This guide is continuously maintained and verified by our resident Andean mountain leaders, ensuring accurate permit guidance, altitude protocols, and route recommendations for travelers in Peru.
The Inca Jungle and the Salkantay are the two most popular routes to Machu Picchu that need no Inca Trail permit, but they are very different trips. Choose the Inca Jungle if you want adventure activities, a bed every night and an easier walk in 3 or 4 days. Choose the Salkantay if you want a real high-mountain trek: about 74 km in 5 days, over a pass at 4,630 m, sleeping in tents. Both end in Aguas Calientes with a guided visit of Machu Picchu.
Inca Jungle vs Salkantay at a glance#
| Inca Jungle 3 Days | Inca Jungle 4 Days | Salkantay Trek 5 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per person (group) | USD 390 | USD 420 | USD 420 |
| Walking | About 10 km, plus about 45 km by bike | About 28 km, plus about 45 km by bike | About 74 km |
| Highest point | Abra Málaga, 4,300 m (by vehicle; the bike ride starts here) | Abra Málaga, 4,300 m (by vehicle) | Salkantay Pass, 4,630 m, on foot |
| Nights | 2 nights in hotels | 1 night in a family house and 2 in hotels | 3 nights camping and 1 in a lodge in Aguas Calientes |
| Activities | Biking, rafting, zipline | Biking, rafting, zipline, a hiking day on an Inca path | Hiking only |
| Difficulty | Easy to moderate | Easy to moderate | Moderate to challenging |
| Climate | Cold at the pass, then warm and humid jungle | Cold and windy at the pass and the first camp, warmer in the cloud forest | |
All three include the Machu Picchu ticket, the guided tour and the return train to Ollantaytambo, and students pay USD 30 less.
Difficulty and altitude#
The Inca Jungle is the easier of the two. You reach its highest point, Abra Málaga (4,300 m), by vehicle, and from there you ride downhill into the jungle. The walking is about 10 km on the 3-day tour, mostly flat along the railway to Aguas Calientes, and about 28 km on the 4-day tour, which adds a day on an old Inca path between Santa María and Santa Teresa. You need to be comfortable riding a bike downhill.
The Salkantay is a proper mountain trek. On day 2 you climb on foot to the Salkantay Pass at 4,630 m, below Salkantay mountain (6,271 m), and the first night is at a cold camp close to the glacier. The whole route is about 74 km, with long days on the trail. For either trek, spend at least two days in Cusco first; see our guide to altitude sickness in Cusco.
Scenery#
On the Inca Jungle you go from the snowy peaks around Abra Málaga down into tropical valleys, with rivers, coffee, banana and fruit farms and warm forest. On the Salkantay you walk below glaciers and snowy peaks, cross the high pass and then descend through the cloud forest to coffee farms and Llactapata, an Inca site with a view of Machu Picchu from across the valley.
See the route and altitude of each day on our Inca Jungle map and Salkantay Trek map.
Where you sleep#
On the Inca Jungle you sleep in beds, not tents: the 3-day tour uses hotels in Santa Teresa and Aguas Calientes, and the 4-day tour adds a first night in a family house in Pispitayoc. On the Salkantay you camp for three nights, at Soyrococha, Qollpapampa and Lucmabamba, in four-season tents shared by two people, and spend the last night in a lodge in Aguas Calientes. Horses carry your duffel bag, up to 7 kg.
Activities and hot springs#
The Inca Jungle is an adventure tour: downhill biking from Abra Málaga, rafting on level III rapids and a zipline over the valley in Santa Teresa are all included. On the 4-day tour you can also visit the Cocalmayo hot springs in Santa Teresa. The Salkantay is all about hiking; the second camp, Qollpapampa, has natural hot springs where you can rest after the pass.
Which one should you choose?#
Choose the Inca Jungle if you:
- want biking, rafting and a zipline as part of the trip;
- prefer beds and showers to tents;
- have 3 or 4 days and a moderate level of fitness;
- want the lower price: from USD 390.
Choose the Salkantay if you:
- want a real trek with long days on foot;
- want high-mountain scenery, glaciers and a 4,630 m pass;
- do not mind camping and cold nights;
- have 5 days and a good level of fitness.
If you want to walk into Machu Picchu on the original Inca path, neither is the answer: compare the Inca Trail vs Inca Jungle and the Salkantay Trek vs Inca Trail, or combine both on our Inca Trail and Salkantay Trek 7 Days.
Our tours#
- Inca Jungle Trail 3 Days: USD 390, biking, rafting and zipline, 2 hotel nights.
- Inca Jungle Trek 4 Days: USD 420, adds a hiking day on an Inca path, with a night in a family house and 2 in hotels.
- Salkantay Trek 5 Days: USD 420, 74 km over the Salkantay Pass, 3 nights camping and 1 in Aguas Calientes.
Frequently asked questions#
Is the Inca Jungle easier than the Salkantay?
Yes. On the Inca Jungle you reach the highest point by vehicle and walk 10 to 28 km depending on the tour, sleeping in hotels and, on the 4-day tour, a family house. The Salkantay is about 74 km on foot over a 4,630 m pass, with three nights camping.
Which is cheaper, the Inca Jungle or the Salkantay?
The Inca Jungle 3 Days is the cheapest at USD 390 per person. The Inca Jungle 4 Days and the Salkantay Trek 5 Days both cost USD 420 per person in a group.
Do I need a permit for either trek?
No. Neither uses the permit-controlled Inca Trail. You only need a Machu Picchu ticket, which is included in our tours.
Which one has better views?
For mountain scenery, the Salkantay: glaciers, snowy peaks and the high pass. The Inca Jungle has the views from Abra Málaga and then tropical valleys, rivers and farms.
Written by Joel Cárdenas Gonzales
Founder & CEOFounder and CEO of Southern Peru Explorers since 2009. Born in Cusco and trained as an official tour guide at Instituto Khipu. About the author
