Salkantay In June

Quick Overview Of Salkantay In June

Pros Of Salkantay In June:

• June is great for dry weather and clear blue skies while we are hiking along the Salkantay trek.
• Trails will still be relatively more quiet here compared with the Inca Trail or Rainbow Mountain circuit.

Cons Of Salkantay In June:

• June is one of the very best months of the year, so there are almost no disadvantages of hiking this month!

Important Things To Know:

• The altitudes can be tough along the Salkantay trek, so be sure to properly acclimate in Cusco beforehand.
• Expect warm temperatures during hikes in the day time, and cold temperatures at night in the campsites.

Everything You Need To Know About Salkantay In June

Below we’ll now cover everything you need to know about hiking Salkantay in June, such as why it’s worth it and what to expect when it comes to the weather.

Is It Worth Hiking The Salkantay Trek In June?

While Salkantay in May marked the official beginning of the dry season, June is the first real “all dry” month. This is because May can sometimes have a few showers in early weeks, but now here in June we will have clear blue skies overhead during the trek. Not only is this perfect for hiking comfortably, it also means we’ll have great views along the way of the towering Salkantay mountain, icy blue lagoons such as Humantay as well as perfect views of the high jungle and cloudforests as we slowly descend in altitude.

The other major benefit of hiking Salkantay in June is the quietness of the trails. While this month is one of the busiest of the year with lots of crowds at Machu Picchu and Rainbow Mountain, Salkantay is much more remote so there will be no large groups or tourist buses here. It’s even quieter than the Inca Trail in June, given that as many as 500 hikers can be on the entire trail at any one time.

The Weather Of Salkantay In June

As previously mentioned, June is a true dry season month from start to finish – meaning clear blue skies and great hiking conditions can be expected virtually all days. While hiking Salkantay in March and April requires rainproof gear given infrequent showers are expected, June is the complete opposite. This also means you’ll want to have the camera fully charged each morning as we continue our route, as there will be endless incredible opportunities for memorable scenery and wildlife.

June also marks the full transition into the winter season for the Peruvian Andes, and as such the temperatures will be affected. During the day it will actually be like all other months with hot highs – however even more so here now as there will be little cloud cover or overcast days in June (so be sure to regularly apply a high SPF sunscreen). During the evenings, temperatures are colder compared with wet season months like December and January, so be sure to pack a warm coat, gloves and a hat. 

A Packing List For Salkantay In June

Here we will now list everything that you’ll need for your hike for June.

• Thin layers for hiking during the day and late mornings (it gets quite warm given there’s usually little cloud cover)
• Thick jumpers and layers for the cooler temperatures in the evenings.
• A warm coat.
• High quality hiking boots or other shoes that are suitable for hiking (trails are great this time of year, but hiking boots still keep your feet at their most comfortable).
• Thick pijamas for staying warm at night.
• A baseball cap or Andean-style hat (prevent you from getting sunburns).
• Sunglasses to prevent glare from both the sun and snow.
• High SPF sunscreen (we suggest at least a sunscreen SPF factor of 30+).
• Warm clothing additions for the evenings (such as a thick hat, scarf, and gloves).
• A hand towel.
• A reusable water bottle (on our treks we’ll bring all the water you need – so you simply refill your bottle at our stations).
• A day pack to hold everything you need (must be light as you will always be carrying this).
• Hiking poles if necessary.
• Personal medications if necessary.
• A quality camera or mobile phone.
• A portable power bank or extra batteries for your camera.

Preparing For A Salkantay Trek In June

Ready to hike the Salkantay trek? Let’s now cover the most important things for you to know.

Packing properly is important regardless of the month you hike the Salkantay route – however June (and the winter period) is even more so. This is due to the extreme variations in temperatures from day to night, which are arguably their warmest during the daytimes (given little cloud cover), and at their coolest in the evenings of the year. In the last section we properly covered everything you’ll need during your trek, so be sure to read it thoroughly and to ask us any additional questions if you’re still unsure what might be needed.

The second important part of being ready for your trek is to get properly acclimated. The Salkantay route averages between 4000-4500m+ in altitude at the highest parts, which can often cause altitude sickness symptoms. You can avoid these problems by making sure you spend a few days in Cusco to acclimate before embarking on your trek, and also to bring medications like Coca Leaves, Soroche Pills or Diamox (if cleared by your doctor) which prevent you from getting any symptoms.

How To Book Your Salkantay Trek

Once you’ve decided you want to hike Salkantay in June, you’ll now need to start booking your ideal dates in advance. Now while there are no permit restrictions for the trek, it’s important to know that tour operators can fill up quickly for June given it’s one of the most popular months of the year. For the Four Day Salkantay Trek, we recommend booking at least 3 months in advance to guarantee your spot and ideal camping locations, and also to get your Machu Picchu permits (given we visit the Inca ruins at the end of the route – and these do indeed sell out for June).

Alternatively we have the longer Five Day Salkantay Trek, which is best for those who want a more complete trekking experience. While we follow the same route heading to Humantay Lake, around Salkantay Mountain and through cloudforests, here we’ll also hike the famous Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and see ruins like Wiñay Wayna and Chachabamba. Given the short Inca Trail has a much more limited daily capacity compared with Machu Picchu, we highly recommend booking this particular trek at least 4-5 months in advance if coming in June.

Why Book With AB Expeditions?

We have decades of experience leading treks around the Cusco Andes and Salkantay Mountain, and as such provide the very best expert guides and routes for this incredible hike. Not only will the lead guide take you to the most scenic viewpoints and teach you about ancient history along the way, you’ll also benefit from having a small trekking group which allows for a much more personal and private hiking experience.

Here at AB Expeditions we also guarantee a high level of quality and service on all our Salkantay treks. During the hike you will have buffet-style meals prepared three times a day for you by our professionally-trained chefs who join you on the hike, and our experienced porters will also help to carry some of your weight and items along the way. Finally we provide all gear, quality lodging and private transport for our guests.

Overview Of Salkantay In June

And that’s all for this guide on hiking the Salkantay trek in June.

This beautiful trek is one of the very best that you can enjoy when exploring Peru, where you will spend multiple days visiting incredible lagoons, scenic Andean mountains and even ancient Inca ruins. Hiking Salkantay in June is the perfect time for clear blue skies and amazing vistas, however it is also one of the busiest months of the entire year – and as such you will need to make sure you book your spot in advance to guarantee your ideal dates.

Here at AB Expeditions, our Four Day Salkantay Trek is the very best option for those who want a combination of beautiful Andean scenery, warm indigenous culture and a quality private service from start to end – which includes all lodging, buffet-style meals and experienced lead trekking guides.