Salcantay, Salkantay, or Sallqantay (in Quechua) are all commonly used.
Salcantay’s proximity to Machu Picchu makes this trek to the town of Machupicchu (Aguas Calientes) a better alternative to the oversubscribed Inca Trail.
Krista loved the adventure. But definitely found it challenging.
The longer you have in advance to acclimatize to altitude, the better.
If planning on Salcantay, research the hike in advance.
Not mentioned in this video are the biting insects. They are not always a nuisance — but for me they were the biggest consideration. I had them on the trail. And at Machu Picchu.
This resort is off-putting to some. Ignore the posturing Eurotrash, conspicuous in brightly coloured expensive outdoor apparel, unsoiled.
Instead, turn your gaze up to the Matterhorn, “iconic emblem of the Swiss Alps and the Alps”. This valley is one of the great natural wonders of the world.
Zermatt … is in the German-speaking section of the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It has a population of about 5,800 inhabitants.
The village is situated at the end of Mattertal at an altitude of 1,620 m (5,315 ft), at the feet of Switzerland’s highest peaks. …
Zermatt is famed as a mountaineering and ski resort of the Swiss Alps. …
To prevent air pollution which could obscure the town’s view of the Matterhorn, the entire town is a combustion-engine car-free zone. Almost all vehicles in Zermatt are battery driven and almost completely silent. Electric vehicles are allowed for local commerce. …
All hikers plan, one day, to travel to southern Patagonia.
Towers of Paine photos entice.
And anyone who hikes Paine, should also hike Fitz Roy, Argentina.
Hikers have a choice to base themselves out of Puerto Natales, Chile or El Calafate, Argentina. Though you may find yourself stopping in both, El Calafate is the better choice.
El Calafate is a small town in Patagonia, Argentina. …
… an important tourist destination as the hub to visit different parts of the Los Glaciares National Park, including the Perito Moreno Glacier (one of the most visited in the world) and the Cerro Chaltén and Cerro Torre.
… In the last census 6,143 permanent residents were counted
You could argue that El Chaltén, Argentina’s “national trekking capital“, about 220km from El Calafate, is an even better base town.
On the other hand, there are large grocery stores like Diarco in El Calafate. The shops in Chaltén in 2019 were still very limited. We couldn’t get instant mashed potatoes in Chaltén, for example. Pick up your provisions in Calafate.
And Calafate is about half way between Paine and Fitz Roy.
These are the most famous, but there are many more “best hikes” in the Patagonian Andes. Ground transportation is the biggest challenge in this part of the world.
besthike.com 