Llactapata - Aguas Calientes
- Distance: 15km
- Duration: (with breaks): 7h 30min
- Elevation gain/loss: 960m/1470m
This is our last hiking day. Today we’re heading to Aguas Calientes, the town from which all Machu Picchu trips start. Salkantay trek does not lead you directly to Machu Picchu. It’s more of a hike to Aguas Calientes with a day trip to Machu Picchu.
We said goodbye to the awesome camping place and started a long descend towards the civilization. It’s a rather steep section of the hike with several muddy parts, so hiking sticks or just any stick would come in handy. We took it slow and cautiously, and nobody slipped, phew.
Once we reached the Hydroelectrical Station, our descend section and jungle trek came to an end. At the station, we saw a cool 300m waterfall that actually generates electricity for the region. I’ve never seen a man-made waterfall this big.
Soon after the station, we reached the famous train tracks. Why famous? The majority of Machu Picchu visitors do not embark on a 4-5 day hike to see the city. They hop on a train to Aguas Calientes for a day’s visit to Machu Picchu.
The rest of the hike for us was next to the tracks of these trains and we saw a few of them passing by. Yep, you walk literally next to the train track. No worries, these trains are not that fast, you’ll hear them quick enough. Plus, the guides make sure everyone keeps a safe distance.
On our way, we could see the Inca city perched on top of a steep mountain. In fact, at some point, we were so close that we could easily see people walking around the ruins. I must say today is probably the least exciting in terms of hiking, but the anticipation of finally seeing this famous city is at its peak. So close!
It was definitely a relief to arrive at Aguas Calientes after a long hiking day. A hotel with beds and a shower was waiting for us, yey! We had some time off before the dinner so went to explore the town a bit.
It is very touristic for sure, hotels and souvenir shops everywhere. I always find the end of a multi-day hike weird as you’re kind of spit back into the bustling civilization after days in quiet nature. In need of some transition time here!
After the last dinner made by our awesome tour chefs, our group also split for the night as we all had different hotels arranged for us. Tomorrow we’re gathering for the last trip together – a visit to Machu Picchu.
Day 4 tips
- It's a tropical climate in this section with a lot of insects waiting for your tasty blood. Some of my group mates got bites all over their legs, so you might want to consider wearing long pants instead.