How booking works

Before reserving a place on the Salkantay Trek, please read the following carefully. If anything is unclear, ask us before you pay — it is much easier to fix in advance.

The booking steps

1. Check your passport. It must be valid for at least six months from the date you enter Peru. The name and number you give us are used for your Machu Picchu entrance ticket and train tickets, so they must match exactly.
2. Send the booking enquiry. Tell us your dates, group size and which itinerary you want. We reply within 24 hours to confirm your trek and accommodation and to help customise the package. Say at this stage if you need an extra pack horse, a sleeping bag or walking poles.
3. Pay the deposit. US$250 per person secures the departure.
4. Settle the balance before departure. Your agent issues an invoice payable online.
5. Arrive early to acclimatize. We recommend reaching Cusco two or three days before the trek start date.

Because the route needs no trekking permit, you are not competing for a quota — but early booking still helps us secure the best camps and your Machu Picchu ticket, particularly between June and August.

Deposit and payment

We require a US$250 per person deposit for all treks. The remaining balance must be paid before the trek start date. You can request an invoice from the agent handling your account and pay online by credit card or PayPal through our secure server. We accept all major cards — Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express — as well as e-checks, wire transfers and direct deposits.

Your payment is handled by a registered California Seller of Travel (CST# 2085372-40) — more about the company and our credentials.

What the price includes varies by itinerary; each trek page lists its inclusions in full, and the cost guide explains what typically sits outside the package.

Student and child discounts

These discounts are applied to the Machu Picchu entrance ticket under Peruvian government policy, not to the trek itself.

Students: email a scanned copy of your student ID card — showing photo, full name, institution and expiry date — after submitting the booking form. Government policy requires that the student is under 26 and that the card expires no sooner than one year after the trek start date. The card must not be linked to a credit card, and graduate cards and ISIC cards are not accepted. Bring the card with you: it is checked on the trek. Without a valid scan we charge the standard adult price.

Children: under-16s receive the same discount. Email a scan of the passport page showing photo and date of birth after booking.

Before you arrive

Arrive in Cusco two or three days ahead so you are well acclimatized before the high pass — this matters more than any other preparation, and the altitude guide explains why. Work through the packing list before you fly, and check what the season means for the conditions you will meet.

Solo travellers are welcome on the group service. A single supplement applies only if you would prefer your own tent and room.

Booking questions