How to Train for the Salkantay Trek: Tips to Prepare for the Trek
If you’re planning to hike the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu, you’re probably wondering one thing: “Am I fit enough to do it?”
As two fitness professionals, this was one of the questions we were asked most often after completing the 5-day Salkantay Trek ourselves.
You don’t need to be an elite athlete to successfully complete the trek, however you also can’t spend most of your days sitting at a desk and expect the trail to feel easy.
We completed the 5 day Salkantay Trek in 2025, and even as active in-shape individuals, it was important for us to prep for the trek. The Salkantay Trek is physically demanding, but with the right training, it’s absolutely achievable!
In this guide, we’ll cover exactly how to train for the Salkantay Trek, what exercise matter most, and the mistakes we see hikers make when preparing for a multi-day trek at altitude. Plus, we’ll share our complete 12 week training plan to prepare for the trek.
Table of Contents
How difficult is the Salkantay Trek?
The Salkantay Trek is considered a challenging, strenuous hike. Depending on the route, it takes 4-5 days to complete. The Salkantay Trek is considered more physically demanding than the classic Inca trail.
During the hike you’ll have:
- Long hiking days
- Significant elevation gain and loss (up to 15,100 feet!)
- Rocky and uneven terrain
- High altitude
- Multiple climate changes
For many hikers (us included), the biggest challenge isn’t the distance – it’s the combination of the distance with the altitude, plus several consecutive days of hiking.
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What you’ll get:
How fit do you need to be?
You don’t need marathon-level fitness, or even be an avid hiker, to complete the Salkantay Trek. When we did the trek, we saw all ages doing it, including our friend who is 68!
However, you should be comfortable:
- Walking for several hours at a time
- Hiking uphill
- Descending steep terrain
- Recovering and doing it again for multiple days in a row
If we only had 4 weeks to prepare
If we had to start over and only had 4 weeks to train for the Salkantay Trek, we’d focus on three things:
– Hiking as often as possible
– Training for uphill and downhill terrain
– Spending more time at higher elevation
Most hikers worry about climbing uphill, but the long downhill sections are what leave many people sore. If you can comfortably hike for several hours and handle sustained descents, you’ll be far better prepared than someone who only trains in the gym.
Don’t worry about finding the perfect workout plan. Focus on building endurance, working hills, and preparing for multiple days of hikes in a row.
When to start training for the trek?
We recommend starting to train for the trek 8-12 weeks before the trek. This gives your body enough time to gradually build endurance without feeling rushed.
Weeks 1-4
Focus on building your aerobic base by:
- Walking regularly
- Increasing your daily steps
- Add incline treadmill sessions
- Begin strength training
Weeks 5-8
Focus on increasing your hiking volume by:
- Doing longer hikes
- More elevation gain
- Carry a light backpack to add weight
- Continue strength training
Weeks 9-12
Now it’s important to stimulate trek conditions whenever possible by:
- Adding back-to-back hiking days
- Doing longer hikes
- Hike with the gear you’ll bring
- Work on fueling and hydrating properly
Want our complete 12-week training plan?
Download our free training guide with weekly workouts, hiking progression, strength training, and trek tips to prep for the trek.
Prioritize time on your feet
If there is one thing we recommend above all else, it’s spending more time walking and hiking. Many people focus on workouts but neglect the simple act of being on their feet for several hours.
Walking builds:
- Endurance
- Joint resilience
- Foot strength
- Mental stamina
Whenever possible, get outside and choose hiking trails to prepare. Nothing else will prepare you as good as doing as much hiking and walking.
Train for elevation gain and loss (train for uphill and downhill hiking)
Most people prepare for climbing up a hill. But very few people prepare for the descent. And, after doing the hike, we can attest that we should have done more descending trails.
The reality is that downhill hiking is often what leaves people sore after the Salkantay Trek.
To prepare:
- Hike hills regularly
- Use stairs
- Walk on an incline treadmill
- Practice longer descents
- Work on step-downs (see strength training portion)
Building strength for downhill hiking can make a huge difference in how you feel, especially after Day 2 of the trek!
Strength training for the Salkantay Trek
Strength training can make the trek feel significantly easier. Focus on exercises that build lower-body strength and stability. You want to have strong legs for all the hills you’ll be conquering, but it’s also important to do single-leg exercises for balance and stability.
Train with your backpack
If you’re planning to carry a daypack during the trek, it’s importance to train with one before your trip. Start light and gradually increase the weight.
This helps your shoulders, back, and hips adapt to carrying gear for extended periods. You don’t need to carry a heavy pack, just enough weight to mimic your actual setup. We recommend using the daypack you plan to take with you on the trek, and over time add more clothes in the pack to increase the weight.
Prepare for elevation
If you live at sea level, there is no workout that perfectly prepares you for hiking above 15,000 feet. We think the altitude was the hardest part of the whole hike. And since we live in Oregon, we did the best we could to prepare for elevation.
If you can, do as many higher altitude hikes that you can. Honestly we did not do a good job on this, and this could have really helped us on Day 2 of the trek.
We also found a gym nearby that has an altitude room, so you can workout at higher altitude. This was a huge help, but I think we needed to do this more than we did (we only did it 3 times before our trek).
Ways you can prepare for elevation by:
- Improving your aerobic fitness (more cardio or longer hikes)
- Arriving in Cusco several days early to acclimate to the altitude
- Staying hydrated
- Using electrolytes
- Discussing altitude medication with your doctor
In our experience, the altitude made things so much harder than the actual fitness part of the hike.
Don’t forget your feet
It’s important to take care of your feet, because you will be hiking lots of miles, and if your feet are hurting early on, the trek is going to be miserable.
Before your trek:
- Break in your hiking boots
- Test your hiking socks
- Complete longer hikes in the shoes you will wear for the trek
- Address any blister issues (and bring some blister pads!)
What we did before the trek
As 2 fitness professionals, we already had a solid training base but we still made hiking and strength training a priority leading up to the trek.
The things that helped us the most were:
- Regular hiking
- Strength training
- Using trekking poles
- Proper hydration
We found that the hiking fitness and elevation training, mattered far more than any specific workout. So if we can give you one tip for preparing it’s try to do as many high altitude hikes as possible.
Other ways to prepare for the trek
Besides the physical training, there are a few simple precautions you can make that will make your trek more enjoyable.
Book early
If you want to the Salkantay Trek with a tour company like we did, make sure to book early! This is a super popular trek, and Machu Picchu tickets book up early too. We booked 3 months in advance, but if you’re looking for specific timing, it’s important to book further out than that.
Arrive in Cusco early to acclimate
We recommend arriving 2-3 days ahead of time to let your body get used to the higher altitude. Cusco sits at 11,150 feet high, so if you’re not used to high altitude, it really hits your body hard. We arrived 4 days before we started the trek, and we spent those first couple days pretty low-key, just exploring the town, and focusing on hydration.
Break in your hiking boots
Do not wear new hiking boots for this trek! You will be hiking 40-45 miles in 5 days, so it’s super important that your boots and feet feel good. Wear your hiking boots ahead of time to break them in, and to make sure they feel good!
Pack quality layers
Over the 5 day trek, you will be hiking through multiple different climates, and wide range of altitude levels, so you’ll want to make sure you have lots of good layers. You will be short on space, so it’s important to not pack too much.
Wondering what to pack? Check out our full packing list
Bring electrolytes
Electrolytes are a huge help for preventing altitude sickness. We made sure to take some with us and drink them everyday. Even if you don’t feel like the altitude is hitting you, it’s good to take them anyways, especially as you’re gearing up to hike 40+ miles in the next 5 days.
Read our complete Salkantay Trek packing list before you go!
The more prepared you are before arriving in Peru, the more you can enjoy your experience!
The Salkantay Trek is one of the coolest experiences we’ve done so far! You don’t have to be in top shape, but it is important to prepare before you go.
Before your trek, spend some time hiking, building strength, training your legs for both climbs and descents, and get comfortable spending time on your feet. If you do that, you’ll have an incredible experience!
Ready to start training?
If your Salkantay Trek is a few months away, don’t wait until the last minute. Download our free 12-week training plan and follow it week by week to get ready!
FAQS
Can a beginner do the Salkantay Trek?
Yes, a beginner can do the Salkantay Trek, but proper preparation and a reasonable fitness level are recommended.
How many miles should I be able to hike before the trek?
I think it’s more important to focus on doing hikes on back-to-back days than it is to hike a certain amount of miles each day.
Is cardio or strength training more important?
Both are going to be super beneficial
How long should I train?
Ideally we suggest training for 12-16 weeks before the trek.
Is altitude or fitness the bigger challenge?
While fitness is important, the altitude will definitely be more challenging.
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