail up to the Sun Gate and into Machu Picchu. Because the short Inca Trail still requires a permit, book this combination as early as you would the classic Inca Trail, especially for June through August travel.
Pros and cons of the Inca and Salkantay combined
Pros: you get Salkantay's mountain views and Salkantay's lower overall difficulty compared to a full 4-day Inca Trail, plus the classic Sun Gate arrival that Salkantay alone does not offer.
Cons: it is a longer trip, both in days and cost, than either trek on its own, and you still need to secure a short Inca Trail permit ahead of time, so it removes some of Salkantay's last-minute flexibility.
Mountain scenery on Salkantay, then the Inca Trail and the Sun Gate arrival.
Inca Trail And Salkantay Trek Maps
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in most respects. The Salkantay Pass reaches 4,630m, which is 415 meters higher than Dead Woman's Pass on the Inca Trail (4,215m). The Salkantay is also nearly double the distance (74km vs 42km). However, the Inca Trail's ancient stone stairs are notoriously hard on the knees, especially on Day 2 and the descent on Day 3.
No. There is no trekking permit required for the Salkantay Trail. You do need a Machu Picchu entrance ticket (~$50–60 USD), which should be booked several months in advance as it sells out. The Classic Inca Trail requires a strictly limited permit (500 people per day total) that must be booked 5–6 months ahead for peak season.
The Classic Inca Trail typically ranges from $700–$1,200 USD per person for an all-inclusive guided group tour. The Salkantay Trek ranges from $350–$700 USD for a standard 5-day group tour. The price difference comes down to the mandatory permit, strictly regulated guide and porter requirements, and higher logistical complexity of the Inca Trail.
The Classic Inca Trail (4 days) is more suitable for first-time multi-day trekkers with moderate fitness. It is shorter, slightly lower in elevation, and follows a well-established trail with frequent rest points. The Salkantay Trek requires stronger endurance and comfort on more remote, technical terrain.
Yes. A popular 7-day itinerary combines the Salkantay Trek for the first 4–5 days with the 2-Day Short Inca Trail, ending with the iconic Sun Gate arrival at Machu Picchu. This requires an Inca Trail permit for the short section but is one of the best trekking experiences in Peru.
No. The Peruvian government closes the Inca Trail every February for maintenance and ecological recovery. The Salkantay Trek has no such closure period and remains the top trekking option during February.
For peak season (June–August), book at least 5–6 months in advance, and 8–12 months ahead for specific July or August dates. Permits are non-transferable and tied to your passport number. Once they sell out, there are no exceptions.
Yes. The Salkantay Trek ends in Aguas Calientes, and on the final morning you take a bus or hike up to Machu Picchu. Unlike the Inca Trail, you do not enter through the Sun Gate. The Llactapata ruins, accessible as a detour, offer a distant view of Machu Picchu during the trek itself.
Not sure which trek fits your trip?
As a Peru-based tour operator, we run the Inca Trail, the Salkantay Trek, and the combined route. Tell us your dates and fitness level and we will tell you honestly which one fits, no upsell.
See all our peru tours →Government-certified operator, No. 20603090650. Permits secured directly with Peru's Ministry of Culture.
