Alpaca Expeditions 

Incredible once in a lifetime experience doing the Salkantay Trek and we couldn't have done it without Raul and Joel!

We had a great time.
Good Organisation and food.

Our Guide was Ismael.
He made this Tour perfect.

Trustpilot Honest Review: Salkantay Trek (July 2026)
After thorough research and seeing numerous glowing recommendations, I booked the 5-day Salkantay Trek with Alpaca Expeditions for July 2026, alongside two friends. Having completed tens of multi-day treks around the world, I had high expectations. While there were positive aspects, the overall experience unfortunately fell short of what I had dreamed of, primarily due to guiding, logistics, and campsite quality.
1. Customer Service & Office Staff (Positive)
Responsiveness: The pre-trip communication with the office staff was excellent. They were consistently responsive, polite, and addressed all my inquiries promptly and thoroughly.
2. Guiding & Group Management
Assistant Guide (Elder): Elder was exceptionally respectful, attentive, and helpful throughout the journey. I truly wished he had been our lead guide.
Lead Guide (Marceo): Unfortunately, Marceo was one of the most challenging lead guides I have encountered on any international trek:
Pacing & Breaks: His hiking pace was overly aggressive, causing large gaps in the group. Rather than maintaining a steady rhythm (e.g., a brief 5–10 minute break every 60–90 minutes), he took sporadic 20+ minute breaks, causing our muscles to cool down completely and increasing fatigue.
Communication & Demeanor: He struggled to deliver clear briefings, often overcomplicating simple points. When asked direct questions about the trail or schedule, he brushed them off with jokes rather than providing informative answers.
Lack of Care: He omitted standard pre-hike dynamic stretches entirely. At campsites, while guides from other Alpaca groups proactively checked on their trekkers and brought hot washwater, Marceo required repeated prompting from us just to receive basic care.
3. Campsites, Facilities & Food
Campsite Condition & Cold: The campsites felt poorly maintained compared to other operators on the trail. The glass domes were freezing at night, and no extra blankets were provided. Even with my own technical insulated quilt, sleep was minimal due to the extreme cold.
Food Quality: Portions were generous, but consistency was lacking; on certain days, major meals (such as chicken) were served ice-cold and unpalatable.
4. Logistics & Departure Procedure
Duffel Bag Collection: After an exhausting day involving 5 hours of combined train and vehicular travel, we were forced to unpack our duffel bags and rain ponchos directly on the street to return the gear. A far better policy would be allowing guests to drop off equipment at the Cusco office the following morning or collecting it at the hotel lobby.
Final Thoughts
Having observed other teams on the route, operators like Salkantay Trekking appeared to offer better-maintained facilities and more attentive leadership. It feels as though Alpaca Expeditions may have expanded its operations beyond its quality control capacity, relying on freelance guides who do not fully embody the company's core values.
I share this critique constructively in the hope that Alpaca Expeditions addresses these operational gaps. Given that this was a 30-hour journey from home that I will not have the opportunity to repeat, I deeply regret that the experience did not match the promise.

I just finished the incredible Salkantay Trail, and I honestly could not have asked for a better experience! The trek was absolutely spectacular—challenging at times, but incredibly rewarding and worth every single step. The scenery was breathtaking, and completing this adventure is something I will remember for the rest of my life.

A huge part of what made this experience so special was our amazing tour guide, Joel Orosco. Joel was truly exceptional from beginning to end. He was knowledgeable, professional, patient, encouraging, attentive, and always incredibly kind. Throughout the trek, he made sure everyone felt comfortable, safe, and supported, especially during the more challenging sections of the trail. His positive attitude and enthusiasm made such a difference, and you could immediately tell how much he genuinely cares about the people he guides and about giving everyone the best possible experience.

Joel also shared so much knowledge with us along the way, which made the trek much more than just a hike. He helped us appreciate the incredible landscape, the mountains, the local culture, and everything surrounding us. He was always available to answer questions, help when needed, and keep everyone motivated. Having such a wonderful guide made an already extraordinary trek even more memorable. Joel is truly an outstanding guide and an absolute asset to the company.

And then there was the food! Our chef, Timoteo M., was absolutely incredible. I still cannot believe the quality and variety of the meals he prepared for us during a trek in the mountains. Every single meal was different, fresh, beautifully prepared, and absolutely delicious. We looked forward to seeing what he would create next! The amount of effort, creativity, and care that went into every breakfast, lunch, and dinner was remarkable. Timoteo managed to make every meal feel special, and his cooking was honestly one of the highlights of the entire experience.

The organization of the trek was excellent, the scenery was unforgettable, and the entire experience exceeded my expectations. Salkantay is certainly challenging, but with an amazing team like this, it becomes an adventure that is both manageable and incredibly rewarding.

I am leaving this experience with wonderful memories and so much appreciation for everyone who made it possible. A very special thank you to Joel Orosco and Timoteo M. for going above and beyond and making this journey truly unforgettable. I cannot recommend them highly enough. If you are considering doing the Salkantay Trail, do it—and if you are lucky enough to have Joel as your guide and Timoteo as your chef, you are in the very best hands!

An absolutely unforgettable experience from beginning to end. Five stars are not enough!

I found that the guides (Cesar and Abraham) were incredibly kind and patient. I had full trust and faith in their experience and knowledge and I found that they were very good and keeping the flow no matter the levels of experience of the participants. I feel so lucky to have had such a wonderful group of people. The lodging was very comfortable and the food was amazing! Though my feet hurt by the end, I would absolutely recommend this to anyone!

Highlights- very well organized (which was a huge plus at Machu Picchu- we heard of other groups waiting for hours to get in), amazing food, great accommodations.

Seems to attract a mixed age group (vs younger backpackers in their twenties). Does a different hiking split than other treks, so more of a backloaded week but quieter hikes on days 3-4.

The Alpaca expedition to Salkantay was amazing, life changing and everything was well organized. Really recommend my guides Cesar and Abraan

A expedição para Salkantay com a Alpaca foi perfeita e uma experiência única de vida. Recomendo em especial meus guias Cesar e Abraão.

We have enjoyed are time with alpaca expeditions. We spend 5 days with them and loved the experience. We would recommend this highly

The Salkantay 5 day trek was a surreal, once in a life time experience . The views and scenery that you come across are incredible. I am delighted that I chose Alpaca Expedition to complete the trek. Our tour guide Brandon was amazing, always so helpful, encouraging and positive. He done the most for our group, going above and beyond , always ensuring everyone was ok and would be quick to solve anything that came up. The chef Willy and assistant chef David cooked the nicest selection of food I’ve ever had, it’s what got you through some of the tougher parts of the hikes ! There was such a healthy variety of food that kept you fueled for the day!Everything was so well organized with such a hardworking team behind it. I’m super grateful for the amazing experience I had with such lovely people along the way!!

Our Alpaca Expedition 5 day Salkantay hike to Machu Pichu was everything we had hoped for and more. Our experienced guide Brandon ensured our trip went smoothly from the very first meeting with him in the Alpaca offices. He was always there to answer all of our questions and to give detailed explanations of what to expect and how to prepare for each day. Each day he provided the encouragement we needed and always with a smile on his face. We couldn’t have asked for a better guide and feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to experience this with such a knowledgeable guide. On top of this our chefs Willy and David worked so hard to provide us with our breakfast lunch dinner snacks etc each day, even going that extra mile to bake me a birthday cake! All of the staff went above and beyond to ensure we had the best possible experience and we are so grateful to them all. Everything was so well organised and the accommodations added to the magic of the experience. Just wish we could do it all over again!!

Cesar and Joel were my tour guides and they were amazing! We had so much fun on the trek and every step of the way they kept us informed on what we were doing and what was next. They shared tons of history the entire way and I learned so much. The food was delicious and the artistry behind it was brilliant. Our head chef was Segundo and he surprised us the entire trek with the most beautiful dishes for every meal. It is obvious that our guides love the Sacred Valley and have a wealth of knowledge to share with anyone who will endure the trek. They did a great job providing options for members of our group who were struggling with the altitude or other ailments so everyone could still enjoy the time together. Would highly recommend Alpaca expeditions and would highly recommend Cesar and Joel. They are a great team and truly made the experience one of a kind. Thank you!

Guides Cesar and Joel were very fun, supportive, and able to adjust to our groups needs. The hikes are hard work but seriously beautiful and rewarding! The food was always good and the nightly accommodations (w rented sleeping bags) were comfortable. Keep in mind that as the trip progresses you will be more worn out each day! Be ready to listen to and push ur body!

Very organized and easy to work with. This was a once in a lifetime experience and we had great weather in July. Challenging but our guides Cesar and Joel were very helpful in keeping our group motivated. Salkantay pass was absolutely beautiful and we had very unique campsites

It was a once in a lifetime experience. The entire staff was great, including the guides, chefs and porters. It was very difficult but worth every step.

Well organised 5-day salkantay trip. Our guide, Brandon, is insightful and has great humor. The alpaca team got us tickets for machu pichu while we were hiking (which was great). Amazing cooks on the trip, chef Willy and assistent chef David cooked grand meals for us and went the extra mile for vegatarian meals and a birthday cake. Variety of treks with some choice in the routes. Long and tough days but such rewarding hikes with breathtaking views. We had an amazing group, the stays were basic but comfortable. Would recommend this company 10/10.

Cesar and Wilber were the most amazing guides! I have never done a guided experience before and wasn’t sure how I would like it, but after doing the Salkantay Trek with Alpaca Expeditions, I wouldn’t have done it any other way. There is so much history, culture, and context about Peru and the Incas that I would have missed out on if I did this trek on my own. By the end of 4 days, I developed such a bond with Cesar, Wilber, and the other people in our group. I am so grateful for this experience, it was a very rewarding way to experience Peru and Machu Picchu, and I would recommend Alpaca Expeditions to anyone visiting Cusco!

Cesar, Wilbur, Segundo, Noemi, German, and the entire team were phenomenal! Cesar & Wilbur were our guides and they were both very friendly and very funny. We chose Alpaca because they prioritize working with the local indigenous community and families and we could see this was evident on a personal level. If we ever come back to Peru, we will only trek with Alpaca Expeditions!

The Inca trail was an incredible experience. It is a challenging hike and the team made the experience world class. Our guides Saul G and Humberto were very knowledgeable about the sites and local flora and fauna, organised and helpful - definitely recommend a tour with them

What an amazing family holiday my wife and two teenage children. The hike was challenging but our guides were amazing. Super helpf. Every crisis averted. I would recommend Saul G and Homberto and Alpaca. Thanks again for a lifetime of memories.

We had such a great Salkantay trek! Yes, it was exhausting but that’s to expect on such a hiking trip! Our kids (10 & 13) enjoyed it too!
Ceasar and Hans were great guides! Always in excellent mood, funny and helpful. Their English is really good! The cooks were fabulous, exceeding expectations every night! Not an easy thing out there!
The porters carried our luggage reliably to every spot!
And Javier gave us very interesting information on Machu Pichu!