The Salkantay Trek has three real accommodation options: standard camping, sky dome glamping, and boutique mountain lodges. The right one depends on your budget and how much comfort you want after a 12-mile day at altitude. Standard camping is the most affordable and included in most 5-day group tours. Sky domes add a heated glass-roofed sleeping pod with valley views for a premium. Mountain lodges go further still, with private rooms, hot tubs, and hot showers every night. Here's exactly what each one includes. This way, you can pick with your eyes open before you book.
Accommodation Types on the Salkantay Trek
Unlike the Inca Trail, where every operator uses the same government-regulated campsites, the Salkantay route runs past a real mix of infrastructure. This includes basic tent camping, several dome-camp glamping sites, a chain of boutique lodges, and small family-run guesthouses in the villages the trail passes through. Most 5-day group departures, ours included, use standard camping as the default. They offer sky domes or lodges as a paid upgrade on specific nights. Here's what each one is actually like.
Standard Camping
This is what's included in most group-rate Salkantay bookings, ours at $700 per person. You sleep in a two-person dome or A-frame tent set up by the crew before you arrive at camp each evening. You sleep on a sleeping mat with a duffel of your gear waiting inside. Bathrooms are shared, shower access depends on the specific campsite (some have basic cold showers, others none). A dining tent with tables and stools is where the crew serves three hot meals a day. It's rustic but genuinely comfortable if you've camped before. It's the only option that doesn't add cost to the trip.
Salkantay Trek Sky Domes
Sky domes are the trail's signature upgrade: geodesic glass-and-canvas pods with a clear roof panel, so you fall asleep looking at Salkantay itself or the Milky Way on a clear night. They cluster around Soraypampa (3,900 m), the trek's first overnight stop and the closest point to the mountain, with a few operators running dome camps further along the route too. Inside, expect a real bed instead of a sleeping mat, heating for the cold high-altitude nights, and a shared dining dome with a glass roof and a private chef, a step up from a standard dining tent. Some sky camps add a wood-fired hot tub or sauna as a further paid extra on top of the dome upgrade itself. Multiple operators on this route, including Alpaca Expeditions and Mountain Sky View, run their own branded versions of this concept, so "sky dome" isn't one single company's product, it's a category, and the exact inclusions vary site to site.
Peru's national weather service, SENAMHI, tracks the Cusco region's dry-season pattern that makes these clear-night stargazing domes worth the upgrade: May through September sees the least cloud cover of the year, which is exactly when a glass-roof dome pays off most.
Mountain Lodges of Peru
One step above camping and domes entirely, Mountain Lodges of Peru runs a fixed chain of four private lodges along the Salkantay route. These are Salkantay Lodge (3,869 m, 12 private rooms, hot tub, hot and cold running water), Wayra Lodge (3,906 m, a high-altitude hot tub with valley and peak views), Colpa Lodge (2,870 m, cloud forest setting with hot springs access nearby), and Lucma Lodge (2,135 m, mountainside with avocado orchard views). A lodge-to-lodge Salkantay trek means a private room and a hot shower every single night instead of a tent. This comes at a meaningfully higher price point than either camping or sky domes. It's the most comfortable way to do this trek. It's worth knowing the name specifically if a "5-star Salkantay trek" is what you're searching for, since Mountain Lodges of Peru is the operator most of that positioning refers to.
Local Guesthouses
The villages the Salkantay Trek passes through, Soraypampa, Collpapampa, and Lucmabamba among them, have small family-run guesthouses that some independent trekkers use instead of camping. A shared room with meals typically runs 50 to 80 Peruvian soles per person per night (roughly $13 to $22 USD), with a hot shower sometimes costing a small amount extra. This option is really only practical if you're trekking independently without a tour operator. This is because group departures are built around fixed campsites or dome/lodge partnerships. Still, it's worth knowing about if you're comparing every possible way to do this trek on a tight budget.
Salkantay Trek Accommodation Comparison
| Option | Sleeping | Bathroom | Cost Impact | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Camping | Shared dome/A-frame tent, sleeping mat | Shared, showers vary by camp | Included in group price | Budget-conscious trekkers, first-time campers |
| Sky Domes | Private heated glass-roof dome, real bed | Shared, some sites add hot tub/sauna | Paid upgrade, typically 1-2 nights | Trekkers who want the view without full lodge cost |
| Mountain Lodges | Private room, real bed, every night | Private, hot water every night | Highest tier, full lodge-to-lodge pricing | Comfort-first trekkers, honeymooners, older travelers |
| Local Guesthouses | Shared basic room | Shared, hot shower often extra | $13-22 USD/night, independent trekkers only | Independent budget travelers without a tour operator |
Which Accommodation Should You Choose?
If this is your first multi-day trek and budget matters, standard camping is genuinely fine. The trail and the views are the same regardless of where you sleep. If you want one or two nights that feel special, most operators let you upgrade specific nights to a sky dome rather than the whole trip. This keeps the cost increase reasonable while still getting you the glass-roof-and-mountain-view experience at Soraypampa. Comfort is the priority every single night, whether that's a joint decision, a milestone trip, or you simply don't want to camp at altitude. In that case, a full lodge-to-lodge itinerary with Mountain Lodges of Peru is worth the higher price. There's no wrong answer here, the trek itself doesn't change. Only where you sleep does.
What's Included With Our Salkantay Trek
Our standard 5-day Salkantay departure runs $700 per person in a group and includes camping equipment, a professional cook, three meals a day on the trail, a licensed guide, and support crew. Sky dome and lodge upgrades can be added on request for specific nights. Ask us when you enquire and we'll build the exact mix you want into your itinerary.
Related Guides
- Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu: Full Itinerary & Pricing
- Inca Trail vs. Salkantay Trek: Which Is Right for You?
- Trek Difficulty Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
What are sky domes on the Salkantay Trek?
Sky domes are geodesic glass-roofed sleeping pods, mostly clustered around Soraypampa at 3,900 m, that let you sleep looking up at Salkantay or the night sky. They include a real bed and heating, an upgrade from a standard sleeping mat and tent. They are offered by several operators along the route as an optional add-on.
What is Mountain Lodges of Peru?
Mountain Lodges of Peru is the company running the four private lodges along the Salkantay route (Salkantay Lodge, Wayra Lodge, Colpa Lodge, and Lucma Lodge). A lodge-to-lodge Salkantay trek with them means a private room and hot shower every night instead of camping. This comes at a higher price point than standard camping or a dome upgrade. check reviews Here
Is camping included in the price of the Salkantay Trek?
Yes, standard camping equipment (tent, sleeping mat, dining tent) is included in most group-rate Salkantay departures, ours included at $700 per person. Sky domes and mountain lodges are both paid upgrades on top of that base price.
Can I do part of the Salkantay Trek in a sky dome and part camping?
Yes, most operators let you upgrade specific nights rather than the whole trip. So a common option is standard camping for most nights with a sky dome upgrade at Soraypampa on night one, where the views of Salkantay are best.
How cold does it get camping on the Salkantay Trek?
Nighttime temperatures at Soraypampa (3,900 m) commonly drop below freezing, especially May through September. Therefore, a good sleeping bag rated to at least -10°C/14°F is essential regardless of which accommodation option you choose. This is because even sky domes and lodges are at high altitude.
Are there guesthouses on the Salkantay Trek?
Yes, small family-run guesthouses exist in villages along the route including Soraypampa, Collpapampa, and Lucmabamba, typically 50-80 soles per person with meals. These are mainly used by independent trekkers without a tour operator. The reason is that group departures are built around fixed campsites or dome/lodge partnerships.
Which Salkantay accommodation option is best for beginners?
Standard camping is genuinely fine for a first multi-day trek, the trail and scenery are identical regardless of where you sleep. If a single more comfortable night matters to you, upgrading just the Soraypampa night to a sky dome is a popular middle ground.
Not Sure Which Salkantay Option Fits You?
Tell us your budget and comfort priorities, we'll build a mix of camping, sky domes, or lodge nights that fits your trip.
Talk to a Local Guide →Custom accommodation mixes available on request.
