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GUNUNG · Peru

Nevado Salcantay

Salkantay

Source
Nevado Salcantay

Photo: source

Information

Elevation
6.271 m
Country
Peru (PE)
Location / Range
Cordillera Vilcabamba (Andes, Peru)
Mountain type
Gunung bersalju (nevado)
Volcanic?
No (non-volcanic)
Coordinates
-13.3364, -72.5444
Difficulty
Trek: Sedang–Berat · Puncak: Sangat berat (alpin teknis, berglasier)
Best Season
April–September (Mei–Agustus paling kering)
Permits & Rules
Trek Salkantay tidak berpermit khusus, tetapi tiket masuk Machu Picchu (dan kereta/bus Aguas Calientes) wajib dipesan di ujung rute; pendakian puncak butuh operator/pemandu alpin.
Hazards
Ketinggian & risiko AMS di Salkantay Pass (±4.630 m), cuaca cepat berubah, hujan/salju, serta glasier bercelah dan es untuk jalur puncak.

Description

Nevado Salcantay (6,271 m; Quechua 'Salkantay', often glossed as 'wild' or 'invincible' mountain) is the highest peak of the Cordillera Vilcabamba in the Peruvian Andes, about 60 km west-northwest of Cusco in the Cusco Region. It is the 12th-highest mountain in Peru and one of the most topographically prominent summits in the country (after Huascarán). To Andean communities it is a revered 'apu' (sacred mountain). While its icy summit is reserved for experienced alpinists (glaciated, technical terrain), the peak is best known for the ~5-day Salkantay Trek over the Salkantay Pass (~4,630 m) to Machu Picchu — a popular alternative to the Inca Trail that crosses snowy high plateaus, the turquoise Humantay Lake, and the humid cloud forest of the Santa Teresa valley.

Routes

Pendakian puncak Nevado Salcantay (alpin teknis)

Sangat berat (teknis, berglasier)
beberapa hari (ekspedisi)

The icy summit of Salcantay (6,271 m) is a glaciated alpine climb over crevassed terrain and ice — for experienced, guided mountaineers only, and far less traveled than the trek.

Trek Salkantay klasik (Mollepata → Salkantay Pass → Machu Picchu)

Sedang–Berat
74.00 km 5 hari / 4 malam

Popular ~74 km (46 mi) route from near Mollepata/Soraypampa, crossing the Salkantay Pass (~4,630 m) at the foot of Nevado Salcantay, then descending into the Santa Teresa cloud forest and ending at Machu Picchu. A less-restricted alternative to the Inca Trail; the hardest stretch is day two over the pass.

Route Segments

  1. 1

    Soraypampa → Danau Humantay (PP)

    ⏱ 2–3 jam 4.200 mdpl

    Aklimatisasi hari pertama; tanjakan ±300 m ke danau glasial biru di kaki Nevado Humantay.

  2. 2

    Soraypampa → Salkantay Pass → Chaullay/Collpapampa

    ⏱ ±8–9 jam 4.630 mdpl

    Hari terberat: tanjakan panjang ke Salkantay Pass (±4.630 m), lalu turun panjang ke zona lembap.

  3. 3

    Chaullay → Lucmabamba (lembah Santa Teresa)

    ⏱ ±6 jam 2.135 mdpl

    Menyusuri Sungai Santa Teresa di hutan awan; perkebunan kopi & alpukat.

  4. 4

    Lucmabamba → Llactapata Pass → Hidroeléctrica → Aguas Calientes

    ⏱ ±7 jam 2.040 mdpl

    Melewati situs Llactapata dengan panorama pertama Machu Picchu, lalu ikuti rel kereta ke Aguas Calientes.

  5. 5

    Aguas Calientes → Machu Picchu

    ⏱ hari kunjungan 2.430 mdpl

    Naik bus/jalan kaki ke gerbang Machu Picchu; wajib tiket masuk berjadwal.

Variasi pendek: Danau Humantay & Salkantay Pass (trek 2–4 hari)

Sedang
2–4 hari

Shorter variant focused on Humantay Lake and the Salkantay Pass without continuing all the way to Machu Picchu; suited to limited schedules while still seeing the snowy side of Salcantay.

Climbing Experiences

Nevado Salcantay (6,271 m) in the Cordillera Vilcabamba, Cusco, Peru, is most documented through the ~5-day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu. Trekkers highlight a brutal day two (a long climb over the Salkantay Pass at ~4,630 m), turquoise Humantay Lake on the first acclimatization day, dramatic scenery shifts from snowy high plateau to the humid cloud forest of the Santa Teresa valley, and the real risks of altitude (AMS) and fast-changing weather. Best season is April–September (Andean dry season). The icy summit itself is a technical alpine expedition, rarely climbed compared with the trek.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.

  1. 1 Wikipedia Salcantay en.wikipedia.org · EN
  2. 2 Wikidata Salcantay (Q730030) wikidata.org · EN
  3. 3 Encyclopedia Vilcabamba mountain range en.wikipedia.org · EN